Like the Snake of Moses

"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

Jesus told Nicodemus this today. It made me think of this picture:

The Israelites sinned and grumbled against the LORD, so...

the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

This is an awesome parallel! When you are dying in sin, you can look up to Jesus and live!

Also remember, today is good Friday! Go here to read a great article on it!

Offerings

Today I read in Leviticus about the rules for making offerings to the LORD. You had to cleanse yourself, and God was VERY particular about how he wanted it to be done. There were even directions about where to throw the guts of the sacrifice birds! Why all this hubbub? Dirt and sin could not be in the presence of God! He could not even look at it. There was a gap between us and him that sin had dug out. God did not like this. There had to be a bridge over that gap.

Well all know what God did - he sent his son as the ULTIMATE sacrifice for our sin, forgiving us for all we have and ever will do! Now instead of having to cleanse ourselves before we could come before God, we can come just as we are! We are forgiven!