(He Is The Risen King)
TO THE BIBLE: Exodus 20:4
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”
LET’S TALK
We read in the Bible how that fiery serpents invaded the camp of the children of Israel, hurting and killing many of them in the process (Numbers 21:7-9).
Then Moses prayed for mercy, and the Lord instructed him to make a serpent of brass, and set it upon a pole and said if anyone who had been bitten looked upon the brazen serpent, he would be healed.
Over the years, some people have had problems understanding this passage, particularly because of the Lord’s instruction in our opening verse.
The following verse however explains that the instruction was against graven images made for worship. “You shall not bow down yourself to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me” (Exodus 20:5 AMPC).
God never asked the children of Israel to worship the brazen serpent; He only told them to look at it the same way He told Abraham to look at the stars; He didn’t tell him to worship the stars.
The serpent was symbolic; it typified sin that was nailed on the cross. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).
Today, we don’t look at a graven image, but at Christ. He’s no longer on the Cross; He’s risen and has ascended to heaven. The risen Christ is the One who deserves our worship, and it is He alone we worship, glory to God!
Go Deeper
1 Timothy 6:13-16; Revelation 5:13
Pray:
Dear Father, thank you for the work of salvation that was consummated in Christ Jesus. He alone is the hope of earth and the joy of heaven. To Him be all my praise and worship, forever. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
ONE YEAR
Luke 6:17-49, Deuteronomy 31-32
TWO YEAR
Matthew 26:1-13, Exodus 35
Act:
Look away to Jesus, and disregard anything that exalts itself above the Name of Jesus.
