AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT… John 3:14
by Daniel Yahav
AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT… John 3:14
Thursday, March 23 | Daniel Yahav
This is a summary of a series of teachings on the blessings that come from the
banner of Yeshua's cross. The idea of the cross as a banner comes from John 3:14
where Yeshua, foretelling His death on the cross says, "As Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up".
In this statement, He is reminding the people of the story in Numbers 21:4-9 where,
because of the complaining of the children of Israel against God and Moses His
servant, the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people. Many of the people were
bitten by these snakes and died. But God is merciful and faithful to His covenant
with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and at the moment the people recognized and
confessed their sin to Moses, He gave them the solution & healing to the situation.
God instructed Moses to put a bronze serpent on a pole and lift it up for all to see so
that anyone who had been bitten could look at the serpent and live. The word for
pole in Hebrew is "NES" which means banner or standard.
The snake placed on a banner was a prophetic picture of Yeshua's death on the cross.
On the banner of the cross, Yeshua took upon Himself our sin and became cursed for
our sake, and just as those who looked upon the serpent, received healing & life,
so those who look in faith, to Yeshua who was crucified for our sins, have the poison
of sin forgiven and removed and receive eternal life.
The banner of Yeshua not only gives us eternal life, but we receive many more
blessings as well. Instead of condemnation, we receive forgiveness and
righteousness (Rom. 8:1-4). We receive holiness instead of our uncleanliness (I Cor. 6:9-11). On the cross, Yeshua was made a curse for us so that we could receive blessings. He bore our diseases so that we could receive healing (Isaiah 53:4-6) He took on poverty and gives us provision. But in order to receive all of these benefits from the cross of Yeshua, we must look up to him and take them with hands of faith.
In Ex. 17:8-13 there is another story with a banner lifted up. Here we find the story of Israel battling against the Amalekites and we read that Moses went up to a mountain and held up the staff of God over the battle. When his hands were up, the children of Israel succeeded in the battle but when his hands grew weak and came down, the Amalekites succeeded. Verse 12 tells us that when Moses' hands became heavy Aaron and Hur sat him on a rock and supported his hands so that his hands were steady until the setting of the sun. In Hebrew, the word for "steady" is "EMUNAH" meaning simply faith. His hands were faith and with his hands of faith he held the staff of God as a banner. This banner, lifted high as an encouragement and rallying point for the soldiers, signified the cross of Yeshua. And after the Israelites won the battle, Moses built an altar and named it "The Lord is my banner". In the same way, the cross became the altar on which Yeshua sacrificed Himself.
We are all engaged in a battle going through the wilderness of this world, on the narrow path to the kingdom of God. The key to victory, according to 1 John 5:4, is faith - "This is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith". By looking in faith through repentance, to Yeshua who died for our sins, we can receive life instead of death. And from the banner of Yeshua's cross are flowing all the benefits and provision that have been given to us by God. In order to implement all of that provision we must hold on to that banner by hands of faith as Moses did, until the battle was won.
Hold on to Yeshua with your hands of faith, don't let go of your faith. Keep calling on His name, do not get weary, He will help you. You are not alone. He wants you to win in this battle!
And He has promised to finish the work that He has begun in You.
For further and deeper study you can listen to the Audio/Video teachings at:
http://www.penielfellowshipisrael.com