Look and Live by G. B. T.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 5, 1916

Look and Live

By G. B. T.

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isa. 45: 22. Salvation comes to the soul by looking to Jesus. We look and live. The look of faith delivers us from the bondage of sin. It is not something we do. Realizing our helplessness, we look to the Saviour, and cry to him for help. This cry of faith brings freedom to the soul. The very simplicity of this transaction seems to hinder our taking part in it and experiencing the great deliverance. We hesitate to accept deliverance from the slavery of sin on such easy terms.

In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3: 14, 15. In the journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, because of their rebellion and unbelief the protecting hand of God was withdrawn from them in a measure, and terror and confusion spread through the camp, caused by the death-producing attacks of poisonous serpents which infested the wilderness. The stillness of the night was often broken by a piercing scream which told the story of another victim. Many who were bitten died of their wounds.

“Moses was divinely commanded to make a serpent of brass resembling the living ones, and to elevate it among the people. To this, all who had been bitten were to look, and they would find relief. He did so, and the joyful news was sounded throughout the encampment, that all who had been bitten might look upon the brazen serpent and live. Many had already died, and when Moses raised the serpent upon the pole, some would not believe that merely gazing upon that metallic image would heal

them; these perished in their unbelief. Yet there were many who had faith in the provision which God had made. Fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters were anxiously engaged in helping their suffering, dying friends to fix their languid eyes upon the serpent. If these, though faint and dying, could only once look, they were perfectly restored.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 430.

Perfectly restored by merely looking! What a wonderful miracle of God! Here is a man, bitten by one of these poisonous serpents. The circulation of his blood carries death to every part of his body. His eyes are drooping, his body is swollen, and the cold hand of death is upon him. In a few brief moments life will be extinct.

But now his friends gather around him, and tell him about the wonderful provision made for the healing of those who are bitten. Yonder is a serpent of brass on a pole. He does not need to climb the pole and touch the serpent, but merely to look and be healed. Hope enters his heart. He turns his languid eyes and looks in faith. Suddenly a marked change is seen. The patient is better. The fever is gone; new life is seen in the eyes. The friends rejoice, for the victim of the poisonous serpent is healed; he is well. He arises from his bed, and goes forth into the camp. His friends are astonished at the marked change, and marvel that he who was stricken with death is now well and strong.

They press about him and ask what he did. He tells them he did nothing. He merely looked at the serpent and was made perfectly well.

Again we read: “The lifting up of the brazen serpent was to teach Israel an important lesson. They could not save themselves from the fatal effect of the poison in their wounds. God alone was able to heal them. Yet they were required to show their faith in the provision which he had made. They must look, in order to live. It was their faith that was acceptable with God, and by looking upon the serpent their faith was shown. They knew that there was no virtue in the serpent itself, but it was a symbol of Christ; and the necessity of having faith in his merits was thus presented to their minds. Heretofore many had brought their offerings to God, and had felt that in so doing they made ample atonement for their sins. They did not rely upon the Redeemer to come, of whom these offerings were only a type. The Lord would now teach them that their sacrifices, in themselves, had no more power or virtue than the serpent of brass, but were, like that, to lead their minds to Christ, the great sin offering.”—Ib.

We, too, have been bitten by the serpent, and eternal death has passed upon all. There is no earthly remedy. Yet we have but to turn our eyes and look in faith to Christ, to be made perfectly whole, and rejoice in the fulness of pardon and complete deliverance. We have only to look, and live.

What a blessed gospel! By faith we lay hold of the righteousness in Jesus Christ, and rejoice in the blessed knowledge of sins forgiven. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Rom. 3: 24-26. G. B. T.