“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).
While the Hebrews were in the wilderness, they were bitten by fiery serpents. Snakes were biting them and they were dying. When Moses asked God for help, God told him to go to the edge of the camp and put up a pole. And on top of the pole, to put an image of a bronze serpent.
Then they were given instructions for life. When someone was bitten by a fiery serpent or snake, they were to look up at the bronze serpent. Then they wouldn’t die, they would live.
First of all they had to do it by faith. They had to believe that God really meant what He said. They could have stayed on the other side of the camp and said, “We don’t believe it.”
If they did that, they would die. But if they were obedient, they would go to the pole of the bronze serpent, look and live. The serpent on a pole has become the icon for the modern medical profession. You can see it displayed on clinics, doctor’s offices and hospitals around the world.
We must be careful that we don’t take the things of God that are powerful and make them into religious icons. In some churches you only hear about the power of the blood of Jesus on the week of Passover. Rarely do we hear in depth teachings about the birth of Jesus unless it’s Christmas.
Likewise, we rarely hear sermons about His resurrection unless it’s Resurrection Day. These teachings are not seasonal. They are foundational.
For some reason religious man has always attempted to make icons out of the things of God. Four hundred years after God told Moses to put the bronze serpent at the edge of the camp, during the time of King Hezekiah, people were worshiping the same bronze serpent. It had become a religious symbol. They even gave it a name: Nehushtan.
Godly traditions are good, but traditions created from the mind of man will only cause separation from the Truth of God. The Hebrews had taken a plan of God for the moment and when the moment had passed, they turned the good plan into a false doctrine.
When God delivers us out of a trial, we must move past the deliverance and into His next plan He has for us. If we continue to worship the “serpent on the pole,” we will never move into the fullness of our own ministry.
Don’t let the Passover and the blood of Jesus and the fact that Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb that was slain for you so that you can have deliverance under the new covenant become an “Easter” thing. Don’t get confused. The blood of Jesus is a daily reality that brings life to the believer.
Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him (talking about the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of their testimony.”
Excerpt permission granted by Larry Ollison Ministries
Dr. Larry Ollison is founder and Senior Pastor of Walk on the Water Faith Church and founder of Larry Ollison Ministries. With over forty years in the ministry, he is a very popular speaker nationally and internationally and ministers the Word of Faith through radio, television, Internet, and daily e-mail devotionals. As the author of twelve books (including The Power of Grace, The Practical Handbook for Christian Living, Breaking the Cycle of Offense, Life is in the Blood, and recently released The Paradise of God), he is in frequent demand for radio/TV interviews, book signings, and magazine publications.
Dr. Ollison was raised a Southern Baptist. While majoring in theology at Southwest Baptist University, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For many years he traveled extensively speaking at Full Gospel Business Men's meetings and conventions. He later earned an M.A. in Theology and a Ph.D. and Th.D. from Life Christian University.
Currently President of International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM), Dr. Ollison is also Vice-President of Spirit FM Christian Radio Network, Missouri State Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and a Trustee on the boards of several international ministries. He is also the host of The Cutting Edge Radio Broadcast and authors The Cutting Edge Daily Devotional.
As the owner of a marine dealership, his extensive business background brings a unique flavor to his teaching. He founded and served as chairman of the Missouri State Marine Board, President of the Marine Dealers’ Association, Vice-President of a bank holding company, along with holding several directorships in various corporations.
Dr. Ollison's strongest areas of teaching are the blood of Jesus, faith, relationships, the Hebrew language, the Holy Spirit, the end times, and heaven. During ministry, he operates freely in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His use of humor and his ability to make a theological concept simple makes it enjoyable and easy for everyone to understand. Countless testimonies have been received from people who say their lives have been changed after experiencing Dr. Ollison's unique ministry.
Dr. Ollison is a pastor, pilot, teacher, and author. His number one goal is to meet the needs of the people through the teaching of faith in God's Word. He and his wife, Loretta, have two children and six grandchildren.