I was born into a devout Catholic family and spent 12 years in Catholic schools. So, I was used to crucifixes from an early age. It wasn’t until much later in life that I realized that while other Christian churches always featured a cross, Jesus was not on it.
Easter weekend seems like an ideal time to share the best explanation I have for this.
In Numbers 21: 7-10, God heard the freed slaves (once again) complaining. So he sent venomous snakes to threaten them. Here’s what happened next:
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.
The Israelites moved on.
Fast-forward to John 3:14-15 in which Jesus states:
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
Of course, right after that in 3:16, John reminds us:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
In other words, anyone bitten by sin can turn to the crucifix and live.
Wishing a blessed Easter to all of you…
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A blessed Easter to you, too! It is lovely to read testements to faith
A blessed Easter remembrance weekend to you and yours.🙏🏻✝️