We can learn from the mistakes that have made in the past. When Moses lift up the bronze serpent in the wilderness, they were told to look at the serpent, not the pole. Numbers 12:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked AT THE BRONZE SERPENT, he lived.
Interesting how this symbol is used today
What happen after that particular incident was over with Moses? They looked at this structure as an idol and worshipped to it. 2 Kings 18:4 He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.
Today many look to the cross rather than Jesus. You can see the symbolism everywhere. Jesus never told us to look at the cross, but to Him. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus did tell Nicodemus that as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness so much He be lifted up. John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Believes in Him, not the cross. He told others that were listening; John 12:30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
When Moses lifted the serpent, he wasn’t drawing all peoples to it, but all sin. When you look at John 12:32 the words “peoples” is NOT in the original Greek, but added by the translators. Here is what that verse is to read. ” And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all to Myself.” The cross wasn’t drawing all sin, but Jesus was.
One more thing I want to add to this. The cross represent death. The Sadducees made the same mistake as most people do today regarding the cross. They questioned Jesus regarding death in Luke 20. Luke 20:34 Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” 39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore. When Jesus died on the cross, death could not hold Him. Looking at Him on the cross is looking at death, but Jesus is the God of the living as all live to Him. We are to look at His faith and imitate His faith. Be Blessed friends.