Look Up and Live

“And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole… and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”
Numbers 21:9 (KJV)

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Numbers chapter twenty-one begins with victory.

But quickly returns to complaint.

The people spoke against God.

Against Moses.

Again.

Discouragement turned into rebellion.

And fiery serpents entered the camp.

Here is the truth:
Bitterness always invites poison.

The bites were real.

The pain was real.

The consequence was real.

But so was the remedy.

God told Moses to lift up a bronze serpent.

Not to remove every snake.

Not to deny the wound.

But to give them a focus.

Whoever looked lived.

That difference matters.

Healing was not automatic.

It required humility.

You had to look up.

You had to admit you were bitten.

And here is where the gospel becomes clear.

Jesus referenced this very moment.

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.” – John 3:14

Salvation is not earned.

It is received.

You don’t fix the poison.

You look to the provision.

Step by Step: When You’ve Been Bitten

Recognize the wound
Denial delays healing.

Confess quickly
Poison spreads silently.

Shift your focus upward
Healing begins with perspective.

Stop staring at the snakes
Look at the solution.

Receive life
Grace works when you trust it.

Not every bite is visible.

But every healing begins with looking up.

PRAYER:

Lord, when I’ve been wounded by my own words or attitudes,
help me look to You.
Cleanse what bitterness has infected.
Teach me to trust Your provision instead of my pride.
Amen.

Blessings,
Politikanta Minute

📖 S.O.A.P. DEVOTION

S — Scripture

Numbers 21:8 (KJV)
“…it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.”

O — Observation

The people’s complaint led to consequence. Yet God did not abandon them. Instead of removing every serpent, He provided a remedy that required trust and response. The act of looking symbolized faith.

A — Application

When sin, bitterness, or discouragement wounds us, the solution is not self-repair. It is surrender. Looking to Christ shifts focus from the problem to the provision.

P — Prayer

Lord, help me look up quickly when I fall. Keep my eyes on Your provision and not my failure.