SON OF MAN LIFTED UP
Monday – October 22, 2018, Cheshvan 13, 5779
Greetings and welcome back to this beautiful Bible Study from the Book of John. Let’s decide at the outset of this study that we are going to receive this Word of God, we are going to choose to believe (have faith) it casting away all perverse thoughts, and then take any necessary corresponding action. God is so good, He does not want us to miss a thing but it will take time, diligence, and study. Now, let’s read our primary Bible text aloud.
John 3:13-16 (KJV)
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Last Friday we left off with verse thirteen above. I reviewed the reality that we, our spirit man, is present in Heaven even now just as Jesus’ spirit man was present in Heaven when He walked the earth as a man Anointed of Holy Spirit. This is a spiritual reality and a physical reality in their respective realms. As we examine the first part of the thirteenth verse we are told that “no man hath ascended up to Heaven”. What is the context here? We know that at least two natural men were in Heaven at the time Jesus makes this statement and those are Enoch and Elijah. The key to understanding the verse has to do with the fact that the Word (Jesus) choose to come into the earth and He choose to ascend back into Heaven. Jesus had the authority and power to do this of His own volition whereas Enoch and Elijah did not. Now let’s move into verse fourteen. As Jesus continues to talk with Nicodemus He reminds him of the serpent in the wilderness and how likewise He, the son of man, must be lifted up. Notice that Jesus purposely uses the term Son of man and not Son of God making it clear He must be lifted up as a man. Let’s take a quick look at the following verse.
Numbers 21:9 (KJV)
9 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.
The serpent is the one who deceived Eve and Adam outright transgressed and sin entered mankind. God had told Adam not to partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, in other words do not mix good and evil, for in the day you do you will die. In an instant they died spiritually forfeiting eternal life and all of the standing, responsibilities, and benefits of the Kingdom of God. Brass is a mixture of copper and zinc. Some Scriptures translate the serpent as made of bronze which is a mixture of copper and tin. In either case an admixture which we are sternly commanded to avoid. This represented the One who would be lifted up on a pole (the Cross) defeating the serpent and sin, and His name is Jesus. As the following Scripture proclaims Jesus was made sin for us so that we could be made the righteousness of God. This is the great exchange. He is the only One who could do this and He did it with joy.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
I have not talked in a while about Bible Numerology so I want to just take a moment to comment on the verses starting with thirteen through sixteen. John is the fourth book of the New Testament and four is the number of authority and power. Adam had authority (dominion) and power (Blessing) and lost it when he sinned. It was necessary for a sinless man (Jesus) to pay the price of sin when a sinless man sinned (Adam). Jesus the man paid the price of sin. Adam was sinless in the beginning until he chose to mix good and evil. Are we doing this in our daily lives? When Jesus paid the price of sin authority and power were returned to all would believe in Him. We are in the third chapter of John and three is the number of Divine completeness and perfection which was brought by Christ Jesus.
Thirteen is the number of depravity and rebellion. If it were not for depravity and rebellion there would have been no need for the Word (Jesus, the Son of man) to descend into the earth as a sacrificial Lamb. Fourteen is the number of deliverance or salvation. There would be no need of the Word being lifted up but for sin. His sacrifice brought us full salvation not a partial makeshift deal. Mankind could then choose to be restored back to Adam plus one better for we are in Christ Jesus who is our safety net. When Scripture says we are no longer subject to the law of sin and death this is exactly what is being referenced. If we sin we do not instantly die as did Adam and Eve on that day of Sin and Death in the Garden. We have a safety net, an advocate, a high Priest to stand in the gap, Adam did not. We stand on His righteousness not our own, Adam stood on His own. Fifteen is the number of God’s rest, God’s provision and one outstanding feature of His provision is eternal life in Christ Jesus. When Scripture speaks of eternal life this is not talking about eternal existence or consciousness which all men have but life forever just like our Heavenly Father. Next, we come to verse sixteen. Sixteen is the number of love. Recall, love at its core is obeying the Word of God, also mindfulness of The Blood Covenant, and a selfless life. This is God obeying His own Word and us obeying the Word of God. That is what is being talked about when it is said the He loved us first.
1 John 4:19 (KJV)
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
If God did not obey the Words He gave the Prophets to proclaim and send the Word (His Son) we would have no hope or ability to love God.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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