When we look at something we hold it up, we examine it, we check to see the reliability of it. Is it well made? will it hold together in rough weather and so on.
Can we trust that something or someone to deliver what it/they promise? Jesus said that He came to give life, not just in the here and now, but for all eternity and in abundance. (John 10:10)
So we can say that Jesus indeed passes the test of durability and reliability. More than that He's God, so every minute detail of our lives are under His sovereign care. Even our pain and our difficulties and trials.
In Numbers 21:6-9 we see a vivid description of what it means to look upon something- the Israelites found themselves much like we do, sinning against God. They were speaking against not only God but against His servant Moses. (Sound familiar anyone?) But even in the midst of their sin and failure, God shows His mercy! God provides a way of life. (Num. 21:8-9) and all they had to do was to look at the bronze serpent that the Lord instructed Moses to construct.
Again, not much involved with a look but oh, what a result! Life!- life from death, reversal of the curse of death, a reversal of the results of sin. They like us receive mercy in place of wrath, grace in place of our insufficient work. In this we see a foreshadowing of the gospel and Jesus would mention this again in John's gospel (John 3:14) confirming that this indeed was a foretelling of the way of salvation that He would provide by being lifted up for us to look to Him for life and salvation.
May we look upon Jesus, our savior and procurer of our eternal existence, and our very standing before a holy God.
Let us look to Him, examine His claims, hold up His precious promises to the light of His Word and trust the One who was bitten by death's sting for us, but overcame the grave to provide us with His righteousness and true and fulfilling life!
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