Dr. David Jeremiah
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Myself. John 12:32
Preachers stand on platforms; flags are raised to the top of poles; signs are put high up on billboards. Raising something high makes it visible to more people and gives it a sense of importance. That’s why God told Moses to make a serpent out of bronze, set it on a pole, and raise it up so the Israelites could see it. God had punished their sin by allowing serpents into their camp, and Moses’ bronze serpent became a source of deliverance for them when they gazed on it and believed (Numbers 21:4-9).
Knowing the Jews would grasp the metaphor immediately, Jesus said that He would be “lifted up” and become a source of salvation to all who looked to Him (John 3:14-15; 12:32). By “lifted up,” He was referring to the Roman cross that lay ahead of Him. His words were prophetic—His death on a cross has drawn millions to Him for two thousand years. We continue to lift up Christ today in the Lord’s Supper, “[proclaiming] the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). We also lift Him up as we praise Him for His blessings in our lives.