Your Lightning Rod Did A Perfect Job!

— by Damilola Akinyera

Do you remember this song:

‘lift Jesus higher…
Lift Jesus higher…
Lift Him up for the world to see…
For He said, if I be lifted high from the earth…
I will draw draw men unto Me.’

Hmm…

This song is always used for serious praise and worship by believers and the congregation keeps lifting Jesus high from the earth…

Lol…

I do understand that the lyrics of this song can actually be used to indicate praises to Jesus, but the line (‘…For He said, if I be lifted high from the earth…I will draw draw men unto Me…’) means deeper than what it is used for!

If that song was really understood from the actual scriptural context, then the people who sing it will not be arguing about the ETERNAL SECURITY of a believer’s salvation in Christ!

Hmm…

So can we take a quick look at the Scriptures and see what Jesus actually meant when He said this statement?

See the verse:

‘…And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me…’ (John 12:32)

Now there are 2 questions that need to be answered when we view this verse. They are:

1) What did Jesus mean when He said: ‘…if I be lifted up from the earth…’?

2) Who/What was Jesus drawing to Himself when He is lifted up from the earth?

The only way to find these answers lie in the context of the verse.

We will need to understand both the preceding verse and the following verse in order not to miss what Jesus was talking about here.

The answer to the first question is found in the verse that followed:

Now read carefully:

‘…And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL men unto me…This he said, SIGNIFYING WHAT DEATH HE SHOULD DIE…’ (John 12:31-33)

So what did Jesus mean when He said: ‘…if I be lifted up from the earth…’?

He was simply SIGNIFYING WHAT DEATH HE SHOULD DIE…’ (John 12: 33)

He was referring to His death on the Cross!

That is the meaning of ‘If I be lifted up…’

Hope you got that?

I guess so!

Now let’s answer the second question: ‘Who/What was Jesus drawing to Himself when He is lifted up from the earth?’

Hmm…

Let’s see the verse again:

‘ …And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all MEN unto me…’ (John 12:32)

If you are reading this verse in the KJV, you will realize that the word ‘men’ in the verse was italicized.

This is because in the original Greek version, the word ‘men’ was not in that verse.

It was a suggested interpolation by the translators.

In fact, some English Translations chose to omit that word in their versions, for example:

‘…And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will DRAW ALL to Myself.” (John 12:32 Berean Literal Bible)

‘…and I, if I be lifted up out of the earth, will DRAW ALL to me…’ (Darby Bible Translation)

Hmm…

So it’s clear that what Jesus said there is: ‘… if I be lifted up from of the earth, I will DRAW ALL to Me…’ and not ‘…I will DRAW ALL MEN to Me…’

Clear?

Let’s go on.

Now, if Jesus said: ‘…I will DRAW ALL to me…’, the question is ‘ALL what’?

What is He actually drawing to Himself when He will be lifted up (that is, when on the Cross)?

Hmm…

Well, the answer is found in the context of the verse!

Now let’s read the verse in full context:

‘…Now is THE JUDGMENT of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out…And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL unto me…This he said, SIGNIFYING WHAT DEATH HE SHOULD DIE…’ (John 12:31-33)

Wow…

This is getting really interesting.

Now hear this: the context of the verse plainly shows that Jesus was talking about ‘the judgment of this world’!

‘…Now is THE JUDGMENT of this world …And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL unto me…’

Judgment was the theme of the sentence here!

Hence when Jesus said ‘…And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL unto me…’

What He was going to draw to Himself was OUR JUDGMENT!!!

Hmm…

Let me give you a pictorial help to boost your understanding on this.

Have you ever seen a ‘Lightning Rod’?

A ‘Lightning Rod’ is a rodlike conductor installed to divert lightning away (during rainfall) from a structure or building by providing a direct path to the ground.

It’s normally at the top of buildings with sometimes about 3 little extensions (antennas) spread on its rod-stem.

I guess you have gotten the picture.

Now hear this: when lightning strikes, the Lightning Rod ATTRACTS all the dangerous electric charges in the atmosphere and prevents the lightning from striking homes or offices.

Hmm…

This is the very way Jesus was LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH on the cross of Calvary….like a Lightning Rod…He attracted ALL YOUR JUDGMENT…so that no judgment will come your way to strike you anymore!!!

Hallelujah!

Did you catch that?

I hope so!!!

This will help you understand verses like:

‘…There is therefore NOW NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus…’ (Romans 8:1)

How will you still expect Judgment your way when your Heavenly Lightning Rod has attracted ALL your JUDGMENT!

Never!

Now listen carefully: If you have believed in Jesus for your salvation, JUDGMENT IS NOT COMING YOUR WAY!!!

Hear this verily verily words of Jesus concerning you:

‘…Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and BELIEVETH on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and SHALL NOT COME INTO JUDGMENT; but is passed FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE…’ (John 5:24)

Wow!

Jesus was too sure of what He would accomplish for you when suspended on the Cross!

Oh, I feel like typing on and on…explaining this My Gracious Lightning Rod!

Do you remember the most popular verse of the Bible?

‘…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…’ (John 3:16)

Hmm…

You will do yourself a very big favour if you can take time to read that chapter at least from vs 14!

‘…And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, EVEN SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP: That whosoever believeth in him SHOULD NOT PERISH, but have eternal life. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, but have everlasting life…’ (John 3:14-16)

Can you now see what Jesus meant by ‘…if I be lifted up…’?

It’s all about ATTRACTING YOUR JUDGMENT!

Read it again!

‘…And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, EVEN SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP: That whosoever believeth in him SHOULD NOT PERISH, but have eternal life…’!

Wow!

Oh, I love this Lightning Rod!

ALL your JUDGMENT He ATTRACTED!

ALL your CONDEMNATION He ABSORBED!

No wonder it is written:

‘Christ has REDEEMED US from the CURSE OF THE LAW (judgment)…being made a curse for us (Lightning Rod)…for it is written; cursed is anyone that hangeth on a TREE (the Cross)…’ (Gal 3:13)

Wow!

Its always all about JESUS!

Hallelujah!

So when next you are in church and this song is sang:

‘lift Jesus higher…
Lift Jesus higher…
Lift Him up for the world to see…
For He said, if I be lifted high from the earth…
I will draw ALL men unto Me.’

Never forget that you you praising a Saviour who ATTRACTED ALL YOUR JUDGMENT so that you will never be condemned again!

For He said, if I be lifted high from the earth…
I will draw ALL JUDGMENT unto Me.’

Hallelujah!

Indeed, YOUR LIGHTNING ROD DID A PERFECT JOB!

Oh, glory to Jesus.

Amen.