“How Do These Symbols Testify of Jesus Christ?” Liahona, Dec. 2022.
Come, Follow Me
Christmas
How Do These Symbols Testify of Jesus Christ?
Not only were these symbols of Jesus Christ familiar to the people of His day, but they testify of His role in our lives today.
Illustrations by Andrew Beck
Brass Serpent
“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” (John 3:14–15).
How does looking to the Savior help you endure your trials?
Manna
“The bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world” (John 6:33).
Like the Israelites who gathered manna each day, how can “gathering” the Lord’s words each day feed your spirit?
Water
“The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).
When you take the sacrament bread and water, consider how Jesus’s teachings and Atonement help us qualify for eternal life.
Lamb
“[Redeemed] with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19).
Animal sacrifices in the Old Testament were symbolic of the Lord’s sacrifice for us. Our sacrifice today is giving Him “a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (3 Nephi 9:20). When have you felt that you have offered that sacrifice?