May it please the Lord to bless
us together as we consider his word this morning. Let us turn
to the book of Numbers chapter 21 and we'll read verse 4. Numbers chapter 21 and reading
verse 4. And they journeyed from Mount
Hor by the way of the Red Sea to compass the land of Edom.
and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the
way. I believe it is important that
we always recognize that the Word of God shows to us not only
an historical account of God's people as they travelled through
this world in a physical way but also in a spiritual way. The Word of God teaches us and
shows us the way that we should expect as we live upon the earth. And very often we draw a wrong
conclusion and mostly we think our life is going to be much
easier than it turns out to be and we only really have to consider
God's ancient people Israel and the journeys that they had to
take especially when they were traveling those 40 years in the
wilderness and the many ups and downs they encountered And we're
thankful that we do have a detailed record of that in the Word of
God. Now as we have read this 21st
chapter of Numbers this morning, we see that Israel are coming
towards the end of their journey through the wilderness. They're
coming towards the end of that 40 years. Aaron has served his
generation and he's been taken from them. Eliezer, his son,
is now the high priest. And we find that God has been
with them, notwithstanding all their evil ways, all their rebellion,
all their hard-heartedness, God has still stood by them. Very
wonderful and very amazing. And we should draw the analogy,
I'm sure, with ourselves today, as we may think and look back
in our lives, and to see how God has been gracious to us,
far better to us than our sins deserve. Well, that was so true
of Israel. Now they come to a situation
and the Lord had delivered them, he'd heard their voice and delivered
up the Canaanites and they utterly destroyed them and their cities
and he called the name of the place Hormar. And now they continued
the journey. Now they were near Edom. They needed to go across Edom. But God had forbidden them to
go across Edom. And therefore they had a journey
around Edom. And that wasn't an easy journey.
They weren't allowed to take a direct route We have to travel
round. Now again, we think of that in
our lives. We perhaps want a direct route,
a very easy journey, a nice flat plain, plenty of ease. But, we find perhaps in our lives,
we are not allowed to go the direct route. We have to travel
a longer journey. And a longer journey is the way
that God directs us in. Not always the shortest journey. And so here we have the picture
here in this fourth verse. And they journeyed from Haw by
the way of the Red Sea to Compass, the land of Eden. Now, was that
a pleasing situation for them? Well, clearly it wasn't. And
again, sometimes we're not very pleased with the way that God
leads us. We may think, well why have I
got to go this way? Now we read here about Israel,
and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the
way. And we need to note here that
the Word of God tells us, and it was their soul who might say
their innermost being. No doubt there was a physical
difficulty because the region was not a plain, it was mountainous
and it wouldn't have been an easy journey. But the great point
here is, and the soul of the people was much discouraged because
of the way. It doesn't say, well there were
just a few little problems, just one or two discouragements. In
actual fact it says they were much discouraged because of the
way. Now as I said, we journey today
on this earth and we have a pattern really set before us in the word
of God. A pattern of the kind of path
that we are to expect as we journey through life. And therefore we should not be
surprised if we in our soul are at times discouraged and sometimes
are much discouraged. And I believe that will occur
when you and I may anticipate a deliverance, perhaps a time
of setting free, a time of wonderful blessing. And we may think it's
going to occur quickly and rapidly and it will soon be upon us.
And it doesn't occur. We've got to take a longer journey.
We've got to go a bit further than we thought. And it's not
smooth. And it's difficult. And there's
mountains. And therefore we become discouraged. Perhaps we become much discouraged. Now the lesson we have before
us in the Word of God is to observe how we should walk and what we
should do and what we should not do. Now what did Israel do? Did they accept the path? Did
they say, well, this seems the way, I'm going to be happy, I'm
going to be content with it, Or did they rebel? Well, we know
that they rebelled. It's very important for us today
to realise that the Lord has ordained His path for us to walk
in. But we are told that we are to
be very careful about what we think to be the right way. In
the Proverbs we read twice that there is a way that seemeth right
to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. It wasn't
the right way. The Lord leads us in the right
way. And we also read, David tells us, as for God, his way,
his way for you, His way for me is perfect. It is a right
way. It's not a wrong way. We may
be discouraged in it, but we should recognize it is God's
way for us. It is not a wrong way. Now then, what did Israel do? And what should we be warned
about? They spake against God. May speak
against God. May be discouraged. We understand
why. But may speak against God. And that's what we have to be
very aware of. That we are not left to speak against God. And they complain in this way. They said, wherefore to Moses
have you brought us up out of Egypt? To die in the wilderness? There is no bread, neither is
there any water, and our soul loatheth this light bread." It
was a shocking statement, really, wasn't it? When you think how
God had brought them out of Egypt in a wonderful way, and provided
for them, He'd given them manna, and here they are speaking about
it. They loathe this light bread. They are belittling what God
had given them. It was perfectly adequate for
them. It was all they needed to sustain
them. But they rebelled against it.
And they spoke in these terrible terms. And our soul loatheth this night
bread. Wonder how important it is for
us today. not to be found walking like that and loathing what God
has provided for us. It may not be perhaps a great
big feast. Remember they wanted the garlic
and all those things and the onions that they really enjoyed
and the melons back in Egypt. The Lord wasn't providing it
for them. And let me tell you this. He
was going to provide for them. a wonderful day of blessing in
Canaan, where they would have everything
they needed. My friends, God has promised
his people glory at last, and we shall receive everything that
we need. There will be no lack. Don't
look for everything here in this life. There is a life to come. A life of glory. A place where
there will be full and perfect provision. But, let us be thankful
for what God provides for us here today. Now, here was a very
simple diet. But it was adequate for them.
It sustained them. Now let's put it into spiritual
terms. God provides for his people. We don't have a feast every day.
Perhaps we seldom, perhaps we hardly ever have a feast, my
friends, as God provided for the sustenance of our soul. You may say, well, just explain
that a bit. Well, I will. Do you read the Bible? Do you
pray over it as you read it day by day? And do you come expecting to
receive some benefit for your soul? Or do you just say, well,
I've got to read these few verses today and the time is a bit short,
perhaps I'll cut it down a little bit. You just rush over it. You pat yourself on the back
and say, well, I've done my duty and off you go. Well, not very
hungry. Not very concerned about spiritual
state. But if you and I are concerned
about our spiritual state, if you and I read the Bible, read
the Word of God, you know we'll be concerned to receive something
that might last us through the day. A little thought perhaps. which
may come back to us during our working day. I never thought, what is it? I'll tell you what it is. It's
a crumb of mercy. And it's a blessing. And my friends,
that directs you to Christ. It's a wonderful favour. Let us not be complaining. We
may be discouraged. We may be much discouraged, but
let us not complain, and let us not rebel against God. The
Lord has provided us with so many things. He's provided us
with the great and glorious Word of God to be able to read. And
He's provided us here today with a place we can gather together
in, to hear the preaching of the Word, to bow down before
our God, to acknowledge He is our God, He is our Lord, He is
our Master. So we have then these Israelites
discouraged, yes, but then speaking against God and complaining about
His provision. Be very careful not to complain
about God's provision for you. You may be discouraged, but still
don't complain about his provision for you. These people didn't
just say it and the Lord said, well it doesn't matter. My friends,
God is a just God, but God is a holy God. And we are not to
treat God as we treat ourselves or our fellow beings. God is
high and lifted up and God is holy. And God is to have the
honour and glory, and God is to be bowed down to, and God
is to be worshipped. And so what happened to these
people? Well, I expect you're familiar
with a few verses we read together here. The Lord sent fiery serpents
to bite them, and many of them died. What a terrible, terrible
end. Rebelled against God and died in that state of rebellion. Speaking against God. My friends, God has provided
for us, hasn't He? He's provided naturally and He's provided us
with His Word. We have a great provision let
us praise and bless God for it. Well, these people were bitten
and much people died. It was a very solid state, wasn't
it? In Israel, the Lord had come
down. The Lord does come down. My friends,
not always in blessing, sometimes in judgment. He came down in judgment here.
We look around, don't we? Our nation deserves judgment,
doesn't it? We look around the world. We see the world deserves
judgment. We see here and there the Lord
does bring His judgments in a very demonstrative way, like in the
Philippines, like in those earthquakes and tsunamis which we've seen
in recent years. We must not pass over these situations. We must recognise it is God. God at work. God reminding man
that there is a God who is all-powerful and a God who holds our breath
in His hand. My friends, never treat God in
a light way. And so these people then, having
been bitten, the people came to Moses and said, we have sinned,
we have sinned. So they had. They were convicted. It's a great blessing, it's a
wonderful blessing when you and I are convicted of our sin. When the Lord shows us who we
really are and what we've done, Conviction of sin is a great
blessing. It's not a comfortable thing,
but it's a wonderful blessing. It's a wonderful blessing to
come and confess sin. Oh, my friends, it's not easy. Don't think confessing sin is
easy. Because you and I don't want to admit we're wrong. We
don't like to admit we've done wrong things. We try and excuse
ourselves. But it's good when the Spirit
of God comes into our hearts and convicts us of our sin and
we come to God and we confess our sin. And the Word of God
tells us this, glorious words, if we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. Yes, undeserving people The mercy
of the Lord. Wonderful, isn't it? Glorious,
isn't it? Rejoice in it. This morning. And so we have this situation
here. These people now are coming.
They've said, we see. Why? They've spoken against the
Lord. Now, you may say, well, I haven't
spoken against the Lord. Actions speak louder than words. How have you reacted in your
life? Have you reacted against God?
Have you reacted against Him? God knows your heart and my heart.
Have we reacted against God? It's a terrible thing, isn't
it? And if we have, and we haven't died. It's the
mercy of God. Many were bitten by the serpents
and died. The Lord was gracious to many
and did not die. So we have this situation. We
have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against
thee. Praise the Lord that he take
away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. The Lord instructed him to make
this serpent and to put it upon a pole. Why put it on a pole? So that everybody could look
and see it. It wasn't kept on the ground. It was raised up
on high. And the command was those that
have been bitten, even though they've been rebellious, if they
looked to that serpent, they would live. Well, what's the analogy? I'm
sure you know the analogy. The Lord Jesus spoke of it when
he was on the earth, and he spoke of it in a very Blessed were
in the 3rd of John, 3rd of John, 14th verse. 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. What glorious gospel words they
are, aren't they? believeth in him, shall not perish,
but have eternal life." Now then, these people, if they didn't
look to that serpent that Moses held up on high, they would die. But those that looked, they lived. And so today, my friends, in
our life, what is the situation? Let us try and compare ourselves
with these Israelites. Let us think of ourselves much
discouraged in our spiritual life. Things haven't worked out as
we thought they would. It seems to get worse rather
than better. It doesn't seem to get any nearer
receiving what we wanted to. So, we find we're discouraged
and much discouraged. We may have complained to God.
We may have said, why can't I get this? Why can't I have this?
Why doesn't this occur? What have we really been doing? We've been speaking against God.
Speaking against God. And that's a very solemn situation,
isn't it? And then perhaps the Holy Spirit
of God may have come and convicted us of our sin. Shown us that our case was really
hopeless in and of ourselves. We needed to be healed. We've been bitten by sin. And unless we're healed, we shall
die in our sins. And neither is to receive that
healing power from on high. Now, you may remember that in
this third chapter of John, the Lord has been addressing Nicodemus. Nicodemus, who was a ruler. He was a ruler. He was a powerful
man. But we're told he came to Jesus
by night. He wasn't perhaps bold enough
to come in the daytime, but he came by night. And he asked Jesus,
he said, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from
God. No man can do these miracles except God be with him. And Jesus
directed him very clearly to a very important aspect. He said
this, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God. Now if you and I are in a rebellious
state and complaining We need the Holy Spirit of God to come
upon us, to show us our true state, to show us exactly where
we are and who we are. Nicodemus couldn't understand
the need to be born again, but the Lord told him very clearly,
marvel not, that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. And he was to tell Nicodemus
this great truth. The wind bloweth where it listeth,
and thou hearest the sound of it, but canst not tell whence
it cometh and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born
of the Spirit. We all receive the work of the
Spirit in our soul. comes to us and what does it
do? It convicts us of our sin and
it shows us our need. And what is our need? The need
of these people here was to be cured of that poison which had
entered into them through that serpent. we today in our spiritual
life. We need to be cleansed from that
poison of sin which has entered into our life. And unless we are, we shall perish
in our sins. And that's why the Lord spoke
these wonderful words to Nicodemus. Nicodemus said, how can these
things be? My friends, it is from the power
of God. And we are thankful to have a
powerful God who, as we sang together in the second hymn,
is mighty to save. Mighty to save the very worst
of sinners. No one is too bad. The Lord can
save unto the uttermost. all that cometh to God through
Him. Here is the remedy. It's in the Lord Jesus Christ. And here we have the Saviour
Himself speaking. If I have told you earthly things
and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly
things? And no man hath ascended up to
heaven, But he that came down from heaven, even the Son of
Man, which is in heaven." And then he says, and as Moses lifted
up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be
lifted up. And it was for this cause, if
there was no Son of Man, no Jesus, lifted up on that cross, My friends,
there will be no hope of us being cured of our sin. As Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
that whosoever does that pick you up, whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish,
You will not die. By that I mean you will not perish
in your sins or be given spiritual life, but have eternal life. Well, many years have passed,
haven't they, since this occurred. The children of Israel were passing
through the wilderness. Some 1,500 years had elapsed,
but now The Lord Jesus, He opens the understanding. He points
to us so beautifully and so wonderfully as we here see this physical
situation which occurred. And what was the reason for it? It is to point the Church of
God to the saving virtue of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the great purpose of it.
And so today, as we look at ourselves, and don't forget my friends,
religion is personal to you and to me. You and I stand before
God. You and I need to be cleansed. We need to be healed. We need
to receive the blessing of the Saviour. We need to look to the
Lord Jesus Christ. And as you look to the Lord Jesus
Christ, what do you see? You see the Saviour dying upon
Calvary's cross. You see the Saviour standing
in your place. We were guilty, deserving endless
wrath. We see the Saviour standing in
our place, bearing the curse for us. the curse which says
the soul that sinneth it shall die, the blessed Saviour himself,
coming into this world and giving his life as that one sacrifice
for sin forever, shedding his most precious blood in order
to take away our sin, so that we are cured. We're healed. What does it mean? It means this. Redeemed with
the precious blood of Christ. What virtue there is in looking
to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is healing. There is power in the blood. Oh, my friends, this morning,
let us thank God for the Word of God. Let us look to ourselves
and be able to trace out in our lives the work of the Spirit
of God. We may be discouraged. We may
be much discouraged. Let us remember, the Lord is
dealing with us. He is leading us in that right
way. That way that the Lord has decreed for us. Psalm 107, it
gives a wonderful account of God's mercy and favour. And we
read in the seventh verse of this 107th Psalm, and he led
them forth by the right way that they might go to a city of habitation. In a nutshell, that's a tremendous
truth isn't it? to think that God leads you and
me in the right way. He never makes a mistake that
you and I might land up in heaven, that you and I may be brought
safely home at last, to be with the Saviour forever and ever,
to praise and to glorify His great and holy name, that they
might go to a city of habitation He goes on and says this, O that
men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful
works to the children of men. Well, may you and I be numbered
amongst those today who come in with these words and truly
desire and do Praise the Lord for His goodness and His wonderful
works towards us. Amen.