Years ago, I had no pickup truck. I drove it to school and to work. The defroster did not work on
it. It had a giant hole in the floor
that we had a rubber mat, like a horse mat that you'd put in
a stall, and that's kind of what covered the shifter. Occasionally
the transmission would stick, and it would either stick in
one of two places, either second gear or reverse. And neither
one of those was very, you remember that truck, don't you? Neither
one of those was very convenient. The radio did not pick, I had
a country song up to that point, didn't I? But the radio did not
work on this truck. The antenna had been ripped off
at some point. But the cassette player did.
And I had one cassette that I kept
in that truck, I believe, the whole time that we owned it.
And there were two messages preached by Brother Henry on that cassette. On one side was Christ, the Passover
lamb. And on side two was Christ, the
serpent lifted up. And I can remember listening
to those messages just over and over and over again in amazement
that the Lord Jesus Christ could be preached from the Old Testament
so clearly and so plainly. And those became two of my, I
believe, two of my favorite Old Testament pictures and still
are. And the Lord willing, I'd like
to bring a message tonight from Numbers 21. Christ, the serpent,
lifted up. So turn there with me to Numbers
21. Look beginning with verse 4. And they journeyed from Mount
Hor by way of the Red Sea to compass the land of Eden. And
the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against
God and against Moses, And they said, wherefore have you brought
us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is
no bread, neither is there any water, and our soul loatheth
this light bread. Now, I have just a three-point
outline this evening, and the first point is this, man's rebellion. First we read of man's rebellion.
It says the soul of the people was much discouraged because
of the way they grew impatient. You know, in the days of the
children of Israel, just as in our day, we become discouraged. I don't
think I'm the only one in here that could say that we grow discouraged
because of the way. Spurgeon wrote this, he said,
discouragement is the opposite of faith. And it's generally the fruit
of unbelief. By discouragement, we ceased
to be vigorous, live vigorous lives and we began to faint. Discouraged because of the way. You know it was the way, it was
the way that God chose for them. A way in which God provided for
them. And that discouragement, it led
to, this is a lesson for all of us, that discouragement led
to complaining. How easily, oh how easily that
happens. And listen, they spake against
God and they spake against Moses, his servant. They said, there's
no bread. They said, there's no water.
Our soul loatheth this light bread. I ask you, was any of that true? Listen, when they were thirsty,
the Lord provided for them. He gave them water out of that
rock. When they were hungry, when they
fussed about being hungry, God gave them manna. He fed them,
didn't he? And then when they got tired
of that man, he gave them quail. He continually provided for them. They complained for no reason. Again, they got discouraged and
they started complaining, complaining against God, complaining against
Moses. Moses, the servant that God had
called for that purpose to lead them, out of Israel. Listen, they're complaining.
There was so much they even complained about being brought out of Egypt. They said, wherefore have you
brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? Is it possible that we would
do the same? to complain of even his mercy. Think about that. They had been
delivered out of bondage, delivered out of Egypt. God, he brought
them out with a mighty hand. What was back there in Egypt
that would desire them to stay? I mean, Pharaoh had made slaves
of them. And then there came a time when
he just had those taskmasters just throw more and more work
on him. He even tried to kill all the
male children that were born to him. Turn with me to Exodus
chapter 3. Hold your place there. Turn to
Exodus 3. Look at verse 7. This is where God appeared to
Moses in that burning bush. Listen to the words of our Lord.
He said, speaking to Moses, He said, I've surely seen the affliction
of my people which are in Egypt. I've heard their cry by reason
of their taskmasters. I know their sorrows and I am
come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians
and to bring them up out of that land into a good land, to a large
land, into a land flowing with milk and honey. I've heard their
cry, he said. I've come down to deliver them."
But now, here in our text, it's not their cry that he hears,
but rather it's their murmuring, discouraged because of the way. Turn to Deuteronomy 9. Look at verse 23. He says, Moses speaking, he says,
Likewise, when the Lord sent you from Kadesh Barnea, saying,
Go up and possess the land which I've given you, you rebelled against the commandment
of your Lord. You rebelled against the commandment
of the Lord your God, and you believed him not, neither did
you hearken to his voice. You have been rebellious against
the Lord from the day that I have known you." God had told him,
go possess the land, take it, it's yours. But they would not. They rebelled against God. That's us. We've rebelled against
God and we're responsible. It was the way in which God led
them, but listen, it's the way they wanted. We've rebelled against God and
we're responsible. We're responsible for our actions.
They were responsible for theirs just as we are. Isaiah 53, 6
says, all we like sheep, have gone astray. We've turned everyone
to our own way. Romans 5.12 says, wherefore as
by one man's sin entered into the world and death by sin, so
death passed upon all men for this reason, all have sinned. Fought with God's deliverance. fought with the way, fought with
his servant, fought with the manna. They said, our soul loatheth
this light bread. That manna, that manna pointed,
that manna was a picture of Christ, the bread of heaven. Turn to
John chapter 6. John 6, beginning with verse 31. Our fathers did eat manna in
the desert. As it's written, He gave them
bread from heaven to eat. Jesus said unto them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from
heaven, but my Father. My Father giveth you the true
bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which
cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world. And they
said unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus
said unto them, I am the bread of life, and he that cometh to
me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never
thirst." God provided every need, and yet they found fault. They
murmured. I know that's me by nature. I
don't know about everybody else in the building, but I know that
that's me. That's a description of me by
nature. Scripture declares this, all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God. They've gone
out of the way. They're together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good. No, not one. Well, next, we read
of God's judgment. Turn back to Numbers 21. Verse 6, And the LORD sent fiery
serpents among the people, and they bit the people. And much
people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to
Moses, and they said, We've sinned,
and we've spoken against the LORD and against thee. Pray unto
the LORD. that he take away the serpents
from us and Moses prayed for the people. As a result of their
murmuring, as a result of their rebellion, God judged the people. He sent those poisonous serpents
among them and those that bitten, God's word says this, those that
were bitten died. Our sin, our sin has separated
us from God. The serpent of sin has left its
poison in every one of us, every son of Adam, and death. What is death? It's the wages
of sin. It's upon every one of us. By one man's disobedience, many
were made sinners. For as in Adam, all die. And for those that were bitten,
there was no human cure. There was no go here and get
this or do this or do that. Those that were bitten died. There is no human cure for the
guilt and condemnation of sin. None. Spiritual death, it's in
us. Physical death, it's upon us. Eternal death awaits us. In Genesis 5 verse 5, we read
this, all the days Adam lived were 930 years, and then listen
to these words, three words, and he died. Whether a man lives 70 years
or 930 years, the same awaits us all, death. All the days of Adam, 930, and
he died. Death passed, scripture says
this, death passed upon all men. Why is that? have sinned. Sin, when it's finished, bringeth
forth death." Those people, they murmured against God, they murmured
against His servant. And now that one they murmured
against, that one they complained to and complained against, they
come to Him and they ask Him, Moses, would you intercede for
us? Would you intercede for us? Only the mercy of God could deliver
them. His mercy, His grace. We sing that hymn. Grace is a
charming sound, harmonious to the ear. Heaven with the echo
shall resound, and all the earth shall hear. Saved. How? Saved by grace alone. That's my only plea. Jesus died
for sinful men. And the Lord Jesus Christ, He
died for me. Grace. God's grace. Grace is
God giving us what we do not, we do not deserve. What? What do we deserve? I hear men talk about things
they think they deserve. Scripture says this. Here's a
few things we deserve. We deserve death. We deserve
hell. We deserve eternal judgment,
eternal wrath. That's what I deserve. Aren't we thankful that God doesn't
give us what we do deserve, but that he deals with his people
in mercy, giving us what by nature we do not deserve? What is that? Salvation, a perfect righteousness,
conformed us to the image of his son. He's given us justification,
redemption, the forgiveness of sin, all these things that we
do not deserve. Aren't we thankful for his mercy
and grace to sinners? The people asked Moses, they
said, intercede for us. Someone to advocate on their
behalf. God's Word declares that we have
just that. We have an advocate. They said we've sinned. You know, it's pretty easy. It's
pretty easy to talk about others' sin. Others who have sinned. We do
that sometimes, don't we, huh? Did you hear what he did? Did
you hear what she did? They came and said this, we've
sinned. I have sinned. David said against
thee and thee only have I sinned. and done this evil in thy sight."
That publican, what did he pray? God be merciful to me, the sinner. Scripture says this. Just listen
to these words from 1 John 1 verse 9. It says, if we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness. I've sinned. Oh, but I need one,
I need one to intercede on my behalf. I need, I need an advocate. 1 John 2, 1. My little children, these things
I write unto you that you sin not, and if any man sin." I heard a man speaking from this
not too long ago. He said, there's the requirement. It doesn't say if any man acts
like he's righteous or if or if any man acts like he's holy,
or if any man does his best. No, it says, if any man sin,
we have an advocate with the Father. Who is it? Jesus Christ,
the righteous. Man's rebellion. God's judgment. And then third, God provided the remedy. The
serpent lifted up a picture of Christ, our Redeemer. Aren't
we thankful that wasn't just a two-point outline, that it
didn't just end with God's judgment? God's remedy. Verse 8 and 9 of
Numbers 21, and the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery
serpent, and set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass that
everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass,
and he put it upon a pole, and it came to pass that if a serpent
had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, He lived. Moses prayed. Moses interceded,
and the Lord answered. Now I ask you, whose plan was
this? Was it Moses? No, my friends,
it was Almighty God. The Lord answered, all according
to His plan. all according to His appointment,
all according to His power, all according to His purpose. God
the Father purposed salvation, and God the Son purchased it. In Him, in Christ, we have redemption
through His blood, even the forgiveness of sin. all according to his
grace. He said, make thee a fiery serpent. Make a serpent in the likeness
of that one that had bitten the people. One that would resemble
that fiery serpent that had bitten the children of Israel. The Lord
Jesus Christ, he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. Listen to these words from Philippians,
speaking of our Lord. It says, he made himself of no
reputation, took upon himself the form of a serpent, and was
made in the likeness of men. The cure was made in the likeness
of men. That serpent of brass, it had
no venom in it, did it? The Lord Jesus Christ had no
sin. He was in all points tempted
like we are, yet without sin. Make thee a fiery serpent and
set it, set it upon a pole. Put it in a high place so that
it might be seen by all in the camp. Lift Him up. The Lord Jesus Christ is to be
exalted. His name is above every name. He's to be lifted up. The Lord
Jesus Christ, exalted above all, lifted up in the Gospel, lifted
up in the hearts of His people, lifted up... Listen, every time
we gather together, that's what we're to do. Not lift up man,
not exalt man, We do enough of that on our own. We need to be
putting the dust. Christ is to be lifted up. That serpent was lifted up on
a pole. The Lord Jesus Christ, he was
lifted up, wasn't he? Lifted up on the cross to die. We read that to begin the service.
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so, must
the Son of Man, He must be lifted up, lifted up, nailed to the
cross. Christ also hath suffered for
sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened, quickened by the
Spirit. There on the cross, it was there
on the cross that He bore our sins. He bore the sins of His
people. Lifted up was He to die. It is finished was His cry. Now in heaven, exalted high,
hallelujah, hallelujah. What a Savior. There was but one remedy for
those bitten. What was it? It was that serpent
on the pole, wasn't it? He told him. Look. Look at that
serpent. All that looked at that serpent
lived. There is but one Savior, one Redeemer, one Deliverer. His name, the Lord Jesus Christ. the sinner's substitute. Neither
is there salvation in any other. There's but one. There is none
other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be
saved. Make thee a fiery serpent. Set
it upon a pole. and it shall come to pass, everyone
that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. Those that were bitten, the remedy was provided, wasn't
it? With this command, look and live. You know that has not changed.
That's still the message of the Gospel. Those bitten by the serpent
of sin, to those who are dying, God has provided the remedy. Same command, look and live. And what happened? Look at verse
9. came to pass, you see that? And it came to pass that if a
serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass,
he lived. He lived. Hebrews 12, two, we
read this. Looking, what are we doing? Looking unto Jesus. We don't look to a serpent of
brass, do we? We don't look to anything but
Christ, looking unto Jesus, looking unto the Savior, the author and
finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him
endured the cross, despised the shame, and is set down at the
right hand of the throne of God. Isaiah 45 verse 22, what's it
say? Look unto me and be ye saved
all the ends of the earth for I'm God and there is none else. Oh Lord, don't let me look to
this world. Don't let me look to this flesh. Don't let me look to anything
but thee. I don't want to be found trusting
in my own righteousness. I don't want to be found despising
and neglecting His great salvation. No, I want to be found looking
to Him. Look unto me and be ye saved. All the ends of the earth, for
thou art God. There is none else. There is
no other Savior beside Him. All that He might cause us all
to be found looking to Him, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith. All right.