Look Up (Numbers 21:1-9) AM Service
Notes
Transcript
1 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. 2 Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities.” 3 The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
The Hebrew people were going through a difficult, trying time.
The Hebrew people were going through a difficult, trying time.
A few chapter earlier (ch 13) spies were sent through the land and 10 spies said not to go into the promised land - 2 said go.
Well, because the people didn't trust God said they would wait 40 years and that generation would die in the wilderness.
So, they go back to wandering the wilderness
In ch 20...
Miriam dies
The people get to Kadesh and there is no water- so they complain
Moses calls the people a bunch of rebels, he strikes the rock as opposed to speaking to the rock, and water flows.
But, because of how Moses and Aaron acted in Kadesh/Meribah they were barred from entering the promised land
Edom won't allow the people to pass through their territory, so they must travel around it, going the LOOONG Way
The people go to Mount Hor and Aaron died there on the mountain
The people continually complain...
Yet, God also showed his power through them in a mighty way by helping them against Arad.
1 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. 2 Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities.” 3 The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.
Even in the midst of God’s provision the people complained.
I am sure we have been where they were also. We have seen God do great things, but at the same time, we are not content with the other things God has provided us. Life is going according to OUR plan - so we complain.
We are no different than the Hebrew people.
While they were going from Mount Hor and heading to the Red Sea around Edom the people CONTINUED to complain.
In this instance the people are unhappy with the bread...
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
They had manna, but they detested this provision from God. In Hebrew it is literally translated “Light Bread.” It was JUST enough for their needs for 1 day. And, they are tired of it. They want something different.
Everything is going wrong and they only get bread and quail everyday… Give us something different God. We’ll take slavery over this diet plan!
Well, God has had enough, so he disciplines the people.
Well, God has had enough, so he disciplines the people.
So, God disciplines them with venomous snakes.
They were probably there all along, but God lofted his arm of protection.
The term can be translated something like “fiery flying serpents” They probably go this name for how the snakes darted about in their movements and that they were most likely cobras where their hoods looked like wings. But also, the venom would cause inflammation, redness, etc...
They received this discipline because they rejected what God provided - Specifically manna (bread of life)
God allows these serpents to run rampant in the camps and many people die. So, they ask Moses to pray to God and have this fixed. And Moses does.
But God doesn’t magically/miraculously take the snakes away. God provides a solution, yes, but he doesn’t snap his fingers and fix the situation. He provides something for the people to participate with Him.
God provided a physical act for a spiritual problem.
This is kind of God’s way of working...
Sacrifices, scape goat, passover blood on doorposts, etc...
There is a physical participation in the remedy for our spiritual rebellion.
8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
God provided the healing, the remedy, the salvation, but the people had to accept it!
God provided the healing, the remedy, the salvation, but the people had to accept it!
The people had to trust GOD to provide the solution.
And God did provide the salvation, but it required their participation.
Yet, the people needed to also remember that the solution came from God and God alone.
Humans could NOT provide the solution - they created the problem!
The solution MUST BE recognized as being God’s work.
It was to draw people to see God at work.
It was intended to reorient the people around what GOD was doing. And, they were to adjust their lives to what God was doing in their midst.
The point was NOT to worship the snake or the pole or the symbol, but to turn people to see God at work.
It was to DRAW PEOPLE to God.
But, some were drawn to the SYMBOL of God at work, and not actually DRAWN TO WORSHIP GOD WHO WAS AT WORK.
1 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 3 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. 4 He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)
At some point, people rejected that God was working through this sacrament. They rejected God, but accepted the sacrament.
Then, that adapted, or evolved, into the sacrament itself becoming their god. It was no longer viewed as God working to provide healing and this symbol was a reminder of that, now this symbol became like god. It received it’s own name. IT provided the healing and it was deserving of worship - although false worship it may be...
Back to the wilderness… The Remedy Must be Applied PERSONALLY
Back to the wilderness… The Remedy Must be Applied PERSONALLY
Coupons only work when they are redeemed and applied - or gift cards, etc...
Coupons do you no good unless they are redeemed
Pastor Richard Evans and his asking the lady who is now his wife on a date 3 times (and her saying “NO” 3 times) with a 2 for 1 coupon at Dairy Queen or a steak house. Those coupons did him NO GOOD.
So it is with salvation. God provides a physical partnership to a spiritual problem, but WE MUST ACCEPT IT AND APPLY IT!
It is God’s actions that save the people. But, they MUST accept it.
Maybe another story will help us make sense of this… Jesus
Maybe another story will help us make sense of this… Jesus
Jesus meets with Nicodemus in john 3. Jesus discusses being “born again” or “born from above” and the KINGDOM that Jesus is bringing. Yes, this terminology confuses Nicodemus for a few minutes, but Jesus is talking about something NEW and DIFFERENT than what NATURALLY Comes in ordinary ways. This is something that comes from God, from “above” and is by the spirit.
And, int the midst of this conversation Jesus discusses this story about snakes in the wilderness, the salvation God provided, and what God is doing in, by, and through Jesus Christ himself.
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
Just as the people were provided a healing and salvation in the wilderness, by the lifting of the serpent and people accepting that as God’s way of healing them. So also Jesus would be lifted up (a reference to his crucifixion) so that people could be saved.
BUT THEY MUST ACCEPT THIS SALVATION. They must look on and believe and worship God who provided it!
Jesus provided himself as the solution.
He mentions in John 12:32 that he would be lifted up (literally) and draw all people to himself. This is an allusion of his death on the cross.
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
It is the same story for us
It is the same story for us
Jesus is the solution to the venom of sin!
His life, death, resurrection is the solution.
Like the snake in the wilderness, people couldn't DO anything to heal themselves.
They NEEDED GOD to provide the solution - but they had to ACCEPT the solution the God provided. They had to look upon, trust, believe, accept that GOD provided the solution to their problem and REORIENT their lives around this solution!
They couldn't earn the solution- but they MUST accept the solution provided.
And so it is still with us today!
We ALL have been bitten by the serpent
We ALL have the venom of sin running through us
But, just as God provided in the desert, God provides in our desert of sin by sending Christ. He was lifted upon the cross as the remedy for our sin.
And, just as the snake that provided healing when looked upon, believed upon that God would heal through the act of looking upon it, and trusted in - so it is with Christ on the cross.
It does NO GOOD to know that a remedy exists
It does NO GOOD to know what that remedy it
That REMEDY is Jesus Christ and we must look upon him, trust in HIS SACRIFICE, believe that God has forgiven us and saved us because of Jesus and REORIENT OUR LIVES around this truth!
We must apply God’s solution it to our lives.
And, like the people in the wilderness, we cannot earn our way to our own remedy.
21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
If we could be saved by our righteous works there is no need for the cross...
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,
If we could be saved by our works we wouldn't need Christ on the cross.
So, God provided the solution - Jesus Christ. Yet, we MUST accept this solution.
Our World Must Accept this Solution
Our World Must Accept this Solution
We are at a place in our world where we are searching for a solution, but we look to ourselves, others, etc. But, the solution is provided by God!
I Stubbornly believe that all of our world’s problems are caused by sin
Therefore, I stubbornly beilieve that the solution to those problems is found int the solution to sin - the cross!
Our solution is NOT in a political candidate, or a political party. It is NOT in teh passing or failing of ballot measures. It is NOT in the global economy or in fossil fuels or in green house gasses being eliminated, or in whatever solution we derive for our problems that have been caused by the sin of humankind.
The solution is individuals looking upon the cross and believing on God for salvation, healing, restoration through Jesus Christ.
The solution is individual doing this, and then communities doing this, and then churches doing this, and families doing this… AND REORIENTING THEIR LIVES AROUND THIS SOLUTION!
Survey the cross
Believe in the salvation, healing, restoration of God that comes through the cross
Reorient your lives around the cross
THAT IS THE SOLUTION that fights the venom of the serpent!
BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION
Revelation 1:5–6 (NIV)
...To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
