Num 21:4-9 - Look and Live

Look and Live (Numbers 21:4-9)

Introduction

The wilderness journey of Israel is a mirror in which the human heart can be clearly seen. The Apostle Paul tells us that the events of the wilderness were recorded not merely as history, but as instruction:

“Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction…” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

Numbers 21:4–9 is one of the most striking episodes in that wilderness narrative. Israel had experienced miraculous deliverance, divine provision, and constant guidance from the Lord. Yet despite these blessings, they fell again into the familiar pattern of complaint and rebellion.

This passage reveals three realities that remain true today:

The Ravenous Rebellion of the human heart to against God and His Sovereignty.

The Righteous Retribution of God toward disobedience.

The results of Resolute Repentance.

The Reconciling Remedy in gracious provision for salvation.

Most importantly, this passage points directly to Jesus Christ. In fact, our Lord Himself interprets this story for us in John 3 when He tells Nicodemus that the bronze serpent in the wilderness was a picture of His own crucifixion.

Thus, this passage is not merely about snakes in the desert—it is about sin, judgment, repentance, obedience, and salvation.

Our message today is titled:

Look and Live

Text: Numbers 21:4-9

Numbers 21:4–9 KJV 1900

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. 5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye 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. 6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have 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. 8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and 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.

I. Ravenous Rebellion (vv. 4–5)

The Complaint of a Discontented Heart

“From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses…” (Numbers 21:4–5)

The text begins with Israel on the move again. God had directed them to travel around Edom rather than through it. This meant a longer and more difficult route.

One gets tired, in reading of the wanderings of Israel in the wilderness, of this parrot cry, “Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt?” For nearly forty years, this was their cry whenever they met with any sort of difficulty. -C.H. Spurgeon

Scripture tells us that “the people became impatient.”

What do you typically do when plans don’t exactly go your way?

What do you typically do when God urges, nudges, pushes, or kicks you in a direction you weren’t expecting?

Submission? Impatience? Are you grateful? Are you complaining?

With what in your life are you becoming impatient with God?

The Hebrew word suggests discouragement that turns into irritation and frustration. Soon this frustration turned into open rebellion.

They complained about three things:

God’s Sovereignty

“Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness”

God’s Servant

“…ye…” — plural, literally, “y’all”

God’s Supply

“…for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread

They said:

“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?”

What an astonishing statement! What a crazy complaint!

Egypt was a place of slavery and oppression, yet now they speak as though returning to bondage would be better than trusting God in the wilderness.

Sin always distorts memory.

The heart that rebels against God begins to reinterpret the past and distrust the future.

What are you misremembering to support your complaints and grumbling?

They also despised God’s provision: “For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.”

The “worthless food” they refer to is manna—the miraculous bread from heaven God had provided every single day.

They called God’s miracle worthless.

Matthew Henry observed:

“Those who are weary of God’s mercies are ready to despise them.” —Matthew Henry

This is the nature of the sinful heart. When obedience becomes difficult, gratitude disappears.

The Israelites illustrate a timeless truth:

Disobedience too often begins with dissatisfaction.

When we lose contentment in God’s provision, rebellion is never far behind.

John Calvin wrote concerning Israel’s complaint:

“The ingratitude of the people was monstrous, since they rejected the food which God had miraculously supplied from heaven.” —John Calvin

Application

Application for us is obvious.

God has given us:

His Word

His Spirit

His salvation

His church

Yet how often do believers complain about the very means of grace God has provided?

The first step toward disobedience and a definite sign that you are in rebellion against God and His mercies is a complaining spirit.

What always comes from rebellion is inevitable and impactful.

II. Righteous Retribution (v. 6)

The Consequences of Defiant Sin

Numbers 21:6 KJV 1900

6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Here we see a sobering truth.

God does not ignore rebellion.

The text says “the LORD sent fiery serpents.”

I’ve not read or heard a description that satisfies my curiosity as to exactly what these serpents were, but we can say that these were likely venomous desert snakes whose bite caused intense burning pain—hence the description “fiery.”

The wilderness already contained serpents, but here God actively brings judgment by allowing them to afflict the camp. He had kept the serpents from the camp in the past, now his protection is lifted and Israel is violently and mercilessly attacked by these ravenous creatures.

Notice something crucial:

God’s discipline was not arbitrary.

It was just and deserved and perfectly calculated.

Israel had spoken against God.

Now they experience the consequences.

A.W. Pink wrote:

“The judgments of God are never capricious. They are the holy response of divine righteousness to human sin.” —A.W. Pink

Sin always carries consequences.

This is a truth modern culture often denies.

We live in a world that says:

Obedience is optional

Sin is harmless

God will overlook rebellion

But Scripture teaches otherwise.

Romans 6:23 declares:

“For the wages of sin is death.”

What is owed to the sinner, what is owed to the rebel is a just, merciless and public execution.

The serpents in the wilderness are a visible reminder of an invisible reality.

Sin is deadly.

R.C. Sproul once remarked:

“We tend to take sin lightly because we do not take God’s holiness seriously.” —R.C. Sproul

Israel had taken God’s grace for granted.

Now they encounter His holiness.

Yet even in this judgment we see mercy.

God did not destroy the entire nation, like He sometimes wanted to (Remember the golden calf at the foot of Mt Sinai? (Exodus 32:9-10)).

His discipline was severe enough to awaken repentance.

And that is often God’s purpose in discipline: The R word — Repent

Application

Hebrews 12:6 says:

“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves.”

God’s discipline is not the wrath of an enemy.

It is the correction of a loving Father.

III. Resolute Repentance (v. 7)

The Confession of a Convicted Heart

Numbers 21:7 KJV 1900

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have 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.

The affliction of the serpents accomplished what prosperity could not.

They produced repentance.

Notice the elements of true repentance:

1. Confession

True repentance begins with a clear confession of sin.

“We have sinned.” “We have placed ourselves in rebellion against God with our words and actions.”

No excuses.

No blame-shifting.

True repentance acknowledges guilt.

2. Conviction

“We know that we deserve the fiery serpents that YHWH (Jehovah) has protected us from for so long.”

This is recognition of wrongdoing AND an acknowledgement of the necessary consequences.

They admit they had spoken against both the Lord and Moses.

They finally recognize that rebellion against God’s servant was rebellion against God Himself and the necessary penalty for such rebellion.

3. Contrition

This is a plea for mercy. “We throw ourselves at the mercies of YHWH (Jehovah) and will do anything to make it right with Him and you, Moses.”

They ask Moses to intercede.

Moses acts as a mediator between the people and God.

This points us forward to Christ.

Charles Spurgeon once said:

“Conviction of sin is one of the rarest things in the world.” —Charles Spurgeon

True repentance is always a work of grace.

And notice Moses’ response.

The text simply says:

“And Moses prayed for the people.”

Despite their constant complaints against him, Moses intercedes on their behalf.

This reflects the heart of Christ.

When we were sinners, Christ interceded for us.

Romans 5:8 reminds us:

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

IV. Reconciling Remedy (vv. 8–9)

The Cure for a Condemned People

“And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’”

God provides a remedy.

But the remedy is unusual.

Moses is instructed to make a bronze serpent and lift it on a pole.

Anyone bitten by a snake could be healed by looking at it.

No medicine.

No ritual.

No payment.

Simply look and live.

John Calvin explained the significance:

“The people were not healed by any virtue in the serpent itself, but because God attached His promise to the sign.” —John Calvin

The healing came through obedient faith.

Those who believed God’s promise looked.

Those who refused perished.

This was a test of obedience.

The cure was simple—but it required submission to God’s word.

Alistair Begg notes:

“The power was not in the bronze serpent but in the promise of God attached to it.” —Alistair Begg

V. The Gospel Foreshadowed

Jesus Himself explains the deeper meaning of this passage.

In John 3:14–15 He says:

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

The bronze serpent points directly to Christ on the cross.

Consider the parallels:

The Bronze Serpent. Jesus Christ

Lifted up on a pole. Lifted up on the cross

A symbol of the curse. Christ bore the curse

Look and live. Believe and live

Healing from death. Salvation from sin

Just as the serpent represented the curse that afflicted Israel, Christ bore the curse of sin.

Galatians 3:13 declares:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”

The cure for sin is not human effort.

It is faith in the crucified Savior.

Spurgeon powerfully preached:

“There was life in a look at the brazen serpent, and there is life in a look at the crucified Savior.” —Charles Spurgeon

Application

This passage teaches several powerful lessons.

1. Complaining leads toward rebellion

Discontentment is dangerous.

When we despise God’s provision, we are moving toward disobedience.

2. Sin has real consequences

God is holy.

He disciplines rebellion.

3. Repentance brings mercy

God responds to humble confession.

4. Salvation comes through obedient faith

Looking at the serpent required belief.

Likewise, salvation requires faith in Christ.

Invitation

Perhaps today you recognize yourself in this story.

Like Israel, you have sinned.

You have complained, rebelled, and gone your own way.

And like the Israelites bitten by serpents, you face the deadly consequences of sin.

But God has provided a remedy.

Jesus Christ was lifted up on the cross so that sinners might live.

You do not earn salvation.

You do not deserve salvation.

But if you look to Christ in faith, you will live.

Isaiah 45:22 says:

“Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!”

The invitation is simple:

Look and live.

Trust Christ.

Repent of your sin.

Believe in the Savior who died and rose again.

And you will have eternal life.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the truth of Your Word and the powerful reminder of our need for obedience. Forgive us for the times we complain, doubt, and rebel against Your goodness. Like Israel in the wilderness, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed.

Thank You for Your mercy in providing a remedy for our sin. We praise You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, who was lifted up on the cross so that all who believe in Him might live.

Help us to look to Christ daily in faith. Teach us to walk in obedience and gratitude rather than rebellion and complaint. Strengthen our hearts to trust Your provision and submit to Your will.

And for anyone who has not yet trusted in Christ, we pray that today they would look to the Savior and receive the gift of eternal life.

We ask all of this in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer.

Amen.