Look & Live

5 and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”

6 So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died.

7 Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!”

9 So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!

INTRODUCTION:

I- A DEADLY CURSE (Numbers 21:5 – 6).

Numbers 21:5–6 (NLT)

6 So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died.

Judgement sent for 3 reasons…

A- They doubted God’s promise (Numbers 21:5 A).

Numbers 21:5 (NLT)

1- The most serious Sin a man can commit is unbelief.

(John 3:18)

John 3:18 (NLT)

18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

(Hebrews 3:12)

Hebrews 3:12 (NLT)

12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.

(John 3:36)

John 3:36 (NLT)

36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

B- They disdained God’s provision (Numbers 21: 5 B).

Numbers 21:5 (NLT)

1- They were not satisfied with what God had provided.

a. God has provided all that we need.

(Philippians 4:19)

Philippians 4:19 (NLT)

19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

2- They desired things of the world more than the things of God.

(Numbers 11:4 – 9)

Numbers 11:4–9 (NLT)

4 Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed.

5 “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted.

6 But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!”

7 The manna looked like small coriander seeds, and it was pale yellow like gum resin.

8 The people would go out and gather it from the ground. They made flour by grinding it with hand mills or pounding it in mortars. Then they boiled it in a pot and made it into flat cakes. These cakes tasted like pastries baked with olive oil.

9 The manna came down on the camp with the dew during the night.

C- They despised God’s word (Numbers 21:5 A)

Numbers 21:5 (NLT)

1- They rejected and spoke evil of what God said through his prophet.

(Jeremiah 1:4 – 8)

Jeremiah 1:4–8 (NLT)

4 The Lord gave me this message:

5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

6 “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”

7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.

8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

( 2 Timothy 4: 2 – 3)

2 Timothy 4:2–3 (NLT)

2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

Billy Sunday criticized for “rubbing the cat the wrong way.”

2- They thought the way of the world was easier.

(Psalm 1:6)

Psalm 1:6 (NLT)

6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

(Proverbs 4:19)

Proverbs 4:19 (NLT)

19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

(Proverbs 13:15)

Proverbs 13:15 (NLT)

15 A person with good sense is respected; a treacherous person is headed for destruction.

(Matthew 11:28)

Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

II- A DIVINE CURE (Numbers 21:7 – 8).

Numbers 21:7–8 (NLT)

7 Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!”

A- The cure begins with the recognition of need (Numbers 21:7).

Numbers 21:7 (NLT)

7 Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.

1- The Israelites had to recognize their sin for what it was.

a. Holding onto pride will only bring destruction.

2- The Israelites had to repent of their sin.

(Luke 13:3)

Luke 13:3 (NLT)

3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.

B- God has provided a cure to answer the need (Numbers 21:8).

Numbers 21:8 (NLT)

8 Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!”

1- God responded to the pleas of the Israelites.

2- God has provided a cure for our need.

(John 3:14 – 16)

John 3:14–16 (NLT)

14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

a- Jesus provided the cure for our sin problem when he died on the cross and rose from the grave.

b- He being infinite, suffered in a finite time; what we being finite, would suffer for an infinite time.

3- God desires to save, but awaits our request to do so.

III- A DELIGHTFUL CONSEQUENSE (Numbers 21:8 – 9).

Numbers 21:8–9 (NLT)

8 Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!”

9 So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!

A- God’s provision was sufficient to meet the need of all.

1- Jesus’s death paid the price once for all

(Hebrews 7:26 – 27)

Hebrews 7:26–27 (NLT)

26 He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.

27 Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins.

(1 John 2:2)

1 John 2:2 (NLT)

2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

B- God’s promise is sure for all.

1- God does not require anything in addition to what Christ has done.

(John 3:14 – 16)

John 3:14–16 (NLT)

14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

(Romans 3:10 – 12)

Romans 3:10–12 (NLT)

10 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one.

11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.

12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”

(Romans 10:12 – 13)

Romans 10:12–13 (NLT)

12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

C- God’s plan is simple for all.

1- Simple faith in the finished work of Christ is all that is necessary and all that will work.

(Acts 16:31)

Acts 16:31 (NLT)

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”

quote from Adrian Rogers: “It is simply glorious and gloriously simple.”

CONCLUSION:

Imagine that you are in the wilderness – snakes everywhere and you have just been bitten by one of them!

A runner comes up to you and says “There is a cure and I was healed!… all you have to do is look at the snake and live.”

My question for you is this. Would you have shared in the good news? Would you have trusted in the provided remedy? Or, would you have simply tried to find your own cure?

The fact is that you are suffering from the incurable snakebite of sin. There is no natural cure. There is no way that you can help yourself. I want to urge you today to look to Christ in faith, trusting in his finished work on the cross for your salvation. My friend I urge you to look and live.

Hymn: “Look and Live”

By William A. Ogden, 1887

I’ve a message from the Lord, hallelujah! This message unto you I’ll give, ’Tis recorded in His word, hallelujah! It is only that you “look and live.”

I’ve a message full of love, hallelujah! A message, O my friend, for you, ’Tis a message from above, hallelujah! Jesus said it, and I know ’tis true.

Life is offered unto you, hallelujah! Eternal life thy soul shall have, If you’ll only look to Him, hallelujah! Look to Jesus who alone can save.

I will tell you how I came, hallelujah! To Jesus when He made me whole— ’Twas believing on His name, hallelujah! I trusted and He saved my soul.

Refrain: “Look and live,” my brother, live, Look to Jesus now, and live; ’Tis recorded in His word, hallelujah! It is only that you “look and live.”

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