Look Up and Live
Num 21:4-9
Let me give you the background of this passage first and then we will look at the spiritual application together. The children of Israel were in the midst of their wandering. The way is hard and they are getting tired of eating manna. Now manna was a food provided by the Lord that took care of every nutritional need they had. It was even tasty. But they got tired of eating the same thing all the time so they grumbled. They complained because of the food. They complained because of the water. They complained because of the direction Moses was leading them. They complained. They complained. They complained.
God says enough is enough. He was tired of their complaining. He sent poisonous snakes into the camp to bite the people. This was a consequence of their sin. Many were dying from the snake bites and all would die if something was not done.
Moses Goes to God and pleads for his help. This shows you the love of Moses for his people. They were complaining to and about him. He could have said, “Yeah, God. Kill em all!” But he loved them. He wanted to see them saved from this horrible death.
Now let’s look at the spiritual application together:
I. SINNERS FACE CERTAIN DEATH VS. 6
A) Every person that was guilty of murmuring was bitten by a serpent. Who knew who was guilty and who was not? God. There is no fooling God.
B) How many have sinned?
1) 0For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all James 2:10
2) 12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Rom 5:12
3) 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Rom 3:23
C) Every person that is trying to get into heaven without repenting of their sin and receiving Christ will face this judgement. God knows who is guilty. No one will fool him. It doesn’t matter how nice, sweet, or innocent you may seem to be. Without Christ, you will face certain eternal death.
Rev 20:11-15
II. SALVATION OFFERS A SIMPLE PLAN. VS. 7-9; John 12:27-33
A) Realize that you are a sinner and that you need a savior. Too many people will allow their pride to send them to hell. They just refuse to admit that they are a sinner.
Let me tell you about Miss Alcott. Miss Alcott was a sweet lady. She was a philanthropist. She gave money to the church, the schools, and every other good organization in town. I don’t know of a single person that ever said anything bad about Miss Alcott. She lived to be over 100 years old. Miss Alcott was in church every Sunday morning. She was very moral and religious. But unless something changed in the final days of her life, Miss Alcott is in hell right now. Why? Because she had convinced herself that she was not a sinner. She held to the idea that she was a good person. She had never sinned as far as she was concerned. 8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. I John 1:8
B) Look in faith to Christ. Look and live.
1) Sounds too simple doesn’t it? I imagine there were many that died of these snake bites because they told Moses, “Oh, come on. How is looking at some brass serpent going to help me.”
2) Well there are many that are going to hell each day because the Biblical formula for salvation seems to simple. “It can’t be that easy.” I would tell you it is not easy and it is not cheap. Jesus Paid a very high price. But it is that simple.
C) 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Rom 10: 9-13
III. SEARCH AND RESCUE WORKERS ARE NEEDED. vs. 7
A) Moses shows us a great example of love and mercy. Although the people had murmured time and again against him, he still loved them.
B) Never should a “Go to hell” attitude be found in a child of God. Every ounce of our strength, every resource we have, every emotional fabric of our body should be used in winning the lost and seeing them saved from a devil’s hell.
C) While visiting her friend, Howard Doane, in Cincinnati, Fanny Crosby, the blind hymnist, was asked to speak to a group of blue collar workers. Near the end of her address, she had an overwhelming sense that “some mother’s boy” before her “must be rescued that night or not at all.” She mentioned this to the crowd, pleading, “If there is a dear boy here tonight who has perchance wandered away from his mother’s home and his mother’s teaching, would he please come to me at the close of the service?” Afterward a young man of about 18 approached her. “Did you mean me?” he asked. “I promised my mother to meet her in heaven, but the way I have been living, I don’t think that will be possible now.” Fanny had the joy of leading him to Christ. As she went back to her room that night, the Lord gave her the words to this great song:
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen tell them of Jesus the mighty to save;
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.
