All this week, you and I have been wandering with God’s people in the wilderness. We’ve been looking for the wonder of His presence, the fulfillment of His promises. Today you and I are going to read a story together that’s a foreshadowing because one day God bled for His children, He led, He fed, and one day He bled so that my sins and your sins could be covered. Join me now in the book of Numbers.
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Transcription:
All this week on the Bible for Busy People, you and I have been wandering with God’s people in the wilderness. We’ve been looking for the wonder of His presence, the fulfillment of His promises, and I’m praying today will be a very powerful seven minutes in our lives. I’m Erica, and I’m so glad you’re here. I believe the lesson of the wilderness is trusting God when you’re feeling lost, and when you’re feeling confused, like you’re off the path of your own life. We’ve watched this week as God led His people through the wilderness as God fed his people in the wilderness. And today you and I are going to read a story together that’s a foreshadowing because one day God bled for His children, He led, He fed, and one day He bled so that my sins and your sins could be covered. So join me now in Numbers chapter 24 [Numbers 21], beginning in verse four.
Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey,
Have you ever felt like that?
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!
That is a foreshadowing of Jesus on the cross. Join me now in Isaiah chapter 40, beginning in verse three. Isaiah was a prophet from the Lord, a mail carrier for God because God was always making a way to deliver his people not just out of the wilderness, but out of our sins. This is what Isaiah said.
Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord!Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! 4 Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. 5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”
Yes, he always spoke through his prophets saying that a savior was coming. Join me now in Matthew chapter three beginning in verse one because we’re going to see the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy right now.
In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” 4 John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. 5 People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
John was the one who Isaiah spoke of who cleared the way for our savior, the Messiah, Jesus himself, the son of God, the one who came and bled for us to take away our sins. Join me now in John chapter 12 beginning in verse 27. And as we read the words of Jesus together, remember the story of the snake on the pole that we read about moments ago. Jesus said,
“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! 28 Father, bring glory to your name. ”Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” 29 When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him. 30 Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. 32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”
Do you see, just as the Israelites looked upon the bronze serpent on the pole and they were healed, you and I can look on the Lord Jesus on the cross and be healed, and be cleansed of our sins. The son of man was lifted up so that we could see his love. His arms are still open. He is not on that cross. He defeated death, hell, in the grave because he rose again. And if something is stirring in your heart right now, that is the Holy Spirit. And I want to give you good news from Romans chapter 10 beginning in verse nine.
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
You can look upon the Lord Jesus today, and his death, burial, and resurrection and be healed, just as his people in the wilderness thousands of years ago looked upon that snake on the pole. You can look to him today and trust me, he is looking at you with such love, for you are loved.
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