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Discouragement of the Children of Israel

Text: Numbers 21:4-9
11 July 2016

DISCOURAGEMENT OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

1. The children of Israel were instructed to bypass Edom   (Numbers 20:14-21)

2. Deep discouragement sent in   (Numbers 21:4)

3. Speaking against God and Moses (once again)   (Numbers 21:4)

4. Complaint noted:-   (Numbers 21:5)

a) Why have you brought us up out of Egypt
b) To die in the wilderness
c) There is no food or water
d) And our soul loathes this worthless bread

RESPONSE FROM THE LORD

1. He sent fiery serpents among the people   (Numbers 21:6)

2. They bit the people

3. Many of the people of Israel died   (Numbers 21:6)

TURNING TO MOSES IN DESPERATION

1. Confession of sin   (Numbers 21:7)

a) We have sinned
b) For we have spoken against the LORD
c) And against you

2. Pleading with Moses   (Numbers 21:7)

a) Pray to the LORD
b) That He take away the serpents from us

3. Moses did pray to the Lord   (Numbers 21:7)

THE LORD’S WORD TO MOSES

1. Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole   (Numbers 21:8)

2. Everyone who is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live   (Numbers 21:8)

THE BRONZE SERPENT

1. Moses had a bronze serpent made   (Numbers 21:9)

2. Those who looked on the bronze serpent lived   (Numbers 21:9)

REFERENCE TO THE BRONZE SERPENT

1. The Lord Jesus made a reference to the bronze serpent   (John 3:14)

2. He was not that bronze serpent!

3. The analogy

a) As the bronze serpent must be lifted up
b) So Jesus must be lifted up
c) And those who looked upon Him will be saved