As the Serpent Lifted Up
John 3:14-15/Num 21:5-9
Hyman Appleman: “Why Jesus Had to
Die”
1. The condemnation of our sins 2. For the redemption of our
souls
3.
For the inspiration of our service
- The
Cross of Christ and his being lifted up at Calvary
to the saving of our souls ought to inspire and motivate each of the
redeemed of God to the Lord for all he’s worth.
- Jesus saith unto them, My meat is
to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34) It
wasn’t finished until he gave up the ghost at Calvary.
What if he had given out before it was finished? What if old Paul threw in
the towel before he could honestly that he’d finished his course? How many
souls will suffer in hell if you never draw close enough to the crucified
to be motivated to his service?
- The
Love of Christ, embodied in his perfect sacrifice on the cross is what
ought to constrain us to his service in the Lord’s army. “Let this mind be
in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” If he,
who hung the stars up in space, he that has provided for your every need,
the one with all power and to whom all glory is due, “took upon him the
form of the servant,” how much more should we!
- The
fact that this is the God-man hanging up between heaven and earth in the
place of sinful men condemns forever our sinful condition.
- Why
did Christ Jesus come into the world, what required the righteous person’s
death, why must he suffer at Calvary?
Paul declares, “To save sinners.” Christ’s being lifted up at Calvary ought to do away, once and for all, with
every ounce of self-righteousness we’ve ever had!
- You
say, “Well I’m not an especially wicked sort of sinner.” The fact that Jesus is dying there says
different. “Well I’ve never hurt anyone,” some say. That cross has a
different testimony.
Has your heart really captured the truth and the depth of
what took place at Calvary as the Lord Jesus
was lifted up as the serpent in the wilderness?
I’ve always loved the prayer I’ve heard Bro. Bob pray so
many times, ‘Father, as we lay our bodies down to rest this night, let us look
into the imaginative eyes of Jesus and tell him just how much we love him.’
The scripture says of the Lord Jesus that in his earthly
ministry “he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we
shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” But when you get
over to the Song of Solomon and look upon Christ through the eyes of his Bride
the description is a lovely one. I believe those that followed Christ during
his earthly ministry saw a glimpse of glory even through his natural features.
He’s full of grace and truth and as such even his countenance I believe would
have been a blessing to the disciples and yet for all the beauty of the Saviour that was evident in his character and his works,
the picture the scripture paints of his person in the defining moment of his
first coming is one of a serpent! (Come to Numbers 21:5-9)
Jesus Christ relates his work and form on the cross to
Moses’ brazen serpent in the wilderness. Now Christ instructed us in personal
work to be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove, but other than that
exception, the serpent is never spoken of in a positive light.
- Serpent:
The serpent represents sin. Ever since sin entered the world in that
Garden this creature was cursed. The serpent went from the most beautiful
and subtle beast in all the garden, to the most
degraded and loathsome creature in the animal kingdom. It’s a great
representation of sin in that respect because it captures the nature and
effect of sin. It is attractive and pleasurable, but the cost is always
degrading and ugly. Satan himself began as the cherub that covereth, “full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” And
yet by the time you find in the book of Revelation as he approaches his
ultimate demise, the scripture refers to him as “that old serpent the
Devil.” (Rev 12:9)
- Brass:
This serpent that Moses is required to make is said to be made of brass.
Brass is typical of judgment of the Bible. The place of judgment for sin
in the OT tabernacle is the altar of sacrifice and it’s referred to as the
brazen altar. And if you were to peer over the edge of that altar you’d
have a picture of hell. Brass is often associated with fire (Rev 1:15, 2:18, Ezek 29:11) because the judgment
which God executes for sin is carried out by fire.
What we’re talking about here is what Jesus Christ went
through on the cross. Isa 53:10 says that Jesus
Christ offered his soul an offering for sin. When you look at Calvary
you’re looking at a man that is incurring God’s judgment in our place.
- The
Cup: “Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me,
nevertheless not my will, but as thou wilt.” (Matt 26:39)
- That’s
the cup of God’s indignation toward sin, full to the brim with the wine of
God’s wrath. (Rev 14:10/Jer 25:15)
- You’ve
already got the wrath of God abiding on you if you’ve rejected Jesus
Christ (John 3:36).
You’re just waiting for the flames.
He offered his soul an offering for sin. You know what
happens to a man’s soul when winds up in the lake of fire? Isaiah 66:24/Mark 9:44,46,48
“their worm”
- What
sort of resemblance would you like to bear for eternity?
- When
it’s all said and done you’ll look just like you master.
The Bible says that Jesus Christ became sin for us (2 Cor 5:21). He literally bore in his body
our sin on the tree (1 Pet 2:24).
He drank the bitter cup for me, he suffered my eternal
death in my place. And you know what happened to Christ as he offered his soul
an offering for our sin?
“But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and
despised of the people.” (Ps 22:6)
Christ became a serpent, because we were snake-bit. Those
fiery serpents “bit the people.” For all have sinned and come short of the
glory of God. “And many died.” For the wages of sin is death.
But the cure can be found where he’s lifted up!
Jesus said that “whosoever liveth
and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou
this?” John 11:26
“It came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when
he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” (v. 9)
Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)