DCLM Higher Everyday 27 April 2024 — Look and live
Topic: Look and live
Text: Numbers 21:5-10
5And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
7Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
8And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
10And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.
Key Verse: “And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live” (Numbers 21:8).
Message
Warren Wiersbe says, “Look at others and be distressed. Look at yourself, and be depressed. Look to God, and you’ll be blessed.” When the children of Israel blasphemed God by calling His provision worthless, God judged them. The instrument of that judgment was not only snakes, but “fiery” ones. The Israelites pleaded with Moses to entreat God to forgive them for sinning against God and Moses. At God’s instruction, Moses made a serpent of brass and set it on a pole. Anyone who was bitten by a serpent lived when they looked at it.
The serpent was instrumental to the fall of man in the Garden of Eden as well. Adam’s fall brought man under the siege of sin and death. However, God gave Jesus as a ransom for all. He bruised the head of Satan and gave lost humanity victory over Him. Now, all that the sinning youth has to do is to look unto Jesus by faith and live.
Quote: He bruised the head of Satan.
Challenge: Look unto Jesus and live.
Prayer for today: My God, help me to focus on Christ alone, always.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
