Look unto Me and be saved
Isaiah 45:22 “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”
“O soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior….a life more abundant and free.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus….look full in His wonderful face…
…and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
In the wilderness, the children of Israel were always contending with God about something…
…either water, or meat, or the manna, or traveling….something was always never “right”….according to them.
Is it that way with us?
At one place the Lord sent fiery serpents into the camp because of their complaints.
Many died, being bitten by them….till the Lord told Moses to make a brass image of the serpent and put it on a pole in the middle of the camp.
When someone was bitten….they were to look in belief of God’s Word….to this…and live.
Numbers. 21:5-6 “And 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.
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.”
First they said they hated the manna…this “light bread”.
God’s provision could be gathered and ground into flour….or eaten as it was. It said to taste of wafers with a taste of honey. (Exodus 16:31). Wholesome and sweet and salty….still….in anger they used their tongues as weapons to pour contempt upon it.
It was there every morning….no matter where they were…or how they were…they did not need to worry about finding food…or what they were going to eat.
God provided, what a blessing to them it should have been!
James 3:6 “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”
It is interesting that God sent “fiery serpents”…perhaps to show them the folly of letting their words be “fired up” against the Lord’s merciful provision.
Numbers 21:7-9 “Therefore 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.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and is shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
And 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.”
In repentance, Israel first came and….used their tongues and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord”.
But it was not Moses prayer that would heal them….
….no, they must individually look up and live!
Notice the Lord did not remove the serpents….or the bitting….but simply gave a abundant remedy by turning their eyes away from earth toward His provision hanging above them.
Jesus said that as the brass serpent was lifted up in the wilderness….so the Son of Man would be lifted up for our sins.
(The brazen serpent had no sting….but took all the poison from the one who believed and turned to it.
So with Christ Jesus. He had no sin….but took all our sins on Him, for the one who believes and looks to Him to be saved.)
John 3:14-15 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
How much is given here: We are sinners….by birth and choice….yet God gives salvation…..but by presenting His Beloved Son as the sacrifice for us. The call is still the same:
“Look unto Me and be saved”
And those that look to Christ in faith are saved!
(I firmly believe that the call is also for those Christians who have become “bitten” by the serpent from discouragement, distresses, and depression.
For our adversary…
1 Peter 5:7-9 “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
“Look unto Me and live”
We can become impatient…frustrated with circumstances….even good ones;…and then it is easy to get our eyes off of Jesus, and HIs provision….
….and onto suggestions from the world, ourselves, or the devil.
Ephesians 4:26-27 “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Neither give place to the devil.”)
Look to Me, and live…
…is still the call. Jesus Christ offers life….eternal life…HIs life…
….and the “sting” of sin and death to be put away (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)….for me,….you….us.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in HIs wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of HIs glory and grace.”
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 