Numbers 21
McGeeCHAPTER 21THEME: Victory of Israel; the eighth murmuring; the serpent of brass; first song; the march of IsraelAs we have seen, chapter 20 brought us to the end of the wilderness wanderings in the sense that the wandering is over and they begin to march. In this chapter are their first victories in warfare. Also the experience of their eighth and last murmuring is recorded, which brought about the fiery serpents and the serpent of brass, used by the Lord Jesus to illustrate His own crucifixion.
Numbers 21:1
VICTORY OF ISRAELThis is the first victory (since their conflict with Amalek shortly after they left Egypt) on the wilderness march. God clearly gave them this victory. However they now have to go by Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea. Since they can’t go through the land of Edom, they are attempting to make a circuitous route around that land. The way is hard and becomes very discouraging to the people. In their plight of discouragement, they begin to complain and whine and murmur. Unfortunately this is characteristic of many of us today. When life is hard we complain and murmur.
Numbers 21:5
THE EIGHTH MURMURINGThis is the eighth and last murmuring of the children of Israel. They are murmuring again about the manna. You will recall that the mixed multitude were the ones who had led them in rejecting the manna earlier in the march. Manna was a wonderful food, by the way. God reminds them in the book of Deuteronomy that their feet did not swell. A missionary doctor in the Philippines told me that the foot will swell and beriberi results from a diet deficiency. So they were getting all the correct nutrition in the manna, and it was a very tasty sort of food. Yet they complained. There are people who will complain about steakthey would want a hamburger for variety! It’s amazing how easy it is for us to complain, and especially to complain about that which pertains to the things of God. When I was a pastor, people complained about the seats in the church. Yet I’ve seen folk go to a football game and sit on hard seats in a stadium (and there is no back on those seats) for hours and never complain! Now I will admit that when they listened to me preach they noticed the seats more. But isn’t it interesting how we whine and complain to God? How many times do we thank Him and rejoice in His goodness to us? I think, frankly, that the Lord is getting just a little tired of all their murmuring. They say that their soul hates this manna. They don’t want it. They charge God with bringing them into this wilderness to die. The Lord is tired of all their complaining and He is going to judge them for it.
Numbers 21:6
THE SERPENT OF BRASS"We have sinned." They are now ready to admit that they have sinned against the Lord and against Moses. Now, that is a problem with many folk today. They want to begin with God as a church member, as a nice little girl or boy. We all must begin with God as sinners. The only way that God will begin with us is as sinners. You see, Christ died for sinners, and He loves sinners. If you can’t come in under that category, then Christ is not for you. He came for sinners. These people are going to have to give evidence of faith because they have no good works. They can’t come to God with the promise that from now on they will be good because they won’t be good. But they can believe God, and God is going to let them come to Him by faith.
Numbers 21:8
There is a marvelous lesson here, you see. They are to look at the brazen serpent, and they are to look in faith. In fact, they would not look if it were not in faith. I can well imagine some of the folk saying that this was just nonsense. They would want something else, something more tangible than just turning around to look at a serpent of brass. But, of course, if a man would not turn to look at the serpent of brass, he would die. Now, we don’t have to guess at the meaning of this and the lesson for us. When our Lord was talking to Nicodemus on that dark night, He said, “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. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Joh_3:14-16). How was the Son of man lifted up? You say, on a cross. Yes, but He was dying on the cross of Barabbas, and Barabbas was a thief and a murderer. Barabbas was guilty and was worthy of death. Jesus was not. Our Lord was made sin for us. On that cross, He not only has taken the place of Barabbas but also your place and my place. God permitted this and did this because He loves us. But God cannot save us by His love. It doesn’t say that God so loved the world that He saved the world. Not at all. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Now what God asks you to do, my friend, is to look and live. Look to Christ! He is taking your place there. You are a sinner and it is you who deserves to die. Christ did not deserve to die. He died for you. We read here that this serpent of brass was made, and those who looked to it lived. Those who did not look to itdied. It is just that simple today. Either you are looking to Christ as your Savior because you are a sinner, or you are not doing it. If you are not doing it, I don’t care how many times you have been baptized, how many ceremonies you have been through, how many churches you have joined, or who your father and mother happened to be, you are a lost, hell-doomed sinner. You must look to the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is just as simple as that. And by the way, it is just as complicated as that. What a problem people have today. They would rather look to themselves and to their own good works, trusting that somehow their own good works might save them. It is a problem for people to admit they are sinners and to look to Christ and trust Him. Now the children of Israel move on. They come to the River Arnon which you can trace on your map.
Numbers 21:13
Then they go on.
Numbers 21:17
FIRST SONGNow listen to this. How different this is. This is the first time they sing a song of praise and thanksgiving. They have been singing the desert blues and murmuring. Now it’s the Hallelujah chorus. They were thanking God for the provision that He had made for them in supplying water. The princes digged the well and the nobles of the people digged. Here you find capital and labor joining together in this.
Numbers 21:21
THE MARCH OF ISRAELIsrael now asks Sihon, king of the Amorites, for permission to pass through his land. Sihon refuses and gathers an army against Israel.
Numbers 21:24
God gave Israel the victory over Sihon.
Numbers 21:33
The Lord told Moses not to fear Og, the king of Bashan. They smote him and his sons and his people and they possessed the land of Bashan. The children of Israel are marching now. They are singing praises to God and God is giving them victory. God will help them against Moab, too. They will then be getting ready to enter the Promised Land.