WEBVTT 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:13.439 As you can tell from the table in front, this is a communion Sunday. 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:22.640 In a few minutes, we will take the bread and the cup together, and the bread reminds us, the scripture says, of the Lord's death. 00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:29.199 Every time we take the bread, we are proclaiming the Lord's death until he returns. 00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:34.399 Communion, as uh we refer to it, is a memorial. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.840 It reminds us that Jesus was a real person. 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:40.399 He's not a myth, not a legend. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:42.079 He's a real person who really lived. 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:47.119 He's truly human and he truly dwelt among us, and he died a death. 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:49.280 And the bread proclaims that death. 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:56.880 When we break the bread with our hands or with our teeth, we are proclaiming that the Lord's body was broken for us. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:00:59.359 And of course, the bones in his body weren't broken. 00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:02.320 What we mean by that is his life was laid down. 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:06.000 He died a death that we remember. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:11.040 This communion points back to his real death. 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:14.959 Now, nothing so divides the world really as the cross. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:18.799 You look in the cross and you see the dividing line of human history. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:21.920 Even our calendar rolls to it and rolls out of it. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:34.159 The cross displays the love of God, it displays the sinfulness of man, it displays the brutality of the Roman Empire, that they would kill people like that, it displays the kindness of God, that he would save us. 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:39.760 It displays the hideousness of sin, that that kind of death is what our sin demands. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:44.640 It's a real thing that Jesus died. 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:50.560 And the bread reminds us continually that it's a he was a physical savior. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:55.120 You could touch him, John says, just as you can touch and handle the bread. 00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:58.959 But this is a New Testament celebration. 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:02.879 It's something that exists for the church, communion does. 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:07.439 There's also an Old Testament celebration of the death of Christ. 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:11.599 In the Old Testament, it's not something commemorative like communion is. 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:14.080 In the Old Testament, you didn't have bread. 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:16.000 In the Old Testament, what you had was an arrow. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:19.360 In the Old Testament, you had prophecies that pointed forward. 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:24.319 In the New Testament, you have communion that points backwards to the Lord's death. 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:29.120 In the Old Testament, you have prophecies that point forward to the Lord's death. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:32.319 At the center of both the New and the Old Testament is, of course, the cross. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:35.360 The focal point of Old Testament prophecy is the cross of Christ. 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:38.400 The focal point of New Testament worship is the cross of Christ. 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:42.960 As I mentioned in my prayer, there's a six-story cross on the roof of this building. 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:44.639 There's a cross above us. 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:47.680 There's a cross in some of your Bibles around some of your necks. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:49.919 In our worship, there's a cross in all of our songs. 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:51.439 There's a cross on our hearts. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:56.800 I mean, it really is in an actual way the focal point of our worship. 00:02:57.039 --> 00:02:59.599 And that is true in the Old Testament as well. 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:06.400 Although it wasn't as pronounced as the cross is in the New Testament, it is still a reality in the Old Testament. 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:10.560 The Old Testament is building forward towards the cross. 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:15.199 And so I want to look at that this morning as we build forward towards the cross. 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:17.439 I want to give you kind of an outline here of building the cross. 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:23.360 So we're going to look at four different passages, and I want to start in Genesis chapter 3 at the very beginning of your Bible. 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:26.719 Genesis chapter 3 is kind of the first instruction. 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:33.680 If you're going to build the cross from the Old Testament, Genesis chapter 3 is the first place you would go. 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:38.800 Communion comes from the night the Lord was crucified. 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:42.719 He took the bread and gave thanks for it and broke it. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:46.000 Now we now do that saying this is the Lord's body. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:48.240 The Old Testament has a similar function. 00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:53.280 The prophecies of the Old Testament declare this is the Lord and point forward to his cross. 00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:59.039 The cross comes from the Old Testament, and the first place you see it is Genesis 3, verse 15. 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:05.599 Now, Genesis 1 is the creation of the world and all the animals according to their kind, and the world was good and perfect. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:11.919 Genesis 2 is kind of drilling down on the creation mandate that Adam and Eve are supposed to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:16.720 There is no gospel in Genesis 1 and 2 because there is no sin in Genesis 1 and 2. 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:20.800 You don't need the good news when there is no bad news and everything you have is perfect news. 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:22.319 That's Genesis 1 and 2. 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:25.600 But in Genesis 3, sin enters the world. 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:34.079 You see that in verse 1 of Genesis chapter 3, the serpent, Satan, who had been cast out of heaven. 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.240 Satan desired to have dominion over the earth. 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:37.680 He was exiled from heaven. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:39.279 He took his war to the earth. 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:43.839 He approaches Eve in the garden in verse 1 and says, Did God actually say to you? 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:49.839 This is the first time in world history where God's word is questioned. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:52.560 Genesis 1, everything God says just exists. 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:54.560 Light, and there's light. 00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:55.759 Earth, earth. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:57.519 Animals, fish, everything. 00:04:57.680 --> 00:04:59.040 He says it and it's there. 00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:03.199 And now you get to Genesis 3, and there's a question mark after it for the first time. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:05.600 Did God really say? 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:08.319 Now Adam and Eve don't recognize who they're talking to. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:09.199 They don't know the devil. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:10.800 They don't know he's been cast out of heaven. 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:12.639 They don't know anything about him. 00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:19.839 In a sense, this is like the encounter in Job chapter 1 where the devil goes to war against Job. 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:21.839 Job doesn't know why this is happening to him. 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:28.240 He doesn't know the scene behind the curtain that God and the devil were talking to each other and this playing out in front of him. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:28.959 He doesn't know that. 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:31.600 In the same way, Adam and Eve don't know what's happening here. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:36.319 They have a talking serpent in front of them who's asking them a question about God's word. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:38.240 They don't know who this is. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:42.160 But they agree to question God's word. 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:45.040 Eve, in fact, even changes God's word. 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:55.360 And then they agree to go along with the devil who tells them to eat the fruit and they eat it, and the moment they eat it, they die, exactly like God said they would. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:58.160 Unlike what the devil said, the devil is a liar, of course. 00:05:58.240 --> 00:05:59.600 He lied from the beginning, right here. 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:00.959 The devil said, You won't die. 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:03.759 They ate the fruit and they died spiritually at that moment. 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:05.120 They were spiritually dead. 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:09.199 They hid from God, which is insane hiding from God. 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:10.639 They hadn't read the book of Jonah yet. 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:12.560 They don't know you can't hide from God. 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:19.120 But they try it, and God finds them, and now God brings them grace. 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:21.279 So this is the first insight into the gospel. 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:23.759 It comes, of course, with law, verse 14. 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:28.160 Yahweh God said to the serpent, Because you've done this, cursed are you. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:31.680 So God responds to sin by cursing the devil. 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:39.439 He's going to curse the earth, he's going to make childbirth difficult and painful, work uh difficult and painful, all that's going to happen. 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:46.480 He starts with cursing the devil through the serpent, but he responds right away with the curse. 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:48.959 Right away, he responds with the gospel. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:49.920 That's verse 15. 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:53.120 I'll put enmity between you and the woman speaking to the devil. 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:57.439 There's going to be a war between the children of God and the children of the devil. 00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.319 And there's no, there's no mixture between darkness and light. 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:02.399 There's no partnership between Christ and Blyle. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:05.439 There's no, you know, Jesus and Satan aren't on the same team. 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:06.480 That's this point right here. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:13.839 There's going to be a warfare throughout all of mankind's existence between people who serve sin and people who serve the Savior. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:18.319 I'll put between your offspring and her offspring. 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:19.279 War. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:21.120 Enmity. 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:24.480 Now, the word offspring here is interesting. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:25.600 It's the seed. 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:29.519 It's those who worship the devil through living a life filled with sin. 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:31.199 They're called the children of the devil here. 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:33.839 It's not very politically correct, but that's what God calls them. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:38.639 If you don't have a relationship with God through Christ, you're a child of the devil. 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:43.199 And her offspring, her, not Adam and Eve, her offspring. 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:45.120 This is the prophecy of the Savior. 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:46.959 The word offspring is the word seed. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:50.480 There will be a seed from Eve who will defeat the devil. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:53.439 That's the end of the middle of verse 15 there. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:54.639 He shall bruise your head. 00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:56.480 The word bruise there is really a word for crush. 00:07:56.560 --> 00:08:01.439 You know, the devil's going to have his head bashed in by this offspring of Eve. 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:05.040 This is the first prophecy of the Savior: that there will be a human being. 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:06.240 Eve makes people. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:08.639 She's a human, she will make a human. 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:11.040 This is after Genesis 1, remember? 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:15.439 Cows make cows, dogs make dogs, people make people. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:19.680 The Savior will be from Eve. 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:23.199 The Savior will be a human being, and he will win. 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:27.519 He will save people from their sin by crushing the devil's head. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:31.360 That's a pretty powerful gospel prophecy, isn't it? 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:36.720 But then it ends somewhat enigmatically here. 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:40.480 You, speaking of the devil, shall bruise his heel. 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:44.159 And this is your first window here into the cross. 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:55.440 As soon as the Savior is introduced, in the very verse that introduces the Savior to the world, you get this prophecy of the cross, that the Savior will be struck. 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:03.440 This virgin-born human being who will defeat the devil by crushing his head. 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:05.679 He himself will be struck. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:09.440 Now, right away you're seeing he's going to be struck in the foot. 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:12.639 This makes sense if you're dealing with a snake. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:16.480 You know, a snake can't slap you. 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:17.679 A snake can't punch. 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:21.679 A snake doesn't have, starting in verse 15 anyway, a snake doesn't have arms. 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:25.200 He can't punch you or fight you or scratch you or claw you. 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:27.919 He doesn't have legs. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:29.360 He can't run after you. 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:30.960 He can't trip you. 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:34.320 Snakes can do two things. 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:39.120 They can coil up and they can pounce to bite. 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:40.559 That's what a snake can do. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:42.639 That's how a snake attacks. 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:45.440 I grew up in Albuquerque. 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:47.039 We had rattlesnakes. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:49.279 They minded their own business. 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:52.080 They were not patrolling the yard, you know. 00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:56.559 They'd curl up under a cactus, leave them alone. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:09:59.519 And so, I mean, you hardly ever saw them. 00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:01.120 You have to be looking for them to see them. 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:02.080 I moved to Virginia. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:05.200 This is not rattlesnake country, so I'm thinking, hey, no snakes here. 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:06.559 Moving to Virginia. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.440 There's like snake patrol in my backyard. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:12.000 There's always snakes back there. 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:18.080 No arms, no legs, just wrapping themselves up and jumping. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:25.440 We have the black snakes here in our yard anyway that will rattle the tails in the leaf to make them sound like a rattlesnake. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:28.480 It's like the worst of all the worlds. 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:31.759 What can it do? 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:33.519 It can't shoot you. 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:35.519 It doesn't have a trigger finger. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:40.240 It can jump and it can bite. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:41.679 It strikes you. 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:43.840 So that's what's going to happen to the savior. 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:50.320 He's going to be bitten, struck by the serpent in the heel, which makes sense. 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:53.919 If it's a snake attacking, that's where you would get bit by a snake in the heel. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:57.279 What's interesting about this is there's no doubt who wins. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:03.840 You know, would you if the war, one side gets their head bashed in and the other gets a bite on his heel, which would you rather be? 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:06.960 I mean, obviously the savior is victorious. 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:10.399 Nevertheless, in his victory, he is struck. 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:12.720 Very snake-like language there. 00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:15.360 He'll be struck in his heel. 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:17.679 We don't get more information than that. 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:19.600 That's all you get in Genesis 3. 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:23.039 The Savior is introduced, and he will be struck. 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:27.039 The next prophecy of the cross is Numbers chapter 21. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:28.320 You can turn over there. 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:32.639 Numbers 21, if you're using the Pew Bible, by the way, that's page 129. 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:36.799 129 in the Pew Bible. 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:44.080 Numbers 21 is our next piece of the puzzle here if we're building the cross from scratch. 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:48.480 And I guess there's other verses we could have looked at, like the sacrifice of Isaac. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:54.159 But in my mind, when I think of the components of the cross, I go from Genesis 3 to Numbers 21. 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:58.720 This is the war between Israel and the Canaanites. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:02.559 The Canaanites were surrounding Israel and attacking them. 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:04.559 Israel's in the wilderness wanderings here. 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:09.440 Because they doubted God, they're sentenced to wander in the wilderness for 40 years until they all die off. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:11.039 So that's what's happening right now. 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:14.799 They're walking around and they're dying, groups at a time. 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:17.679 The Canaanites are an implement of God's justice here. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:19.440 The Canaanites are attacking Israel. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:21.840 And Israel does something unusual in verse 2. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:30.639 They vowed a vow to Yahweh and said, if you'll give us this people, we'll devote their cities to destruction. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:34.159 They tell Yahweh, if you give us victory, we'll worship you. 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:37.840 Devote to destruction is kind of a religious terminology in the Old Testament. 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:42.159 It means it's devoted to worship here, and they'll destroy them out of fidelity to God. 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:43.440 They're not going to plunder them. 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:46.960 This is a classic, classic Israelite vow right here. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:50.080 The Israelites often say this kind of thing in the Old Testament. 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:54.720 God, if you answer my prayer, I will worship you for the rest of my life. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:57.279 Do they ever keep the deal? 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:00.000 And the same is true here. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:05.600 So God, verse 3 listens, it says in DSV, says, Yahweh heeded the voice of Israel. 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:10.080 He listens to them, answers their prayer, gives them victory over the Canaanites. 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:13.279 The very next verse. 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:20.080 The Israelites were going around the land of Eden, and the people became impatient on the way. 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:24.080 So God, if you answer my prayer and give me victory, I'll worship you the rest of my life. 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:26.799 The next verse, they're getting impatient with God. 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:30.000 They spoke against God and Moses. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:33.200 Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:37.360 For there's no food and there's no water, and we loathe this worthless food. 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:39.759 What are they complaining about? 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:40.559 Mana. 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:43.440 Just let that sink in for a second. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:48.159 They're in the desert, and God's giving them food every day out of the grounds. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:53.440 They just prayed, God, if you answer my prayer, I'll worship you forever and ever, amen. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:14:01.279 God answers their prayer, and the next moment they're complaining against God because they're sick of manna, a miraculous food that comes out of the ground. 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:03.759 It's absolutely insane. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:08.960 And this, you can make fun of the Israelites all day long in these kind of verses right here. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.519 But you recognize this is every one of us, don't you? 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:20.080 God, if you answer my prayer and you get me out of this trouble at school or out of work or whatever, then I will follow you and believe you forever. 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:28.639 And God answers your prayer, and you're driving home and you're stuck in traffic, and you're like, ah, I thought you were the God of the universe. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:32.799 We grumble and we complain. 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:39.200 Your flight is delayed, and you have a miracle of a plane flying around the world, but you're like, come on, God, I prayed about this. 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:41.120 15 minutes late. 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:43.600 That's the Israelites. 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:47.279 And you can't complain about mana. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:50.399 I guess it's the same food every day for 40 years, you know. 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:52.240 You run out of recipes. 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:54.960 Manana pot pie. 00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:59.679 And they've had it and they complain to God. 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:05.519 And so God judges them by attacking them. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:10.559 Verse 6 with fiery snakes. 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:13.360 I don't know what fiery means there. 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:17.679 I don't know if they were shooting venom or if they were actually on fire. 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:19.679 I mean, I have no idea. 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:22.159 But they are on the attack. 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:25.919 And the Israelites are running for their lives. 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:31.919 Verse 7, they ran to Moses, who, by the way, in verse 5 they were complaining against. 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:37.440 In verse 7, they go to him and they say, We've sinned, for we've spoken against Yahweh and against you. 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:42.080 So the Israelites accidentally and ironically discovered the doctrine of a mediator. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:44.399 They can't pray to God themselves. 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:46.000 They see they were just complaining about. 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:48.320 So they're pushing Moses forward. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:52.960 Like Moses, God listens to you, and we like you, and so do something. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:54.480 This is the doctrine of a mediator. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:57.039 And of course, the Savior will be a mediator. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:00.320 He will be the go-between between God and man, but it's not Moses. 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:03.279 Moses has played this role before, too, by the way, many, many times. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:06.399 He's great at it because he loves God and he actually likes the Israelites. 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:09.120 Not a lot of people check both of those boxes. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:12.639 They say, We've sinned, help us. 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:14.879 So Moses, the end of verse 7, is so tender. 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:16.639 Moses prayed for the people. 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:22.480 And Yahweh said to Moses, Make a fiery serpent and set it up on a pole. 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.480 This is the second component of the cross. 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:30.000 What you learn from this passage is that the Savior will be lifted up. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:37.440 From Genesis 3, you learn that the Savior will be struck, and from Numbers 21, you learn that the Savior will be lifted up. 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:41.919 Moses is supposed to make this serpent. 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:44.240 A bronze serpent. 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:50.000 I don't know how long it takes to make something out of bronze, but the quickest thing you can make out of bronze is probably a serpent. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:53.279 You know, if you think back to kindergarten, you need to make something with clay. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:54.240 A worm. 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:55.120 Done. 00:16:57.919 --> 00:16:59.200 Bronze serpent. 00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:02.639 And he's supposed to lift it up on a pole so that everybody could see. 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:10.880 It had to be high because wherever there's a lot of Israelites here, and they're running every which way, and wherever they are, they need to be able to see it. 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:14.000 There's a lot going on in this passage about the Savior. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:17.440 First of all, notice that the serpent is an image of the Savior. 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:22.559 In that, we know the Savior from Genesis 3 is going to be a human being, not a snake, so we know that. 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:23.599 He's going to crush a snake. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:24.720 He isn't a snake. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:33.839 But in this passage here, it's a good representation of him because the Savior will take on the form of the one inducing judgment. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:41.839 Right now it is snakes bringing the judgment, and the Savior will take on the image of that to bring the wrath on himself. 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:44.160 And this is exactly what happens with the cross. 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:46.400 We are cursed because of Adam's sin. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:48.240 Adam brought us into sin. 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:51.680 His federal headship over us makes us guilty of sin. 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:55.759 Now we sin ourselves as well, but we stand condemned because of Adam's sin. 00:17:55.839 --> 00:17:58.720 And Jesus comes in the form and likeness of Adam. 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:00.559 He comes in sinful flesh. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:05.920 He never sinned, of course, but he took on the likeness of sinful flesh. 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:10.960 He takes on the image of that which is cursed to deliver us from the curse. 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:15.440 More than that, he's lifted up then. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:25.440 And I've seen people run from snakes, you know. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:28.240 Some people just jump back or walk around. 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:35.440 I once saw a lady who saw a snake at work and she went in and got in her car and drove home. 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:40.400 Nope, nope, nope, and nope. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:42.880 See you next Monday. 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:58.400 These people are running for their lives, and they have to stop and turn and look to the very image of what they're being cursed by. 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:01.200 This is a remarkable amount of faith. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:02.240 It's repentance. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:06.880 You're turning from your sin and you're trusting God in the middle of judgment. 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:10.319 You don't say, God, take away the judgment, and then I'll think about trusting you. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:15.519 No, the judgment is taken away by you turning and facing what you deserve. 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:18.079 And that's what happens here. 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:21.359 But the point that the New Testament makes about this passage is more than all that. 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:30.319 The New Testament uses this passage to point to the cross, that the Savior had to be lifted up so that everybody could see him. 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:36.000 It's a prophecy of the cross. 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:38.319 He will be lifted up. 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:48.240 When Jesus comes, the Savior comes, he will be descended from Eve, he will be born as a virgin, he will be struck, and in his striking he will be lifted up. 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:54.480 So whoever looks at him and puts their faith in him will not perish, but have eternal life. 00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:58.079 The third component of the cross. 00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:00.880 Isaiah 53, verse 5. 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:03.440 You can turn there if you're in your Pew Bible. 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:05.200 It's page 613. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:09.200 We'll start in the end of Isaiah 52. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:12.240 Page 613 in the Pew Bible. 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:16.880 This is the fourth of the suffering servant songs. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:18.880 There are four songs in the book of Isaiah. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:22.079 That's known as they're all known as the suffering servant songs. 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:26.000 At the start of the songs, you wonder who is the servant. 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:29.519 Some people even say the servant could be Israel, the nation of Israel. 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:32.720 But if you're reading Isaiah, if you're familiar with Isaiah, the servant is not Israel. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:34.559 Israel is apostate at this point. 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:36.240 They're in open rebellion against God. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:40.160 They're not identified with God, they're identified as the enemies of God. 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:43.839 And so God raises up a new servant. 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:47.440 Israel was supposed to be the servant, but Israel's gone to war against God. 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:49.839 So God raises up a new servant through Israel. 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:54.960 He will be an Israelite, but he will be an individual known as my servant. 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:59.279 Chapter 52, verse 13 says, My servant will act wisely. 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:01.279 He will be high and lifted up. 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:06.319 Again, a reference to the cross, a reference from Numbers 21, that the Savior will be lifted up. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:11.359 It's not Philippians 2 style, high and lifted up, like one day every tongue will confess and every knee will bow. 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:13.279 That's not what high and lifted up means here. 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:16.000 It's not ascension, he'll go to heaven kind of lifted up. 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:18.400 No, what Isaiah means here is the cross. 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.279 He will be lifted up. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:24.960 And you know that because of the next verse, people who see him lifted up on the cross, they will be astonished at him. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:28.720 That word for astonished is like flabbergasted, appalled. 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:31.039 Would be a better translation, really. 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:32.559 The people were appalled at him. 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:36.000 His appearance was so marred beyond any human assemblance. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:37.519 This is talking about his death. 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:41.440 He died a physically brutal death. 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:46.720 So much so that he was physically disfigured. 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:50.799 His form was beyond that of the child children of mankind. 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:58.000 The Hebrew here even uses kind of these neutral adjectives, not even masculine, they're indefinite adjectives. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.599 It was beyond the form of any. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.880 Thing imaginable. 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:06.079 People will look at Jesus on the cross and they're not even referring to him with the masculine pronouns at this point. 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:06.799 It's just it. 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:10.240 It is so marred what they see there on the cross. 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:14.799 He doesn't even look like a human, or it doesn't even look like a human anymore. 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:18.319 Beyond the form of the children of mankind. 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:21.680 You've got splattering blood in verse 15. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:23.200 He will sprinkle many nations. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:25.920 He's taking the blood that comes from high and lifted up. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:36.960 Now you wonder as you're reading this, without knowing the New Testament yet, how can somebody localized be lifted up and brutally beaten so that his blood sprinkles nations? 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:40.640 And of course, knowing the New Testament we understand that. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:44.960 But it's it's here for you to read. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:47.920 He's lifted up, his blood will have power. 00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:52.880 He's going to silence Kings chapter 53, verse 2. 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:54.640 You see that he really is a human being. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:56.720 He grew up before him like a young plant. 00:22:56.799 --> 00:23:05.119 This is a true human born like a root out of dry ground, a prophecy of Nazareth, you know, where he's from. 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:07.279 He's going to grow up in Nazareth. 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:11.359 Nothing comes from Nazareth, but Jesus does, like a root from dry ground. 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:14.480 There's nothing special about the way he looks, especially in his death. 00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:19.119 He had no form or majesty that we would look at him, no beauty that we should desire him. 00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:21.200 I think, well, this might be generally true. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:23.359 I think it's making a statement about the way he dies. 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:26.160 There's nothing beautiful in his death there. 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:28.720 He is despised and rejected by men. 00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:31.279 He's a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. 00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:34.160 People are hiding their faces from him, verse 3 says. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:40.559 Now, Jesus' death was unusual. 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:42.720 Lots of people died on the cross. 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:48.160 The Romans killed hundreds, if not thousands, of people on the crosses every year. 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:51.440 Nevertheless, Jesus' death was unusual. 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:59.759 Lots of people died on the cross, but how many of them were shopped back and forth between governors and rulers in some kind of sham trial? 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:11.759 How many of them were betrayed by their own people, delivered over to a king who knew they were innocent but didn't want to stand up to the crowd, shopped over to another governor who also knew he was innocent, but didn't care, wanted to make the first king look bad. 00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:15.039 That's what went down in his death. 00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:19.119 But even beyond those circumstances, he's lifted up on the cross. 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:21.519 Darkness covers the earth. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:24.240 The sun wouldn't illuminate the cross. 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:30.880 People resurrected from the grave at his crucifixion. 00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:33.519 That never happened before. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:36.799 I mean, this is a very unusual death. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:40.720 And Isaiah zeroes in on it by saying people didn't even want to look at this. 00:24:40.960 --> 00:24:42.400 They wouldn't even look at it. 00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:48.000 It was such a miscarriage of justice, and they all knew it. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:50.480 But they despised him. 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:55.279 Verse 4 lets you know, it's a substitution. 00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:58.640 He bore our griefs, he carried our sorrows. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:01.200 So he's doing this because of our sin. 00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:02.559 That's the point here. 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:05.119