God's Faithfulness in Numbers: Balaam and the Bronze Serpent
Two Rivers Church · 1:25:05
This sermon concludes an overview of the Book of Numbers, focusing on God's faithfulness to His plan despite human rebellion and failures. The speaker highlights that the Book of Numbers is not primarily about a rebellious people, but about a faithful God who pursues a relationship with His created beings, a plan evident from Genesis to Revelation. He references Psalm 105, Genesis 12, and Genesis 15 to illustrate God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants.
The message explores Numbers chapters 20-24, noting that 38 years have passed between chapter 19 and 20. It recounts the story of King Balak of Moab and the spiritualist Balaam, who is called to curse Israel but can only bless them. The speaker emphasizes God's power and dominion, even speaking through a donkey in Numbers 22:22-34. He differentiates between God's wrath, which is for those who do not follow Him (John 3), and His discipline, which is a form of instruction, correction, and training for spiritual growth and transformation for those He loves, as seen in Proverbs and Hebrews.
The sermon discusses instances of God's discipline, including the fiery serpents in Numbers 21:6-9, where looking to the bronze serpent brought life, and the discipline of Moses and Aaron for their disobedience in Numbers 20. The speaker connects the bronze serpent to Jesus, referencing John 3, and identifies the "angel of the Lord" in Balaam's story as a pre-incarnate manifestation of Jesus. He concludes by emphasizing that Jesus is the "star" from Jacob and "scepter" from Israel, as prophesied by Balaam, and encourages listeners to fix their eyes on Jesus amidst life's anxieties.
