The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 9
10. The Book of Leviticus Is Filled with the Foreshadowings of the Cross.

Heb 10:8 “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast not desired, nor hast Thou taken pleasure in them”

Isa 1:11 “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams, And the fat of fed cattle. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.”

Psa 51:16 For Thou dost not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; Thou art not pleased with burnt offering.

The Jews needed to have before them the constant fact that sin is no insignificant matter which God could lightly pass over.

If the blow does not fall on the guilty, it must fall on one who makes himself responsible and accepts the punishment for the wrong involved.

Heb 10:17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

He tasted death for every man in order that the just demands of the Law might be fully fulfilled in our behalf, Heb 2:9.

a. The burnt offering - propitiation or expiation with emphasis on the work of Christ, so animal blood was used, Lev 1:3.

b. The food offering - propitiation with emphasis on the unique person of Christ, so animal blood was not used, Lev 3:11.

c. The peace offering - reconciliation based on the work of Christ on the cross, so animal blood was shed at the altar, Lev 7:11.

d. The sin offering - rebound, emphasizing the forgiveness of unknown sins in the life, Lev 4:3.

e. The trespass offering - rebound, emphasizing the forgiveness of known sins and confessed sins.

11. Moses Lifted up the Serpent. Num 21

Joh 3:14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;”

Israel should have known by now that Jehovah-jireh, “the Lord will provide,” would not fail his people.

Sin is a fiery serpent and its sting is the sting of death -

1Co 15:6 The sting of death is sin,

Rom 5:20 where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

Gen 3:15 - the serpent’s seed are said to be unregenerate sinners.

2Co 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

“The serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan,” is the author of sin.

Rev 12:11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.”

1Jo 3:8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

It would have pictured God’s judgment on the sinner himself and misrepresented our sinless substitute, Heb 7:26.

The one who is the sinner’s Savior was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, Rom 8:3.

The serpent was a reminder and emblem of the curse.

Brass symbolizes divine judgment.

On the Brazen altar the sacrificial animals were slain.

Rev 1 - Christ is seen as judge inspecting the seven churches, His feet were like fine brass.

Brass is harder than iron, or silver, or gold; it told of Christ’s mighty strength.

a. They were not told to manufacture some ointment to heal their wounds.

b. They were not told to minister to others who were wounded and help each other out.

c. They were not told to fight the serpents.

d. They were not told to make an offering to the serpent on the pole.

e. They were told not to look at Moses.

f. They were not told to look at their wounds.

1. Moses was commanded by God to make a serpent of brass; it was something the Lord provided.

2. Moses was commanded to fix this brazen serpent upon a pole - the divine remedy was publicly exhibited so all Israel might look and be healed.

3. He was to look away from himself to the divinely appointed object of faith.

Isa 45:22 “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.”

Heb 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,

Phi 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly look for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

4. The brazen serpent was lifted up so those who were too weak to crawl up to the pole simply could look and be healed.

Gen 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes,

Life could only come out of death.

When our Lord died on the cross He put an end to the Adamic race and began a new one.

Our Lord referred to His sacrificial death as a lifting up because the Jews were looking for a Messiah who should be lifted up.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002