The Cross: Center of Our Faith Journey

The journey through the book of Numbers reveals the intentionality and faithfulness of God as He leads His people through the wilderness. At the heart of this story is the cross, which has always been and always will be the center point of our faith. Even in the organization of the Israelite camp, God foreshadows the cross, arranging the tribes in a way that, from above, forms its very shape. This is a powerful reminder that God’s plan for redemption through Jesus was not an afterthought, but woven into the fabric of history from the very beginning.

As the Israelites move from Mount Sinai to the wilderness of Paran, we see the consequences of fear and unbelief. When faced with the unknown, the people longed for the familiarity of Egypt, even though it meant returning to bondage. God, in His wisdom, sometimes allows us to have what we stubbornly desire, not as a punishment, but as a way to reveal the emptiness of our own plans and the fullness of His promises. The wandering in the wilderness becomes a living lesson: God’s way is always better, even when it requires courage to step into the unknown.

In the plains of Moab, the story of the bronze serpent points us directly to Jesus. The people, suffering from the consequences of their rebellion, are healed not by their own efforts, but by looking in faith to the provision God lifts up before them. Jesus Himself draws the connection, declaring that just as the serpent was lifted up, so must He be lifted up, that all who look to Him in faith will be saved. This is the heart of the gospel: in our brokenness, we look to Christ, who became sin for us, and in Him we find healing, forgiveness, and eternal life.

Throughout Numbers, God’s faithfulness is on display, even when His people falter. The story is not just about ancient wanderings, but about the ongoing journey of faith for each of us. We are invited to trust God’s intentional plan, to step out of old patterns and into His promises, and to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The cross is the center of God’s story, not just in the New Testament, but from the very beginning. Even the arrangement of the Israelite camp in Numbers points to the cross, showing that God’s plan for redemption through Jesus was always at the heart of His dealings with humanity. This intentionality invites us to see all of Scripture—and our own lives—through the lens of Christ’s sacrifice. [35:31]
• 2. Sometimes, the most sobering consequence God can give is to let us have what we insist upon. The Israelites’ longing to return to Egypt, despite its bondage, led to decades of wandering. In our own lives, clinging to the familiar can keep us from stepping into the fullness of God’s promises. God’s discipline is not arbitrary, but often a mirror to our own choices, urging us to trust His better way. [38:41]
• 3. The ministry of presence is a profound gift. Job’s friends brought comfort simply by sitting with him in silence, but their attempts to explain or fix his suffering only deepened his pain. Sometimes, what those around us need most is not our advice, but our willingness to sit with them in their struggles, reflecting the presence of God who sits with us in ours. [16:13]
• 4. Looking to Jesus means facing the reality of our sin and brokenness, but also trusting in His provision for our healing. Just as the Israelites had to look at the bronze serpent—the very image of what afflicted them—we are called to look to Christ, who became sin for us. It is in this honest gaze, not in denial or self-effort, that we find true healing and life. [46:22]
• 5. God’s faithfulness is not dependent on our perfection, but on His unchanging character. Even when the Israelites grumbled, rebelled, and failed, God continued to provide, protect, and ultimately fulfill His promises. Our hope rests not in our ability to get everything right, but in the God who weaves redemption through every chapter of our story. [48:52]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [15:16] - The Ministry of Presence and Simplicity in Faith
• [16:54] - Overcomplicating Faith and the Value of Presence
• [17:35] - Confession, Forgiveness, and God’s Listening Ear
• [23:13] - Introduction to the Book of Numbers
• [25:28] - Why “Numbers”? The Census and God’s Promise
• [29:59] - Three Sections of Numbers: Sinai, Paran, Moab
• [30:39] - Section 1: The Camp’s Arrangement and the Cross
• [34:27] - The Cross Foreshadowed in the Camp’s Design
• [36:17] - Section 2: Spies, Fear, and the Cost of Unbelief
• [38:41] - When God Gives Us What We Want
• [41:50] - Section 3: The Bronze Serpent and Looking to Jesus
• [44:02] - Jesus Connects the Serpent to the Cross
• [48:52] - God’s Faithfulness and the New Generation
• [50:36] - Offering, Communion, and Blessing
• [68:15] - Final Blessing and Dismissal

Bible Reading

Numbers 2:1-9 (ESV) — > The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side. Those to camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the chief of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab, his company as listed being 74,600. Those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, the chief of the people of Issachar being Nethanel the son of Zuar, his company as listed being 54,400. Then the tribe of Zebulun, the chief of the people of Zebulun being Eliab the son of Helon, his company as listed being 57,400. All those listed of the camp of Judah, by their companies, were 186,400. They shall set out first on the march.”

2. Numbers 21:4-9 (ESV)
> From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

3. John 3:14-16 (ESV)
> And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Observation Questions

1. In Numbers 2, how does God instruct the Israelites to arrange their camp, and what is at the center of their community?
2. What was the Israelites’ reaction when they faced hardship in the wilderness, and what did they long for instead?
3. In Numbers 21, what did God command Moses to do after the people were bitten by serpents, and what was the result for those who obeyed?
4. According to John 3, how does Jesus connect the story of the bronze serpent to Himself?

Interpretation Questions

1. What does the arrangement of the Israelite camp around the tabernacle reveal about God’s priorities and His plan for His people?
2. Why do you think God sometimes allows people to have what they stubbornly desire, even when it leads to negative consequences?
3. How does the story of the bronze serpent help us understand the way God provides healing and salvation through Jesus?
4. The sermon mentions that God’s faithfulness is not dependent on our perfection. How is this truth demonstrated in the story of the Israelites?

Application Questions

1. The cross is described as the center of God’s story, even in the Old Testament. How might seeing your own life “through the lens of Christ’s sacrifice” change the way you view your daily struggles or decisions?
2. The Israelites wanted to return to Egypt because it was familiar, even though it meant going back to bondage. Are there “old patterns” or “familiar places” in your life that you are tempted to return to, even though you know God is calling you forward? What would it look like to step into God’s promises instead?
3. The sermon talks about the “ministry of presence”—just being with someone in their pain without trying to fix it. Can you think of a time when someone’s presence (not their advice) made a difference for you? How can you offer this kind of presence to someone this week?
4. Looking to Jesus means facing the reality of our sin and brokenness, but also trusting in His provision for healing. Is there an area of your life where you are trying to fix things on your own instead of looking to Christ? What would it look like to “look to Jesus” in that area?
5. Sometimes God’s discipline is simply letting us experience the results of our own choices. Is there a situation in your life where you sense God is letting you “have your way” to teach you something? What might He be inviting you to learn or change?
6. The Israelites grumbled and failed, but God remained faithful. When you look back at your own journey, can you see moments where God was faithful even when you were not? How does remembering His faithfulness give you hope for the future?
7. The cross was foreshadowed in the camp’s design, showing God’s intentionality. How does knowing that God has an intentional plan for redemption encourage you in seasons of uncertainty or wandering?