2nd Corinthians 5:21
“For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Psalms 22:6
“But I [am] a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.”
Isaiah 52:14
"As many were astonied (to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy) at thee; his visage (sight, appearance --- The face; the countenance or look of a person) was so marred (To injure; to deform; to disfigure) more than any man, and his form (The shape or external appearance of a body) more than the sons of men:"
The payment for sin was so complete that the Lord Jesus Christ likens Himself to Satan and sin when He is on the cross.
In John chapter 3 the Lord Jesus Christ had just finished teaching Nicodemus that he needed to be born again and Nicodemus shows his lack of understanding of this truth.
John 3:9
“Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
John 3:10
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Nicodemus you are strutting around here as one of the rulers of the Pharisees.
You pretend you are more holy than others and you don’t know this truth about being born again.
The words “born again” are mentioned here for the first time but this truth was taught in the Old Testament.
Nicodemus had a copy of Psalms 22 and if he had read with spiritual understanding he would have understood what the Lord was talking about.
Psalms 22:30
“A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.”
What is the context of this seed that is accounted to the Lord for a generation?
Psalms 22:1
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [why art thou so] far from helping me, [and from] the words of my roaring?”
Psalms 22:16
“For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.”
Psalms 22:18
“They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”
Mr. Nicodemus should have been getting the message.
He had a copy of Psalms 22.
That serpent on a pole is going to reference him back to Moses and another serpent.
Where do you get that new birth?
“Look and Live!”
If Nicodemus was led of the Spirit he would know that someone saw Calvary before it happened and wrote it all down for a purpose.
A seed shall serve him is obviously a cross reference for us to pick up.
Galatians 3:16
“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”
Genesis 3:15
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
Luke 1:35
“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Although the new birth was written about in the Old Testament it could not take place until after John chapter 3.
The seed had to first fall into the ground and die.
John 12:24
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
John 3:10
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
John 3:11
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
John 3:12
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you [of] heavenly things?
Here is another truth for the observant.
This thing is going to take place on the ground.
John 3:12
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you [of] heavenly things?
These earthly things are recited for us in Luke 24:19-27.
Luke 24:19
“And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
Luke 24:20
And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
Luke 24:21
But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
Luke 24:22
Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
Luke 24:23
And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
Luke 24:24
And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found [it] even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Luke 24:25
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luke 24:26
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Luke 24:27
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”
John 3:12
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you [of] heavenly things?
The heavenly things have to do with the new birth.
John 3:13
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.
For obvious reasons the new versions leave off the last four words.
That is a direct attack on the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and it is blatant unbelief in truth.
John 3:14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
John 3:15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
Once again we see this great truth.
Spiritual understanding of the things of God must be given by God or sinners remain in darkness.
Nicodemus gets his eyes of understanding opened later and is saved and identifies with the Lord.
But in John chapter 3 he receives truth without understanding at that time.
This truth should encourage us in our witness.
The person you talk to may not understand the truth you give them but if they are sincerely listening the seed that is planted will bare fruit later.
This is the sovereign God at work doing what only He can do.
John 3:14 is an obvious reference to Numbers chapter 21.
John 3:14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Numbers 21:4
“And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
The way of a sinner is very discouraging because it is problems, problems, problems and no solutions.
Outside of Christ life is miserable no matter how hard you try.
You will be discouraged because of the way when you try to go without Christ.
Numbers 21:5
And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
Sinners constantly rebel at the notion of dying.
Some choose to ignore its reality. Some choose exercise, vitamins, and a selection of foods to attempt to prolong life.
Some choose religion and deceive themselves into thinking that it helps.
Sinners, as a general rule don’t want to think of death as a personal reality because they have no clue what comes after death but they are sure that it is not good.
The Bible says:
Proverbs 27:1
“Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”
James 4:14
“Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
Job 14:10
“But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where [is] he?”
Luke 16:22
“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luke 16:23
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”
Hebrews 9:27
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
Numbers 21:6
And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Sin is a killer.
Romans 5:12
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”
Numbers 21:7
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
The first step to life is to admit that you are a sinner and then turn to the Lord.
Numbers 21:8
And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
It is important to follow the instructions of the Lord once you have admitted that you are a sinner.
Numbers 21:9
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”
The serpent pictures the Devil who was the first one to sin against God and it also pictures sin and its results.
The people were rebellious and spake against God which is true of all sinners.
Isaiah 53:6
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
When one was bitten by the serpent he died.
Romans 5:12
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”
Moses was told to make a serpent of brass which stands for judgment and put it on a pole which is a picture of the judgment of sin that Christ would suffer on the cross.
This is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ was referencing in John chapter 3, verse 14.
John 3:14
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:”
The people who were bitten by the fiery serpent (sin) were to look and live.
Salvation is by faith plus nothing.
Romans 4:4
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Romans 4:5
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
Titus 3:5
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
Ephesians 2:8
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
Ephesians 2:9
Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
The instructions were:
Numbers 21:8
And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
Let’s supposes a Hebrew man was bitten by a serpent and his wife came to him and said: Honey Moses has obeyed the Lord and made a brass serpent and put him on a pole.
All you have to do is look on the brass serpent and you will live.
Are you talking about the “Brass Serpent Theory?”
I don’t believe that junk.
That theory has been around for a long time and it never helped anyone and I don’t believe it will help me.
Or suppose some man had said, “I’m doing the best I can.”
“I’ve lived a good life.”
“I will be OK because I am not a bad person.”
“I don’t deserve to die.”
Or maybe someone said, “You know I just don’t trust old Moses I going to go with Korah.”
I believe his religion is right.
You will either come to the Lord His way and under His conditions or you will not come at all.
Numbers 21:8
And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
Thus we sing, “Look and Live.”
The payment made for sin by the Lord Jesus Christ was complete in that there was absolutely nothing left that He did not pay for.
He literally became sin and therefore all sin was on Him.
He descended into Hell and that is where He dumped all the sins that He paid for.
Acts 2:27
“Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Acts 2:28
Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
Acts 2:29
Men [and] brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Acts 2:30
Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Acts 2:31
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.”
Mark 9:43
"And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, (Is that literal?) into the fire that never shall be quenched: (Is that literal?)
Mark 9:44
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
(Is that literal?)
Mark 9:45
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, (Is that literal?) into the fire that never shall be quenched: (Is that literal?)
Mark 9:46
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Is that literal?)
Mark 9:47
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: (Is that literal?)
Mark 9:48
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
(Is that literal?)
We read the word "hell" three times and the last time it is "hell fire."
We read, "the fire is not quenched" --- three times.
We read, "the fire that shall never be quenched" --- twice.
We have no choice but to take the worm literal also.
Matthew 16:26
"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
To loose your soul is to exchange it.
Matthew 10:28
"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
KILL: to deprive of life
DESTROY: to annihilate a thing or the form in which it exists
Since we are to fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell, it is important to find out what the soul is in its present state.
1st Corinthians 15:44
"It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."
Our soul is a "spiritual body."
Revelation 6:9
"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Revelation 6:10
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? (MEMORY)
Revelation 6:11
And white robes (ABLE TO WEAR CLOTHING) were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they [were], should be fulfilled."
Luke 16:19
"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luke 16:20
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luke 16:21
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luke 16:22
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luke 16:23
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luke 16:25
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luke 16:26
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence.
Luke 16:27
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Luke 16:28
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luke 16:29
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luke 16:30
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luke 16:31
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
Our soul is a bodily shape inside our physical body.
2nd Corinthians 12:1
"It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2nd Corinthians 12:2
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
2nd Corinthians 12:3
And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
2nd Corinthians 12:4
How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."
In Hell a person can be tormented for all of eternity and not cease to exist because the soul was made to live forever and cannot die.
Someday all occupants of Hell will be caught up to the Great White Throne Judgment and be judged according to their works.
They are judged according to their works to determine the degree of their eternal punishment.
When they are cast into the lake of fire they will have a body like their father, just as believers will get a body like their Father.
The Lord Jesus Christ told a group of people one time that they were of their father.
John 8:44
"Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."
This is a fact concerning every lost person on the earth.
Let us first take at look at some verses concerning the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 53:10
"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isaiah 53:11
He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
2nd Corinthians 5:21
"For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
John 1:29
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
Where did He take the sin of the world?
The Lord Jesus Christ became the personification of sin to make salvation available to all mankind.
When the Lord Jesus suffered on the cross of Calvary, in some mysterious way He took on Himself the full cup of God's fury, and for all practical purposes took the devil's place.
The Devil was the one responsible for the first sin and then the spread of it in the heaven and in the earth.
The Lord Jesus Christ assumed the full responsibility and completely satisfied the holiness of God.
If a person does not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour they will wind up like their father, the Devil.
Isaiah 14:9
"Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet [thee] at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, [even] all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
Isaiah 14:10
All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
Isaiah 14:11
Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, [and] the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee."
Isaiah 66:22
"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Isaiah 66:23
And it shall come to pass, [that] from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 66:24
And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases (Technically carcass pertains to an animal. corpse (of man) carcass (of animals) of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."
Hell is a place of rejection and destruction.
Matthew 10:28
“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Hell is a place of damnation.
Matthew 23:33
“[Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”
Hell is a place where the fire will never be quenched.
Mark 9:44
“Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
Hell is a place of torments.
Luke 16:23
“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”
Hell winds up in the “lake of fire” for eternity.
Revelation 14:10
“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
Revelation 20:14
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
THE FACTS
1. The Lord Jesus Christ was made sin for us.
2. The Lord Jesus Christ suffered the wrath of God.
3. While under the wrath of God He felt forsaken, helpless, and ignored. The rich man in hell experienced these same feelings.
4. Hell is eternal, it is literal fire, and it is literal torment.
5. Perhaps losing your soul will mean that a person becomes a slimy red maggot, a body like unto their father, the Devil.
If this is true it does not mean that you will not feel the pain nor does it imply that you will some day cease to exist.
Revelation 14:10
"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."
If God would not hold back the fullness of His wrath against sin on His own Son; how can anyone think that they will get by without doing what God told them to do?
Acts 17:30
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:"
Acts 20:21
"Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
1st John 3:23
"And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment."
John 3:36
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
Romans 10:9
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:10
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:11
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Romans 10:12
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
