Jesus, the Snake, and the Old Testament

Numbers 21
4They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,[a] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” 6Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7THE PEOPLE CAME TO MOSES AND SAID, “WE SINNED WHEN WE SPOKE AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST YOU. PRAY THAT THE Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

I am always confused by the poisonous snakes God sent to kill the Israelites for their sins. Why a snake? Then, even more curious, why a snake on a pole to heal them? Weird, right? Doesn't a snake usually symbolize Satan? Isn't that like the idols they made that angered God?

Well, a closer look, and a little Bible study, indicates a very different picture. In fact the opposite!

The snake, Satan, God sent to punish the Israelites for their sin. Satan is sin. The Ten Commandments in the old Testament ensured people knew what sin was/is. So, why not a snake to poison people? Sin poisons us to God, doesn't it?

To cure our poisoning, our sin, God sent His son to take away our sins (the poison)...to heal us. So, I think the dead snake on the pole represents Jesus conquering sin. He overcome Satan by dying on the cross for our sins. So the snake, Satan, is conquered. Just like looking at the dead snake on the pole healed the Israelites, so trusting in Jesus, also heals our sin. A dead snake means Christ killed it. He killed sin! So, this is not an idol they are worshipping on the pole, it is God's forgiveness. That, we should worship!

Father, thank you for planning out our salvation from the beginning of time. Thank you for your perfect plan for all of us. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.