Have you ever been in a situation where you simply could not solve the problem yourself? It could be a broken relationship with a parent, child, or friend. It could be a medical diagnosis. It could be a sinful habit you are struggling with. The Israelites found themselves in a similarly impossible situation.
The story of the snake on a pole (later called the “Nehushtan” derived from the Hebrew word for bronze) is originally found in Numbers 21:4-9. The Israelites were once again complaining, this time about their situation of eating manna and lack of water, and wishing they were back in Egypt. In response to their impatience, God sent down venomous snakes that bit and killed many of the Israelites. The Israelites then confessed their sin. To deal with the venomous snakes, God told Moses to make a bronze snake, attach it to a pole, and lift it up so the people could see it. He then told Moses that if anyone was bitten by the snakes, and went to look up at the snake on the pole, they would live.
The Nehushtan thus acted as a way to life and a way of divine healing in God’s mercy. There was no way for the Israelites to heal themselves on their own, and many died because they could not. To be saved from the snake bites, the Israelites had to listen to God’s command, or else they would not be healed. It was the way to life.
“It was the way to life.”
In the Old Testament, events regularly happened that foreshadow what Jesus was coming to do. Jesus brought up this very story in a conversation with Nicodemus, a Pharisee (John 3:1), describing the snake on a pole as a comparison to what Jesus himself would do. In John 3:14-15 (NASB), Jesus explained,
“And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him.”
And that’s the context of the famous John 3:16 (NASB):
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
There are actually numerous points of comparison between the bronze serpent and Jesus, as Jesus would go on to fulfill what the snake on the pole accomplished for the Israelites. 
First, both the snake and Jesus were to be “lifted up” (John 3:14). “Lifted up” is repeated twice in this verse, showing significance. The Greek word for lifted up, hypsoō, is used five times in the book of John. Each time it refers to Jesus being raised on the cross and his exaltation into heaven. Both the snake and Jesus were lifted up to show God’s authority to save. While the serpent was a means of God healing his people from snake bites, God-incarnate came down himself to give his people ultimate healing on the cross.
“God-incarnate came down himself to give his people ultimate healing on the cross.”
Second, we find a contrast: The snake on the pole went on to be treated as an idol, while Jesus remains the One to be worshiped. The bronze snake on the pole was meant to be a tool of God’s mercy, but the Israelites unfortunately made it into an idol they called Nehushtan. They even burned incense to it (2 Kings 18:4). The God-fearing King Hezekiah destroyed it to underscore that they had misdirected worship due to God alone. There are times in life where it can be easy to idolize the good things God has provided for us. We must resist this fatal misdirection and worship God alone, for “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17, NIV). The gifts in our life should always point us back to their Creator and Giver.
Third, the act of healing required faith. John 3:15 explains that whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life. Just like how the Israelites had to have faith that looking up at the bronze serpent would heal them, all people must have faith in God to be healed from their sin. Sometimes I want to take control and save myself from my problems, but for things to get better, I have to entrust myself to Jesus, handing my faith over to him. God was willing to heal both the Israelites and all people today, but there has to be a willingness to step out in faith and obedience.
“There has to be a willingness to step out in faith and obedience.”
Fourth, both reveal the character of God. The snake on a pole shows God’s mercy toward the Israelites even amid his punishment to them. Jesus shows the same thing but on a much larger scale. Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Humanity is deserving of the punishment of death, but God in his mercy gives us life through the Son. God does not ignore the need for judgment; he deals with it on behalf of people when they choose to believe in him. One verse that rings true for the snake and Jesus is Psalm 145:8 (NIV): “The Lord is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love.” Not because of our goodness but only because of his, he provides a way for people to be saved from the snakebite of sin.
While the snake on the pole was a temporary means for God to heal the Israelites in the wilderness, it pointed to a better rescue for all of us. By being lifted up, Jesus offers healing and eternal life to all who look to Him in faith. Stop trying to cure your own fatal situation. Look to the cross to find the One who has done the work for you.
