Bronze Serpent On A Pole

And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. [John 3.14-15]

Let's get the history straight on this:

Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!” So the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed! [Numbers 21.4-9]

It is important to realize that the bronze snake on a pole was later destroyed by Hezekiah because Israel began to worship it.

Hezekiah son of Ahaz began to rule over Judah in the third year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done. He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it. The bronze serpent was called Nehushtan. [2 Kings 18.1-4]

The problem with Israel worshiping the bronze snake on a  pole was that although it was first inspired by God, it was not God and should never have been sacrificed to as if it were.

I will just make a statement here and leave it at that...

The symbol of modern medicine is a serpent on a pole.

Father, I want to trust You and You alone for my health. Everywhere I see "the bronze serpent on a pole" presented to me as the answer for all my physical needs... but I know, and want it to be seen in my life, that YOU are my Healer!