The Bronze Serpent

A Bronze Serpent

According to the Bible, God commands Moses to make a statue of a bronze serpent and to mount it on a standard. Those bitten by the fiery snakes would be healed by looking at the statue. This remedy is quite odd. Isn’t it a bit like idolatry or witchcraft, which is forbidden? It might remind you of the “rod of Asclepius” which is a well-known pagan symbol used by medical organizations. 
 

The Power of the Original Hebrew

In fact, the original title of this “bronze serpent” image is a play on words only available to those who know Hebrew: nehash nehoshet (נְחַשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת). Jesus references this event in the Gospel of John, when he says, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:14-15). 
 

Lift Up Your Eyes and See

Jesus teaches that the bronze statue itself did not actually have the power to heal. Rather, it was an inspiration to “lift up” one’s eyes to God in heaven, from whom healing comes. Similarly, the resurrection of Jesus is an act of “lifting up” which provides the remedy for the deadly bite of sin. If you wish “lift up” your understanding of Scripture, enroll in our live online courses and look upwards to the original language of the Bible: Hebrew.