God gave us an "idol"

Going around the land of Edom, the Israelites complained against God and Moses. God sent fierce serpents among the Israelites to bite them. Many were killed (Numbers 21:4-6). Obviously, God was offended and was impatient with the Israelites. God would have killed them in many other ways but He chose serpents. Because of a serpent, Adam and Eve were fallen. Now that God sent serpents to punish them, there must be a deeper purpose behind. Indeed, to cure them of their wounds, God told Moses to make a serpent and set it on a pole. Whoever saw it would be saved (Numbers 21:8).
Interesting enough. God forbade Israelites to make any images. He punished them when they made a golden calf to lead them in the wilderness. Yet, God Himself told Moses to make a serpent. Wasn't God contradictory? Or is it because God is above the law and He is free to do whatever His heart desires?
God forbids us to make and worship idols because they will drag us away from Him. Idols give us illusions. We can manipulate idols, but not God. Idols are concrete but God is elusive. Idols make us stop in front of them instead of leading us to transcend them because idols give people a sense of comfort and security. Following God has never been a comfortable pursuit because much of the time, we have to fight alone against the whole world.
Now, God makes an image for us to look up to in order to attract us to His saving grace. This image draws us closer to God instead of leading us astray. Iconoclasts, would you smash this image made by God? Protestants, would you? In the Nativity story of Jesus, God made use of a star to attract the Magi, most likely astrologists, to Jesus. To be sure, there were not just star-gazers but also star-worshippers. Would you not be tolerant towards God's unconventional ways to save us?
However, why did God choose a serpent, instead of more familiar objects such as a lamb or a lamp? A serpent was the least expected animal to save them. Men had fallen all because of the Serpent. What was worse, serpents were sent by God to bite them. How could a punishment heal the wounds of sinning? This is truly a paradox. There are many kinds of fears. We may choose to run away from them or confront them. Running away from the object of fear may be safe for the time being, but not forever because we still carry the fear in our hearts. We can never get rid of the fears until we confront them and overcome them. The same is true for loneliness. We can be very lonely among a crowd of friends. We have to live with it until we can genuinely open ourselves and relate with others. Of course, opening ourselves up risks being hurt. This hurt opens up yet another weak spot in us to be overcome ad infinitum. I think this was God's intention to make this serpent to heal the wounds bitten by serpents.
Jesus is this same serpent on the cross. On the cross, Jesus bears all our sins, our loneliness, arrogance, selfishness, lust, pride and our self-righteousness which we must overcome, but are unable to. When we look up to Jesus on the cross, with God's mercy, we are healed.
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he." (John 8:28a)
and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself (John 12:32)

My Jesus, you laid down your life for us. Let us lay down our sins to abide in you and acquire eternal life. Amen.