The Israelites were wandering in the wilderness. They came to Edom but the people of Edom did not allow them to pass through.
Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him (Numbers 20:21).
The Israelites arrived at Mount Hor, on the border of Edom. On Mount Hor, Aaron died.
And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain (Numbers 20:28).
They continued their journey but grew impatient.
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient on the way (Numbers 21:4).
The Israelites, as usual, murmurred against God and Moses. God sent serpents to bite the people and many died.
And the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people (Numbers 21:7).
God gave Moses a prescription to heal the people. But curiously, this prescription contradicted the Ten Commandments!
And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." (Numbers 21:8)
According to the Ten Commandments, the Israelites were forbidden to make graven images as idols.
You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments (Exodus 20:4-6).
How could one reconcile these conflicting commands from God? God instructed you to build a bronze serpent. If you didn't, you would disobey God. If you did, you would breach the Ten Commandments. But did Moses breach the Ten Commandments when he made the Bronze Serpent? Moses was only following God's instructions. Since God would not contradict Himself. Therefore making the Bronze Serpent would not breach the Ten Commandments.
A casual look is enough to see that this Bronze Serpent was not an idol for worship purposes but an instrument for therapeutic purpose. It was set on a pole. It was only a sign, in itself there was no therapeutic value. But by looking up and beyond, the Israelites found God, their source of healing. They had looked away from God for too long. It was high time they repented, they turned back to God. Idols are bad because they intercept our sight, catch our attention on them when we should look beyond them. Alas! There are too many worldly cares which capture our attention and prevent us from looking up to heavens and beyond.
Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him (Numbers 20:21).
The Israelites arrived at Mount Hor, on the border of Edom. On Mount Hor, Aaron died.
And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain (Numbers 20:28).
They continued their journey but grew impatient.
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient on the way (Numbers 21:4).
The Israelites, as usual, murmurred against God and Moses. God sent serpents to bite the people and many died.
And the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people (Numbers 21:7).
God gave Moses a prescription to heal the people. But curiously, this prescription contradicted the Ten Commandments!
And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." (Numbers 21:8)
According to the Ten Commandments, the Israelites were forbidden to make graven images as idols.
You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments (Exodus 20:4-6).
How could one reconcile these conflicting commands from God? God instructed you to build a bronze serpent. If you didn't, you would disobey God. If you did, you would breach the Ten Commandments. But did Moses breach the Ten Commandments when he made the Bronze Serpent? Moses was only following God's instructions. Since God would not contradict Himself. Therefore making the Bronze Serpent would not breach the Ten Commandments.
A casual look is enough to see that this Bronze Serpent was not an idol for worship purposes but an instrument for therapeutic purpose. It was set on a pole. It was only a sign, in itself there was no therapeutic value. But by looking up and beyond, the Israelites found God, their source of healing. They had looked away from God for too long. It was high time they repented, they turned back to God. Idols are bad because they intercept our sight, catch our attention on them when we should look beyond them. Alas! There are too many worldly cares which capture our attention and prevent us from looking up to heavens and beyond.
What had become of the Bronze Serpent in the later generations?
It was called Nehushtan. It had attained the status of an idol. So, when King Hezekiah of Judah, son of Ahaz, reigned, he smashed the Bronze Serpent into pieces.
He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had burned incense to it; it was called Nehushtan (2 Kings 18:4).
When Jesus discussed with Nicodemus about the necessity to be born again, he likened himself to the Bronze Serpent.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." (John 3:14-15)
What Jesus did not say also came true. As the serpent was smashed into pieces to abolish idolatry, Jesus was crucified to abolish our sins. How closely the Old Testament is connected with the New Testament! No wonder the Church excommunicated Marcion for rejecting the Old Testament.
It was called Nehushtan. It had attained the status of an idol. So, when King Hezekiah of Judah, son of Ahaz, reigned, he smashed the Bronze Serpent into pieces.
He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had burned incense to it; it was called Nehushtan (2 Kings 18:4).
When Jesus discussed with Nicodemus about the necessity to be born again, he likened himself to the Bronze Serpent.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." (John 3:14-15)
What Jesus did not say also came true. As the serpent was smashed into pieces to abolish idolatry, Jesus was crucified to abolish our sins. How closely the Old Testament is connected with the New Testament! No wonder the Church excommunicated Marcion for rejecting the Old Testament.
Dear Lord, Your design is beyond our capability to fathom. Let us hear Your voice and proceed steadily ahead. Amen.
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