1. ITS EXPLAINER—Jesus Himself explained it to Nicodemus, in JOHN 3:

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

2. ITS PARALLEL—The fatal snakebite represented the result of damning sin. Following God’s instruction to look upon the bronze serpent illustrated looking in faith to the work He did on the cross.

3. ITS RESULT—Looking at the snake saved them only from physical death, not spiritual death. But it provides a vivid picture, as Jesus said, of the simplicity of saving faith: JUST TRUST GOD’S EFFECTIVE SOLUTION.

NUMBERS 21:
The people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

1
PETER PAUL RUBENS
"The Brazen Serpent"

2
TINTORETTO
"Moses with Bronze Serpent during the Plague of Snakes"

3
ANTHONY VAN DYCK
"Moses and the Brazen Serpent"

4
FEODOR BRUNI
"Moses and the Brazen Serpent"

5
SEBASTIEN BOURDON
"Moses and the Brazen Serpent"

6
JAMES TISSOT
"The Brazen Serpent"

7
GUSTAVE DORÉ
"The Brazen Serpent"

8
JULIUS SCHNORR VON CAROLSFELD
"The Brazen Serpent"

9
LUCA GIORDANO
"Moses and the Brazen Serpent"

10
SIMON VOUET
"The Brazen Serpent"

11
WILLIAM BLAKE
"Moses Erecting the Brazen Serpent"

12

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14

15
FRANCESCO CAMPORA

16

17

18
JOHN HALL
"Moses with His Rod and His Brazen Serpent"

19
CHARLES LE BRUN
"The Brazen Serpent"

20
JOHANN KÖNIG
"The Brazen Serpent"

21
BENJAMIN WEST
"The Brazen Serpent"

22
DOUGLAS RAMSEY
"The Uplifted Serpent"

23
"Moses and the Brass Serpent"

24
MICHELANGELO
Source

25

26

27

28

29
Source

30
Source

31
H. HUGHES
"Moses and the Bronze Serpent"

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33
GIOVANNI FANTONI
"Brazen Serpent Monument"

PREDICTABLY, during following centuries the Israelites turned the Bronze Serpent into an idol which they worshiped.

2 KINGS 18:
Hezekiah king of Judah broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it.

34
French School
"Hezekiah Destroying the Brazen Serpent"

35
"Hezekiah Destroys Idols"

36
MATTHAEUS MERIAN the Elder
"King Hezekiah Destroys the Idols"

37
MATTHAEUS MERIAN I
"King Hezekiah Orders the Idols Destroyed"