The Bronze Serpent
Bitten Israelites were healed by looking at a serpent of brass lifted up on a pole.
When Israel murmured against God, fiery serpents bit the people and many died. At Moses' prayer the Lord commanded him to make a serpent of brass and set it on a pole. Whoever looked at it lived. Jesus later said this pointed to His own lifting up on the cross.
God (through Moses)
What Happened
Key KJV Scriptures
"And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived."
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Spiritual Significance
Jesus Himself interpreted this miracle: the lifted-up serpent prefigured the lifted-up Christ. The cure was not in striving but in looking — a picture of salvation by faith.
Lesson for Today
Look and live. Salvation has never been by effort but by trust in the One God has lifted up for sinners.
Key People
Frequently Asked Questions
Why a serpent of brass?
The serpent represented the curse that was killing them; lifted up as a sign, it pointed to Christ becoming sin for us so that those who look to Him in faith might live (2 Corinthians 5:21; John 3:14).
What happened to the bronze serpent later?
Israel later worshipped it as an idol. King Hezekiah destroyed it, calling it Nehushtan — a piece of brass (2 Kings 18:4).
Where in the Bible is the miracle of The Bronze Serpent?
The miracle of The Bronze Serpent is recorded in Numbers 21:9 (KJV), with additional references in John 3:14-15.
Who performed the miracle of The Bronze Serpent?
Scripture records that God (through Moses) carried out this miracle at The wilderness. Ultimately the power belonged to God, who alone does wondrous things (Psalm 72:18).
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