The bronze serpent wrapped around the staff that healed the Israelites in the desert: a foreshadowing of the crucified Jesus
The Hebrew people (Israelites) crossing the desert for 40 years.... It is easily seen that only through abundant miracles would it be possible for an entire population to survive this grandiose feat. And that's what happened : the most impressive miracles performed by God in the Old Testament are for his chosen people to cross the desert and reach the promised land.
God did everything for them, from opening the Red Sea to escape Egypt, guaranteeing victories in all battles against the cities in their path, to even making food "rain" daily from the sky (mana). But the Israelites wavered in their murmurings and lack of trust in God, despite the miracles they saw and experienced daily - showing all of God's care for their lives.
On one occasion, they were on their way to the Red Sea, bypassing Edom, on a long journey... Soon they lost their "patience" again and the faith that they would be able to get out of that situation and murmured against God and against Moses, who led them on this distant journey.
Numbers 21:5 “Why, they said, did you bring us out of Egypt, to die in the wilderness where there is neither bread nor water? We are tired of this miserable food (the manna that miraculously came from heaven daily)”
The Lord was angry with his people for such a lack of faith and sent them poisonous serpents. Many died from their bites until they could no longer bear this punishment and begged Moses to intervene with God to save them. He then cried out for his people and soon received His answer:
Numbers 21:8 “ Make yourself a fiery serpent and set it on a pole. Everyone who is bitten, looking at her, will be saved.”
Moses did as God instructed, fixing a bronze snake on a pole. From that moment on, everyone who was bitten and looked up to the bronze snake with faith in God's promise was miraculously healed.
God used this snake stretched out on a stick to be the foreshadowing of what would happen to Himself: to be crucified and exposed on a cross - as Saint John wrote in his gospel:
Saint John 3:14-16. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. Indeed, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Now we are passing through our "deserts" and instead of murmuring, it is our turn to look up, at the crucified Christ, and believe in Him! Just as He promised that the Hebrews would reach the Promised Land if they followed and trusted Him, Jesus also promised us ETERNAL LIFE, we just have to believe and follow Him with faith, trust and love!
Since this distant period of the Israelites' crossing of the desert, a snake on a stick has come to symbolize healing. The Greek pagan culture that emerged much later created, unfortunately , two parallel versions derived from biblical sources calling this symbol the "Rod of Asclepius" (attributing it to their pagan god of healing Asclepius) and "caduceus of Hermes" (pagan god of traders, travelers and, incredibly, protector of thieves and liars...). As such versions are still widely disseminated throughout the world, it is important to inform them here so that they know their real origin: the true God of the Old and New Testaments!
This healing symbolism born in the old testament with Moses passed through the generations, reaching our modern society, in which the snake became an international symbol of medicine and health care, seen in any hospital or medical coat. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted it in its flag.
WHO flag. Source: Public Domain
Did you know?!?! Now, when you see this symbol again, remember the promises and power of God for your life, already predicted more than 4,000 years ago in a desert and renewed later by the greatest sacrifice of all: Jesus crucified!
References: Bíblia Ave Maria, Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology, New York Times, Science Museum Group, World Journal of Surgery