Question: Why did Moses put a brass serpent on the pole?

Question: J. C. Ryle once said that sound theological teaching includes “lifting up the Brazen Serpent.” What does that mean? I have always wondered why God would have Moses put a serpent (surely the symbol of Satan) on a pole for the children of Israel to look upon in order to be healed. What is your understanding of this incident?

Response: God told Moses to make a brazen serpent, to put it on a pole, and to instruct the people who had been bitten with deadly serpents that whoever looked to that serpent on the pole would be healed.

Christ told Nicodemus, “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” (John:3:14-15 [14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: [15] That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
See All...). Nicodemus, like the Jews in John:12:31-34 [31] Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. [32] And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. [33] This he said, signifying what death he should die. [34] The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
See All..., knew that to be “lifted up” meant to be crucified. Christ was telling Nicodemus that, as it was in the case of the uplifted brazen serpent, all those who would look in faith to Him lifted up on the cross would be saved.

But why would Christ, the Lamb of God, the fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrifices for sin, liken His lifting up to that of the brazen serpent upon the pole? Although Satan is “that old serpent, called the Devil” (Revelation:12:9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
See All...), the brazen serpent was not a symbol of Satan. The “fiery serpents” were sent among the people because they had sinned grievously (Numbers:21:5-7 [5] And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. [6] And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. [7] Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
See All...). The serpents were God’s judgment upon it—but more than that, the fact that through judgment there would be salvation. Paul writes, “For he [God] hath made him [Christ] to be sin for us, [he] who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians:5:21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
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Isaiah prophesied concerning the coming Messiah, “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he [the Lord] hath put him to grief: when thou [the Lord] shalt make his soul an offering for sin…” (Isaiah:53:10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
See All...). God punished His Son for the sins of the world, and Christ somehow paid the infinite penalty demanded by God’s infinite justice. Christ was punished as though He were the very sin we have all committed. Sin had to be fully judged or we could not be saved. God can’t merely make a bookkeeping entry in heaven and wipe the slate clean for all of us. The penalty prescribed by His own righteous and infinite justice had to be paid. But in Christ, God’s judgment upon sin became our salvation. This is the message of the brazen serpent lifted up in the midst of Israel, which is fulfilled in Christ on the cross, not only for Israel but for the “sins of the whole world” (1 John:2:2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
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None of the Old Testament types of Christ fits Calvinism, which is why Calvinists avoid them. Whether the Passover, the passage through the Red Sea, the manna, the water out of the rock, or the lifting up of the brazen serpent, each picture of Christ is for all Israel, for whosoever would believe. There is never any indication that God’s salvation and provision is for an elect group within Israel but is always for all.