Who is this God?
Why did God send snakes?
The why may be easier that the who. Our first reading of the story tells us that the people of Israel were being absolutely impossible in the desert: whining, complaining, ungrateful, rebelling, irritating to the core. So it is easy to conclude that God had just had enough and sent poisonous snakes while shouting out, "Can you hear me now?"
It is the easiest explanation (and following Occam's Razor, the easiest explanation is the best). It's what we would have done. Enough is enough.
However, this is not the way we want to know God. This is not the way we want God to act. So can we come up with another viable explanation?
Probably not, but here are a few observations. Snakes have a gnarly reputation in the Old Testament, carried over into the New Testament. We all have some familiarity with the serpent in the Garden of Eden who cajoled Adam and Eve into very bad behavior which the whole world continues to pay for. (I don't happen to interpret that story that way, but most people do). Later, in the book of Job (written much later than the book of Numbers where our poisonous snake lesson is located) Satan is God's advocatur - one who tempts others by challenging what they know so to test their relationship with God.
So we could see snakes as those pesky and sneaky creatures which offer us a path that is 180 degrees from where God is calling us. This is exactly how the snakes function in our story. With all the crying out and complaining and ungrateful whining, the people are already testing their relationship with God. They have their own ideas about how this relationship should work and what God should be doing for them. This is a dangerous path to travel (from God's perspective).
So God makes the danger very, very real. God sends poisonous snakes. Tempted to call your own shots? Well, here's a little snake bite. That is what it feels like when you are in charge. It will hurt and eventually it will kill you.
Tempted to demand more for yourself than you really need? Well, here's a little snake bite. That is what it feels like when greed is at the center of your life, and in the end it will kill you. Feel called by a life of ingratitude? Go right ahead, but it will kill you in the end.
What is a person to do? We have all been ungrateful, greedy, jealous, power hungry at some time or the other. How can we live when we are traveling through a land filled with poisonous snakes? A very good question for which God has an unusual answer.
Look up! See that snake on the top of a pole? That snake that was killing you? I can make it a path to life! Look at the face of death, and you shall live. Look up! Look to God and you will know life. Sneaky? Yeah, pretty much, but it sure got your attention.
A crucified Jesus personifies this contradiction of life found in the face of death. Hanging, dying on the cross is the very one who can and will and wants to give life to all who look towards him. The gospel of John, chapter 3 verse 14 begins this way 'Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of God must be lifted up...' We may not understand that we are dying in both body and spirit, but Jesus goes ahead and calls us to trust in his sacrifice for our sake.
I understand if this explanation doesn't satisfy. Poisonous snakes are difficult and dangerous, So apparently is God.
*this story can be found in the 21st chapter of the book of Numbers.
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