God created a weaker god, a totem, for them Hebrews in the desert. They were getting bitten by snakes (deservedly) but God told Moses "make a snake and put it on a bronze pole, anyone bitten can look at it and live."
Technically that totem had its own power and was a lesser deity. The Hebrews understood it as such since it was common in lore for gods to create lesser gods to accomplish purposes. Once it served its purpose it was discarded.
It also foreshadowed Jesus on the cross and how we can look to him and live.