An excellent article on what was required of God's people when they looked at Moses and the bronze serpent. http://free-grace.blogspot.com/2008/07/simplicity-of-christ-vs-understanding.html

The questions stated is what was required for God's people to be saved from the fiery serpents. God changes people when they take his salvation. People are not changed until they are his. Repentance begins by going our way and then finding God's way.