It surprised me when I came across what I’m about to share in this article. Do you know that moment when you lean your forehead against your left palm, shaking your head in disbelief as to what you’re reading? And you wonder if the characters have intelligence? Yeah, you get the picture.
When we desire something from God, sometimes we cry, fast, pray and attend multiple Church services to meet those needs. We even make vows of what we would do for God if he answered our cries and wiped our tears.
Then, God hears our prayers. The expected answer comes. But we transform the answer into an excuse for not serving God, thereby making the answer a god.
Such was the case of the Israelites in Numbers 21. For the umpteenth time, they had complained about bread and water, and God sent fiery serpents into the camp to bite them. As the poison of the serpents caused severe inflammation and death, the Israelites repented and cried for salvation. God heard their prayer and asked Moses to make a serpent of brass and set it upon a pole so that anyone who is bitten but looks at the serpent of brass will not die but live. Moses did that, typifying the salvation that would come through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the Israelites were saved.
The Juice
The shock, however, is found in 2 Kings 18:4. In that passage of the scriptures, we see that King Hezekiah had to break in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made. This means that the brasen serpent meant for the salvation of Israel in the wilderness, symbolizing Christ today, was still around until the time of Hezekiah.
For Hezekiah, who according to Bible records did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, to have broken the serpent of brass and thrown it away, it meant that the Israelites had begun to worship the brasen serpent. They had completely abandoned the God of heaven to worship the fiery brasen serpent on a pole. They were now serving the creature instead of the Creator.
The time between Moses and Hezekiah is estimated to be around 900 years, so some Israelites must have worshipped the brasen serpent for hundreds of years. Or may have, at intervals, run to the serpent for deliverance when there was trouble. In fact, the Bible confirms in that same verse that the Israelites burned incense unto the brasen serpent.
So, what God intended to save them was turned to become a god to them. Their focus was no longer on God but on a serpent of brass on a pole. The means of salvation had become a spiritual medium. They had exchanged the substance for the Source.
Today’s chore:
Recall the things you asked God to help you with some years ago – a job, spouse, child, promotion, contract, house, studies, money, health, clothing, car, friends and so on. God answered you, but you forgot your vows. Instead of the answers leading you to serve God more, they distanced you from Him. You have become so afraid of losing the thing that you would rather displease God just to keep the thing.
Write them down.
Go back and dust up your vows, for today is the right time to get back to God.
Reflection:
Never despise the God of your dark days when he sends the light. He that brought the light can bring back the darkness.
Quote:
Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him. Hosea 8:3.
Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow with a fresh article. Make sure to share. God bless you.
