Snake on a pole
One of the interesting things about the Bible is when a particular person, place or object reappears again in the narrative. It's fascinating to look back at its history and see why it has been mentioned again.
I came across one such item recently in 2 Kings 18. This book records the various Kings who ruled in both Israel and Judah once the Kingdom had been divided. King Hezekiah had begun to reign in Judah, and he was a good King, following God's ways...
“He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel.”
The bronze snake first appeared in Numbers 21, made by Moses, at God's command. The Israelites had been infested by venomous snakes and many had been bitten by them. When the people looked up at this bronze snake, God healed them.
Many years later this bronze snake had become an enshrined idol, that God's people 'worshipped’. This symbol that God used to provide miraculous healing back then had since been turned into something sacred. This was wrong, and so King Hezekiah got rid of it.
In other words, the people had lost sight that it was God who had healed their ancestors and not the object, it had no power.
We too can fall into similar traps. If God asks us to do something in a certain way, we can think that it will always be that way. Not so with God!
I believe that God wants us to continually listen, trust and obey Him, as Hezekiah did. It's our relationship with Him which is paramount!
I am grateful for the reminder from the bronze snake story, as it keeps me focused on God and my relationship with Him. May this little story help and encourage you too!
God bless
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader