I was reading John’s Gospel the other day, the part about Nicodemus coming to talk to Jesus. Towards the end of their conversation Jesus said “Just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. That caused me to think back about the bronze serpent in the Old Testament.

It is first mentioned in Numbers where the Israelites started grumbling and God sent venomous snakes, or as the King James says, “fiery serpents.” As many of the Israelites died, they began begging Moses to call on God for relief. God had Moses make a bronze serpent and raise it high on a pole, then whenever an Israelite was bitten, they could look to the bronze snake and be healed.

That was all good and well, but it’s not the end of the story. Later in II Kings, they tell us that the Israelites began to call it Nehushtan and were burning incense and making offerings to it. So, King Hezekiah had to destroy it.

This caused me to start thinking and I began to ask, “How many things has God given us that we turned into idols?” These things can be good and holy, and He gave them to us to help lead us to Him, but we started worshiping them instead of God who is behind it.

Not being Roman Catholic I can see where they have made this mistake. God gave us all these examples of brave and holy people to inspire us, but the Catholics called them saints and began to pray to them rather than Christ. Isn’t the Charismatic movement worshiping the tongues they speak and prophecies they see rather than the Redeemer these signs are to point toward. And what of those spouting the prosperity gospel? Are they not enamored with the finical blessing of God rather than God Himself?

Being on the outside of these groups I can see their mistakes, but I must also look and my own fellowship. Are we placing our traditions before the Father, and the church above Christ, and our own understanding ahead of the Holy Spirit?

Not only that but I must look at myself. Is there anything, even if it is something holy and good, and perhaps God given that I am making offerings to? We must all ask, “Is there an unrecognized Nehushtan in my life?”

#Nehushtan, #idols