Daily Reading
Scripture
17 These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.[e] 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” (Mk 16:17-18)
8 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 9 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. (Deut 5:8-9) (From March 7th)
Observation
I have heard of churches that handle serpents as part of their “worship”. I am curious, so I did a little research on them.
- A Tennessee woman died after being bitten by a rattlesnake during a service in 1995. Her husband died three years later when he was bitten by a snake in northeastern Alabama. (1) They left 5 orphans who were left in the custody of grandparents, who also attend serpent-handling churches.
- [Junior G. McCormick](a pastor) explains that, for him, handling snakes is simply following the gospel to the letter. “Other folks don’t do this because their churches don’t believe, or it’s just something they’re scared of,” he said. “They come to that scripture but want to jump over that part because it’s a deadly thing.” (2)
- An estimated 75 people have died in the United States from handling snakes during religious services in the past 80 years. (3) Many more have been bitten and suffered deformities and severe illness. What is their response? “I don’t believe it’s God’s will that people get bit. Maybe the Holy Spirit wasn’t upon them at the time” (4)
- 40 churches in the southeastern United States that actively practice snake handling. They also drink poison. I’d like to know how many sick have been healed in these churches. That is part of this out-of-context scripture also.
Application
The Bible is the inspired Word of God. I believe that with all my heart. Sometimes passages are difficult to understand. In reading Genesis through Deuteronomy, there are many things that happened that I don’t understand. They are hard to grasp; such as God requiring the Israelites to kill all of the women and boys of their enemies. I don’t fixate on these scriptures. Taken in context and all together they show me that God is a God of Laws and of forgiveness. They point to Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice. I knew a kid in highschool who fixated on several Old Testament passages and said that he couldn’t worship a God like that. Looking at the serpent-handling churches also shows the destruction of taking passages out of context. Jesus said that people will know we are His servents by the love we have for each other. Where is the love in allowing a fellow church member to die; not calling 911 because they must not have had enough faith? Or leaving your children orphans? Does this draw people to God? Did Jesus do this kind of circus act during His ministry?
Prayer
Lord God, I am always in danger of taking Your holy words out of context. No one is immune. As long as You are my focus and my desire is to develop an intimate love relationship with You, I know that You will teach me what I need to know. You will reveal to me the meaning of Your words in due season. I pray for those who have been seduced and blinded that they would see You as You truly are.
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