I awakened this morning having dreamed of a house that was plagued with snakes. These were not ordinary garden snakes. They were quite large, many of them five to six feet long and about two inches in diameter. There were different colors and kinds. I knew instinctively that some were poisonous. Every snake was headed for the door...trying to get into the house. Some were near the threshold.
The most unsettling part of the dream for me was the fact that the owner of the house had become accustomed to the snakes. By now they were so familiar he had grown COMFORTABLE with them. No longer alarmed by their presence, he simply walked among them...
The most unsettling part of the dream for me was the fact that the owner of the house had become accustomed to the snakes. By now they were so familiar he had grown COMFORTABLE with them. No longer alarmed by their presence, he simply walked among them...
This morning I have prayerfully searched the Scriptures, inquiring of the Lord in regard to the meaning of this dream. Jeremiah 8:17 caught me off guard:
" 'For behold, I am sending among you serpents,
adders that cannot be charmed, and they shall bite you,'
declares the Lord."
adders that cannot be charmed, and they shall bite you,'
declares the Lord."
What provoked the Lord to send snakes to bite His people? Are we in danger of similar judgment? In the words of Henry David Thoreau:
"The more we know about the ancients,
the more we find that they were like the moderns."
Let's take a look at Jeremiah 7 and 8.
"The more we know about the ancients,
the more we find that they were like the moderns."
Let's take a look at Jeremiah 7 and 8.
Excerpts/Observations:
The people had not actually abandoned temple worship.
If you watched their worship, you would have thought the people were sincerely honoring the Lord, but their hearts belonged to the false gods all around them.
They paid lip-service to Jehovah, but gave their hearts (time, energy, attention) to idols.
The Lord warned them: "Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail! DO NOT PRAY FOR THIS PEOPLE...DO YOU NOT SEE WHAT THEY ARE DOING...?"
He commanded them: "Obey my voice and I will be your God and your shall be my people. and walk in all the ways that I command you, that it may be well with you."
He told Jeremiah, Say to them:
'This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God,
and did not accept discipline;
TRUTH HAS PERISHED: IT IS CUT OFF FROM THEIR LIPS.'
The people had not actually abandoned temple worship.
If you watched their worship, you would have thought the people were sincerely honoring the Lord, but their hearts belonged to the false gods all around them.
They paid lip-service to Jehovah, but gave their hearts (time, energy, attention) to idols.
The Lord warned them: "Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail! DO NOT PRAY FOR THIS PEOPLE...DO YOU NOT SEE WHAT THEY ARE DOING...?"
He commanded them: "Obey my voice and I will be your God and your shall be my people. and walk in all the ways that I command you, that it may be well with you."
He told Jeremiah, Say to them:
'This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God,
and did not accept discipline;
TRUTH HAS PERISHED: IT IS CUT OFF FROM THEIR LIPS.'
And the words of a grief-stricken Father:
"Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit;
they refuse to return...no man relents of his evil,
everyone turns to his own course,
like a horse plunging headlong into battle...
Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed;
They did not know how to blush.
THEREFORE THEY SHALL FALL AMONG THE FALLEN...
For behold,
I AM SENDING AMONG YOU SERPENTS,
ADDERS THAT CANNOT BE CHARMED,
AND THEY SHALL BITE YOU,"
Declares the Lord.
They hold fast to deceit;
they refuse to return...no man relents of his evil,
everyone turns to his own course,
like a horse plunging headlong into battle...
Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed;
They did not know how to blush.
THEREFORE THEY SHALL FALL AMONG THE FALLEN...
For behold,
I AM SENDING AMONG YOU SERPENTS,
ADDERS THAT CANNOT BE CHARMED,
AND THEY SHALL BITE YOU,"
Declares the Lord.
But there is GOOD NEWS:
Jesus promised:
"Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions,
and over all the power of the enemy, and NOTHING shall hurt you."
(Luke 10:19)
"Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions,
and over all the power of the enemy, and NOTHING shall hurt you."
(Luke 10:19)
Our Defense? The Sword of the Spirit...
The Word of God
The Word of God
"If you abide in my Word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."
(John 8:32)
(John 8:32)
The serpent is at the threshold. We must choose. The choice will be costly,
but the reward great:
but the reward great:
"They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
for they loved not their lives even unto death."
(Revelation 12:11)
and by the word of their testimony,
for they loved not their lives even unto death."
(Revelation 12:11)
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