2 Kings 18:4 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. (It was called Nehushtan).
The Israelites carried the bronze snake that saved the repentant remnant in the desert, into the Promised Land. At Mount Hor, on the way to the Promised Land, the ungrateful crowd invited fiery snakes by their bickering. And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived. (Numbers 21:9). Israelites carried this bronze snake with them for nearly 692 years (1407BC to 715BC) and idolized it. They had built an altar and started worshiping the snake which was a reminder of their sin and rebellion. The bronze snake became a superstitious idol and took the place of the Almighty God. Nehushtan was the popular name given to the snake-idol.
The Lord God Almighty detests any form of idolatry. People possess “secret stones” or “fortune cookies” that bring luck and charm. There are sports players who have lucky shoes or shocks that they wear for every single match of that season. There are others who carry a wooden cross in their purse for protection. Keeping a Bible at our bed side or carrying the cross in the purse does not frighten the demons. Confessing, memorizing and using the Word as the weapon will petrify the evil spirits. The blood of Jesus is our weapon of protection; not hanging lucky charms and decorating the home with secret stones.
Signs accentuate three pivotal spiritual truth:
1. Show: Signs show us the way, but Jesus is the way. The Word will show us the way and the signs will confirm that we are in the right direction. Seek God, and signs will follow. The memorial stones were to remind Israel about the miracle working power of God. Rather than worshiping God, they worshiped the stones.
2. Secure: Signs give us a sense of security that we are on the right path. The peace of God is a tangible sign that we experience even when we go through difficult valleys of sickness or hopelessness. Rainbow represents the covenant God has with the earth. I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth (Genesis 9:15). However, Greek mythology personified the rainbow as the messenger goddess, Iris. The sign of God’s grace has become a superstitious mockery.
- Substratum: Signs and symbols only point us to the Saviour. The cross, the church and the challis, point us to Christ. The substratum is Christ Jesus. When our customs and traditions cause division and ego clashes, we have lost our focus. If the position of the cross in the church is causing division within the church committee, the cross has become an idol.
Signs point us heavenward.
Exodus 20:4 “You must not make any idols”.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, If there are any superstitious beliefs embedded unconsciously in my mental system, please help me to identify and destroy them. Amen.
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