Brass Serpent
Sometimes I worship snakes—how about you? Oh, I’m not talking about the big ugly ones; I’m talking about the cute little innocent ones. You’re probably thinking I’m totally absurd, but hear me out. Do you remember the story in the Bible when those constantly-complaining Israelites were dying of snake bites? The snake bites caused them to regret their childish whining and they begged Moses to talk to God on their behalf. God told Moses to make a serpent of brass, place it on a pole and tell the people to look at it, and they would be healed. That’s all they had to do—look at it! It’s hard to imagine that some still refused, but those who complied were instantly healed.
When I was in Sunday school, I learned that the brass serpent was a symbol of Christ being lifted up on the cross, and if I looked to him, I too would have life. The creation of that brass serpent was a good thing—God had told Moses to make it. That’s why I was so surprised when I was reading in II Kings the other day that the serpent was later destroyed. Good King Hezekiah made some major reforms in Judah, demolishing idols, getting rid of all association with foreign Gods, and . . . he destroyed the brass serpent. The Bible says that Hezekiah “did right in the sight of the Lord.”
Why did he destroy the object that healed the Israelites? Because the object didn’t heal them—God did. They began to worship and burn incense to the object. While the object was a good thing, the worship of it was not. I’m sure that we’re all pretty familiar with the concept of idolatry, defined as “excessive or blind adoration,” but I have usually applied that to either the worship of idols, or the act of placing something in front of God in my life.
I’ve always been able to define what I thought were my own personal idols—recreation, material possessions, self-sufficiency. I’m pretty sure everyone can come up with their own idols, but this brass serpent thing made me dig a little deeper. Even as I search for God, those things that lead me to Him, can become a distraction if I begin to put too much value in them. When Isaiah saw his vision of the Lord, he did not worship the angels, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t hold on to the burning coal that touched his lips as a special kind of “good luck charm.” He simply said, “my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
So, what are those good things in my life—those things that were once given to bring me to God, but now hold so much importance that I’ve turned them into an idol? Do I have serpents in my life? Oh, as I dig just a little bit, I can find many of them. I think I probably sort of worshiped that denomination that I was raised in—maybe I’ve worshiped the catechism or other elements of Christian instruction I’ve received. Have I worshiped an experience like a retreat, or perhaps a person—a spiritual leader or writer for whom my respect has turned into worship? If I’m totally honest, I have to admit that there’s even been a time in my life when I’ve worshiped the sacraments.
How about you? What are your serpents—good things that have brought you closer to God, but now have become too important? Is it a certain song, a certain style, a certain element or “gimmick” within the worship service? Is it tradition, or new approaches; is it a person, a pastor? The list of possibilities is very long.
Hezekiah challenges me today. I can so easily become like the Israelites. That visible tangible brass serpent is so easy to worship. I would have been so mad if I walked into the temple and my brass serpent was gone! But I am asked to give those things up and seek God in new and powerful ways as I worship with His people. It is my prayer that all of us can give up our serpents as we search for God in our lives and as we draw together corporately. May we all be able to say with Isaiah, “My eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.”
