Chapter 10.8
Snake Handlers
“Signs People” – Brood of Vipers – The Conflict –
Tempting God
First
Word
I
am amazed at the denominations that hang their hat on different parts
of the Bible. The Pentecostals on speaking in tongues,
the Baptist on
baptism by
submersion, the Methodist on the method of worship and life styles, the
Presbyterians
on Predestination
and the Seventh
Day Adventist
on the Saturday Sabbath,
others with foot
washing and some Snake handling.
I realize the doctrines run deeper than I
have noted; but in my Belief System, this
is the bottom line.
Background
In
the Book of Mark, there are SIGNS that follow the Believer; saying it in
another way, there are certain actions that will be observed in a Believer that
has been filled with the Holy Spirit as it was poured out on the day of Pentecost. A couple of these “signs” dealt with POISON; from drinking
deadly poison and being bitten by
poisonous snakes.
NOTE: There were people who could be hired to get a
snake out of your house; they were known as “Snake Handlers” or “Snake Charmers.”
Oddly enough, snakes do not have ears, so they cannot hear, they can only feel
vibrations or see movement. So you can’t
charm a snake by playing music, but they might feel the vibrations or see you swaying
as you toot your horn.
People “Charm” themselves today by
“Tooting their own Horn”.
Mark
17 And these
signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;
they will speak in new tongues;
18 they will pick up
snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at
all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get
well."
NIV
Snakes as a Sign
Many
times snakes are SYMBOLIC of punishment sent by God;[1] they
are METAPHORICALLY trials and tribulations and attacks
by wicked people. The
Hebrew’s were complaining against Moses and God about their living conditions
and God sent poisonous snakes among them and many died. Moses made a bronze
serpent LIFTED HIGH on a pole as a SYMBOL of their sin and
if those bitten by a poisonous snake
would look on it, their sin would be forgiven and
they would live.[2]
This was a direct SYMBOLISM of Jesus being LIFTED UP on the cross
and the forgiveness
of their Sins.[3]
As crazy as it seems; they did look upon
it and BEGAN
TO WORSHIP SNAKES and at some
point King Hezekiah finally destroyed the
bronze snake so they would not offer incense to it.[4] Good Grief
NOTE: In my BS, I personally think that the medical doctor’s
symbol of a snake on a pole came from this Biblical account of healing in the
wilderness, but when asked they say NO. Just
saying
Signs People
Church
of God with Signs Following: A Pentecostal Church
founded by George Went Hensley in 1909 occasionally practiced handling
poisonous snakes and drinking poison. These
“Signs People”
believed that if there was “Sufficient Faith” they would not die or be
permanently harmed.
The practice was
denounced in 1928 by the Church of God because
of the number of deaths and near deaths experiences; however today there are
still some 50 to a 100 Churches known as the “Sign People” that still practice “The Signs.”
Brood of Vipers
There was something called a Leviathan which was depicted as large as an
elephant or hippopotamus that lived in the sea which was called a serpent. Some suggest it had the form of a crocodile;
I don’t think anybody knows for sure what it looked like, but they sure wrote
about it. In the Apocrypha, it says that
the NEPHELIM; angels that
left their assignments co-habituated with animal life and produced
monstrosities See It’s in the Book 8.2 ET’s UFO’s & Portals.
Serpents or Snakes
are just not spoken of that very well; most of the time they are mentioned as a
symbol of
Evil, Sin and Wrong Doing with condemnation and the wrath of hell following. Jesus
called the Pharisees and Sadducees a “Brood of Vipers”, because they spoke evil.[5] The serpent is
the enemy of God and of God’s people; the first and final villain.
In the First book of the
Bible, God CURSES the
serpent so
he could no longer walk upright and had to crawl on his belly.[6]
In the Last book, God binds the “Old Serpent” and casts him into Hell.[7] Interestingly, in the end time Millennial
reign of Christ,[8]
snakes will not be banished, but transformed to be harmless creatures.[9]
The Conflict
Ancient
Manuscripts for some reason omit Mark 16:9-20 which uniqueness speaks
of snake handling, so it is possible this section was added later as it does
not appear in any of the other Gospels. Some commentaries end with Mark 16:8 as
if 9-20 did not exist.
We are also instructed that the Bible is the inspired
word of God.[10] Therefore all scripture carries the same
weight regardless of how many times something is mentioned. Since the passages are included in the
canonized Bible; I accept them as from God and they must be examined, handled
and unpacked with care. We are
instructed to prove
scripture with scripture;[11]
so we would be wise to examine other scripture that embraces handling snakes and drinking poison. I find none
Oddly enough most snakes in Palestine were
non-poisonous, but the Hebrews both hated and feared
There is scripture where Paul was bitten
by a viper and he just shook the snake off.[12] At first the observers thought that he was
getting the just rewards of a murderer and when he didn’t swell up or die they
changed their minds thinking he must be a god.
Go figure.
In this incident with Paul, he did not go
looking for a snake to handle; it handled him.
It should also be noted; that God had
placed an Angel beside Paul to be sure he got to Rome.[13]
Wicked people are
metaphorically mentioned as snakes that come among you, UN-CHARMED by the Word of
God.[14] In other words the Disciples have been
assured that they will be able to “HANDLE” whatever comes
against them.[15]
The “Snake” in the grass is rendered
harmless. Luke says if they step on a
snake in the grass they will not be harmed.
The quoted scripture is part of “The Great
Commission”[16]
to go into all the world and preach the Gospel; with the emphasis that God will
protect them,[17]
even from snakes and people trying to poison them. The purposeful drinking of poison without harm IS
NOT taught
in the New
Testament.
If you accept the “gift signs” as a COMMAND today; then you must accept
The TEST of your Faith is not snakes,
but correct doctrine; the doctrine of Jesus Christ.[18]
The Take Away
At
no point in scripture do we see a “side show” of handling snakes; handling snakes in public is no more a proof of Faith
than the pagan “Snake Charmers” in India. What good would handling snakes be if you
could not heal the sick and cast out demons? ZIP
There are some things that “You Know that
You Know” and you do not have to PROVE them to
anybody; doing so is a sign of doubt on your part. Satan was trying to get Jesus to PROVE he was the Son of God and told Him to jump off
the mountain and God would save Him IF He was His Son. Jesus said we were not to TEMPT the Lord God.[19]
In other words, don’t bring snakes into your worship
service.
It’s like
saying; “OK
God; PROVE yourself”.
YOU SHALL NOT
TEMPT THE LORD YOUR GOD[20]
SELAH
[1] Jeremiah 8:17 –
Un-charmed snakes are punishment from the Lord
[2] Numbers 21:6-9 - Make a
snake and LIFT IT UP on
a pole anyone who is bitten can look at it and remember their sin and live.
[3] John 3:14-15 – As Moses LIFTED UP the serpent in the wilderness, even so Jesus would be LIFTED UP on the Cross
[4] 2 Kings 18:4 – King
Hezekiah destroyed the bronze snake because the Israelites had been burning
incense to it
[5] Matthew 3:7 – Jesus
called the Pharisees a Brood of Vipers --
Matthew 12:34 – Brood of vipers speaking evil;
for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks -- Luke 3:7 – Brood of vipers, the wrath of God is to come --
Matthew 23:33 - Brood of vipers! How can you
escape hell?
[6] Genesis 3:14 – God has cursed the serpent -- Isaiah 27:1 – God will
slay Leviathan the serpent
[7] Psalm 74:14 – God will
crush the head of Leviathan the serpent
[8] Revelation 20:2 - God
seized the ancient serpent and bound him for a
thousand years
[9] Isaiah 11:8-9 – In the Millennial Reign; The
snake will be transformed and be harmless
[10] 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All
Scripture is God-breathed
[11] Isaiah 28:13 – Learn
precept upon precept; line upon line
[12] Acts 28:3-6 – Paul bitten
by a snake; just shook it off
[13] Acts 27:23-25 – An Angel
of God protected Paul
[14] Psalm 58:4-5 – The Wicked
are like snakes that cannot be charmed
[15] Mark 16:17-18 – The early
disciples were supernaturally protected.
[16] Mark 16:15-16 – The Great
Commission and Assurances
[17] Luke 10:19 – Authority to
TRAMPLE on serpents; NOT HANDLE
[18] 2 John 7-10 – The test is not snakes; but correct doctrine
[19] Deuteronomy 6:16 - You
shall not tempt the LORD
-- James 1:13 – God does not temp you
[20] Matthew 4:7 - You shall
not tempt the LORD
your God
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