1. FAITH AND SNAKES
God has a purpose for you. He also has a job for you and possibly a message as well.
Fortunately, I don’t have to be a preacher or prophet to share it. God’s Word to you at this time
might be based on your maturity level in Jesus. We don’t expect much out of babies and God
probably doesn’t expect a theological dissertation from a brand new believer. If you have only
been saved a little while then God might be telling you to pray more, study the Bible more and
worship/fellowship with other believers more.
However if you have been saved a while or blessed by God for a while, then you might hear God
telling you to take a bigger step of faith. Perhaps God is telling you to tithe your income. Did you
ever tell someone that they will only get so far in the business world unless they finish High
School? And if they want to go further that they’ll need a college degree. But if they want to go
all the way, they will need a PhD, or a law degree, or maybe even go to medical school and
become a doctor.
I believe the Bible is telling us that in order to maximize our experience with God we will have
to go ‘all the way’ and turn our whole life over to Him. This means our finances (bills and all),
our busy schedule, our children, everything. And all of this will require faith. This lesson is
going to teach us about faith and snakes.
Have you ever noticed how many snakes are involved in our theology? Why did it have to be a
serpent in the Garden? If you think it was a random choice, let’s look at Matthew 5:18.
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass
from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:18 KJV
It is significant that one word is from the Greek language and the other is a Hebrew word. This
tells us that Jesus was including the entire Word of God. Keep in mind that the New Testament
had not yet been written. However, Jesus included the language of the New Testament in this
declaration in a prophetic sense to encourage future generations on the validity of the Bible. It
also gives us a clue about Jesus’ earthly knowledge base since He spoke both the Hebrew and
Greek language. Next we will see an actual no kidding quote which is in Aramaic. Jesus spoke
Aramaic and without a doubt He spoke these very words!
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?
that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 KJV
These verses should help us understand the importance of each individual word in the Bible. If
God is in fact omnipotent (which He is), then we can be certain that He did not randomly include
superfluous language in His Word. I also do not believe He utilized random coincidence
anywhere in His Word either.
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Isaiah 40:8
Now turn to Genesis 3:1 where we will read about the serpent.

2. “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”
Genesis 3:1 KJV
It could have been a horse, raven, dove, goat, sheep, behemoth, donkey, ox, lion or locust but for
some reason the devil came to the garden in the form of a serpent. Look at Genesis 3:14 for the
curse.
“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above
all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat
all the days of thy life:” Genesis 3:14 KJV
One thing for sure is that snakes would crawl around forever after the curse and women would
always have an unnatural fear of them. I think most men have an unnatural fear of snakes as
well. Just like the Holy Spirit inside of you recognizes the Holy Spirit in other believers, I think
there is enmity between believers and snakes.
Have you ever felt the presence of God when someone is praying or the worship service turns
sweet? Have you ever felt the presence of God when the radio plays or a choir sings a really
special song? If not you might really consider praying that God will give you more faith. More
faith to recognize His Holy Spirit working in and around your life.
“And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast
it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from
before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put
forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:” Exodus 4:2-4 KJV
Did you ever wonder how much faith it took for Moses to “put forth his hand and take it by the
tail”? His rod was a shepherd’s rod. It was used for protection such as beating back wolves (and
snakes). It also had to support his weight. It was most likely a rather big rod. And subsequently it
was probably a pretty big snake. Do you have enough faith to pick up a snake by the tail? I’m
thinking my reaction would have been, “make it a rod first God, then I’ll pick it up!” What if
God told you to go to Columbia and preach? Would your answer be something like “make me a
millionaire first God so I can pay my bills and pay my way, then I’ll go to Columbia and
preach”? I think we need more faith. What if God said go to the hospital tomorrow and comfort
someone. Or what if He told you to witness to someone you just met at the park? Would your
answer be “make me a preacher first God and then I’ll go?”
We need more snake faith.
There are six verses in the book of Numbers that tell us more about snake faith. For perspective
remember that the prayer of Jabez is only two verses and they have changed a lot of lives.
“And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez,
saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that

3. thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and
that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which
he requested.” 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 KJV
The Israelites had been wandering in the desert for forty years. It was almost time to enter the
Promised Land and they began to grumble. They told Moses that they “loathed” the manna. Then
the snakes came and they began to die. Remember that an entire generation of Hebrews was
destined to die in the desert before God would allow the others to cross the Jordan river and enter
the promised land. I wonder if these were the last of that particular generation. Nevertheless the
Bible does not say if any Hebrews died ‘after’ Moses put the brass snake up on the pole.
“And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom:
and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake
against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the
wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light
bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much
people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we
have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the
serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.” Numbers 21:4-9 KJV
Can you imagine what happened? Allow me to try and illustrate the situation. Someone you love
is writhing in a tent, dying from a terrible snake bite. You rush into the tent and breathlessly
announce that a cure has been found! The patient was simply required to look at the brass snake
that Moses had just placed onto the tall pole. Here are some possible responses to that statement:
“are you kidding”, “is that all I have to do” or “that’s the dumbest thing I ever heard”. Perhaps
some even said God loves me too much to let me die - a loving God wouldn’t let His people die
like this. Do any of these sound familiar?
Have you ever opened a Gideon’s Bible? I have traveled a lot and sometimes I use the Gideon’s
Bible from my hotel room. Just open up the first page and you’ll find all kinds of helpful verses
for almost every life situation. But you will also find John 3:16 which is arguably the most
famous verse of all. In fact, there are two or three pages filled with different translations of John
3:16. It’s really a blessing to just look at them. But our new snake faith knowledge is going to
help us experience this verse even deeper. Most folks know John 3:16 but can you quote the two
verses prior to John 3:16?
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:14-15 KJV
Almost 1,500 years before Jesus the Christ was born God was telling Israel how He would be
crucified. With the image of a snake on a pole.
In the Garden some millennia before that God said:
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall
bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15

4. Using another snake, God was telling us that the Christ was coming.
My father-in-law told me once that the Bible was a love story. The whole Bible, a love story. It’s
a good way to look at it. All the way back in the Garden God told us that our redeemer was on
the way. And all you and I need to see it is faith.
But you and I also need to study His Word to thoroughly appreciate the whole story. That scarlet
thread of redemption is there for everyone to see. But only those individuals committed to
mining these precious nuggets of information will enjoy their sweet fragrance. A random
wayfarer can pick up that Gideon’s Bible in a hotel room and see the many translations of John
3:16. But the committed scholar will be able to relish the reference implied by Jesus when He
said it. The scholar might also recognize the danger symbolized in that same bronze serpent.
“He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in
pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did
burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.” II Kings 18:4 KJV
God took a piece of brass and taught the Israelites about faith. Seven hundred years later man
took that same image and turned it into an idol. Nowadays we witness the conglomeration of
pagan idols and Christian imagery. Third world countries are notorious for including a crucifix
with pagan idols especially in areas which were previously under the influence of a catholic
mission. Solomon tells us there is nothing new under the sun.
“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be
done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9 KJV
What we can learn about faith from our John 3:14-16 study should also warn us about sin. The
faith God urged Israel to exercise when they looked at the bronze serpent was faith in Him. Not
faith in the bronze image. The faith Jesus encouraged us to tap into is faith in Him, not the cross
on which He was nailed. Just as a baby needs milk the mature believer needs the meat of the
Word.
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”
I Peter 2:2 KJV
“For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But
strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their
senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews 5:13-14 KJV
Milk might be enough for us to lift our heads and gaze out the tent flap to see a serpent on a
stick. But if we want to go “all the way” we need meat. The meat of the Word. The meat gained
by a comprehensive and deliberate study of the Word. The meat gained by a meditative
consuming of the Word.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly

5. dividing the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15 KJV
And finally, we need to memorize the Word to ensure it is readily available whenever we need it.
Again our best example is Jesus Himself. How did He respond to temptation? Using our
proposition that nothing in the Bible is there without purpose we turn to Matthew chapter four.
Every situation presented by the devil was countered by Jesus with a quote from His Word.
“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these
stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:3-4 KJV
We must be prepared to do likewise. We must be ready at all times.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man
that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” I Peter 3:15 KJV
His Word is the only weapon we need.
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
Ephesians 6:17 KJV
His Word is our best defense.
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11 KJV
Driller L. Fiegel