Snake-Handling Christians: Faith, Prophecy and Obedience

By Nicola Menzie , Christian Post Reporter

Snake handlers at the Pentecostal Church of God, in Lejunior, Ky., are shown in this Sept. 15, 1946 file photo from the National
Archives and Records Administration.

(Photo: NARA/Russell Lee)

The recent death of a Christian minister from West Virginia who believed that the Bible instructs the faithful to handle snakes and drink poison has put into question a doctrine many believe is unbiblical and dangerous but that its adherents, biblical literalists, say they are compelled to obey.

The Snake that Roared

Ever found yourself frustrated by endless conversation while you knew that time for critical action was passing? You need the roadmap to transformation.

Genesis chapter 46 enumerates Jacob’s children and grandchildren by name, arriving at a total of seventy souls who came to Egypt. All is as expected until we arrive at Jacob’s fifth son, Dan.

Dan’s sons: Chushim.

(Genesis 46:23)

That’s right, Dan’s “sons” suggests a plural, yet there is only one—Chushim. Strangely, his name ends in the manner that masculine plural nouns end in Hebrew—IM. SoyeladIM means boys; sefarIM means books, and susIM means horses. Though Dan only has one son, ChushIM, there is a hint in the ending of his name that he is actually plural—two people.

We see one additional hint at a duality in the tribe of Dan:

Possess Your Promised Land

"When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you...and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it." (Numbers 33:51-53)

God has given you a Promised Land. It's a place flowing with milk and honey, where your every need can be met. A place where you can keep sin underfoot as you rule and reign with Christ. A place where no weapon formed against you will prosper. A place where you are seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above principalities and powers--far from oppression.

As you study the Word of God, you'll find that's an accurate description of the kind of victory you should be experiencing in Christ--not in the sweet by-and-by--but right here, right now.

You may say, "Yes, that sounds nice in theory, but I'm dealing with reality here. The rent is due, and all I see is sickness, oppression and fear. This doesn't look like much of a Promised Land to me."

Free From the Curse

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." (Galatians 3:13)

You know the story. Satan came to Adam's wife in the form of a serpent and deceived her into disobeying God. Adam, although he was not deceived, followed suit.

When Satan came into the Garden that day, he didn't have any power at all. He had to come in like a sneak, not even talking to Adam directly but talking to his wife.

Now Adam was standing there, and he should have kicked him out right then. But he didn't. Instead, he set aside the command God had given him and did what Satan told him to do instead...and when he did that, he made Satan his lord.

In bowing his knee to Satan, Adam gave Satan the authority that God had given man. He made Satan the illegitimate ruler of the earth. Immediately things changed. Through one man's trespass, death passed to all men (Rom. 5:12).

The earth and everything in it was suddenly cursed.

Q: What does April Fools’ Day mean for Christians?

A: April Fools’ Day is here, and while it is not a national holiday, many people around the world celebrate the day with practical jokes. The bounds of social pressure confine most tricks to the good-natured and harmless, and most of us use the day to innocently have a good time with our friends.

History and literature offer a number of tidbits relating to the day, with Chaucer’s “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” in Canterbury Tales being a fourteenth-century contributor.

God hates lying. Why? The serpent’s deception of Eve led to mankind’s rebellion, which brought a curse upon the world God created. The result was untold suffering to those He had made in His image. The serpent deceived Eve into doubting God’s goodness and then lied as he accused God of being a liar. Man was made in God’s image. God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19). Therefore, man was designed to be truthful, not deceptive.

gotquestions  http://www.answersingenesis.org/e-mail/archive/answersweekly/2012/0407.html