ANIMALS OF THE BIBLE

4. The Serpent – Walking Carefully

“Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves”

Matthew 10:16
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Serpents or snakes are creatures which have always held a fascination for man. They have been held in fear too. Snakes are reptiles, which means that they are cold-blooded and have a scaly skin. Some species are poisonous and dangerous to man but snakes are also useful as predators of rodents. They are most common in warm areas and there are 3,000 species living throughout the world.

There is one poisonous snake which is found in Britain. It is the viper or adder. It likes to bask in the sun and may sometimes be seen among the bracken and heather on an open hillside or perhaps crossing a forest path. It is recognised by a distinct zigzag pattern running down its back. Its bite can be fatal if not treated quickly.

When we think of the serpent in Scripture our minds go to the Garden of Eden. God made Adam and Eve and placed them in a paradise. They were happy in knowing and enjoying the Lord. But not for long! We read: “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made” (Gen.3:1). The serpent spoke to the woman and tempted her to eat the one fruit which God had forbidden. The result was sin and the fall of mankind.

There was nothing ‘evil’ about the serpent itself. Rather there was one behind this ordinary creature who was using it to his own extraordinary end. The Bible refers to the devil as “that old serpent” (Rev.12:9; 20:2). Satan was there in the garden in the guise of a serpent, working out his wicked purpose to destroy our race and rob God of his glory.

Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke of the devil as “a murderer from the beginning...a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44). The serpent is a reminder to us of our great enemy. Its stealth reminds us of the devil’s deceit and its poison reminds us of sin’s deadly power. No wonder that we avoid the serpent! Yet while we shun the serpent here Jesus tells his disciples to copy it.

Jesus is commanding his disciples to go out and preach the gospel. He tells them that it will not be an easy task. He says, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.” He means that the world will be a cruel place for them and that they will be in danger here, even within the church. Their meekness, like the sheep, would tend to make them a prey. For their safety he tells them to think of the serpent and be wise.

As Christians we are to learn from the serpent the lesson of a careful walk. To be wise or subtle like the serpent might mean to be crafty and sly, but Jesus of course did not mean that. Rather he meant that we are to be careful and sensible in our behaviour towards the people of this world. We are to “walk in wisdom toward them that are without” (Col.4:5).

The serpent is careful with its ear. The serpent does not have a proper ear but with its head on the ground it can detect sounds from below. There is one sound however it can hear from above. Remarkably some snakes can hear music! In India there are men called ‘snake-charmers’ who play on pipes and attract the attention of cobras and other poisonous snakes which sway in time to the music.

The Lord’s people have an ear for that voice which speaks from heaven in the gospel. The preaching of the good news of salvation is music to their ears, drawing them to Christ. He makes them sing and dance for joy that their sins are forgiven through his blood. Be careful to heed the Saviour’s voice and not the voice of strangers! Do not follow those wicked men who when they hear the gospel are like “the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely” (Psa.58:4,5).

Then the serpent is careful with its eye. The serpent is sharp-sighted, its eyes being adjusted for distance vision and good at spotting any movement. It is looking out for its enemies. Whenever there is danger ahead the serpent’s aim is its own preservation. By its wisdom it delivers itself.

As followers of Christ we are to be awake spiritually and we are to watch out for ourselves. We should not place ourselves in danger by going to places of temptation. And we should try to make friends in this world rather than enemies. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” is the guidance God’s Word gives (Rom.12:18). Let your walk be upright with your eyes fixed upon Jesus. Let your only offence be the “offence of the cross” (Gal.5:11).

Finally the serpent is careful with its tongue. The serpent’s forked tongue is used to identify scents. When it flicks out its tongue it is not being aggressive but it is gathering particles from the air which will tell it about its surroundings.

Are you careful about how you use your tongue? It may either do great good or great harm. The serpent does not sting with its tongue but our tongue is “an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (Jam.3:8). We need the grace of God to sweeten our tongues. Do not make enemies unnecessarily by your conversation. Rather let your speech be “seasoned with salt” as you speak of your precious hope of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ (Col.4:6).