Hi
,
Spiders are our allies! Plain and simple. They have venom, yes, and it's used to subdue their prey. They eat HUGE quantities of insect pests, and in most cases, their venom is not toxic to people.
Last week, we looked briefly at snake venoms and how they work. They are designed to destroy. And that's the issue. Did God make them that way at the beginning, or did something change?
The Bible is clear that God modified certain aspects of His creation genetically at the time of the curse. Here are a few fascinating things to consider:
1. He caused thorns and thistles to grow in many plants (Gen. 3:18).
2. He caused the woman's body to change to cause pain in childbirth (Gen. 3:16).
3. He caused the ground itself to produce crops only through "toil" (Gen. 3:17).
4. He modified the serpent! But, in what ways? Several. First, He caused the serpent to crawl on its belly on the ground and "eat dust". This is fascinating because these are symbols of degradation and despair, both characteristic of the results of sin. So, the serpent from that time to now carries with it the reminder of
how sin plays havoc with our lives today!
Second, the woman and her offspring will "crush the head" of the serpent. Are you aware that crushing the head of a snake is essential to your protection? I did that to every snake I ever killed in South Africa! What's the purpose? I learned at a young age that a snake can still kill you by biting you even with the head chopped off! A snake head can still bite up to an hour after it has been removed from
the rest of the body! God knew this, and told us what to do about a snake's head once you've "killed" it. Obviously, this has further implications regarding the devil. Through his death on the cross, Jesus has "crushed the head" of Satan, and has proved victorious over him.
But, even though the head will be crushed, the serpent, in turn, will strike his heel!
Strike his heel?! The conclusion next week...
