Snake Teeth


Last night before bed, I scrolled through some social media.  

In one meme I saw a picture of a zoo celebrating the birthday of its Kamado Dragon with a cake made of meat and topped with a dozen small mice.  Someone had put a party hat on the reptilian head of the dragon, and the animal looked almost gleeful as it was about to "chow down".

Another picture was from a long time ago.  It was Brittany Spears, dressed in a bikini, with a long yellow snake wrapped around her neck and shoulders.

And then I went to sleep.  

Usually, I don't remember my dreams, but last night's was so vivid and real that I can recount it in great detail.

I was in a beautiful field of green grass.  With me, there was small brown creature running about and playing.  It ran, and "hopped", and I delighted as I watched it frolic in the grass.  

But then I saw a large snake, coming up fast - and before the creature or I could even blink or react - the snake had pounced and it bit the creature on the neck. 

Stunned, the fuzzy little guy could do nothing more that blink, and stare, and wonder, "what the heck just happened, what went wrong?" before the snake opened its mouth and swallowed him whole.  It was HORRIFYING, and I woke up thinking about Satan.

"The the Lord said to Satan, 'Where have you come from?' Satan answered the Lord, "From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it." - Job 1:7

"Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil is like a roaring lion (or in this case snake) looking for someone to devour." - 1 Peter 5:8

You see, if it was up to me - I'd be no better off than that poor little creature, about to be devoured by the snake.  The Bible tells me the penalty for sin is death and I sin all the time, even on the days I try really hard not to.

But the thing is - it's not up to me, because Jesus offered himself up in my place.  And when Jesus said, "take me instead," that snake happily agreed.  

Of course Satan wasn't satisfied with just the death of Jesus, he had to be sure He was tortured and humiliated first.  He had to make sure his followers were left thinking, "what the heck just happened, what went wrong?" 

When Jesus died on the cross - I have no doubt that Satan and all of the demons in hell celebrated with party hats...

But then something amazing happened.  Something so incredible that no one could have predicted it - JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD!  And in that moment, He removed the teeth of the snake so that death no longer has to be our end!

Those who know Jesus and who have confessed Him as their Lord and savior, have a place with Him in heaven.

"O death, where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy victory?"  Corinthians 15:55

I sit here smiling as I think about a toothless snake.  I very much like the thought of it.







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