God commands Moses to lift up this symbol and if anyone would simply look to the symbol, then they would live. And this was not lost on Jesus. In John 3:14 and 15 (the setup to John 3:16), He says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” He understood that this was a shadow that was pointing to Himself.

He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan).
2 Kings 18:4
Did you know that it’s easy to make idols. Really anything will do. Money, status, jobs, etc… God’s word tells us that presumption and covetousness are like idolatry (Col 3:5, 1 Sam 15:23), and that we should, “flee from idolatry” (1 Cor 10:4). God expressly forbids idolatry in all its forms in the Ten Commandments. The Heidelberg Catechism defines idolatry as “having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed himself in the Word.” John Calvin said that our hearts are idol factories, and I can believe it. We are often tempted to push God to the side in order to trust and be satisfied in something else.
But something about the verse at the top of this page strikes me in a different way about idolatry. Something that might not be obvious at first glance. Idols can be overtly evil, but did you know that even good things can become idols? Did you know that even things that are meant to be pictures of Christ can be turned into idols? This is where Nehushtan comes in.
Nehushtan was the name that the people of Israel had given to the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up in the wilderness.
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Written by W. Robert Godfrey |
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
John promised that whoever reads this book aloud and hears it and keeps it will receive a blessing (Rev. 1:3). We will indeed be blessed as we read it slowly, thoughtfully, and meditatively, asking what God is teaching us through the images He uses.

The whole Bible is the Word of God—inerrant, authoritative revelation. That revelation is in words, and those words come to us in a variety of literary styles. For example, some parts of the Bible are history, and some are poetry. Both forms are the revelation of God, but they must be read somewhat differently for their meaning to be properly understood. When biblical history says that David was a shepherd, it means that he tended sheep. When the poetry of Psalm 23 says that the Lord is our shepherd, it means that the Lord cares for His people in a way that is similar to the way that a shepherd cares for his sheep. To insist that Psalm 23 teaches that the Lord tends sheep is to miss the point completely. To interpret Scripture properly and to truly understand its meaning, we must recognize the various ways that the human authors of the Bible were inspired to write and what they intended.
Careful attention to style and the intention of the author is particularly important as we approach the book of the Revelation. There John is writing prophetically and using a great many word pictures that often have a poetic quality. Consider, for example, John’s description of Jesus in the heavenly temple in the first chapter of Revelation. He does not name Jesus explicitly, but his meaning is clear. He sees “one like a son of man” (Rev. 1:13), and initially the picture he paints seems straightforward: “clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire” (Rev. 1:13–14). Already we may have questions. Does the glorified Christ in heaven literally have white hair? That is possible, but John may also be speaking somewhat poetically and suggesting the maturity and wisdom of Christ. Does Christ in heaven have eyes like a flame of fire? Again, John may be teaching us the intensity of His searching sight rather than the color of His eyes.
These questions are really answered for us by John in the final two elements of his description of Jesus: “From his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength” (Rev. 1:16). Clearly, John is teaching that from the mouth of Jesus comes the sharp, judging Word of God in the spirit of what we read in Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Even more certainly, when John writes that His face was shining like the sun in full strength, he shows that his description goes beyond the literal appearance of Jesus in heaven in order to communicate its meaning. If the face of Jesus was literally shining like the sun, then John could not have seen His hair or His eyes or His mouth. John writes of the shining of the face of Jesus to show His glory and the fullness and purity of light that is in Him.
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What is important is for shepherds to take seriously their responsibility to protect their flocks.  Don’t ignore issues threatening the purity of the church or moral practices of the sheep.  Likewise, don’t ignore the reality of the “. . . the massive escalation in hostility toward Christianity and a biblical worldview.” A spiritual battle is definitely raging, and unprepared sheep are prey to the immense assault.  

It is evident that America and Western civilization are strongly undergoing re-paganization in both perspective and practice.  This is manifest especially in the areas of sexual morality, identities, and justice.  However, what is equally alarming and disconcerting is such paganization has taken measuredly hold in the church—in individual churches, denominations, and in the three principal branches of the Holy Catholic (Universal) Church.
It has occurred to me that the first century church was instructed and prepared for living in a pagan world.  Written in the first or second century, The Didache, known as The Lord’s Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations, prepared believers how to live in a pagan society.  It begins with the Two Ways, the Way of Life and the Way of Death.  This section contains moral practices that counter accepted pagan practices.  In other words, the early Christians (the Lord’s sheep) were instructed and prepared for the spiritual battles they would have to fight personally in themselves and exteriorly in the societies in which they resided.
This brings up the issue of spiritual battle, which this is.  How are we to live today with such a pronounced and pushed agenda coming from the ancient evil one?  A recent advertisement for a podcast appeared on a Christian website.  It stated, “Retrieving classical Christianity to create authentic reform in the church today.”  Bingo!  Oh, excuse me.  I should say, Eureka!  I was immediately reminded of The Didache—a prime example of classical Christianity.  
One trait of this paganizing process, according to a ruling elder in a Reformed Faith church, is “a massive escalation in hostility toward Christianity and a biblical worldview.”  Later, he states, “. . . there are sound evangelical churches attended by individuals who are openly celebrating transgender family members with virtually no response by church leadership.”  That is just one issue not addressed by some church leaderships.  The same is true for the above references to the broader areas of sexual morality, identities, and justice.
So, between this escalation of hostility and the pronounced agenda, what can Christians, churches, and church leaders do?  Two actions:  1) Retrieve classical Christianity that communicated both faith and practice akin to The Didache and 2) address false ideologies and practices in a timely manner—don’t ignore them.
It is needful perhaps to identify practices that might contribute to not feeding and protecting the flocks when assaults on God’s divine revelation enter or invade churches.  Two come to mind, which are solely expository preaching and short homilies.  These relate to both different denominations and branches of the church. The former tends to minimize “the whole counsel of God” by spending more time on narrow sections of Scripture.  Historically, the apostles and church dealt with issues as they arose and would draw responses from diverse passages of God’s divine revelation to emphasize and thoroughly treat a specific issue.  This isn’t against expository preaching; it simply indicates one weakness. Irregular topical preaching addressing a current issue can balance this lack and benefit the flock. Likewise, the former, i.e., short homilies, tend to be pithy but leave very little room for healthy catechizing or instruction, and rebuttal of false ideologies, practices or teachings.
What can church leaderships do if either are unable or unwilling to address cultural or societal ideologies invading the church in a timely manner from the pulpit?  It is understandable they may feel their habitual practice is what God has called them to do.
One sound and valid suggestion is to communicate regularly in writing to the congregation.  A written communication personally addressed to each member can alert, educate, and warn the flock against false teachings and practices by stating and verifying the biblical principles involved and the church’s position on such issues.  This shouldn’t merely be posted on the church’s website, but rather should be sent to the members’ homes.  Not everyone is online or actively goes to websites regularly.
What is important is for shepherds to take seriously their responsibility to protect their flocks.  Don’t ignore issues threatening the purity of the church or moral practices of the sheep.  Likewise, don’t ignore the reality of the “. . . the massive escalation in hostility toward Christianity and a biblical worldview.” A spiritual battle is definitely raging, and unprepared sheep are prey to the immense assault.  Shepherds, rise to the occasion:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to standfirm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is notagainst flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against thepowers, against the world forces of this darkness, against thespiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6: 10-12?
Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.
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