Nehushtan

May 17

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 18 – 19

Verse of the Day: 2 Kings 18:4 – “He removed the high places, and brake the pillars, and cut down the Asherah: and he brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan.”

This is an interesting account. Back in Numbers (21:9), we saw a "bronze serpent" on a pole which God told Moses to erect to prevent the Israelites who saw it of dying from the bites of "fiery serpents" which God had sent to punish them for speaking against God and Moses. Here we find that the Israelites had taken this and made an idol to worship out of it. Too often we take the traditions and make them into our idols – we worship the tradition rather than the One it points to.

Prayer: You are a Jealous God, not sharing Your glory with anyone or anything. Help me today to focus on You and not the things that I have allowed to stand for You. Amen.