In this sermon, I have borrowed very heavily from the work of Pastor Walter L Pearson Jr. He blessed me with his work.
In the bible, Satan is often depicted as a Serpent, the Dragon; the snake. But how does God reflect Himself?
In the woman of Revelation 12, the Bible says that when this woman was under attack by the serpent, God gave to the woman eagle's wings.
I think about Moses. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 32 that God had told Moses, “You are going to die”, but before you die, I want you to write me a song”.
If God had given me a terminal sentence, my song would not have been worth listening to. But Moses accepted the punishment and began to write about the goodness of God; and in the middle of his song (Deut 32:9-12), this is what he says “9 For the Lord’s portion is His people, Jacob His allotted inheritance. 10 In a desert land He found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; He guarded him as the apple of His eye, verse 11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. 12 The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him”.
From these passages, God sees Himself as an eagle. And He said, “I found Israel in a waste howling wilderness. I found him there, but I have cared for Israel”. When Israel was down in Egypt, about to be stung with the venom of the serpent of oppression; when she was about to be pushed out and cast aside and her life snuffed away; when the serpent was poised to strike; He said “I brought you out on eagle's wings”.
In another culture, another story is told: About 800 years ago, a group of migrants left what is now Northern Arizona, on a religious pilgrimage to find what they thought of as the promised land.
They travelled the Colorado River and its tributaries, and in 1325, arrived at the marsh land of Mexico City, and there, they founded the Aztec culture.
They may not have been Christian, but they were a religious people. As a religious group, they believed that man has two natures. One carnal, represented by the snake; and one spiritual or heavenly, represented by the eagle.
These faithful Sojourners decided that the way that they would know when they found their land, was when they would see an eagle killing a snake because that will represent a land where righteousness overcame wickedness.
Faithfully they moved on, until finally they came to those swamps, where MEXICO CITY is located. Then, lo and behold, somebody peered out into the distance and said, “see, there is an eagle with a snake subdued on the ground”. Those people rejoiced and put down their wears and decided this is the place.
So, if you go to the pyramids of Mexico, you will climb staircases that are in the shapes of serpent heads, and you will see eagle's wings upon them. Even the Mexican flag has on it the image of an eagle, subduing a serpent.
These people recognized that if you want to find a home, find a place where the Eagle subdues the serpent; find a place where righteousness has power over wickedness.
So, who was the serpent before the fall? Ellen White says, in her book, the story of redemption page 32; that the serpent was a beautiful creature with wings. And while flying, his appearance was bright, resembling burnished gold. He did not go up on the ground but went from place to place through the air and ate fruit like a man.
The translation is clear. Genesis 3:1 confirms that the smartest creature after man was the serpent. So, Satan chose the most outstanding creation after mankind; the most subtle, the craftiest, the most beautiful of them all. Satan asked for access, and the serpent granted it. And for his agreement to be used, the serpent is included in a curse.
But what was the accusation? Genesis 3:8-15. Verse 8 “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring[a] and hers; he will crush[b] your head, and you will strike his heel.”
You snake; You fly; you are smart, you chew like a man. You can speak in conversation!
Because you accepted to be used of the devil, you are cursed!
So number 1, give back your wings, henceforth, you will crawl on your belly. You will fly no more. For when God took back the wings, he took back the power to fly. This creature now crawls on its belly.
Number 2: Give back your legs. Any creature that can fly must have legs; for if you fly you must be able to land. There is every reason to believe that snakes had legs. When the scientists look at the larger snakes now, they see spurs near the end of the tail that are remnant vestiges of what used to be legs. But after the curse, the legs were gone.
Number 3: Give back your sight. If a creature flies it must be able to see. A snake at one point could see clearly everything that was before him. But when the curse came, the snakes eyes could no longer close; but while they were open, there were scales over it. So, God took back the snake’s eyesight so that even now, a snake can see things that move; but if they stay still, he can't. So if a frog is jumping, the snake can see it; but if the frog stays still, the snake can't see it anymore.
Number 4: Give back your hearing. The snake no longer has proper hearing. When it was in the tree of knowledge, it had a conversation with Eve. You can't have a conversation if you can't hear. The snake still has ears say the scientists, but they are buried under that thick scaly skin. There is no opening for the ear. So, the snake can barely make out what's going on.
Number 5: Give back your speech. The snake can no longer speak. If a serpent makes a noise at all, it opens its ugly mouth and produces a hiss.
Given the sin, God could have destroyed the snake. But I posit to you that the reason why God didn't destroy snakes is because he wanted to leave us a message. He was telling us that:
• When you let the devil use you, you can't fly anymore.
• When you let the devil use you, you cannot hear the voice of God anymore. It's there but you don't know it's there because your ears are buried under your skin.
• If you let the devil use you, you can't see your Bible in front of your face; you can't even understand it.
• When you let the devil use you, your legs are taken. So you can't walk in the ways of righteousness. Your spiritual capacity to take in power is reduced and you can no longer be inspired.
Saints, I am scared of snakes. They frighten me. And I know so many of you are just as frighten of snakes as I am. So, if you think the snake frightens you, you got to know that the devil is more frightened when he sees a snake than you are. Why? Because God said to the devil; “You took a creature that could fly. You took a creature that could breathe with two lungs. You took the creature that could speak and chew like a man; you took a creature that had legs, but I will repossess them”.
And then, before the curse to Adam and Eve, God put the promise in what he said to the snake. Before they knew that they would have pain in child birth and they would eat bread in sorrow; before they knew that they could no longer come back into Eden; before they knew the penalty of sin, God let them hear the promise. He let them hear the Gospel from Genesis when He said to the snake, “ I will put hatred between you and the church and between your followers and her followers; and he shall bruise your head and you shall only bruise his heel”. The snake slithered away, but Satan had heard what was to face him.
Question: Why didn’t God kill the Serpent? Answer: God chose to make the serpent a warning. And I suggest to you that the snake ought to be a warning to us. Because the fact is that we will die if we let the devil use us.
As I finish, I would like to say this; Yes, we are imperfect, but God can still use us. The only perfect servant He ever had, ministers in the heavenly sanctuary in the most holy place. So, don't ever confuse yourself that because God gives you the wings of an eagle, that there is no snake in you.
So, when you fall, remember Jesus became sin on the cross for you; for it is only on the cross that Christ is portrayed as a Serpent. So, when that old serpent stings you, remember what God told Moses to do when the snakes were biting the children of Israel. John 3:14-15 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should [a]not perish but have eternal life.
This is the only notable time when Christ allows himself to be put up as a snake. It is also the moment that we all pay attention to. For He came in the likeness of sinful flesh and was condemned. But that same Jesus said; make me like a snake, and put me up on a pole/on the cross; so that if the devil bites you, you will look and live!
And so I say to you, my brother and you, my sister; If you think your ministry is over because of what the serpent has done; your ministry is not over! For the fact is that even if you've been bitten by the serpent, God restores people in whom its venom flows! God will bring you back to His kingdom if you just look to Jesus.
Remember what the curse was, “I will put enmity between thy seed and Her seed. And Her seed shall bruise thy head. Jesus Christ is the seed of the woman. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”.
But who is Jesus?
• In Genesis He is the seed of the woman crushing the serpent's head.
• In Exodus. He is the sacrificial Passover lamb. He is also the great I AM.
• In Leviticus he is the high priest.
• In Numbers. He is the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.
• In Deuteronomy, He is the city of our refuge; the mother eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.
• In Joshua he is the Captain of the Lord’s army; He is also the scarlet thread outside Rahab’s window.
• In Judges He is the Judge.
• In Ruth, He is our kinsman redeemer.
• In first and second Samwel, He is the trusted prophet.
• In first and second Kings, He's the ruler of our nation.
• In First and Second Chronicles, He's our raining King.
• In Ezra he's the faithful scribe.
• In Nehemiah, he is the rebuilder of the broken-down walls of human life.
• In Esther, he is my Modecai, my intercessor.
• In job he's the restorer and Multiplier of all that the enemy has taken away.
• In Psalms He is my shepherd, and I shall not want.
• In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, He is my wisdom.
• In Songs of Solomon, He is the bridegroom.
• I heard Isaiah call Him wonderful counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting father, the prince of peace.
• In Jeremiah, He's the righteous branch.
• In Lamentation He is the weeping prophet.
• In Ezekiel. He's the glory of God in Captivity.
• In Daniel He's the fourth man in life's fiery furnace.
• In Hosea, he's the faithful husband.
• In Joel he is the baptizer with the Holy Ghost
• In Amos, He is the plumb line of our faithfulness.
• In Obadiah He is the mighty Deliverer; for He is mighty to save.
• In Jonah, He is the God of missionary service.
• Micah said, He is the one who is going forth of old, for He is from everlasting to everlasting.
• In Nahum He is the avenger of God’s elect.
• In Habakuk He is the watchman that is forever praying for revival.
• In Zephaniah He is the Lord mighty to Save.
• In Haggai, He is the restorer of our lost heritage.
• In Zacharia, He is our fountain.
• In Malachi, He's the son of righteousness with healing in His wings.
• Matthew calls Him the Messiah.
• Mark calls Him the miracle worker.
• Luke calls Him the son of man.
• And John says He is the door through which we must enter.
• In Act, He is the Holy Ghost with fire.
• In Romans He's our justifier; the righteousness of God.
• In First and Second Corinthians, He is our resurrection and sin bearer.
• In Galatians, He is the redeemer from the curses of the law.
• In Ephesians, He is the Foundation, the Head of the church.
• Philippians said, at His name, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the father.
• In Colossians He is the fullness of the Godhead.
• First and second Thessalonians says He is our soon coming King; for He is the one who will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
• Timothy says, He is our instructor; the mediator between God and man.
• In Titus He is our blessed hope.
• In Philemon He's a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
• In Hebrew He is the high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
• In James He is the Lord my healer.
• In First and Second Peter He is our glorious hope.
• In First John He is love
• In Second John He is Truth.
• In Third John He is our motivation.
• Jude says He is the Lord coming down with 10,000 of His saints; for He is able to keep me from falling, and present me without fault and without blemish before the presence of His glory with unspeakable aesthetic delight in triumphant joy and exaltation.
• And John the Revelator says, “I was in the Spirit and I saw Him high and lifted up.” So, let us lift up our voices, for our redemption draweth nigh! For He is the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Alpha and Omega!
His name is Jesus!
All hail the power of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all. Hail Him who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all.
Let every kindred and every tribe on this terrestrial ball know that, to Him all majesty ascribe, and crown Him Lord of all.
O that with yonder angel throng, we at His feet may fall; as we finally join in the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all – to the Glory of God the Father!
Adventist Men Organisation (AMO) Sabbath at Mt. Olives SDA Church, Ngong. 30th March 2024.
Sermon by Elder Timothy Ogada
