Divine Protection

Introduction

Matthew 16: 17-17 is one of the much misused and most misinterpreted passages of the Bible that lead many crazy snake-handling pastors to dead. There have been a number of fringe Christians who have died because of its misuse and abuse. Very recently pastor Jamie Coots, who appeared on the National Geographic television reality show "Snake Salvation," in Knoxville, Tennessee died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014, after being bitten by a snake. Contemporary Pentecostal (at any cause the contemporary Pentecostals cannot be compared with the Pentecostals recorded in the book of Acts) Christians and the Bible commentators suggest three possible interpretations to this passage those interpretations are as follows:

I. Indiscriminate Application

Contemporary Pentecostal Christians argue if we are able to exercise exorcisms, speaking in new tongues, and laying hands on the sick then why not taking up serpents? Thus the Biblical illiterate Pentecostals go to another extent and take poisonous rattlesnakes with bare hands to prove their faith. What they do is unbiblical and overstepping the Word of God. The Word of God prohibits us to tempt God by deliberately placing ourselves in potential danger (Matthew 4:5, 7). Based on this scripture reference, we can conclude that God does not want us to handle poisonous snakes today to prove we are Christians. We can also be assured that God continues to perform miracles in healing and protecting those who trust and believe in Him.

III. Divine Protection with the Purpose

 Some Bible commentators say that sometimes Christians are expected to handle deadly snakes to prove to unbelievers that they are Christians. Another way to understand this passage is to be reassured that when Christians accidentally come in contact with poisonous snakes, God will miraculously protect them. When we look at the history of the New Testament Church, the Bible records that if a true Christian accidentally picks up a poisonous snake and is even bitten by that snake, God can intervene to miraculously spare that person’s life. Such an experience happened to the apostle Paul. After being shipwrecked and escaping to the island of Malta, Paul was bitten by a deadly snake. The natives thought he would die, but God miraculously intervened and Paul was not harmed (Acts 28:1-6). However what had happened in the life of Paul is not normative, divine protection was given to Paul because it was not God’s will for Paul to die there at Malta. God had a different purpose in Paul’s life that he had to glorify God through his chains in Rome therefore he was given divine protection.

History testifies divine protection in the life of His faithful servant against the dangers from wild animals, venomous snakes and from hands of cannibals but on the other hand history also testifies divine submission to be killed at the hands of cannibals and to jaws of wild animals. God who saved David Livingston from the dangers against wild animals and venomous snakes allowed Jim Elliot and his friends to die at the hands of Auca Indians. God has purpose behind everything human mind can’t comprehend the divine purpose He also fulfills His will and purpose in the life of His faithful servants. We need to read Hebrews 11 to understand the above mentioned instances. Sometimes God closes the mouths of lions (Daniel 6:22; Hebrews 11:33) and sometimes God allows the mouths of lions to remain open (Hebrews 11:35-40).

III. Divine protection against Powers of this World

Some other commentators say that “Jesus is using these as metaphors for God’s divine protection (Deut 8:15) and the crushing of evil; ‘the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet’ (Rom 16:20). Jesus is not giving clearance to handle snakes (Mark 16:18) to prove one’s invulnerability. The point is that ‘a powerful and resourceful enemy,’ including the forces of nature, will not be able to stop the success of the Christian mission.” This metaphorical emphasize may not be the best way to proceed, surely the emphasis is on having victory over Satan in general, and not in spending time holding snake handling meetings. This is not only presumption and foolishness, but it is losing track of biblical priorities.

Conclusion

Church services are meant to be about worship, ministry of the word, and the sacraments. They are not about foolish displays of human bravado and unnecessarily tempting the Lord in this way. How some Christians can get their priorities so bent out of shape is quite remarkable. We don’t need more gullible church leaders dying from snake bites to prove their faith. Simply dealing with a congregation with the problems and difficulties which that entails needs faith enough as is. That is where we prove our faith, in faithful service to the body of Christ, not in spectacular stunts and gimmicks. To say all this of course is not to deny that God can and does heal. In any time of crisis, we pray and seek God’s healing power. But we are not to major in minors, nor spend our time playing with snakes when much more pressing needs, challenges and callings exist.