The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. Acts 28:6 (Acts 28:1-6)
Once Saul Paul and all made landfall and safely reached tha beach, they found out that tha islanders whar unusually kind ter ’em. Because it whar raining and cold, tha islanders built ah fire and welcomed tha crew. Saul Paul went about gathering ah pile of brushwood fer tha fire, but as he done so ah viper, driven out by tha heat, fastened itself on his hand.
Ah bite from such ah viper be normally more severe than from other venomous snakes in that part of tha world and very painful. It generally be thought that around 5% of all untreated bites leads ter an excruciating death. This particular serpent be responsible for 90% of all cases of snakebite in and around Rome and it be tha only deadly snake in tha mountains north of Rome.
Think on this a wee little bit:
Ah serpent be responsible fer deceiving Eve in tha Garden and causing Man ter fall (Genesis 3:4–5, 22). Because of tha serpent’s deception and Adam and Eve’s disobedience, sin entered tha world.
When Moses doubted that Skipper had called him ter be tha one ter lead Skip’s people out of slavery, he asked fer proof that Skip would be with him. Skip instructed Moses ter toss his rod onto tha ground. When he done so, it became ah serpent. Like any reasonable feller, Moses high-tailed it from that place, only Skipper encouraged Moses ter come back and grasp tha serpent by the tail. As ya well know, only ah fool picks up ah snake by its tail, but Moses obeyed and tha serpent went back ter being only a rod (Exodus 4:1–5). Later Moses cast down his rod, agin. It turned in ter ah serpent and attacked Pharaoh’s magician’s serpents and ate ’em whole.
In the Book of Numbers, while Moses and Skip’s people wandered about in tha wilderness, they spoke agin Skipper and agin Moses. Tha crowd said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” So Skip sent venomous snakes among them. Tha serpents bit folks and many died. Then tha crowd came ter Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” After Moses prayed, Skip instructed Moses ter mount a bronze snake on ah pole. If folks looked at that bronze snake they would be healed (Numbers 21:4–9).
Years later tha Son said, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up (John 3:14). In tha wilderness tha serpent’s bite brought death. Looking ter tha bronze serpent brought healing. When tha Son came, he brought judgement upon all folks, fer he made plain that he were tha Chosen One, tha Messiah, tha author of all things and tha one who redeems us from our wicked, sinful ways. Looking ter tha Son on tha cross brings healing ter all folks fer thar sins.
Looking away from tha Son on tha cross, pretending he ne’er came, not caring that he came, brings judgement upon yer head and leaves ya bound fer eternal torment.
When tha islanders seen tha snake hanging from Saul Paul’s hand, they said ter each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.”
Right then Saul Paul shook off tha viper, flinging it in ter tha fire. Folks expected his hand ter swell up or fer him ter suddenly fall out dead; but after waiting ah good long time and seeing nothing unusual happen ter him, they changed their minds and said he was a god — which he whar not, but he knowed tha true God, Skipper, and that always be better than being a little man god.
Odd how folks see ah feller get bit by ah snake and ‘spect him ter fall over dead. Then these same folks see ah feller sin and doth not expect him ter suffer any ill affects. Such dull thinking kin only come due tha veil of tha old covenant which some still cling ter: ah covenant based on good works and keeping Skip’s rules, and sacrificing animals, but not sacrificing our own wants and will. With most folks this veil remains, fer only tha Son kin take it away. And yet whenever any feller or lass turns to tha Son, tha veil be lifted and they see plain tha glory of tha Son and his Father (2 Corinthians 3:14-16).
What says ya? Will ya turn ter tha Son ter day and allow him ter lift tha veil from yer face. Will ya ask ter see him clear fer tha savior he is? Some where, some place, some one is praying ya will.