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TeacherAide The First Epic SESSION 5 ILLUSTRATING
THE POINT You Knew What I Was
Iron
Eyes Cody is a native American actor who once did a TV spot for the Keep America
Beautiful campaign. He was an Indian drifting alone in a canoe. As he saw how
our waters are being polluted, a single tear rolled down his cheek, telling the
whole story. This powerful public service commercial still shows up on TV
screens after 17 years. In 1988 Cody repeated an old Indian legend in Guideposts
magazine. Here it is: Many years
ago, Indian youths would go away in solitude to prepare for manhood. One such
youth hiked into a beautiful valley, green with trees, bright with flowers.
There he fasted. But on the third day, as he looked up at the surrounding
mountains, he noticed one tall rugged peak, capped with dazzling snow. I will
test myself against that mountain, he thought. He put on his buffalo-hide shirt,
threw his blanket over his shoulders and set off to climb the peak. When he
reached the top he stood on the rim of the world. He could see forever, and his
heart swelled with pride. Then he
heard a rustle at his feet, and looking down, he saw a snake. Before he could
move, the snake spoke. “I am about to die,” said the snake. “It is too
cold for me up here and I am freezing. There is no food and I am starving. Put
me under your shirt and take me down to the valley.” “No,” said the youth.
“I am forewarned. I know your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up,
you will bite, and your bite will kill me.” “Not so,” said the snake. “I
will treat you differently. If you do this for me, you will be special. I will
not harm you.” The youth resisted awhile, but this was a very persuasive snake
with beautiful markings. At last the youth tucked it under his shirt and carried
it down to the valley. There he laid it gently on the grass, when suddenly the
snake coiled, rattled, and leapt, biting him on the leg. “But you
promised...” cried the youth. “You
knew what I was when you picked me up.” said the snake as it slithered
away.” Seeing the Serpent I've not seen this myself,
but in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul, they have a very precious goblet. In the
center of the inside of that goblet is carved, in gold, a serpent. It has ruby
eyes and diamond fangs; its mouth is open and ready to strike. When the goblet
is filled with wine, the ruby-red liquid covers the snake. You cannot see it,
but as you drink the wine, suddenly the presence of the serpent with all of its
menacing appearance is revealed. Now Jesus, when he came to
live life with us, drank the cup of life to the full. But here in Calvary he is
at the depths of that cup. And suddenly the serpent, which had been lingering in
all of it, through all of it, was revealed in all of its menacing nature. The
intensity of evil--and Jesus saw it. Citation:
Bruce W. Thielemann, "The Cry of Mystery," Preaching Today,
Tape No. 66. THE
MORE YOU KNOW In this verse, we have the prophetic
decision that Satan will continually throughout this earth’s history have
hostility between himself and the woman. But this woman will be shown to be the
mother of Cain and his offspring. This of course is mankind as we know it. More
specifically for believers, Revelation 12:17 states that “the dragon was
enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her
offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of
Jesus.” What God declared in Genesis 3:15 has and will continue to take
place today; a spiritual struggle between the demons or the offspring of Satan
and Christians who are the offspring of the woman. We should take heed to realize that
God has ordain this struggle and only our connected relationship with Christ
will lead us to daily victory over the attacks of Satan and his demons. I
THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY “Satan will flood you with truth to
float one lie.”
Our Daily Bread “Satan was planting in Eve’s mind
the idea that there should be no restrictions in the perfect plan of a good
God.”
Charles Ryrie “After telling a class of 4 to 7
year olds the story of Adam and Eve, I began to quiz them. ‘What was Eve’s
punishment for disobeying God?’ I asked. “A bright-eyed girl raised her hand.
‘She had to crawl on her belly and eat dirt for the rest of her life.”
Christian
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