In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. He removed the high places, broke the images, cut down the Asherim, and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until then the Israelites had burned incense to it; but he called it Nehushtan [a bronze trifle].
(2Kings 18:1, 4, AMP)
The Bronze Serpent was once a tool in God’s hand. As soon as it served its purpose God moved on.
But the Israelites did not move on with God. They rather chose to canonise and deify the Bronze Serpent. A whole religion was built around the existence of the Bronze Serpent.
The Israelites romanticised its memories and offered incense to it while completely losing sight of the fact that it was just a mere tool that was once used by God to help them.
And as soon it had served its purpose, it ceased to be special. But the Israelites’ emotional attachment to it made them hallow it. What resulted was Nehushtan! I will like to define Nehushtan as the blessing turned curse by the Israelites’ refusal to move on with God.
Any time we build monuments around moments, the blessings of those moments become curses. Religion cherishes the good old days and dismisses the better present days and the best future days.
However, a fruitful, balanced walk with God enables a person to make the most of the good old days, maximise the better present days and with great excitement prepare and look forward to the best future days. So that great moments are cherished without unhealthy attachments while the focus remains on God’s dynamic leadership. In other words, when God moves, nothing holds them back, they simply move along.
The reason the river of God always flows from God’s throne is to keep it eternally fresh in order to administer life to all those who take a plunge in it. A proof that the river of God overflows with life is the Tree of Life on its banks. The tree of life is constantly fruitful and its leaves are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:1-2)
A river that does not flow cannot be fresh and will become home to condensed filth. A stagnant river harbours nothing but degeneration, bitterness and death.
This is why the Dead Sea has no visible life in it.
To enjoy and overflow with God’s life, remain constantly fruitful and bring healing to the nations we must yield to the holy currents of the river of God. When God moves, we must move! These are the ethos and core of apostolic Christianity!
Culled from GO INTO ALL THE WORLD BY AROME OSAYI
Aphorism CITY 