Bible verses about snake handling
Some churches today are handling snakes because of one verse and this should not be. When reading Mark we know that the Lord will protect us, but that doesn’t mean we put God to the test, which is clearly sinful and dangerous. People want to handle snakes, but they miss the part where it says they will drink deadly poison. The fact is many people have died from handling snakes such as pastor Jamie Coots, Randall Wolford, George Went Hensley, and more. Search and read more about the recent death of pastor Coots on CNN. No disrespect to anyone, but how many more people have to die before we realize not to test the Lord?
When we do foolish things like this and someone dies it makes people lose faith in God and unbelievers start ridiculing God and Christianity. It makes Christians look stupid. Learn from Jesus. Satan tried to make Jesus jump, but even Jesus who is God in the flesh said you shall not put the Lord your God to the test. Stupid people pursue danger wise people get away from it.
In Scripture Paul was bitten by a snake and it caused him no harm, but he didn’t purposely mess with it. Picture yourself watering plants and a snake comes out of nowhere and bites you that is not testing God. Finding a venomous snake like a western diamondback rattlesnake and purposely picking it up is asking for trouble. Christians can rest assure that God will protect His children, but we are never to seek danger or be less cautious with anything.
What does the Bible say?
1. Mark 16:14-19 Later Jesus showed himself to the eleven apostles while they were eating, and he criticized them because they had no faith. They were stubborn and refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen from the dead. Jesus said to his followers, “Go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved, but anyone who does not believe will be punished. And those who believe will be able to do these things as proof: They will use my name to force out demons. They will speak in new languages. They will pick up snakes and drink poison without being hurt. They will touch the sick, and the sick will be healed.” After the Lord Jesus said these things to his followers, he was carried up into heaven, and he sat at the right side of God.
2. Luke 10:17-19 The seventy-two men came back in great joy. “Lord,” they said, “even the demons obeyed us when we gave them a command in your name!” Jesus answered them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Listen! I have given you authority, so that you can walk on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the Enemy, and nothing will hurt you.
Paul was protected when accidentally bitten, but remember he wasn’t playing with snakes. He didn’t go out his way to try to test God.
3. Acts 28:1-7 When we were safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The people who lived on the island were unusually kind to us. They made a fire and welcomed all of us around it because of the rain and the cold. Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire. The heat forced a poisonous snake out of the brushwood. The snake bit Paul’s hand and wouldn’t let go. When the people who lived on the island saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer! He may have escaped from the sea, but justice won’t let him live.” Paul shook the snake into the fire and wasn’t harmed. The people were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they had waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. A man named Publius, who was the governor of the island, had property around the area. He welcomed us and treated us kindly, and for three days we were his guests.
Don’t put God to the test. It is one of the most dangerous things you could ever do.
4. Hebrews 3:7-12 So then, as the Holy Spirit says, “If you hear God’s voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God, as they were that day in the desert when they put him to the test. There they put me to the test and tried me, says God, although they had seen what I did for forty years. And so I was angry with those people and said, ‘They are always disloyal and refuse to obey my commands.’ I was angry and made a solemn promise: ‘They will never enter the land where I would have given them rest!’” My friends, be careful that none of you have a heart so evil and unbelieving that you will turn away from the living God.
5. 2. 1 Corinthians 10:9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did and were killed by snakes.
6. Matthew 4:5-10 Then the Devil took Jesus to Jerusalem, the Holy City, set him on the highest point of the Temple, and said to him, “If you are God’s Son, throw yourself down, for the scripture says, ‘God will give orders to his angels about you; they will hold you up with their hands, so that not even your feet will be hurt on the stones.’” Jesus answered, “But the scripture also says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Then the Devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in all their greatness. “All this I will give you,” the Devil said, “if you kneel down and worship me.” Then Jesus answered, “Go away, Satan! The scripture says, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only him!’”
7. Deuteronomy 6:16 “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.
8. Luke 11:29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.
When someone dies for doing something stupid likes this that gives a reason for unbelievers to scoff and blaspheme God.
9. Romans 2:24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
Have faith in the Lord’s divine protection.
10. Isaiah 43:1-7 But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
11. Psalm 91:1-4 Whoever lives under the shelter of the Most High will remain in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” He is the one who will rescue you from hunters’ traps and from deadly plagues. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. His truth is your shield and armor.
That does not mean you put yourself in a foolish dangerous situation. Just because God is protecting you does not mean you stand in front of a Glock 45 while someone is pulling the trigger. If a sign says watch out there are gators in the water then you had better watch out.
12. Proverbs 22:3 The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.
13. Proverbs 14:11-12 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
14. Proverbs 12:15 The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.
15. Ecclesiastes 7:17-18 But do not be too wicked or foolish either. Why die before it’s your time? Grasp both sides of things and keep the two in balance; for anyone who fears God won’t give in to the extremes.
Bonus
2 Timothy 2:15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
