Nahash who reminds us of our dark pasts..

We all have some dark pasts in our life. No one is perfect in this world. We all make mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes may cost us nothing and other times it may cost us costly. When it costs us dearly, we tend to remember it all the time. We wish that we could have changed our past. Ultimately all bad things that happen to us, we tend to think it’s because of that mistake. But there is some happy news to all those who believe in Christ.

But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”  1 Samuel 11:2

These are the words of Nahash the King of Ammonites to the elders of Jabesh Gilead. Nahash besieged the city of Jabesh Gilead but the elders of that city, requested him for a treaty. They were ready to surrender. But this King Nahash wanted more than just surrender. He wanted to bring disgrace to the house of Israel.

Nahash word means ‘Serpent’ in Hebrew. If we look at serpents in the bible. We see that serpents reminds us of some dark pasts. It deceived Eve by reminding and manipulating the words of God, ‘Did God really say.’ Also, when a viper fastened itself on the hand of Paul. People of Malta thought the viper bit him because of his past sins. Hence, Serpents are said to remind us of something dark and they lead us to  pitfall. Here, also King Nahash has come to remind the people of Jabesh Gilead of their past sin.

Then they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?” They discovered that no-one from Jabesh Gilead had come for the assembly.  Judges 21:8

When Benjamites did an awful crime. Israelites united as one man against the tribe of Benjamites. Israelites assembled at Mizpah and took an oath that no one would give their daughters in marriage to a Benjamite. But when they annihilated the Benjamites, leaving only six hundred men. Men of Israelites wept bitterly, for one tribe of Israel was cut down. Hence, to provide these six hundred men with wives, Israelites looked for the tribe or clan who did not come for the oath. They discovered that no one from Jabesh Gilead had come. Maybe they did not consider that meeting important or they did not want to indulge in the welfare of Israelites. Anyway, Israelites put the city of Jabesh Gilead to sword leaving only four- hundred women.

The people of Gilead from that point on, faced loneliness. They thought that all that happened to them, they deserved it. Israelites stopped interacting with them. That is why they did not instigate war against Nahash as soon as they heard about the fate of Jabesh. Hence, people of Jabesh had to wait, to know whether any rescuer would arrive for them.

In our lives as well some mistakes, some blunders might lead some of our close people out of our sight. They get offended and stop talking to us. Some people hold grudge against us all their life for that fault.

He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they turned out as one man. 1 Samuel 11:7

But the people of Jabesh Gilead got a rescuer in a person called Saul. He united Israelites as one man and went against Nahash King of Ammonites. We too may dwell in our past. We think all that happen to us, is because of what we did. But the great news is, like Saul we have a rescuer in Jesus Christ. The people were killed and were annihilated because of the mistake they did. In the same way, Jesus Christ suffered because of our sins. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. 1 Peter 3:18

Jesus died for us so when a Nahash comes to gouge our eyes, or when he comes simply with a mission to bring disgrace in our lives. We may point out to our enemy and show him who our rescuer is. We should not dwell in our past for we are called to dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. Also, as a believer one should remember to forgive our brethren. Unlike the Israelites who were reluctant to rescue the people of Jabesh, we should always stretch out our hands to the people in need. Even if they did hurt us before. For who knows, they might have faced the consequences and got the forgiveness of God. Who are we to hold grudge against someone who received the forgiveness of God. No Nahash can come and claim his power in the Quiver of God.

 

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