I think of a spider’s web. How fragile and weak it appears in its delicate weave. Yet how strong, supple and cruel it is to any ensnared in its clutches, its unsuspecting prey. Worms and various insects fight frantically to escape only to become more entangled in the silky web of doom. What a terrible feeling it is to get yourself into something you cannot get out of? And then you must await the awful consequences.
We are not so different from the spider’s prey. When we choose to turn from God and serve the worldly pleasures of this world, we are entangle in a eternal web of horrible consequences. That does not have to be our destiny? “Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web” (Job 8:14). Job reminds us that the temporal things of this world are like the spiders web. To rely on worldly pleasures and wants; is to embrace the fatal web of eternal damnation.
Some people are caught up in the terrible web of idolatry. The first of the Ten Commandments was specific; “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:3). That is not difficult to understand; but seemingly very hard to uphold! God delivered Israel and gave them directions, which they ignored: “They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them” Psa. 106:34-36). Idolatry was the spider’s web that ensnared Israel even then. From the Jerusalem conference, letters were written that saints were to abstain from the appearance of idols (Acts 15:20).
Paul had to write, “What agreement hath the temple of God with idols?” (2 Cor. 6:16). To the saints he wrote: “ Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth...covetousness which is idolatry” (Col.3:5). The word mortify means “to put to death” in the Greek. Mortify “put to death” the parts of your body that would cause you to sin. Now that you have died to the flesh by seeking the spiritual things of God. You must put to death all earthly passions of evil fleshly lust. Because you are a new creature in Christ and the old man of sin must go down to the grave for all time. His tomb stone should read, “Here lies my carnal body of evil ways.” Now our spiritual body is resurrected to the newness of eternal life in Christ. “ He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (make alive) your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11 ).
Even though the spider’s web is a beautiful peace of art work. Don’t touch it, because it will vibrate and awaken the deadly spider. It is her alarm clock for food and it’s prey’s trumpet of doom.
If we could only learn that the spider is not one to play with, neither the temptations of the world. “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22 ). If we would stay away from everything that might cause us to sin, we would avoid the web of deception. So many people have been lost by experimenting with sinful things. They became hooked, entangled and consumed by their curiosity. And such shall not enter the Kingdom of heaven. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21). There are all types of spider webs like temptations and all types of spiders. Beware of evil things and avoid them like the deadly spider’s morgue of death? “ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Jer. 6:16).
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