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II KINGS 18:4

"NEHUSHTAN"
        A. Hezekiah's ascension and action "broke in pieces
        B. History of brazen serpent.
                1. Israel's complaining.
                2. Snake pits.
                3. Brazen serpent.
        C. Preservation of brazen serpent.
                1. Moses wilderness; Joshua conquest; judges David Solomon.
        D. Development of worship.
                1. Interest grew to veneration.
                2. Began to worship symbol.
                3. Defied serpent of brass.
        E. Story not so old.
                1. Church of St. Ambrose - Milan 971 Milanese envoy to
                   Constantinople.

I. DEIFICATION  - - - SIGN OF PEOPLE AT THE TIME.
        A. Sign of their loss of consciousness of God.
        B. People hungering after that which they lost.
                1. Idol always means this.
                2. Sense of need - sense of lack.
        C. Sign of confusion, misinterpretation.
                1. As though serpent was healing agent of past.

II. HEZEKlAH'S TWOFOLD ACTIONS.
        A. Named the serpent "Nehushtan."
                1. "A thing of brass."
                2. He called it what it was.
                3. It was a revelation and shame to the people.
                        a. they had left worshipping the 14-wing God
                           and began  worshipping "a thing of brass."
        B. He broke it in pieces.

II. MODERN APPLICATIONS.
        A. God's gifts may be so abused as to become injurious.
                1. Some of the things people burn incense to:
                        a. A building, selling the church.
                        b. Form of worship.
                        c. Certain evangelists or ministers "I know
                           if he would just pray  for me."
                        d. Past experiences.
                        e. Creed or denomination.
                        f. Trust deed (terms of deed..
                2. Sign of loss of fellowship with God. 
                3. Proper attitude toward these things.
                        a. Call them what they are:
                                church - bricks and mortar.
                                minister - a man exercise of
                                worship - forms.
                                creeds - human opinions trust
                                deed - paper.
                                experiences - past.
                        b. If these things come between you and God,
                           break it in  pieces.
        B. Paul to Phillipians:
                "That which was gain to me I counted loss"
                30 years later - "Ye, I count all things but loss"
                "I counted yesterday no  value unless still counting
                 today."
        C. Light that shone on Damascus Road no value unless still
           shining today.