Both rattlesnakes and copperheads are in the pit viper family and both are poisonous. Though their bites are dangerous, they are not generally lethal. Both of these snakes are shy, preferring to warn and slither away, but they will definitely strike if they are stepped on or handled. If you have the misfortune to be bitten by one of these snakes, you should seek medical attention immediately.
A woman in Northern California called Al Wolf of the Sonoma County Reptile Rescue because she was sure that she had seen rattlesnakes scurry under her home. Responding to the call, he thought that maybe he would pull one or two from under the home as he had done on many other occasions. But when he got under the house, he saw one rattlesnake ... and then another ... and another!
Retreating from under the home, he put on long safety gloves and collected two buckets and a 24-inch-long snake stick. Then he got to work. Three hours and forty-five minutes later, he had captured 22 adult rattlesnakes and 59 babies! Because of the number of female rattlesnakes and babies, it was clear that this was a den of theirs. After his first visit, he made two more visits and collected 11 more rattlesnakes. He also removed a dead cat and a dead possum.
Mr. Wolf said that it was hard, unpleasant work to extract all of those rattlesnakes from under the house, but worth it. He had to crawl on his hands, stomach and knees in the dirt. He had to remove spider webs and turn over more than 200 small rocks. It was a musty, smelly, filthy job that had to be done!
Bigger Lessons
The rattlesnake den is a good illustration of how God sees us when we are living apart from Him in our willfulness and sin. We are filthy in His sight, and our sins rise up as an awful stench to His nostrils! “From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores” (Isaiah 1:66From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. (Isaiah 1:6)). Do not deceive yourself by thinking, “Really, I’m not that bad ... I do the best I can and live a good life. After all, I’m not a liar, thief or immoral and certainly not as bad as a murderer!” The problem is that our very hearts are deceitful and sinful.
Only God has the answer for our sinful condition. He knows that we need to be washed clean and receive a new nature. That is why He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross and shed His blood for our sins. “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)).
Just as the rattlesnakes were removed from under the house, God wants to make our hearts clean and free from sin. Because of the perfect sacrifice of His Son Jesus on the cross for our sins, our sins are forgiven when we come to God in repentance, acknowledging our need of a Savior, and putting our trust in Jesus. “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:1313And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (Luke 18:13)), said from a contrite and broken heart, along with, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)), is how we can all come to God and have our sins forgiven.
Mr. Wolf was able to remove the poisonous rattlesnakes into the wild, but he could only go so far. But the forgiven sinner can say, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:1212As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12)). Are you able to make this claim for yourself? Do you have assurance of your sins forgiven? It takes true repentance and faith in the work of Jesus on the cross — accept Him now, while you still have time! What you do with God’s offer of salvation through His Son Jesus will determine where you spend eternity.
The woman in Northern California was wise to take the threat of rattlesnakes so seriously. Poisonous venom is like sin. If sin is not dealt with immediately, there will be consequences. “The sting of death is sin” (1 Corinthians 15:5656The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:56)). Sin always leads to death. We must all face the matter of death sooner or later, because we have all been stung by sin! But we all have a choice to make — we can reject or accept God’s remedy for sin.
Sometimes sin is hidden, and attacks when we least expect it. Somebody cuts you off on the highway, and suddenly anger pops out. An opportunity to cheat on your taxes comes up, and suddenly stealing pops out. You see an item that you really want or need and nobody is looking and suddenly stealing pops out. If you see that you can just twist the truth a tiny bit for your benefit, suddenly lying pops out.
More warnings of danger and a vital solution can be found in A Copperhead Strike!