In the last article we looked at some of the unusual characteristics of snakes, so now let’s examine a few more closely. Almost all snakes are beautifully patterned in a wide range of colors, stripes and unusual markings. But some, like the eastern green mamba, are just one solid color from nose to tail-tip.
The most common snake in North America is the garter snake. All have plain dark coloring, often with stripes down the sides and back which may be yellow or green, making them rather pretty. These are harmless and try to hurry away if a person comes near them. Their principal food includes worms, insects, tadpoles, small frogs and fish.
One called the common boa of South America may grow to 14 feet long, but most are somewhat smaller. They live mostly above ground in trees. Their food is usually birds and rodents. These snakes have narrow, white heads and patches of white and dark coloring over the rest of their bodies.
Another boa in the southwestern United States is called the rubber boa, because that’s what it looks like. Most of these are solid black, but others are yellow, brown, or rather pretty mixtures of color.
The cobra of India and South China is one of the most poisonous. Some are plain black, but mostly they are a speckled orange or brownish olive or often a variety of several mixed colors. These are the ones snake charmers in India train to entertain people.
The Western Hemisphere has several varieties of coral snakes. These are all poisonous and have beautiful color patterns, including rings of black or dark purple, red, and yellow or white circling their entire bodies. They are quite a contrast to copperhead snakes of the eastern United States. These are well-named for quick identity since copper is the only color on their heads. The rest of their bodies have a beautiful pattern of copper, brown and beige. They are also poisonous.
There is a great variety of other species, such as vipers, pythons, puff adders, bushmasters and many more. You would find it extremely interesting to look some of these up for more detail in most public libraries.
Because sin has marred much of God’s perfect creation, snakes are now associated with evil, but there is a time coming, called the millennium, when the world will be a happy, peaceful place. The Bible tells us that then “the [small] child shall play on the hole of the asp [poisonous snake] and the [older] child shall put his hand in the cockatrice’ [poisonous snake] den.” Isaiah 11:88And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. (Isaiah 11:8).
But before that takes place, God will have called to heaven every person who has accepted the Lord Jesus as his or her Saviour, and these will have the joy of looking down on that happy millennial scene. Will you be among those who will be in heaven?
ML-10/17/1993