In the deserts of Arizona, there are ants known as the western slave-maker ants. Unlike other ants, these are not capable of hunting food for themselves or for their young, and they could not live without other ants doing this for them.
Because of this inability, slave-maker ants make raids on another species of ants known as the formicas, and here’s what takes place. Several times a year the leaders in the nest send out scouts to find formica nests. When the scouts find these nests, they come back and somehow tell the others the “good news.” Then a huge army of several thousand takes off behind their scouts, following them to the unsuspecting victims.
With no warning, the slave-makers march right into the formicas’ nest, but they don’t attempt to fight them. Instead, they spray the entire area with a chemical from their bodies. This chemical does not bother the raiders, but it is so unpleasant to the formicas that the queen and all her workers get out as fast as possible. However, they cannot take with them the thousands of their babies, known as pupae, which have not yet hatched.
That is exactly what the raiders want to happen. Each raider grabs one pupa and carries it back to its own nest. Thousands are carried back where some are eaten by the hungry raiders. Most are carefully looked after and in a short time develop into full-sized formica ants. These captives are taught how to go after food to bring back for themselves and for their captors. Of course, these newly hatched ants can’t remember anything about their former home and fit right into this pattern, apparently accepting the fact that finding food for the others is their job.
The cruel and selfish ways of the slave-makers bring to mind our opening Bible verse, telling us to beware of Satan who is always wanting to devour us. Another verse in 2 Timothy 2:2626And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (2 Timothy 2:26) talks of people who are caught in “the snare of the devil...taken captive by him at his will.” Just like the slave-making ants, the devil wants to make us his slaves and make us serve him. Every person in the world is often tempted by him, although many do not realize Satan is their cruel master.
But for those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, there are many other Bible verses to help us resist the evil one. “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:44Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)). James 4:7-87Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. (James 4:7‑8) tells where to turn for help: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw [near] to God, and He will draw [near] to you.” We are invited to turn to God in every trouble, and we can be sure of His loving help.
ML-06/12/2016