Caught in a Web

Genesis 1:24-25, 2 Samuel 22:6

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Genesis chapter one, verses 24 and 25.

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:24-25)

That reference to things that God made that creep along the ground. I think that includes spiders, because spiders live on the ground, not in water, they were most likely created on the sixth day instead of on day five. But spiders. Spiders are amazing creatures. Lots of people don’t like them. Lots of people are afraid of them. But still! How does a spider know that if he or she will string six, eight, ten strands from one branch to another with a midpoint where they all cross in the center, and then if he begins to work his way out. How does he know that essentially forms a net, a web in which he can catch insects, flies and mosquitoes? Well, God’s just designed him to to do those things, maybe even to know those things.

And if you’re afraid of spiders, really, imagine what a fly or a mosquito would feel how they feel about spider webs. I mean, they get caught there in the web. Spider wraps them up and saves them for later to eat them for lunch. So they’d be, I think, much more afraid of spider webs than we are of spiders.

King David talks about something like that. Second Samuel, chapter 22.

the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me. (2 Samuel 22:6)

David’s talking about a time when he was being chased, pursued by Saul, like a fly or a mosquito, trying to avoid being caught in the net. The cords of Sheol. Sheol is another word for the grave. Cords and snares like a spider’s web. David was desperately trying to escape from them, and he did. The Lord God watched over him, delivered him safely. But later on in his life, the cords of the grave they did entangle David. David eventually was caught in that web of the grave of Sheol. David was mortal. David’s life came to an end, and we’re told that he closed his eyes and he slept with his fathers.

And that same is true of all of us. All of us, one day the cords of Sheol, the grave, the snares of death, one day they’re going to entangle us. And, well, what next? Well, what’s next is answered by Jesus. Jesus himself was caught in that web of death. Now he willingly gave himself over to it. But the cords of Sheol, the grave, the snares of death, they even wrapped Jesus himself up, and he was laid to rest in a grave as well.

But as you know very well, I pray you know, he rose. Three days later, he rose from the dead, breaking free of those bonds, that web, breaking free of the grave. And he’s promised that he’s just the first. He the first fruits of those that will rise. So even though those cords of death entangle us, even though eventually our strength runs out, and one day we’ll close our eyes in that sleep like David did, even like Jesus did. Because of Jesus and what he’s done for us, one day our eyes will open again. We will burst free of those bonds, that web, the grave, and we will be with him safe and sound, forever in heaven. That’s a promise, a promise that is true because Christ himself is risen.

I pray that’s a comfort to you, especially when you look at your life like a fly or a mosquito might look at a spider’s web and worry about being caught and entangled in it. You won’t be lost forever because of your Savior, Jesus Christ. So thank God for him and what he’s done.