Note for 2024/04/20

‭Acts 17:22-34 KJV‬

[22] Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. [23] For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. [24] God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; [25] neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; [26] and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; [27] that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: [28] for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. [29] Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. [30] And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: [31] because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. [32] And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. [33] So Paul departed from among them. [34] Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

https://bible.com/bible/1/act.17.22-34.KJV

Shabbat Shalom,

Let us just briefly take the time to look back on the progress of our reading. The reading through Acts has been such that we have broken away to read James, then came back to Acts. Then again, we left Acts to read Paul's letter to the Galatians, and now we are back in Acts. This is because we are on a reading plan called, "As it Happened." Now this is the fashion of my reading through the Bible since Genesis, which I started back on the 1st of January 2023. This plan was supposed to be a One Year Bible reading plan, but around August of last year, the Lord slowed down my reading habit, and even more so when we started with the New Testament. What do I mean by slowing down? As the daily notes were made and more and more people started to read it and follow it day by day, the need arose to slow my pace so all that wanted to follow along could manage the pace. It is somewhat like this in an explanation of pace: In the crossing of the Red Sea as the waters were parted for Israel as they exited from Egypt, the slowest Israelite still got through the passage, while the fastest horse of Pharaoh's Army did not escape drowning. When GOD is in control, everyone stands a chance to come along whose heart is set on Him. We have witnessed confirmations, wondrous things, in our journey through the Bible. Now my only regret is that I could have started stronger when I began.

Why do I share this with you? My friends, The GOD that Paul testifies of here at Athens, He is the same GOD we still worship till this day. Christ said that nobody goes to the Father except by Him. He testifies of the Father and that the Father is in Him and He in The Father. It is by the Holy Spirit then that we likewise cry out, "My Father who art in Heaven." For some it is, "Abba" or "Adoni." That familiarity is in the Spirit, and the very reason men and women, even to this day, call each other brothers and sisters, though they were born of parents who were strangers to each other. The Blood relation is by The Blood of Christ, and inwardly the heart is brought by the Holy Spirit to a state of family.

Now Paul, here, was not speaking to the Jews. Here he was addressing those in Athens who believed in a pantheon of gods. We now know, these gods they served as of the fallen angels, who presented themselves and their hybrid children to man as gods. Of these, statues were made in their honor and to worship them. Temples were built in honor of these so-called gods, and this is what Paul and them encountered as they preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ among the Gentiles.

What I find interesting is how they find synagogues of the Jews amongst these people. (Reference the start of this chapter for evidence of it.) Now, I do not want to spend the time to explain why they were there and how it came about, also because much of that would be of man's account. But, from the Word of GOD, we know that they were found there. We know that they were scattered among the Nations of the Earth, or at least what was known of the Earth back then.

Friends, time-and-time again, who do we find stirs up trouble for the Apostles? Read for yourself, you will be able to answer it with confidence. It is these Jews that hear the Testimony of Jesus Christ and reject Him. Just yesterday, I saw a video of Jewish people mistreating Christians in Israel. It hasn't changed my friends. I also personally know a person, a Christian Woman, devout in Christ, who has given her whole lifetime to the cause to return Jews to Israel from all over the globe. GOD is not done with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And the Christian heart is not a stranger to the compassion we have for them. Where does that come from, but from the heart of Christ our LORD. GOD is still the same now as He was at the beginning. He has not changed, man did.

This is who Paul is speaking of here to the Athenians, of GOD the Creator of us all. And friends, The Son of GOD testified of His Father in Heaven. Didn't He? Who did Christ teach us to pray to? Jesus The Messiah, The Christ, which is the same, preached on the Salvation of Mankind and the Love of GOD. In Him, by the Holy Spirit, we are Redeemed by GOD from this World. In Christ, we are made right with GOD. In Christ, sin is undone and forgiven. Through Adam and Eve, man fell from the estate that GOD created man for, they were expelled; but in Christ Jesus, we can enter into the Paradise of GOD, just as He promised the repenting sinner on the cross beside Him.

It is good that this morning's note comes on a weekend. It is lengthy, because we are doing a review. In order to reach your destination, you must know where you came from, also where you are right now. Then the direction of your travels can be determined. Review then, your life honestly. Where did you come from, where are you today? Are you, Spiritually, better or worse off than where you started from? Are you closer or further away from GOD? How do you get where you need to go? In Christ Jesus, of course. There is no other way.

So, for those in Athens, Paul speaks of the unknown God, but He is not unknown to us, is He? We might be a little lost at times, here and there we fail. But Who do we call out to? Friends, GOD knew then where you would be today, He made you. You cannot surprise GOD with your behavior. He knows who will repent. He also knows who is not of Him. He knows the wheat from the weeds, the goat from the sheep, the wolves in sheep's clothing and yes, He knows the hirelings. He knows the enemy too. He is the beginning and the end. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of GOD, paid the full price for our deliverance. He paid it so we may be redeemed.

Do you truly believe what you have read in the Word of GOD? Do you accept it? And now the hard one: do you live by it? Is the Word of GOD part of your testimony? For all will give account, all will reap what they have sown. Only, in Christ, our sin is hidden, paid for. The account is settled. We do not have to pay that price because He already paid it for us.

Take the time to do a review of your life, please. Check that it is well with your soul, for this world is making themselves ready to be judged. That will surely come.

Have your peace secured in the Salvation that GOD offered to us in Jesus Christ. By the mercy and grace of GOD,

Shalom

YouVersion Bible Verse of the Day

‭1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV‬

[17] Pray without ceasing.

https://bible.com/bible/1/1th.5.17.KJV

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