Day 324 - Acts 12-18

ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 324 - Acts 12-18 (God Will Judge Idolaters)
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"God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.  Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things...Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising.  Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:24-31)

Threatened by the mob in Berea, Paul escaped and landed in Athens where he addressed a crowd gathered at the Areopagus and preached at the altar "unknown God" which they worshipped.  Paul minced no words about the sin of idolatry or the worship of idols - images made of metal, wood or stone made by the hands of men.

Expounding on the first two commandments of the Ten Commandments given to Moses, Paul explained to the Athenians that the one true God of creation "does not dwell in temples made with hands.  Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things."  Furthermore, Paul taught them "that we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising."

Paul simply repeated to these people the commandment of God against idolatry.  Paul also warned them about the punishment that awaits those who practice idolatry.  He told them about the Day of Judgment that will come upon the whole world wherein all those who do not belong to Christ (those who do not obey Him) will be cast into everlasting punishment in hell (Revelation 21:8, Matthew 25:46).

Are you guilty of praying to idols made by hands?  Do you have any idols in your home meant to watch over you or to be prayed to?  If you are responsible for it being in your home or have the authority to put it out and get rid of it, you will be held accountable by God for the sin of idolatry.