Day 315

XVII The Ministries of Paul and Peter ~ cont.

A. First records the early church at Jerusalem ~ cont.

3. Power and persecution of early church ~ cont.

g. Stephen's life and death - Acts 6:8-15; 7:1-60; 8:1-4
h. Ministry of Philip - Acts 8:5-40


Stephen - ahhh, as I have a son named Stephen (specifically because of this passage) this is another favorite portion of Scripture for me.  :-)


He was full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.  The wisdom and spirit in which he spoke could not be resisted.


Men of the synagogue who were Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians and those of Cilicia and Asia disputed with him.  Suborned (to throw in stealthily, that is, introduce by collusion) men which said that Stephen had blashphemed against Moses and God; the holy place and the law; that Jesus of Nazareth would destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered.


As they looked upon his face, as it had been the face of an angel as he spoke.  I wonder if this how the Israelites perceived Moses when he'd been the presence of God and had to veil his face?


Stephen recounts the history from Abraham to Jesus - reminding them of how they served the false gods of Moloch and Remphan.


And this is where I got stuck...I should know by now that a simple look it up will not suffice.  :-)


What does Moloch and Remphan mean?  A quick google search - grab an overview of those pagan gods and zip right along.  Right?  Wrong.  I got completely blown out of the water.  Frankly, I was so discombobulated by what I initially read, I was ill.


The first page I came to made me dig deeper.  Surely, thought I, the information is wrong - this is just one person's perspective.


I have had reservations about the 6 sided 'star of David,' nothing severe, just a inner 'its not right' - 6 is the number for man.  Now I know why 'it' did not set right within me.  At this juncture, I have been all over trying to verify the initial information or disprove it.  Disprove it I can not.


According to what I have found thus far - the 'star of David' came into being not with David, but with Solomon.  Specifically when the foreign wives turned his heart away. 1Kings 11:4-11 states that he went after Ashtoreth, Milcom, Chemosh, Molech.


All I could think about after reading and researching was, I wonder if this is how someone feels when they find out that all of the 'Christian' holidays are pagan in origin.


The symbol used by the Nation of Israel is a hexagram - now I knew it was 6 pointed - that was obvious.  I knew that the occult symbol was 6 pointed.  I NEVER equated them as being the same.


It has taken me days to work my way through what I have read and researched, to absorb and be able to complete this post.  Tickling my mind over and over again was the thought, Father never told Israel to have a national flag.  Standards were raised for each tribe according to their father's house when they came out of Egypt - and Father is pretty explicit on how to build a tabernacle, where everyone is supposed to be, the type of materials to use, how to make them, where to place, etc.  Had HE a national flag for Israel, He would have made it known.


I think the majority of my perplexity comes in complete wonderment at having blindly accepted something as 'true' when there is nothing Scriptural about it.  This will make me think long and hard about other areas of the Christian life, and about Israel that I currently take at face value, or have just 'accepted' as being true.  Anything we know or do should be based upon the Bible - not what someone thinks, or that is how it has always been done, or we've always done it this way, my (fill in the blank) always did it this way.  What harm does it do?  What's wrong with it?


The real question we ought to ask ourselves is what is RIGHT with it?  How does anything we are thinking, feeling, acting, etc. measure up to the plumb line of the Word?


One of the websites I visited had this:


When believers 'don't care' about the origin and occultic practices that they participate in (i.e. Sunday, Easter and Christmas, etc.), or the wearing of occultic objects (the cross, the fish, and the Star of David), it tells me that their flesh is overruling the Spirit. IEUEsho said, 'But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the Truth...' (John 16:13).


I haven't researched the comment about the cross and fish being lifted from the occult - yet.

For the inquiring mind - this is the first site I came across Star of David? as I searched for the word Moloch.  I launched further, finding this site Star of David Pagan?, and this about the Six Pointed Star, and this site 666 - Star of David (which I found interesting as the author states he set out to PROVE that the star was legit).

I found one site which put a positive spin on it Origin of the Star of David, which came across pretty lamely in defending the position for the 6 sided star (my opinion).

I have not vetted these sites, it is the readers responsibility to review, analyze, research and discern.  God forbid that we should allow the traditions of man to rule.

I will leave you with:

Isa 55:8-9  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Day 314 - A few highlights

Just a few highlights from the previous day...


Peter and John were considered to be unlearned and ignorant men.  :-)


unlearned - G62 - From G1 (as negative particle) and G1121; unlettered, that is, illiterate.


ignorant - G2399 - From G2398; a private person, that is, (by implication) an ignoramus (compare “idiot”).


I have to smile at 'their' perception of what it means to be 'learned' and 'wise.'  Obviously their perception and Father's varies greatly.  Would that we were all as 'unlearned' and 'ignorant' as Peter and John and had their boldness to boot.


Peter and John contend that:  "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:20)


How oft do we recount, especially to hostile, ungrateful,  and/or disbelieving people those things which we have 'seen' and 'heard' of our Lord and Father?


Acts 4 records that the lame man's miracle caused all to glorify God - which caused the 'authorities' some disconcertion - they were unable to substantiate punishing them.


Recap of the lame man - he was over 40, he was lame from his mother's womb, he was STANDING with them (Peter and John) while they were being questioned.  Are we willing to stand by those who are being persecuted for the faith?


Peter and John reported back to the others - Acts 4:24-31 - they prayed and asked for boldness to speak HIS word.  God's response?  "They spake the word of God with boldness."  (Acts 4:31)


Would that the Bride of Christ - the invisible and visible church, would pray for such and be granted that same boldness.


I have recently been studying paedo and credo baptism - and because this topic is at the forefront of my mind, particular Scriptures jump out at me.  Specifically:


Acts 5:14 - And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women).


Horrible way to break up the passage, with only a portion of a parenthetical statement - sorry!  Believers were added...not infants...not children...men and women.  This journey is almost similar in my journey upon discovering the doctrine of election - once Father had enlightened my understanding the words of election, predestination, foreknowledge LEPT off the page.  As I am studying out both positions on paedo and credo, I see Father reaffirming that believers, those who could make a confession, were baptized and added to the church.


Second imprisonment - I missed this before...the apostles - so the 12 were haled into prison.   Not just Peter and John - and God sent an angel to open the door of the prison and they are thus commissioned:


"Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." (Acts 5:20)


I like Gill's commentary:
Act 5:20  Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people,.... They were not delivered out of prison, in order to go and secure themselves from danger; but to go about the work they were called to, to preach the Gospel "in the temple", the place of worship; and a proper place to meet with persons to preach to, being a public place, whither the Jews always resorted; and there they were to stand, and continue with courage and intrepidity, not fearing the reproach and wrath of men, seeing they had both Christ and truth on their side; and there declare it "to the people", the common people, the multitude, even all that came to hear: the Gospel is to be preached to all; the Spirit of God makes it effectual to some, and others are rendered inexcusable.


The counsel of Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, someone held in high esteem:  "And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." (Acts 5:38-39).


What has Father 'called' you to?  Are you fearful, afraid?  Do not want to be seen as odd or different?  Afraid of being ostracized?  Our Father has told us to stand firm, and having done all to stand, stand therefore.


Where Father guides, He always provides - He will never leave, nor forsake us.  Lord, that we would have the boldness, the fervency of the early church to go, stand and speak.


The seven appointed:  Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas.  The first two, Stephen and Philip have more to be discovered about them, the remaining five are blessed to be recorded as being worthy to minister to the widows in Jerusalem.


I used the Hitchcock Bible Names Dictionary for the following:
Stephen - crown; crowned
Philip - warlike; a lover of horses
Prochorus - he that presides over the choirs
Nicanor - a conqueror; victorious
Timon - honorable; worthy
Parmenas - that abides
Nicolas - (same as Nicodemus) - victory of the people


What were the requirements for those they called out?  Honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom.  Note the Nicolas name is the same as Nicodemus, it is not THE Nicodemus.  I checked Gill's Commentary, which was quite interesting regarding the names - avail yourselves of the opportunity to read it - and found this portion on the passage interesting:


It is observable, that the names of all these deacons are Greek names; from whence, it seems, that they were of the Grecian or Hellenistic Jews; so that the church thought fit to chose men out of that part of them which made the complaint, in order to make them easy; which is an instance of prudence and condescension, and shows of what excellent spirits they were of.


We all have a 'job' within the body of Christ - are we aware and functioning as HE has directed?  Would that we were all:





We are enjoined:


"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)


and



Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (Col 4:5-6)