The Apostle Paul is in the city Athens on his Second Missionary Journey. He saw a “… city full of idols” (Acts 17:16).
As a result “ … he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present” (17:17). And the text tells us some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing or disputing with him (v. 18). Some were saying, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities” (v. 18). The reason they were saying that is because Paul was preaching Jesus and the resurrection (v.1 8).
So they brought him to the Areopagus and said, “ … May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming” (v.19).
Paul stands in the midst of the Areopagus and begins a lesson about the God of heaven. He relates that he saw among their objects of worship “ … an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you” (v. 23).
He proclaims to these people several great facts about the living God. Facts that they needed to know, and so do we. I list them for our understanding:
GOD IS THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE.
“God … made the world and all things in it …” (v. 24).
GOD IS THE SUSTAINER OF LIFE.
“ … He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things” (v. 25).
GOD IS THE RULER OF THE NATIONS.
“ ... and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God” (vs.26, 27).
GOD IS THE FATHER OF HUMAN BEINGS.
“ … For we are also His offspring: (v. 28).
GOD WILL BE THE JUDGE OF THE WORLD THROUGH JESUS.
“ … God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (vs 30, 31).
God is our God, and we can know Him through Jesus. Note that God will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus. Let us be reminded that scripture also says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). Is “righteousness” a word we would use to describe our country? What about our State? What about our community? What about my home? What about me? God, the Creator of the universe, the Sustainer of life, the Ruler of nations, the Father of human beings, the Judge of the world calls us to repentance. May we heed His call!
— Les Ferguson Sr., S. Huntington Street Church of Christ
