Shabbat Shalom, everyone. Please open your Bibles. Today we are going to look into the second half of the Book of Acts, Chapter 17. And we are going to read today from verse 15 to the end of the chapter. And we're going to deal with the ministry of the Apostle Paul Shaul to the people at Athens. As he was moving along in his ministry, entered into Europe, began with Philippi, and continuing his second missionary journey. He had already passed through Thessalonica. In chapter 17, he continued to Berea. And now we find the Apostle Paul ministering in a city that is called Athens. And we are going to begin in our reading today from verse 15.

Please follow with me as I read today. Verse 15. Verse 15. And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens, and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timothy, for to come to him with all speed they departed. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore, disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics encountered him, and some said, "What will this babbler say?" "Other, some, he seems to be a setter forth of strange gods, because he preached unto them Yeshua and their resurrection." And they took him, and brought him unto Areopogius, saying, "May we know what this new doctrine whereof thou speakest is?

For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears, we would know, therefore, what these things mean. For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing." 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. As I pass by, I beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription to the unknown God, whom, therefore, ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God, that made a world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with man's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things, and has made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed and the bounds of the habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if happily they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.

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. For as much 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, and at the time of this ignorance God winked it, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because he has appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. Whereof he has given assurance unto all men in that he had raised him from the dead.

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. And others said, we will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed among the which was Dionysius the Aopiagite, and a woman named Damerius, and others with them. And I stop with the reading in verse 34 at the end of the chapter. I mentioned the name of this hill that he called Areopogius. It is interesting to see some of the names that we have here in the city of Athens the apostle Paul had to visit and had to experience preaching the message of the gospel to the people of Athens.

Now, brothers and sisters, as we continue in our study of the book of Acts, we learn very well and very fast that the devotedness that we see in this wonderful man by the name of Paul, his Hebrew name Shaul, the devotedness that he had in the seeking to present the message of the gospel, not only to his own brethren, the Jewish people, the nation of Israel, but also to the pagan, Gentile community around the world. How he longed to share the message of the Messiah Yeshua, and the resurrection of the Messiah and the finished work of our Lord Jesus the Messiah. And you can see now that as he moves about from city to city, he experienced persecution.

He experienced sufferings and trials. He find himself experiencing the hatred and misunderstanding. And yet he's persistent in continuing on moving about from city to city in the preaching of the gospel. We just finished the study of the first 14 verses of Acts chapter 17. And we find that the apostle Paul, he left Thessalonica and how he suffered in Thessalonica from his own Jewish brethren because of his sharing the message of the Messiahship of Yeshua. He ended up fleeing from Thessalonica and he arrived to Berea and he went to the synagogue of his own brethren, the Jewish people in Berea. And in Berea, they received him. And we learn in verse 11 that they searched the scripture daily to see whether what the apostle Paul was telling them is truly the word of God.

They opened the Hebrew scriptures. They learned from the Hebrew scriptures where they could see that what he was sharing concerning the resurrection of the Messiah was truly so. That the Messiah Yeshua came and that he died on the tree. That he was buried and that he rose again on the third day. They received the word, but they were searching the scriptures. And you and I need to do that every time. Even though we are already believers in Yeshua the Messiah, we need to search the scriptures daily. That's why we are coming to the meetings to learn from the word of God, to search the scriptures, to see what the Lord has to teach us.

But even from Berea, beloved brothers and sisters, because some of the people from Thessalonica came to Berea when they heard that he was preaching in Berea, they came and the apostle Paul had to be, as we read here in verse 14, the brethren took him away through the sea and brought him all the way to the city of Athens. The beautiful thing to see that the brethren, that means that they were in Berea already believers that the Bible called them Achim in Hebrew. Brethren, they were brothers and sisters in our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, part of the body of Messiah. And they assisted him. And notice how we began in our study today in chapter 17 and verse 15.

They brought him all the way to the city of Athens. Look at verse 15. They that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens. Now, it's very interesting because they didn't only send him away out of the city of Berea, but they took him on that journey through the sea, as we read here in verse 14. And they brought him all the way to Athens because they loved him. They cared for him. They could see what he's experiencing in the rejection that he's experiencing, both by his own Jewish brethren, as well as by the Gentiles, unbelievers. The Bible tells us here in verse 15 that they conducted Paul. They literally watched over him, took the journey with him, brought him all the way to the city of Athens.

And then Paul gave them a commandment when they were returning back to Berea. They received a commandment from him to Silas and to Timothy for to come to him with all speed. Then they departed. Well, the apostle Paul gave them instruction in verse 15 concerning these two men, Silas and Timothy. These are two Jewish believers who have already come to faith in the Messiah. They became associates of the apostle Paul of Shaul. They ministered with him the gospel. And now Paul saying to these brethren, listen, when you come back to Berea, tell Timothy, tell Silas to come as soon as they can to visit, to be with me.

And apparently if you read first Thessalonians chapter three, you will notice that they did come to see Paul eventually in Athens and they ministered with him. The Bible tells us that in verse one and two of first Thessalonians chapter three, wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone. And send Timothy, our brother and minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of the Messiah, to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith. Apparently, Timothy already came later on to Athens and Paul now send him again to the believers in Thessalonica to see how the brethren have been doing.

You know, I love that so much to see in the apostle Paul because he was not only a gospel preacher. It's one thing when we are an evangelist and we are preaching the message of the gospel. But the apostle Paul had the care for the saints. He loved the believers, whether they were in Athens or Berea or Thessalonica or Ephesus or elsewhere. He loved the brethren and he always sought their well-being. He could not have been everywhere at the same time. Only God can be in many places at the same time. But Paul sent Timothy, sent Silas. He was caring for the welfare of the people of God.

And this is something that we really need that the Lord will develop in our own hearts. Love for the gospel, love for souls, but also love for souls that are saved and need encouragement and strength in their spiritual life. Because there are many, many problems that the believers are experiencing as they follow Yeshua, the Messiah. Now, from here on, from verse 16 to verse 34, there are two major points that we want to focus upon today in our ministry meeting. The first thing is in verses 16 to 21 where we see the apostle Paul witnessing in the city of Athens. You know, you will study that and you will notice, in fact, for the rest of the chapter, many Bible teachers study very well the witnessing of the apostle Paul here at Athens.

And the reason for that, because there is a lot of wisdom in the way that the apostle Paul had witnessed. You know, sometimes we do not witness with wisdom, with discernment. We just tell people, oh, you are a sinner. You need to go to heaven. If you're not going to go to heaven, you're going to go to hell. You'll die in your sins. But we don't seem to meet the message for the individual's need. We need to have wisdom in the preaching of the word of God. It's not just sufficient to give a message of judgment and to just go away and to say, well, I have presented the message.

We need to learn from the apostle Paul how he presented himself to various groups of people. And so notice, beloved brothers and sisters, the first thing we find out in verse 16, that Paul's spirit was really stirred within him when he saw the condition of the people of Athens. Look at verse 16. Now, while Paul waited, he was waiting for his own brethren to come, for Timothy, Silas. But while he was waiting in the city of Athens, it says here that his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given unto idolatry. Can you imagine? Here is a Jewish man who had been, prior to his faith in the Messiah, was a Pharisee of the Pharisees.

He knew the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He had believed in the true and living God, and for him idolatry was out of the question. Then later on, he was exposed to the person of Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. And in his initial information about the Messiah, he was ready to destroy his Jewish brethren who believed that Jesus was the Messiah. He now became a believer in Yeshua the Messiah, in the God of Israel through the Messiah Yeshua. Now he is coming into a total pagan city by the name of Athens. And he is waiting for the coming of Silas and Timothy. And as he is walking about in the city of Athens, downtown Athens, what does he see?

That the whole city was given to idolatry. In fact, some say that it was easier to find a God with a small g than a human being in the city of Athens. There were so many idols and altars and gods in the city of Athens. And can you imagine this man who was devoted to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who have understood the necessity of the coming of the Messiah, the Lord Yeshua, and have accepted him and paid a price. He is coming and walking in the center city, if you will, of Athens, and he has seen that the whole city was totally given to idolatry.

That must have been such a shock to the Apostle Paul, because the Bible tells us here in verse 16 that his spirit was stirred within him. That word for stirred is the Greek word poknuso or poknus, which speaks of really it was so much provoked. His spirit was provoked when he saw the condition of mankind around him in the city of Athens. Now, it reminds me of many other passages in scripture. You remember when Yeshua was here on earth, was still alive before his death on the tree. And you remember when he saw the people of Israel as a sheep without a shepherd going astray, all going in their own way, there was no shepherd, there was no leader.

Israel were turning from true belief in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob into all sort of rabbinical influence and tradition, things that were no longer what God had given to our people historically in the Hebrew scripture. And Apostle Paul, looking at the condition of the people of Athens, he was really provoked in his own heart when he saw the condition. He was stirred, he was aroused, as we have here in this Greek word paroksuno. He was really stirred in his own heart to see the condition of the people, because the whole city was given to idolatry. That's why, by the way, we read, if you remember in our reading, Psalm 115, when God had warned our people, Israel, to show our people the contrast between the God of Israel and the idols of the nations of the world.

It was the psalmist who said, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake." Why should the heathen say, "Where is their God?" And then the writer of the psalmist says, "But our God is in the heavens. He has done whatsoever he pleased." But then he's talking about the idols. And he gave Israel an instruction and warning in contrast between the true and living God and the idols of the nations of the world. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of man's hand. They have mouth, but they speak not. They have eyes, but they cannot see.

They have ears, but they cannot hear. They have noses, but they cannot smell. They have hands, but they cannot handle. They have feet, but they cannot walk. Neither can they speak through the throat. They that make them are just like them, the psalmist says. So is everyone that trusts in those idols. The psalmist of Israel have already given these instructions to the people of Israel. And you can just see why the apostle Paul, Shaul, a Jewish believer in Yeshua the Messiah, could be so stirred in his heart when he saw the condition in the city of Athens. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, you know, by the way, that the New Testament believers are also exhorted to be careful from idols.

You know how you and I are so quickly being influenced by things that become like idols for us in our lives. Many things for us become like idols. The apostle taught already in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 14. He said, listen to this. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. The apostle John in 1 John chapter 5 and verse 21 says, Keep yourselves from idols. This is to believers he's speaking. 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 14. 1 John 5 and verse 21. He doesn't speak to unbelievers like Paul spoke to the people of Athens. But he's speaking to believers to be careful from idols. And you and I might have idols influence our lives. Things that become so important for us.

Even more important than giving our time to our blessed Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. And so no wonder the apostle Paul was so stirred in his own heart when he saw the condition in the city of Athens. So look what he does, brothers and sisters. It is interesting to me because while he saw the city filled with idolatry and he's going right now and began to preach the message of the gospel to those pagans who worship those idols. But he did something very interesting because immediately he went to the synagogue. As he taught us in Romans 1 and verse 16, where he says, I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe.

And he gave us the order of things to the Jew first, and then also to the Greek or to the Gentile. So we find out that in verse 17, he first of all, in accordance with this principle, he have gone to the synagogue of the Jewish people. And so notice in our chapter 17 and verse 17, Therefore, he reasoned or disputed, it says here, in the synagogue with the Jewish people. He was reasoning with them. That word disputing does not mean that he argued and fought with them. No. That word by disputing or reasoning, he was speaking to them and sharing with them from the Hebrew scriptures concerning the person of Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah.

He tells them in verse 17b, he reasoned with the Jewish people, with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Apparently, he was teaching there in the synagogue, the Jewish people, as well as where they were going to the market to purchase things. He was talking with them. Can you imagine? His daily routine was, well, Shabbat, I'm going to go to the synagogue, Sunday morning, Yom Rishon, the first day of the week, Monday or Tuesday, whatever. He had gone to minister the word of God, went to the market. People were going shopping, buying all kinds of things, foods for home, and he was dealing with those as well with his Jewish brethren.

And what was he dealing with? Disputing or reasoning with them. It says in verse 17, he did a daily with them that met with him, and he was really teaching them concerning the person of Yeshua, the Messiah. We're going to see it in the next verse. He was dealing with the people with whom he communicated. Number one, the person of Yeshua, Jesus. Number two, the resurrection of the Messiah, Yeshua. Notice that again. I'm reading now verse 18. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics encountered him. And some said, what will this babbler say? Other some, he seems to be a setter forth of strange gods, because he preached unto them Yeshua, Jesus, and their resurrection.

Apparently he was sharing in a synagogue on Shabbat. He was going to the marketplaces and sharing there as well. But in addition to that, there were certain people, philosophers of the Epicureans and the Stoics that approached him, and they listened to what he had to say. Now, you know, philosophy is one of the things that oftentimes people in sharing the message of the gospel, people have their own philosophy. And philosophy simply means one that he'd given himself into human wisdom and understanding. You know, philosophy is what today we find ourselves exposed to. Human wisdom, human opinion, human learnings, the learning of various philosophers who have taught from generation to generation.

You see, they reject God, but they rather follow human wisdom and human opinion. That's why many reject the person of Yeshua, the Messiah, the Messiah, because they rather trust in human opinion, rather than the truth of the word of God. So apparently, some of those philosophers came to the Apostle Paul, and they were following two great philosophers from their history. One of them is called the Epicureans, those who follow his teaching. And he taught that they should just enjoy life. Live life as it is. Enjoy it to the uttermost. Have as much pleasure of life as you wish. And people do tell us today, let's just forget about this religious stuff.

Let's just enjoy life. Just have good time. Great time. We only have a certain length of time to live. Let us be merry. Let us drink and live and have great time and forget about the things of the Lord. That is what those philosophers who follow these Epicureans, that's what they've been taught to carry on and enjoy life. On the other hand, there are other philosophers, they're calling here the Stoic. They followed another man's philosophy, and he taught to simply endure life. You just carry on and endure life. I made some notes here for myself. Simply have a self-control in your life. Carry on and endure life.

Control yourself in everything, but just carry on living your life. Yes, you want to control your life, and you want to be self-sufficient. You make sure that you take care of yourself. Endure life. Carry on. A little bit different than what the first group, the other ones who said just enjoy life to the fullest. They had two types of philosophies. And the Apostle Paul, he was not interested in their philosophy, not only that they couldn't enjoy life, not only that they couldn't endure life with self-sufficiency, the Apostle Paul wanted them to have life, to provide for them life through the life giver, through the Lord Jesus, Yeshua, the Messiah.

But they came to him as they were hearing him speaking, and they said, "What does Bubbler say? What does he say when he was preaching to them the message of the Gospel?" They said, "What does this Bubbler say?" And others said, "It seems to be that he's setting forth a strange gods." Why? Because he was preaching unto them Jesus, Yeshua, and their resurrection. Apparently, again, to remind you, they didn't have the Book of Acts in their hands. They didn't have the Book of Romans in their hands, or 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians. He did not even arrive to Corinth yet. It's going to be in chapter 18, when he enters into the city of Corinth.

Apparently, whenever the Apostle Paul was preaching, he could only use the message of the existed Word of God, the Tanakh, the Hebrew Scriptures. And as he was preaching to them, of course he understood they were not Jewish people. They didn't have the Bible in their hands. But he could only present the message of Yeshua and his resurrection from the Scriptures, from the Word of God. And so some of them saying, "Look what he's talking about. He's presenting for us as strange gods." Because he preached unto them, number one, a wonderful man by the name of Jesus, by the name of Yeshua. And not only that, that this man came from heaven, died on a cross, on a tree, was buried and placed in a tomb, buried, and he rose from among the dead.

He could only speak from the Hebrew Scriptures because that's all what he had to provide. Psalm 16:10, Isaiah 53:10, and various other passages of the Tanakh that he could speak about the resurrection of the promised Messiah. So he was presenting to them the message of the Gospel. So they thought, because he was speaking about a man that died and was buried and resurrected, they called him a bubbler. They called him a man that's bringing forth some strange gods. So we read here in the next verse, beloved brothers and sisters in verse 19, "Then they took him to a place that is called Mars Hill." When I've been there, I had a great privilege to visit Mars Hill with my wife years ago, when we visit the city of Athens.

And it's called here Areopagaeus, which simply means the hill of Mars. The hill of these gods, Mars Hill. I think it's over 300 and something feet high. And there was a place where the judges were there. The leaders of the city of Athens were there. And they were evaluating everyone that came and share something about another god. With a small g that is. Now, can you imagine? Brothers and sisters, they use this place to hear all sorts of things. And look what it says here. They took him and they brought him to the Areopagaeus, Mars Hills, and they say to him, "May we know what this new doctrine whereof you speak is." Now, brothers and sisters, listen.

I know for a fact that even today in the professing church of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, people always seek for some new things. They always seem to not be satisfied with what God gives us in his precious word. And every time a new preacher comes to town, people are running to and fro to learn some new things. Let me tell you, somebody come that tells us that he has something new to say, remember that was already there a long time ago. There are no new things under the sun. There may be new preachers, but there are no new doctrine and new teaching when it comes to those of us who know the Bible.

Now God warned Israel again and again to go back to the ABC of his word. When Nehemiah was rebuilding the city walls after Israel had been taken to Babylon, he rebuilt a gate. One of the gates was called the Old Gate. In Hebrew we call it Sha'ar Yashan, the Old Gate. It reminds us of the old truth that God had given our forefathers many, many years ago. God does not change. His word does not change. It remains the same. God said to Israel in Jeremiah chapter 6 and verse 16, Thus says the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old path. Where is the good way that you can walk therein?

And ye shall find rest to your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein. People look for new things. They try to find some new things and new teachings. And no wonder we are so messed up when it comes to doctrine and teaching. Paul said this to Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 4. Paul said this to the believers through Timothy. He said to him, Preach the word, Timothy. Be instant, in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. But after their own lusts they shall heap for themselves teachers having itching ears.

You see these are warnings that we are giving to the body of Messiah through the apostles. Here we see in Mars Hill that they called the Apostle Paul and they said to him, The people here at Athens. What is this new thing that you are teaching? We want to hear these new things. This new doctrine where you speak about. What is this new doctrine? And apparently somebody came to town with a new doctrine. He could stand in Mars Hill. He could tell this new teaching, new doctrine. And everybody adapt this doctrine. They build another altar. And they name another gods. And now they have another gods.

And another god for a new teaching. A new doctrine. Another god. Another god. And they end up to have thousands of gods in the city of Athens. Well, Paul was so stirred up when he saw that. And yet, as he was ministering there on Mars Hill. Look at that verse 20. The question that Paul was questioned by the Athenians. For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears. We would know, therefore, what these things mean. Paul, they said to him, you're bringing some new things. We want to know what are those new things. And of course, it may have been new for them. But what Paul was going to give them is the message of the gospel of salvation through the person and work of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

So, look what we find here in the next verse. Verse 21. It says, So, they were coming to Mars Hill. They're all sitting there. Oh, he's a new guy coming to town. He's going to tell us something new. Oh, he's another guy coming to town. He's going to tell us something new. And so, that's how they were spending their time in listening to all these things that the new strangers were coming to tell them some new things. Now, mind you, of course, they were not Jewish. They were not from among the people of Israel. And therefore, they could not read what the king of Israel, Solomon, said in Ecclesiastes chapter 1 from verse 8 to verse 11.

All things are full of labor. Men cannot utter it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. The thing that has been, it is that which shall be. And that which is done, is that which shall be done. And there is no new thing under the sun. Verse 10. Is there anything whereof? It may be said, see, this is new. It has been already of all time, which was before us. There is no remembrance of the former things. Neither shall there be any remembrance of the things which are come with those that shall come after. In other words, Shlomo, Solomon, the king of Israel, he is that preacher here who is giving us the book of Ecclesiastes, Kohelet, and he's telling us that there is nothing new under the sun.

Now, mind you, they couldn't read these texts because they did not receive that passage or that scripture because they were not part of the nation of Israel. But nevertheless, this is exactly what we read in here, that in verse 21, the things that they did, they spend their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing. Brothers and sisters, just for the word of encouragement for us, believe me, let us be satisfied with the sincere milk of the word of God. Let us not look for new things. If you want to find new things, find them in the word of God and you will notice that God has already told this to another, to others before you, but you and I become new and fresh to us.

But it had been already there in the word of God. So, this is what we learn here from verse 16 to 21, Paul is witnessing in the city of Athens. Now, let's move on and we'll see what he did here from verse 22 to the end of the chapter. We see now he is defending the message of the gospel before the people of Athens. He is defending what he is defending what he already shared, that Jesus, Yeshua, is the Messiah, and that he died, he was buried, and he rose from among the dead. And he does it in a very interesting way. He doesn't criticize now and cut down the people of Athens, but in the wisdom that God had given to the apostle, he really presenting this message to them one step at a time.

And I want you to notice what he does. First of all, in verse 22 and 23, Paul began pointing out the altar that they had there that is called an altar that had been dedicated to the unknown God. Look at this, verse 22 and 23. Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars Hill, and he said, "Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious, or too religious, or you reverence many gods. 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." See the wisdom of the apostle Paul.

Apparently, as you walked in the town, in the city of Athens, you see an altar here to this God, and an altar here to this God, and another altar at this end to this God. There were many, many altars, many, many gods, to which they all have been occupied with, and they were worshipping all sorts of gods. But you see what they did? They had another altar placed somewhere on Mars Hill, or in Athens, and this altar, they put a name on top of it, and they called this an altar to the unknown God. You know why they did it? Just in case. Yeah, we have thousands of gods, but just in case that there is a God, that we didn't put an altar for him.

So they placed an altar, they put a title above that altar, they called him the altar that belonged to the unknown God. So Paul caught this occasion, and what did he do? In his wisdom that he received from the Lord, he was now telling them about this unknown God. Remember I said to you earlier how important for us in preaching of the message of the Gospel, that we will know how to do it, how to share it, in what way, in what manner. Not on expense of the truth of the Gospel, but to do it in such a way that we can meet needs in the wisdom that God had given to us.

So now Paul is telling them, listen, I've walked around, I've seen this altar, and the altar says to this unknown God, he says, I want to tell you about this unknown God. He's saying to these people at Athens. And if you notice, brothers and sisters, step by step, he lead them to a creator God, who is a provider God, who is a ruling God, who is a saving God. He is taking them step by step by step, and he leads them to this wonderful God, who is a creator, that is a provider, that he is a ruler, but he is also a savior. And he does it step by step.

Step number one is found in verse 24. He says, God that had made a world, and all things were in, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, he dwelleth not in temples made with hands. He's telling them, first of all, you know that unknown God that you have an altar for him? I want to tell you about him. He is a creator God. He doesn't dwell, notice that verse 24, in temples that are made with hands. Now you can immediately, in the back of your mind, look back into the king of Israel, King Shlomo, King Solomon. You remember? In 1st King chapter 8, when he was worshipping the God of Israel at the building of the temple.

He says, will God dwell in this temple? He was so overwhelmed in 1st King chapter 8, he says, is it possible, God, that you are going to dwell here in this temple that is made with hands? I'll read that verse, 1st Kings chapter 8 and verse 27. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house that I have builded, Solomon said. Solomon understood that God is greater than just the building, though the temple, Beit HaMikdash, that he built was devoted to the God of Israel. But he understood that God does not dwell in a mere building.

He cannot be contained into one building. God is filling everywhere because he is the creator. He says, he is the Lord of heaven and earth. He is the creator. He does not dwell in temples made with hands. So he was touching the mind of these philosophers or these men that were following philosophy. And he's trying to tell them, listen, ladies and gentlemen, recognize that there is a living God who is not being bound by buildings. He is not being bound by temples made with human hands. He is the creator. Then he's moving down in verse 25. He is saying this unknown God is not only the creator, but he is the provider.

He gives everything. Notice that next verse. Neither he is worshipped with man's hand as though he need anything, seeing that he gives to all life and breath and all things. You know, brothers and sisters, everything that man has today was given to us by God. You remember what James said to his Hebrew brethren, James 1 verse 17? Every good thing and every perfect thing came from above, from the father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Everything was given to us by God. That's what he's really saying. He's not only a creator, but he's a provider. And brothers and sisters, think about you and I today.

Do you know that everything that we have and possess really was given to us by God? He had given to us everything. He pointing us in verse 25, life and breath and all things. You know, the very fact that we breathe, it's a fact that God had provided for us life and breath. Everything was given to us by God. Everything was given to us by God. And he had not only this, but all things. David said years ago in the scriptures, when he received from the Lord so much in first Chronicles 29 at the end of the chapter, he said to them, what can I give you that I did not receive?

You know that everything David said that he received, it was given to him by God. And David was so broken before the Lord, when he prepared for the temple, all the elements, the gold, the silver, the bronze and everything that he prepared, everything was given to him by God. And David said to God, what we're going to give you, we don't give you anything. Whatever we give you, we have already received from you. And everything that we give, we receive, so we give you back what we receive from you. And that's why Paul said to him, listen, he's not only a creator, but he's a provider.

He gives us life. He gives us breath. And he gives us all things. Verse 25 of chapter 17. But not only that he's a creator and provider, he's also a ruler. He rules. Look at verse 26 to 29. The unknown God is the one who determined the times and the boundaries. He rules over the affairs of men. He has made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth. For he has determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation. Some of us are coming from many countries here in our little fellowship here. Some of us are locally in Canada, some from Israel, some from United States, some coming from Czechoslovakia, some from Russia, from Belarus.

We have people who come from all sorts of countries in the world. And can you imagine when God has situated us in various countries and lands? He's the one that ordained it in such a way. He's the one that gave us the different languages that we all speak. He's in charge of his affair of those that he created. He is in charge. And that's why he's saying he determined the times. He's appointed the boundaries. He has appointed everything that we have today the way that God has determined them to be. We read in Deuteronomy chapter 32 in verse 8. We read these words. When the Most High divided to the nation their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

See, when God divides the lands and the boundaries of the world, of the nation, he has done it in such a way, according to Deuteronomy 32 in verse 8, according to the number of the children of Israel. He divided the nations. In other words, he takes care of his affairs. Even though it looks like everything is in a mess in this world, and people thinking that God does not know what's going on, what Apostle Paul is saying here in verse 26, that he determined the times. He has appointed the boundaries of all the inhabitants of this world. Why did God do it in such a way? It says in verse 27 that they should seek the Lord, if happily they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.

God is not far. God is very near to his creation. And sometimes men act as if God is far away and he's not caring. But the Bible does teach us, and that's what Paul is showing to us, that he is not a God who is a far away God. He is a God that he near his people. According to verse 27, he is not far from every one of us. And it is true, brothers and sisters, there is a built-in mechanism, if you will, conscience, that God had given men to prove to men that God is not far away from none of us. Our conscience tells us that there is a living God, to him we are accountable.

Look at creation. The sun, the moon, the stars, tells us that there is a providing God, who is caring for his people, who rules over his people. Of mankind that is. The sun is rising in the morning and going down in the evening. The moon is shining at night. The stars. We see the evidence of God's ruling over the affairs of men, even though men reject him and despise these truths. So verse 27 shows us that he is not far from us. Notice in verse 28 that in his rule, he directs his creation because it says in verse 28, in him we live, in him we move, in him we have our being.

The very fact that we move in our life, that we live, we breathe, and we are existing. It's a proof of a living God. Every day that there is a birth in the hospital, and a mother give birth to a child, is a proof that there is a living God that gives us life. This little baby that we hold in our hands, that have his hands, and his arms, and his legs, and his head, and his breathing, and he has his mouth, nose, and he is a creation of God, he is a miracle of God. That he is one that is born into this world.

And then as he grows up, as you and I grow up, we live in him, we move in him, and we have our being existed because of the fact that God had given us life. If you remember in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 26 and 27, we have been created in the image and the likeness of God. In Genesis chapter 2, it tells us that he breathed unto his nostril the breath of life, and man became a living soul. You know, brothers and sisters, the proof that there is a living God is you and I here today, just the same like Paul speaking to the people of Athens on Mars Hill.

They prove that there is a living God, that unknown God for them. He is the one that is ruling. He is the very fact that they are there, they move, they live, and have our being because of who this living God is. And then fourthly, in this verse 29, he continues and he tells them that he is not a God which made things through device. Notice that in verse 29, for as much then as we are the offspring of God, we are not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone graven by art and men's device. You see, that's what he was warning always our people Israel historically.

Don't you follow the ways of the nations. Don't you make a graven images. That was part of the decalogue of the Ten Commandments. Thou shall not have any other gods before me, he said to our nation Israel. It's not that he does not want men to have his own device to develop a God of gold and a God of silver and a God of stone. This is idolatry, he said to Israel. And here the Apostle Paul zeroing in in the city of Athens when he said that God is not that kind of God. You cannot make him with your own device. You cannot just think and imagine him as if he is the God of gold or silver or stone.

No, he is a living God who is number one, he is the creator. Number two, he is the provider. Number three, he is the ruler. Everything is under his control. And then finally, brothers and sisters, in this chapter, in the last verses 30 to 34, he is now telling them the necessity to repent and to believe in this unknown God, whom he has now made him known unto them. And so notice at the final verses and look how important it is. Verse 30, God was patient. God was long suffering with mankind. At the times of this ignorance, God winked it. But now he commanded all men everywhere to repent.

What he was telling them, listen, God bore with us, not because he allows sin and he's not going to judge sin, or he will. But he bore with mankind. He waited on mankind. He winked at this time of the ignorant. God winked at it. In other words, he was saying really in this verse 30 that this God was patient. And he overlooked for this period of time. In other words, man's sin, God will judge it. But he waited for the period of time in which he is going to judge this world. And he is now, notice, he commended all men everywhere to repent. Notice there's two expressions.

All men everywhere to repent. Not only in the land of Israel now. In Athens. In Berea. In Tessalonica. In Philippi. Everywhere, we can say today in Toronto. God commending all men everywhere. And notice that word, to repent. Repentance is a change of mind. Repentance is a turn around 180 degrees and going in a total different direction. Repentance towards God is essential for salvation. Notice if you just turn to chapter 20 for a moment. Verse 21 says this. Testifying both to the Jewish people. And also to the Greeks. Repentance towards God. And faith towards our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. Repentance is essential, beloved brothers and sisters. And Paul was saying to these people of Athens, the importance of repentance.

Of Teshuvah, as we say in Hebrew. We read in 1st King as well. Of the necessity of Teshuvah. To return. To turn around towards God. To take side with God. And to go against oneself. To recognize that we have been wrong. That we have sinned. And that God is a just God. That's what the apostle is telling to the people of Athens. He winked for a time. He overruled for a time. He patiently waited for this time of the presentation of the gospel. But now. Not later on. Now he commending all men everywhere to repent. Why he is doing that? Why he commending to repent?

Because judgment is coming. If there is no repentance. There is a judgment. It is going to come upon man. Because notice at the next verse he says. Because he has appointed a day. In the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained. See there is coming a day. You know people can delay the time that they are going to have to meet the Lord. They are going to delay. They can say listen I don't have to do it right now. I have plenty of time. I want to live my life perhaps like those philosophers who says enjoy life.

Have great time. Have great time. You don't need to worry about God now. Later on. Just before you die. You might take the time. And then you can change your mind. And you can come back to God. And repent. Well. Paul says no. No. Because now he commended. Not later on. All men. Not some men. Everywhere. Not only in some places like Athens. But everywhere he commended men to repent. Because there is a day. In which he will judge the world in righteousness. Now that takes us really. To the great white throne judgment. See for us believers. Who have accepted Yeshua the Messiah. We are going to meet the Lord at the judgment seat of the Messiah.

2nd Corinthians 5 10. There our works will be judged as believers. But at the great white throne judgment. Revelation teaches us this at the end. Chapter 19 and 20 there. There at the great white throne judgment. It's not anymore an issue of believers. All the people who are going to stand at the great white throne judgment. Will be unbelievers. And everyone will be judged with. What have you done? With Yeshua the Messiah. There is a day coming. The day of judgment. Where he is going to have to judge. Notice that in verse 31. He will judge the world. And he is going to judge the world in righteousness. No one going to escape.

The piercing eye. Of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. He knows everything about us. He knows our motives. He knows our lives. He knows everything about us. And yet he loves men. For this he paid when he died for us on the cross. On the tree. But those that will refuse him. Will have to be judged by him. And notice the Bible says he will be judged by that man. Who is that man? That's the man that was rejected. That's the man that was despised. That's the man that the prophet Isaiah called him. A man of sorrows. That had been acquainted with grief. That's the man.

The man of God's counsel. The man who brought so much joy. To the heart of God. Once he was despised. And rejected. But in the second time. In the second coming. He is going to come in righteousness. As King of Kings. And Lord of Lords. Every knee shall bow. Every tongue will confess. That Yeshua is Lord. To the glory of God the Father. And you know brothers and sisters. This tells us. Here in these verses. That he will be the one who is going to judge men in righteousness. And notice what it says. That's why. Verse 31. Beware of. He has given assurance. And to all men.

In that he had raised him from the dead. You know. He just. Again. Going back to the truth of the resurrection. Why the resurrection? Because the resurrection. Is a token. Of God's pleasure. In the work of the Messiah Yeshua. When God raised him. God was satisfied. Because. The work of redemption had been complete. That's why he raised him. And he placed him at the pinnacle of the universe. And he said to him. Sit. Down. On my right hand. Psalm 110. Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. And the resurrection. Again. Is mentioned. Is mentioned here. It mentioned in verse 18. And it mentioned in Romans 4. Verse 25. He was raised.

In order that we will be justified. And so Paul preached to them. That message. And I tell you. I wish I could have been there. Just on the side. On Mars Hill. Somewhere in the corner there. Listening to the message that the apostle Paul is preaching to them. And just drinking it in. And telling. Preach it brother Paul. Because he was preaching the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah. Now. In closing. Every time we preach the message of the gospel. You have more than one kind of response. And notice the three types of responses that we have here in the last verses. Two responses in verse 32.

And one response in verse 34. The first response is in verse 32. When they heard of the resurrection. Of the dead. Some mocked. Some said. Mr. Paul. You're crazy. Well. I have so many other gods here that I can trust in. What do you give me this? Jesus. Yeshua. Death. Resurrection. What do you give me this? Nonsense. They might say. They were mocking him. Today. When we preach the message of the gospel. People laugh at us. They say. Are you crazy? Yeah. Men die. Buried. Raised. Heaven. This. What are you telling me? The people reject the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah. And they mock the message of the gospel.

Now. Praise God. I trust none of us here mocking that message. Because we are here to come to find pleasure. In what we have already learned about Yeshua the Messiah. Some mocked. Like they will mock when we're going to preach today. On the streets here. But then look at this. Others. Make another type of a mistake. Because it says in verse 32. And others said. We will hear thee again of this matter. In other words. Paul. We'll talk about it later. I'm busy right now. I have things to do. I'm occupied right now. I have responsibility. Like many say today. You know what? It's nice to hear about wonderful Yeshua Jesus.

But you know what? I have no time for him today. We'll talk about it another time. I'll hear you again. You know. We'll talk later. Later doesn't come. The Bible says today. If you hear his voice. Harden not your heart. Don't delay. They say no. We'll talk about it later on. Paul. Don't give me this today. I have no time. You remember. When the Lord. In the gospel. He made an invitation. And he invited people. To come to the celebration. And some says. You know. I married a wife. I cannot come. Just married a wife. Why don't you bring your wife with you? Others said.

You know. I bought some animals. And I need to watch. How they walk the ground. Well. You can watch later on. Come now. I cannot come. I'll hear you later. We'll talk about it later. And you know. Brothers and sisters. Later. Too many. Never. Come. Many. Who are going to find themselves. In a lost. Eternity. Because they didn't. Take the time. To give. To Yeshua. The Messiah. There is time. For pleasure. There is time. For business. There is time. For all. Sort of things. We make sure. That we have time for. But very little time. For the things. Of our Lord Jesus. Of our Lord Yeshua.

The Messiah. We will hear you again. Some other day. Paul. We don't have the time. Right now. How many people. Are going to cry. To the Lord. At a great white throne. Judgment. And says. Lord. Forgive me. If I knew. Lord. If I took the time. To just accept you. And recognize. That you are the Messiah. Lord. Please. Lord. And the Lord. Will have to say. To them. Depart from me. Ye workers. Of iniquity. You will not. Go to. Hell. Or to the lake. Of fire. Only because. You are sinners. But because. You refuse. To accept. Forgiveness. On a basis. Of my provision. For you.

And he will have. To tell them. Depart. From me. And it's sad. As it is. Beloved. Brothers and sisters. But Paul. Must have been broken. When those. Told him. We will talk. To you again. I believe. That it's far better. To mock. Than to just say. I'll talk to you later. To pretend. As if you're going to. Talk later on. You better reject it. Right away. Say I don't believe. And I don't want it. Those ones who said. Well. I'll talk about it later. They were really. Revealing. What was really. In their own. Hearts. And you know what. Brothers and sisters. I remember. In my life.

When I heard the gospel. I said. To those. Who were lovingly. Sharing with me. You know. It's a nice story. But we'll talk about it. Later. Thank God. That he. Did not allow me. To leave. This scene. Before I've confessed. Yeshua. As my Lord. And my. Messiah. So. This is. Very serious. And very important. And finally. Brothers and sisters. Look in the last verses. First of all. It says. That Paul departed. From among them. Now. Paul left. And by the way. We never read. In scripture. That Paul returned. To Athens. Again. He departed from them. But look. As he was departing. There were those. That cleaved.

To him. Those that believed. The message. The word for cleaving. Glue. Davkubo. In other words. They glued to him. And believed. Praise God. That there are always those. That trust the Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. When we preach the message. There are always those. That God is touching their hearts. It says about them. That they believe. You remember what we read. Acts 16 31. Where. What must I do. To have eternal life. Paul answered. The jailer. Believe on the Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. And you shall be saved. John 3 16. For God. So loved the world. That he gave his only begotten son. That whosoever believeth on him. Shall not perish.

But have everlasting life. And then we read. About this psalm. It says. Among the witch. Was. Dionysius. The Areopagite. And a woman. By the name of Damarius. And others also. There were those individuals. Who did. Believe. The message. Of the gospel. Concerning Yeshua. Who died. Was buried. And resurrected. And they've accepted him. And believed. And become part. Of the church. Of the living God. The assembly. Of the congregation. There in the local. City. That is called. Athens. And we praise God. For these brothers. And sisters. And just to close. The meeting. We need to recognize. The grace of God. And how God. Have touched our hearts.

And made us. If you will. Provoked us. To turn to him. And say. Lord. We do need you. As our Lord. And as our Savior. And we become part. Of the redeemed company. That belonged to Yeshua. The Messiah.