Daily Readings and Thought for November 3rd. “LOOK YOU SCOFFERS”

Our chapter (13) in ACTS today is full of drama!  One of the lessons we learn is the way Paul, in his preaching, made use of what we call, the Old Testament. He uses no less than 7 quotations from 5 books of the Old Testament as he taught a large audience at Antioch in Pisidia (today this is south eastern Turkey). It is disappointing that today so many who claim to believe in Christ rarely read the Old Testament.

It is also sad to see, but this in God’s wisdom just has to be, that there were “scoffers” in Paul’s audience.  He told such to “Look out”  and in giving such a warning he was quoting from the prophet Habakkuk whom God caused to write, “Look you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work which you will not believe, even if one tells you of it.” [Acts 13 v.41 and Habakkuk 1 v.5].

History is full of examples of scoffers and today we have those who scoff at any belief in God and his creative work. Paul encountered scoffers at Athens who “mocked” [Acts 17 v.32] when “they heard about the resurrection of the dead.”   These scoffers had convinced themselves by their own reasoning that they had an immortal soul and that bodily resurrection was unthinkable. We do not find the phrase “immoral soul” in God’s word – and for good reason.

Actually we read today Paul’s reference to David who “after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption.” [v.36]  David concluded Psalm 17, actually a prayer, with these words, “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” 

We mentioned Daniel’s reference to resurrection in yesterday’s thoughts, but notice God’s final words to him in the last verse of his book, “”… you shall rest and stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”  Let us not scoff at anything that God has caused to be written and preserved for our enlightenment.  Sadly, so many do not want to be enlightened.