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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Today's Passage : Today's Passage:The Riot in Ephesus [1] Bible Verse :Acts 19:23-27 "About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”" Message:
It is tempting to see Demetrius as greedy and a bit silly—nothing more than protecting his job of building silver items to honor a lesser Greek deity; but studying 1st Century Ephesus sheds a different light.
The Temple of Artemis, in Ephesus, was one of the seven wonders of the world. The Temple was four times the size of the Parthenon, a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight. Moreover, it was ancient. The temple of Paul’s time was probably the third Temple of Artemis on the site; like St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, it was destroyed several times and then rebuilt, larger and more magnificent each time. Nobody knows when the first temple was built, but it was probably sometime around 1000 B.C.
In addition, it was the center of life in the city and one of the centers of Greek culture. Numerous festivals were held there, with games, theater, markets, etc. It was a primary place for young Greeks to find spouses.
It is a shame that the temple was destroyed around 400 A.D. It would have ranked with the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China as one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
In a word, the Temple of Artemis was the greatest architectural achievement of Greek civilization. Its size, splendor, antiquity, and cultural importance was unequaled. Understanding this, we can understand the magnitude of the Ephesians’ reaction when they believed it to be under threat from Paul’s teaching.
Meditation : Prayer : Walk with me, dear Lord, so that I may not be alone as I face this day, but always in your presence. Your joy is a lighthouse in a world often dark with sin, and I pray that I may reflect the light of your truth, to inspire others as I have been inspired. In the name of Christ, bless me this day, and all whom I may meet.....Amen |
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