Lead:
What is the relationship between education and the Spirit?
Intro:
Yesterday we kicked off a little series that will look at the neighbors of the Israelites, and we’ll continue that today. But broadly speaking, the rest of the book of Judges just documents Israel’s slide into further depths of apostasy, including an interesting point right at the beginning of the passage, so I hope you’ll stick around for that.
As we kick off the day in Acts 4, however, we’ll see examples of being a witness for Christ, including one nugget I want you to listen for — the fact that all the educated people recognized that Peter and John were “uneducated and untrained men.” This isn’t an argument against education, of course, but remember a few days back when we talked about what it means to “walk in the Spirit?” It’s important to keep education in its proper place — as a tool to be used by the Spirit and not a source of our own authority.
Sponsor:
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New covenant:
Passage: Acts 4
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 37
Words: ~862
Wisdom:
Passage: none today
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses:
Words: ~
Old covenant:
Passage: Judges 17-18
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 44
Words: ~1190
Notes/Commentary:
Continuing our look at the neighbors of Israel (which at times were Israel/Judah). Remember, this isn’t a script. You’ll want to listen for maximum awesome.
Phoenicia
Living just north of Israel along the Mediterranean coast, the Semitic Amorites who populated the shoreline were famous merchants and seafarers who established colonies in north Africa, Spain, Asia Minor, and various Mediterranean islands. Israel usually maintained peaceful relations with this country, especially under David and Ahab. But they also fought wars against it. Phoenicia’s two major city-states were Sidon and Tyre. Sidon was destroyed in 677 B.C. by the Assyrian king Sennacherib; in 571 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, captured Tyre.
Aram/Syria
Located northeast of Israel, this collection of Semitic city-states—especially Damascus, Zobah, and Hamath—is mentioned frequently in Scripture as an aggressive enemy of Israel and Judah. The Bible records that Saul, David, Solomon, Baasha, Ahab, Joram, Joash, Jehoahaz, and Jehoash all fought battles against Aram. The Arameans’ greatest cultural contribution to the world was their alphabet, on which the “square” Hebrew script is based.(1)
Love you!
Roger
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) David S. Dockery, ed., Holman Bible Handbook (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992), 216.