Saturday, December 17, 2022

Not Hearing that Prophet - Acts 3:23

Luke the physician wrote how Peter told the people who gathered together after the lame man at the temple was healed to, “Repent you therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you. Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you”, and in chapter three and verse twenty-three of the book of Acts Luke shared how Peter told the people how Moses said, “every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people” where we read:

And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet,

shall be destroyed from among the people.

The verse begins, “And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, ...” Luke began with the words, “and it shall come to pass” which means “and it will happen and come into existence”, “that every soul” which means “that each, the whole, all and everyone of the people with seats of feelings, desires, affections and aversions”, “which will not hear” or “who refuses to be endowed with hearing, perceiving, understanding and comprehend” “that prophet” which means “the one moved by the Spirit of God and therefore his organs or spokesmen who solemnly declared to men what they received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation” will experience the following. Luke shared how “Peter” said it would occur and happen that everyone who refuses to “hear” the “prophet” spoken of by “Moses” would experience the following.

The verse continues, “shall be destroyed from among the people.” Luke added the words, “shall be destroyed” or “will be extirpated and utterly ruined” “from among the people” which means “apart and separate from the Jewish people both male and female”. Luke shared how “Peter” told the Jewish people who gathered to him in the temple that whoever “rejected and refused” the “prophet” spoken of by “Moses” would be “demolished and ruined” from their people.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn the importance of receiving the Messiah spoken of by Moses. “Peter” told the people gathered to him in the temple that whoever rejected this “prophet” would experience ruin and destruction. God's desire is to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they surrender their lives to Him, they will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God in Heaven. Those who are wise will receive Jesus as their “Lord and Savior” and never be named among those who “refused and rejected” Him as God's Messiah and Son.

Next time Luke shares how “Peter” tells the multitude, “all the prophets … have likewise foretold of these days”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".








 

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