The beloved physician Luke wrote, “when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, You men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and you that fear God, give audience”, and in chapter thirteen and verse seventeen of the book of Acts Luke shared how Paul said, “the God of this people of Israel chose our fathers” where we read:
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
The verse begins, “The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, ...” Luke began with the words, “the God of this people” which means “the Heavenly Father God belonging to the particular human beings both male and female” “of Israel” or “who belonged to Israel whose name means he shall be prince” “chose our fathers” which means “elected, selected and picked out our, the people of Israel's, male progenitors and ancestors”, “and exalted the people” or “and lifted and raised up the human beings both male and female within Israel” “when they dwelt as strangers in the land” which means “at the time and moment the people of Israel lived, abode and were sojourners like foreigners within the territory, arable land and country” “of Egypt” or “belonging to Egypt whose name means double straights and was a country occupying the northeast angle of Africa”. Luke shared how “Paul” referred to the history of the “people of Israel” while they lived as foreigners within the country of “Egypt”.
The verse continues, “... and with an high arm brought he them out of it.” Luke added the words, “and with an high arm” which means “and by using exalted, uplifted, eminent and powerful might” “brought he them out of it” or “God carried and separated the people of Israel away and apart from Egypt”. Luke shared how God with His mighty power delivered the people of Israel from the land of “Egypt”.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see how “Paul” continued to share the history of Israel with the people in the synagogue. He referred to how God delivered Israel from the bondage of “Egypt” (See Deuteronomy 4:37), and he acknowledged the “power” of God to do so. God is able to “deliver” people from the bondage of “sin” through belief and trust in His Son Jesus. Those who yield themselves to Jesus will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life with God and given the power to escape the bondage of error and wrong. Let all who consider “Paul's” words understand, everyone lives like a “slave” to sin until they surrender their lives to Jesus who is able to deliver them with His “high arm”.
Next time Luke shares how Paul says, “about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness”, 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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