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. 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. And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness”, and in chapter thirteen and verse nineteen of the book of Acts Luke shared how Paul referred to when God, “had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan” where we read:
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
The verse begins, “And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when he had destroyed seven nations” which means “and at the time and moment God the Heavenly Father cast down and demolished seven multitudes of individuals of the same nature or genus” “in the land” or “within the territory, country and region” “of Channan” which means “belonging to Canaan whose name means lowland and refers to all of Palestine”. Luke shared how “Paul” referenced the “time” when “God the Heavenly Father” annihilated “seven” people groups within the land of “Canaan” after the people of “Israel” left the “wilderness” and entered the promised land.
The verse continues, “... he divided their land to them by lot.” Luke added the words, “he divided their land to them” which means “God the Heavenly Father separated and distributed the people of Israel's property, territory or regions” “by lot” or “with the use of apportioning particular places or estates to each of the tribes of Israel”. Luke shared how God the Heavenly Father “apportioned” particular portions of property to the tribes of Israel after they entered “Canaan”.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Paul” continued to recount the history of Israel to the people within the synagogue as he referred to when the tribes of Israel received their portion of land within “Canaan” or the promised land. “Paul” was leading the people within the “synagogue” to the arrival of the “Messiah Jesus” who would deliver them from their sins, and each of these interventions of God would show them how He intended to “save” them from their sinful lives. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (See John 3:16), and each step in a person's life is leading them to a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus. Let all who read “Paul's” words understand God's intentional effort to make a way to forgive their sins and grant them eternal life with Him.
Next time Luke shares how Paul refers to when God, “gave them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years”, 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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