The beloved physician Luke wrote how, “certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds”, and in chapter nineteen and verse nineteen of the book of Acts Luke shared how “many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them” where we read:
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
The verse begins, “Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men:” Luke began with the words, “many of them also” which means “a great and abundant number of people who believed in Ephesus even so and indeed”, “which used curious arts” or “who exercised, practiced, undertook and performed impertinent and superfluous magic arts” “brought their books together” which means “carried, bore forth and collected their written scrolls and sheets”, “and burned them” or “and consumed the written scrolls and sheets by fire” “before all men” which means “in front and in the presence of each, every, the whole and everyone of the people both male and female who believed”. Luke shared how a great number of people who believed in Ephesus and practiced “magic arts” brought their scrolls and written sheets together and “burned them” in a fire.
The verse continues, “and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” Luke added the words, “and they counted the price of them” or “and the people who brought their magic art scrolls computed jointly and reckoned the value and deference of the scrolls that were burned”, “and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver” which means “and discovered the value of the scrolls to be five ten thousands pieces of silver money or coins”. Luke shared how the believers in “Ephesus” who brought their “magic art scrolls” computed the value of them and discovered they were worth “fifty thousand” silver coins.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the new “believers” in “Ephesus” demonstrated their belief in Jesus by bringing together their “magic art” books and burning them. They no longer “believed” in their magic, and because their lives were changed, they wanted nothing to do with the life they previously knew. When a person believes and trusts in Jesus, the “old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (See 2 Corinthians 5:17), and that which was in the past is left behind. Perhaps there are things from the past that need to be “burned” in the lives of those reading these words, and if so, today is the day to rid themselves of the things that separate people from a relationship with the Lord Jesus and cling to those things that bring them closer to Him. May all who read these words take heed and act.
Next time Luke shares how, “mightily grew the word of God and prevailed”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or 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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