#BibleStudy. Expressions of Faith. Acts Ch 17. An Unknown God – Take 2

²³ For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

²⁴ “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.

17:23-24

Zeus Hera Poseidon Demeter Athena Ares

Aphrodite Apollo Artemis Hephaestus Hermes Hestia/Dionysus

As Paul wanders through Athens, he notices the vast number of idols, altars, and shrines including the twelve Greek gods/goddesses listed above.

• Historians estimate the human population of Athens at around 10,000 at the time of Paul’s visit.
• Estimates of the number of tributes are as high as 30,000.
• Athenians made sure they covered all the bases with an altar to AN UNKNOWN GOD. After all, what if you missed one?

Paul uses this “just in case” altar to present the Gospel.

• The two quotes in v28 are from Greek poets.

²⁸ ‘For in him we live, and move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ (WEB)

Paul uses those to transition to the need to repent.

• Paul’s audience focuses on the resurrection, an issue that divides the crowd.

Ultimately only

³⁴ Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed.

• What about today’s world?

Money Fame Youth Pleasure Buddha Shiva

Power Lust Houses Land  Allah Satan

• There are at least 30,000 false gods worshipped around the world today
• God is still the only one true God.
• The problem common to all false gods is the same: You can’t have a relationship with a false god!

Although UNKNOWN to too many today, God is what this world needs, has always needed… and still needs.

• Only “a few joined” (Living Bible) Paul and accepted Christ in Athens.

Who or what have you accepted as god in your life?

• If not Christ, make today the day you change that.

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