" The Causes of the Riot" (Acts 19:23-27)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/19/2018 8:31 AM

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  “The Causes of the Riot”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Acts 19:23-27

            Message of the verses:  “23 About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; 25 these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. 26 "You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. 27 “Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence."”

            When Luke writes “About that time” he is referring to the time before Paul left Ephesus as he planned (cf. vv. 21-22).  He goes on to write “there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way.”  Now we have gone over before that when we see these words “The Way” that the Christian church is being spoken of.  I don’t know if it came from what John wrote that Jesus said in John 14:6 where we read “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  If this is where it comes from then we know that it is speaking of those who follow the Way, or Jesus Christ. 

            Now we read in Acts 19:20 “20 So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.”  It does not take a great imagination to see that this was upsetting to Satan, and so he begins to do his dirty work and he does it through a man named Demetrius who was a silversmith.  John MacArthur answers a question that I have when he writes “Demetrius was a common name, and there is no reason to assume that he is the individual mentioned in 2 John 12.  His business was making silver shrines of the goddess Artemis (probably depicting her seated in the temple).  The shrines served as household idols and were presented at the temple as votive offerings.  Archaeologists have unearthed numerous terra cotta shrines, but no silver ones.  The latter were most likely melted down for their silver content, probably even by the temple priests.”

            Perhaps Demetrius as the head of the silver guild at this time and I suppose humaningly speaking he was only trying to take care of his business along with those who were working for him, and yet as mentioned this was from Satan as he used these men to stop the work that Paul was doing for the Lord, but we must remember that it is the Lord who is in control, and it is the Lord who works things out for our good, and also for His glory.  The worship of the goddess Artemis was widespread throughout the Roman Empire which meant that this was worth a lot of money for Demetrius and those who worked for him.

            The problem was that because of the widespread of Christianity showing that idols were worthless, and that there was only One God, and salvation came through His Son, Jesus Christ, thus there business was certainly going downhill.

            We see Demetrius begins by saying “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business,” speaking of idol making business.  He goes on to say “You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all.”  Now as I look at this phrase “but in almost all of Asia,” it makes me think of Acts 19:10 “This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”  This verse makes me want to praise the Lord as Paul had a large influence for the gospel in all of Asia, which is actually modern day Turkey today.  However this was not good news for Satan.

            We will continue looking at the cause for the riot in Ephesus in our next SD.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Even though I go through a lot of temptation, and I believe it is because I am trying to be faithful in my writing of these Spiritual Diaries that go around the world on my blogs, I realize that God is in control and will keep me from stopping the writing of these Spiritual Diaries even though at times the temptation is great.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to seek strength from the Lord to write these Spiritual Diaries.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Elijah” (1 Kings 18:17).

Today’s Bible question:  “How many judges are referenced in the book of Judges?”

Answer in our next SD.

6/19/2018 9:03 AM