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137 Years

Here is the first of the Ten Commandments given to Israel verbally and then in a written form in stone, twice: “I am the LORD your God…you shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2-3). This was given 1,440 years before Christ. Forty years later, “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one LORD. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:4). Jesus quoted this passage in Matthew 22:37 a few days before He was crucified.

In the Old Testament, idolatry is mentioned about 100 times together with descriptors like polluted, defiled, filthy, abominations, whoring, adultery, and dumb. Idolatry is the greatest sin. It violates the first commandment.

Making idols and worshiping them violates the second commandment. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them” (Exodus 20:4-6).

In the New Testament, Paul encountered idolatry in Athens in Acts 17 and idol makers in Ephesus in Acts 19. Paul’s message was not anti-idolatry; it was pro-Jesus Christ. The result was that the idol makers’ business suffered, and the sorcerers burned their magic books. The cost of the books burned was 50,000 days' wages, or 137 years’ worth of wages. Preaching Jesus Christ had a major effect on the economy of Ephesus. Another result was a great riot that lasted for hours in the great theater in Ephesus.

Preaching Jesus Christ may have these effects: economic, revival (many new Christians), and riot against the Christians.

In this nation, we are not seeing any of these effects. Maybe it is because Christ is not preached.

Comments

Steven Nelson said…
Jim, a similar point (the two fold consequences of truly & boldly preaching Christ) was touched on by Kevin Swanson at a recent Conference in Nampa. You might enjoy his message: https://livestream.com/accounts/1744230/events/7273145/videos/155351602
8:11 PM
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