Paul arrives in the ancient city of Corinth, the most important trade city of ancient Greece. From the non-Christian standpoint Corinth had everything: shipping ports, Aphrodite (pagan goddess of fertility), alcohol, legalized religious prostitution, gambling, unbridled hedonism. It had pottery, bronze works, and shipbuilding yards. From the Christian standpoint, Corinth lacked the only true God and His righteousness. To resolve this, God not only sent Paul to Corinth with the gospel of Jesus Christ, but God had many people there just waiting to be saved and they did not yet know it. This made what lay ahead of Paul, worth the troubles.
Nothing Casual
There is nothing causal about direct contact with God – there is nothing causal about God. Here, the prophet Isaiah shares his extraordinary vision that he received from God; a vision that enlarged his existing ministry as prophet. In this vision he beheld the glory of the Lord in the temple in heaven. Convicted of his own sin, he confessed it aloud, and immediately, cleansing to minister God’s word took place. A celestial being touched his lips with a hot coal, using a tong. For what was too hot for an angelic being, was not for God’s prophet who brought a serious message full of satire, in hopes of reaching the people for God.
The Religious Wrong
Having been invited to share what he believes, Paul proceeded to do so with both respect and logic to this group of men who prided themselves on logic and religion. With all their idols they demonstrated that they were very religious and very wrong about their religion. Paul pointed out that God the Creator was not a lifeless idol, and though unknown to them He was ready to be known. By the time this was over some laughed at Paul, others said “maybe later,” and a few believed. Paul got out of Athens, they were too intelligent to learn the truth about God.
Meals for Hell
The prophet attempts to reach the apostate Jews in Judah with a parabolic song. Metaphorically the Promised Land of Israel is the vineyard and the people are the vine to produce fruit. The Lord did all that could be done for the people to be a fruitful people to Him but because of their apostasy and idolatry they produced only foul fruit. Join to this were the consequences of their disobedience pronounce in seven woes. The prophet told them that Hell (Sheol) could consume them, the wicked would be meals for Hell.
Skilled Unbelievers
Hostile unbelievers chased Paul from one city to the next with violent intentions. Paul escaped them in Berea by boarding a ship to Athens. Upon arrival his soul was deeply disturbed by how much idolatry had engulfed the city. Preaching in the synagogues apparently got nowhere. So he engaged Gentiles wherever he could, finally gaining audience with the Intelligentsia of the city, but these men were skilled in debate and unbelief, reasoning about God was the very thing Paul would discover that they were not interested in.
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