Men Against God

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

MEN AGAINST GOD

Acts 5:33-42

33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." 40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.  

NIV

Once again, men think like men, rather than asking God to reveal his mind to them. In addition, we are always amazed how men who were supposed to be spiritual but were merely religious, who again, were presumably the highly schooled ones in the Holy Scriptures, first, became furious, and second, wanted to commit murder. This is precisely what Jesus taught regarding the law concerning murder. He said that if we hate we have already committed murder in our hearts. This is what is happening in this narrative with the Sanhedrin. Their hatred was demonstrated by their being furious. How do men become so jealous of others? How do men become filled with anger, and rage to the point they want another person dead, especially when they are supposed to be God-fearing men? However, from this narrative and the words of Gamaliel, we see they had already experienced other moments which were nothing but a flash in the pan, here today and gone tomorrow. He spoke prophetically in some sense; however, he expressed a profound truth as well. When men start something that comes from the mind of men for their own purposes, it will evidentially fail. However, whatever men do as a result of God, no one will be able to stop them. Trying to silence someone who speaks about Jesus, is only going to result in fighting against God. Who in their right mind would wage war on God? How foolish and futile their thinking is when they think, speak, and act in a manner that is outright against God. Many have tried throughout the ages, and all of them have ended up dead, but God has always been and will always continue to be. So then, who is the mighty righteous one? Surely not men, it is God. Why battle God? Those who do, think they are the right-minded humanist who is control of their own life and destiny but have no clue of their false thinking, for they are furious with anyone who disagrees with them and their agenda. Peter and John were flogged because of the hatred of those religious men, but they could not keep them silent, for the power of God working through his Spirit was stronger than any man, and Peter and John continued to teach the truth about Jesus. This ought to give us hope, as we serve the living God, who was, who is and who will forever be. We are on God’s side, on his team and we are in the game, playing the position he has trained us and empowered us to fulfill. Let no man stand in our way of thinking, speaking, and acting in a manner that God has directed us.