In today’s study our titles are; Verses 1-7 Paul and Barnabas at Iconium. Verses 8-23 Paul stoned at Lystra. Verses 24-28 Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch. Acts 14 and verse 1 reads.
Acts 14:1] And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.
Christianity is booming, but the Kenites will be gnashing their teeth. Expect this in today’s world.
Acts 14:2] But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
The unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their souls angry at the brethren. Satan has been fighting this battle from the beginning. Let’s go to Revelation 3 and verse 9 reads.
Rev.3:9] Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
It is very important that we have the knowledge of the Kenites. Let’s go back to Genesis 3 and verse 15 reads.
Gen.3:15] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
That was God speaking to Satan, the serpent, and the offspring of Cain are called Kenites. They are the Serpent’s Seed. Back to Acts 14 and verse 3 reads.
Acts 14:3] Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
The apostles are performing miracles everywhere they go, in the name of Jesus Christ. Let’s look at this word Testimony. G3140 martureō pronounced mar-too-reh’-o and is a direct derivative of G3144 martus pronounced mar’-toos where we get our word Martyr from and means; 1. those who after his example have proved the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent death. Keep this in mind as the apostles are examples for God’s Elect in these end times.
Acts 14:4] But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
Let’s go to Luke 12, Jesus is speaking, and verse 51 reads.
Luke 12:51] Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
Back to Acts 14 and verse 5 reads.
Acts 14:5] And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,
Paul spoke of this in 2Timothy 3 and verse 11 reads.
2Tim.3:11] Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
Back to Acts 14 and verse 6 reads.
Acts 14:6] They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:
We see this today, whenever a Godly man teaches truth, the Kenites come out to persecute him, only the righteous are persecuted. Let me remind everyone of 1Corinthians 10 and verse 11 reads.
1Cor.10:11] Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Back to Acts 14 and verse 7 reads.
Acts 14:7] And there they preached the gospel.
They are being persecuted for preaching the gospel.
Acts 14:8] And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:
[9] The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
[10] Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
Wasn’t this prophesied in the great book of Isaiah? Isaiah 35 and verse 6 reads.
Isa.35:6] Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Back to Acts 14 and verse 11 reads.
Acts 14:11] And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
This is not going to go well, first of all it is not Paul that healed him, but Jesus Christ. The true believers know this. But when you have many people of different ways these things tend to happen. Paul will correct this.
Acts 14:12] And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
These were their pagan gods. Jupiter (G2203 Zeus) is the sixth planet from the sun, Satan’s planet. Mercurius (G2060) is the Latin form of the Greek god of the planet Mercury. Mercurius means; herald of gods.
Acts 14:13] Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.
[14] Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
[15] And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
Let’s go to James 5 and verse 19 reads.
James 5:19] Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
[20] Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Back to Acts 14 and verse 16 reads.
Acts 14:16] Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
Though the LORD had chosen Israel as his people, they too would walk in their own ways. Let’ s go to Psalms 81 and verse 11 reads.
Psa.81:11] But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
[12] So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
[13] Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
Now let’s go to Micah 4 and verse 5 reads.
Mic.4:5] For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
But that the Gentiles would also receive salvation was his design from long ago. Let’s go to Isaiah 49 and verse 6 reads.
Isa.49:6] And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
Now let’s go to 1Peter 4 and verse 2 reads.
1Pet.4:2] That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
[3] For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
Back to Acts 14 and verse 17 reads.
Acts 14:17] Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
Blessing all of his children with rain in due seasons. Think spiritually here, for the famine of the end times is not for food, but for hearing the Word of God. Amos 8:11.
Acts 14:18] And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
They were having trouble convincing them, but in the end they prevailed.
Acts 14:19] And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
They stone Paul. Paul would talk about this in 2Corinthians 12 and verse 1 reads.
2Cor.12:1] It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
[2] I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
He is saying this in the third person, but what he said was I didn’t know if I was in the flesh or in the spirit. But don’t overlook that he was in the third heaven. There are only three ages, we studied this in Genesis 1.
2Cor.12:3] And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
[4] How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Not lawful for him to speak of what he saw because we are not to know yet. The fact that there is a law preventing anyone of speaking of the third heaven and earth age is amazing to me.
2Cor.12:5] Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
God can prevent one from dying if the Lord is using him. I think of Stephen at this moment, his job was done, no doubt he heard; Job well done my good and faithful servant. Back to Acts and verse20 reads.
Acts 14:20] Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
Rises back up and finds Barnabas, the two of them will go and preach the gospel in a roundabout circuit from church to church. Let’s go to 1Thessalonians 2 and verse 13 reads.
1Thess.2:13] For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
[14] For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
[15] Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
[16] Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
Back to Acts 14 and verse 21 reads.
Acts 14:21] And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
[22] Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
[23] And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Now we have them ordaining elders to continue the works of the Lord in these churches that they helped set up. Teaching only Truth, the Word of God. Let’s go to Titus 1 and verse 5 reads.
Titus 1:5] For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
Back to Acts 14 and verse 24 reads.
Acts 14:24] And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
[25] And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:
[26] And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
This would complete the circuit, back from where they started.
Acts 14:27] And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
Bringing in the Gentiles to the church was God given. Let’s go back to Acts 13 and verse 2 reads.
Acts 13:2] As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
Back to Acts 14 and verse 28 reads.
Acts 14:28] And there they abode long time with the disciples.
A very good study today, but let’s recap something. When they had stoned Peter, his spirit left his body, and he went to the third heaven. There he received instructions of the LORD, and of course he couldn’t talk about it, for it was unlawful. This is why it was so important for us to understand Genesis chapter 1, we have three heaven and earth ages. Ages are Ions, meaning a length of time. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible