Acts 14:17, commentary and pictures

At Lystra Paul spoke to keep the people from sacrificing to him and Barnabas as gods come down in human form, urging them to turn from empty idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them. Even while allowing the nations to walk in their own ways, God did not leave Himself without evidence, but continually did good by sending rain from heaven and fruitful seasons to supply food and gladness. That witness is seen in sunshine and dew and showers, in seedtime and harvest, in the ordered seasons and the works of sky and earth and sea, all showing His constant care without which the human family would perish. Its purpose is to lead minds away from the works of their own hands to the Creator as the only right object of worship, and it is the most effective way to teach those who do not know Him. Because all wealth and ability and harvest come from Him in trust, those who receive so bountifully are to answer with grateful giving and with sharing food and help to the needy, while the same gifts will stand as witness against the unrepentant in the day of account.

Setting at Lystra

At Lystra the healing of a cripple who had never walked led the Lycaonians to conclude that the gods had come down in the likeness of men, calling Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercurius, while priests brought oxen, garlands, beasts, offerings, music and shouting to the gate of the house to sacrifice to them. In indignation and horror at this worship Paul and Barnabas rent their clothing and rushed among the multitude to stop the sacrifice. Paul in a loud ringing voice that quelled the tumult declared they were men of like passions, positively denying the divinity attributed to them.

There was no Jewish synagogue at Lystra, and the temple and worship of Jupiter stood in a conspicuous place and prevailed. Paul spoke in the Greek language to worshipers of Jupiter who tried to mix his teaching with their superstition. He urged the people to turn from these vanities to the living God who made heaven and earth and sea and all things therein. He explained that in times past God suffered all nations to walk in their own ways yet left Himself not without witness by doing good and sending rain from heaven and fruitful seasons to fill hearts with food and gladness, directing their minds to the true God as the only object worthy of worship.

The people heard with manifest impatience, loth to acknowledge error and thwart their expectations. Only after much persuasion and explanation of the apostles' true mission were they reluctantly led to give up their purpose and lead the sacrificial beasts away in great disappointment, so that with these sayings the apostles scarce restrained them from sacrificing. The miracle and appeal did not prevent opposition, for opposing Jews followed on Paul's track and by falsehood and misrepresentation turned the people's reverence into insult, abuse, and a determination to kill him. Paul afterward came again to the scene of his former danger to look after the fruit of his labors, and the people's reaction in calling him a god gave him an influence which he used to lead them to the gospel.

Acts 14, to which the verse belongs, should be studied and become fully familiar to those preparing to be laborers together with God in these last days. They will realize similar experiences while carrying on the same kind of work in visiting every place where entrance can be gained, winning souls, revisiting churches planted, and returning to the sending place.

God's Witness in Nature

Even while suffering all nations to walk in their own ways, God did not leave Himself, the world, or those who do not know Him without evidence and witness of Himself. That witness is His goodness in doing good, giving rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, sunshine, dew, showers, vegetation, food and gladness, yearly abundance, the ordered seasons, and the regular cycles of seedtime and harvest that supply human needs. This world was established and is supported by the charity of a benevolent Creator, and all are supported by charity because He is the donor of all that is possessed. He cares for the earth by sending rain and sunshine in their season to cause vegetation to flourish.

He continually bestows blessing and mercy and keeps the human family in view every moment, so that if He withdrew His gifts they would perish. As the great husbandman He cares for the earth, sends sun and rain on the good and evil and just and unjust, gives life to planted seeds, causes the earth to bring forth its plenteous treasures, gives health, quick thought, ability to plan and carry out plans, and opens ways to gain means by diligent use of powers. He gives daily care for mankind in sunshine, rain and dew, increasing vegetation and bringing forth varied fruits each in its season as a continual blessing that gives food and joy and provides peace and comfort in this world. The earth's yearly abundance, the ordered seasons, vegetation, sunshine, rain, food, and life all depend on His power and are gifts of His love.

The witness is seen in nature's visible works showing a skill and exactitude almost beyond finite comprehension: the firmament of the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars, the beautiful order of the recurring seasons, the mighty snow-capped mountains, the lofty trees, the solid rocks, the flowing stream, and the broad restless ocean. Through these visible works of the Almighty minds are led to contemplate the great Mind of the universe as Creator and Ruler and to learn the responsibilities resting upon men and women. The witness is given in temporal blessings and spiritual blessings, giving seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, filling hearts with food and gladness and feeding with heavenly manna. He makes the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice while day unto day utters speech and night unto night teaches the knowledge of His great love, bestowing love, mercy, and grace every moment of life.

Despite sin and forgetfulness He continued to show benevolence through providence and also sent warnings and appeals that made known wickedness and the consequences of breaking His law. He has never left the world without a witness through the ages by raising people who defended the faith even under persecution and at the cost of their lives, and by always having appointed agencies with abundant evidence that they were appointed and sent by heaven, whose witness helped the work of building His church continue. Melchizedek was one such appointed witness, representing the Lord Jesus Christ in person to reveal the truth of heaven and perpetuate the law of God, and Jethro was another, singled out from the darkness of the Gentile world to reveal the principles of heaven.

Worship and Human Response

The rain from heaven, the fruitful seasons, and the food and gladness they bring are evidence that turns minds away from vain idols, the works of human hands, toward the living God who made heaven and earth and sea and all things as the proper and only object of worship. The ordered heavens, the sun, moon and stars, the beautiful order of the recurring seasons, and the wonders of the natural world display a skill and exactitude almost beyond finite comprehension, leading those who contemplate them to recognize the great Mind of the universe as Creator and Ruler and to know whom they should worship. In itself the beauty of nature leads the soul away from sin and worldly attraction and toward purity, peace, and God.

The most effective way to teach those who do not know God is through His works in nature, because far more readily than by any other method they can be made to realize the difference between their idols and the true God, the Maker of heaven and earth. These lessons drawn directly from nature have a simplicity and purity that makes them of the highest value not only to the heathen but to children and youth and students of all classes, who all need lessons derived from this source.

The way opened at Lystra, where there was no Jewish synagogue and the temple and worship of Jupiter stood in a conspicuous place and prevailed, was first to give a correct knowledge of the One to be adored by pointing to nature as God's witness. Speaking in the Greek language to worshipers of Jupiter who tried to mix the teaching with their superstition, the appeal directed attention to the firmament of the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars, the beautiful order of the recurring seasons, the mighty snow-capped mountains, the lofty trees, and the varied wonders of nature, and through these visible works led minds to contemplate the great Mind of the universe as Creator. Then this witness was joined to the gospel of the Son of God who came from heaven from love to men, His life and ministry on earth, His rejection, trial, and crucifixion by wicked men, His resurrection from the dead, and His ascension to heaven to be man's Advocate before the Maker of the world.

Wealth and ability, rain, dew, sunlight, and the conditions that make the earth flourish and bear fruit come from God, who continually bestows blessing and mercy, keeps the human family in view every moment, sends sun and rain on the good and evil and just and unjust, gives health, quick thought, ability to plan and carry out plans, opens ways to gain means by diligent use of powers, cares for the earth as the great husbandman, sends rain and sunshine in season to cause vegetation to flourish, and gives life to seeds planted in the earth. These gifts are entrusted to people and supported by the charity of a benevolent Creator, with regular cycles of seedtime and harvest supplying human needs, so all receive so bountifully that they should respond with ongoing grateful giving rather than become impatient about giving while they continue to receive. Gratitude is shown by returning His own in tithes, gifts, and offerings to provide meat in His house, to sustain those who carry the gospel, to advance every branch of His work, to build up His kingdom, to put talents and money to wise use in soul-saving, to help suffering humanity, and to help establish the work in the South to be self-sustaining. Such liberality increases blessings, lays up eternal treasure in heaven, strengthens desire for the heavenly, and keeps workers from becoming weary in well doing even though call after call for means comes.

God has made men His agents to cooperate with Him in turning men from error to truth, and has made man His almoner to dispense His heavenly gifts by bringing souls to the truth. Because all receive so bountifully, they should become producers as well as consumers, and by supplying food and clothing to the needy and distressed, those who are poor in soul are helped to understand the goodness of salvation. These good gifts of sunshine, dew, rain, and the silent night-and-day miracle of seed germinating and bringing forth fruit are God's witness to Himself, enjoyed even in impenitence, and in the day when everyone must render an account for opportunities and privileges enjoyed and everyone is awarded according to his works, they will bear witness against the unrepentant sinner. It is therefore becoming for finite beings to walk softly before God and to give food and joy and peace and comfort in this world.