Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 32:7-8; Acts 17:24-28
Explanation: Soon we will begin studying the early stages of God's Kingdom coming to the earth physically through the nation of Israel. But first I need to underscore something about all nations I mentioned a few weeks ago in passing. God holds all nations accountable for their response to Him as King and the values associated with His rule. God holds the nation of Israel accountable in a special sense, but that in no way diminishes the accountability of all the others. Both Deuteronomy 32:7-8 and Acts 17:24-28 explain how God has guided the development of the nations through history. The Deuteronomy passage indicates that God did this with the nation of Israel in mind. In other words, God guided the development of the nations in a way that would facilitate what He planned to accomplish through Israel in reference to His kingdom. In Acts 17:27, the Apostle Paul spells out that God guide the development of nations for the purpose of the nations seeking and finding Him.
The values associated with God's rule give nations a righteous standard with which to measure their cultural values and conduct. When they fall short, there is the threat of judgment. But there is also an invitation to repent and turn back to the true King over all.
Reflection Questions: What do you think are the top five values of your nation's culture? How do the five compare with values associated with God's Rule? When you observe a difference between the two, how does your life serve as a witness to Kingdom values? How might you use Acts 17:24-28 to share the Gospel with someone from another nation, especially if they believe Christianity is just a "Western religion"?
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