Acts 17:24-31 (1)
Acts 17:24-25 proclaims that God does not depend on human hands for anything since he is the one that created humanity and gives humans life and breath and everything. He created a single human family (from Adam and Eve) and gave them their time and place on the earth (17:26). And why did he do this? “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (17:27)
He wanted them to seek after him even though he allowed them to choose their own way and wander off from him (Acts 14:16). But even though he allowed them their choice to go their own way he didn’t sulk a divine sulk and forever wash his hands of them. “Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy” (Acts 14:17).
God wanted the nations to seek him and not just the blessings he gave them. He gave them life “and everything else” (17:25). The blessings he gave bore witness to him (14:17) that nations should seek him (17:27).
The word picture seems to imply their darkness and “reach out” for him in the NIV is maybe bettered by the NRSV which gives “grope for him”. They had wandered from God into moral darkness and God reached out to them, wanting them to find him again. They had known truth about God and suppressed it (Romans 1:18-19—more about that section later, God enabling). But in case they should get the wrong impression, Paul assures them that God is not far from any of his wayward children (17:27).
Are there some plain truths in these sections that we can assert with some confidence? I think so.
1. The nations rebelled and walked away from God into moral darkness
2. God refused to completely jettison them
3. God continued to give them testimony concerning himself
4. God did this because he wanted them to seek him and find him
It would follow from this, I think, that the nations in OT times could have sought and found God. That is, it was not beyond them. Despite the fact that humans had become sinners God moved to restore them to himself. That should mean that the door to God was not closed against them and opened only to elect Israel
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from your website, the abiding word.com.