Deut 23:14 Youngs Concordance says that God "walketh" in the camp means to habitually walk, to go up and down.  Israel's camp was a most holy place.

V.15 A servent of any of the neighboring people, who had either been driven out by oppression, or who had heard or seen of the events that had happened to Israel and desired to join the camp of Israel, was to be allowed to take refuge in Israel.

For the Lord Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice, He had to be perfect in character but also physically perfect according to the Law (vs.1,2).

23:6     In teaching Israel that they should not ‘seek the peace’ of the Ammonite and Moabite we do not see a merciless God but rather a caring God who knew of the dangers that would befall Israel if they fraternised with those nations.  Israel were being advised to keep away from those nations rather than get involved in forming treaties with them.

V.3 Two questions re this verse. A Moabite could not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ten generations: Ruth was accepted and honored of God.  Had ten generations lapsed since Moses?, or did this only apply to males?

23:3 That an Ammonite or Moabite should not enter into the congregation of the Lord is used by Neh 13:1-2 – to require Israel to put away their strange wives. The words also would challenge Eliashib who had provided accommodation for Tobiah in the temple. So we have to conclude either that they were completely unaware of what God had said or that they had chosen to ignore the instruction.

23:3     Israel had been told not to ‘distress the Moabite’ – Deut 2:9 – this did not mean that they could mix with them. In like manner we, though not reproving those whose views are at variance with Scripture, are not to associate with them.

23:5 Whilst we may think that the prohibition here is about meeting for worship Jeremiah explains that the prohibition extends to material possession of the temple – Lamentations of Jer 1:10 – where the prophet appeals to God because of the Babylonian captivity. Thus we see that the command here in de required that Israel be faithful to God to prevent such activity.

V.18 Cult prostitutes would give a part of their earnings to support the temple in which they operated.  Such was the case in the temples dedicated to Venus (Ashtoreth; Ishtar; Astarte; Aphrodite).  Yahweh was not interested in accepting any such donation to His house from anyone associated with this goddess.

What was the congregation?

The word "assembly" or "congregation" in v1-8 means a multitude of people, such as in 31:30. So if this is true, and it refers to all Israel, none of this group of people could ever hope to be part of Israel in their lifetime. This seems at odds with other things we know of the mercy of God, such as v15-16 "he (a runaway slave) may dwell in your midst".

But looking more closely at the passage we see it is not just "the congregation", but "of the LORD". Num 15:14-15 tells us that there was a seperate congregation for the Israelite even if the stranger lived amongst them. In Num 16:3 and 20:4 the dissidents used this phrase to mean the whole of the camp of Israel, but were they correct? In 1Chron 28:1,8 King David assembles the people from around Israel, which group are called "the assembly of the LORD". In Judg 21:5 it is the gathering together before God of all the tribes.

So it appears that the congregation of the LORD was whenever the people of Israel gathered together as one before God, either to pray to Him or keep His feasts. Thus those listed in v1-8 would be able to live amongst Israel and partake in all the good things God provided, but not take part in organised assemblies. This could explain how during the feasts when everyone went up to Jerusalem there were still those left behind to tend the animals.

23:6 The prohibition that God gives here about seeking the peace or prosperity of these nations is taken up – Ezra 9:12 – as an exhortation to the people returning from Babylon.

Consider these three links with Psalm 45. [taken from the list on Study papers Site]

The bridegroom is seeking for his bride And has done battle to purchase her. Christ has battled with sin and overcome - he is now waiting for the marriage supper of the lamb.

In chapter 1 we saw the man describe the woman in terms of the tabernacle. Now the woman describes the man similarly.

This is the relationship between Christ and his bride. Christ is seen in the tabernacle. The question is dow we reflect the glory of God as seen  in the tabernacle?

Have you ever wondered how Solomon managed to acquire so many wives and concubines? If my calculations are correct, assuming he only married during his reign of forty years; he must have acquired 25 women every single year! That's one every two weeks!

I think we find the answer in this chapter. In v6-11 we have a description of Solomon's love train. It seems that Solomon spent a lot of his time going out to seek beautiful women. In v6 we have a description of the smell all his perfume and potions created, like a pillar of smoke! In v7, a description of his caravan in which he languished on a couch. In v7-8 a description of the 60 elite guards which surrounded him. In v8 a clue that he travelled far, and often at night. In v9-10 a further description of his portable chambers and what they were used for, "its interior paved with love".

This man was completely engrossed in his own lust. He neglected the running of the country so that he could go on his trips to find women for himself far and wide. He pilaged his own people, taking away their daughters for a life of solitude in his palaces, taking away their earnings by extortionate taxes (1Kin 12:4), and even putting them to forced labour (1Kin 5:14). How far he had strayed from the example of his father David. Sometimes we underestimate the extent to which Solomon had regressed. It seems to me unlikely that he turned back to God, as some believe. Yet all this was a fulfilment of what God had prophecied would happen, recorded in 1Sam 8:10-18.

3:4 Just as the bride groom wanted the bride to be with him in his activities the faithful bridge wishes for the groom to e with her in the things she does.

3:4 In taking ‘him’ to her ‘mother’s house’ the bride mimics Isaac – Gen 24:67

3:9-10  Whilst Solomon’s ‘chariot is described here it could easily be the temple which he built with cedar from Lebanon – 1Kin 5:6 and silver and gold as was used in the building of the temple.

3:6 The one ‘that cometh out of the wilderness’ is like a bridegroom and whilst similar language is used in Isa 63:1 in that place he is coming to judge, So we see two aspects of the work of Jesus at his return.

V.7 David had valiant men.  One of them was Benaiah whom David made commander of his body guard (1Chron 11:24,25).  Benaiah was with Solomon at his anointing (1Kin 1:38,39). Later, Solomon appointed Benaiah to commander-in-chief in the place of Joab (1Kin 2:35).  Would Benaiah be one of the sixty valiant men mentioned here?

3:1 The seeking by night of the song here is used – Isa 26:9 – of how a faithful Jew should seek after God in a time of trouble.

16 v.17 Consider the use of the phrase ‘most high God’ in the rest of Scripture Genesis 14:18,19,20,22 Psalm 78:56 Daniel 3:26 5:18,21 Mark 5:7 Acts 16:17 Hebrews 7:1 A review of these passages will help us to understand why the phrase is used here in Acts.

17 v.6 The phrase 'rulers of the city' - 4173 only occurs here but archaeological finds at Thessalonica show that the right word is used to describe the rulers. As the disciples were at Thessalonica at this time we have an ‘undersigned’ coincidence which helps to prove the authenticity of the Acts of the Apostles.

Chapter 16 begins what is traditionally called the second missionary journey. I suppose it is taken that missionaries start out from Jerusalem and that is why this is the second journey as Paul has just been in Jerusalem but in reality Paul did not take a break from the work. From his conversion to his imprisonment was one long preaching mission. When he was imprisoned he turned to the only tool available to him - letter writing.

17:7 The charge made by the Jews - that {Paul preached another king - is just like the charge levelled against Jesus by the Jews. So these Jews, like the ones in Jerusalem, were compromised. They thought of themselves as citizens of this world rather than strangers and pilgrims.

16 - Whilst Paul and Silas may well have wondered why the had heeded the 'man from Macedonia' (:9) when they were in prison at Philippi (:23) but these events were the way in which a whole house obeyed the faith.

17:1-2 'they' indicates that Luke, the writer of Acts, was not with Paul and Silas at this time.

16:25 When Paul and Silas prayed 'at midnight' they were like David (Psalm 119:62)

17 Whilst Paul was preaching to Greek philosophers he still uses the Old Testament to prove his points.
 

:24	God that made the world	Genesis creation
:25	Giveth life and breath	Isa 42:5
:26	Bounds of their habitation	Deut 32:8
:29	Godhead like gold silver graven	Isa 40:18-19
:31	He will judge ... in righteousness	Psa 9:8, 96:13

We should not modify the basis of our message just because our audience are unfamiliar with Scripture.

16:20,21 - Is this not an all too familiar cry?  We all as human beings have our customs which we adhere to rigidly and expel those that do not comply.  It is not always a healthy way, I feel.

16:2 Lystre to Derbe is about 20 miles. So here we have an indication of inter ecclesial cooperation in the first century.

17:5 The Jew’s ‘envy’ is a recurring theme in Acts and is a fulfillment of what Moses said Deut 32:21

ENVIRONMENT PLANNING
 
It is an amazing thought that God's plan for us extends to all the details such as when and where we would be born. Paul told the people of Athens just that when he said, "From one man he (God) made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places they should live. 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." (Acts 17:26-27) His plan that we should seek him has caused him to create just the right environment for us so that we will have all the opportunities we need to get to know and respond to God.
 
What are we going to do with this knowledge?
 
If we have heard God's call then let's realise that he will not give up if he has already sorted circumstances in order for us to respond to him. So let us respond to God's call.
 
And if we have already responded to the call of God, we need to remember that part of God's environment planning for others includes us as part of their environment. We are there to encourage, preach, teach and to lead by example. Let's not let him down when he has done so much to plan for his people to seek him.

17:18 It is not surprising that the resurrection was seen as ‘strange gods’. The message of the resurrection is unique to the gospel.

16:2-3 We see that Timothy had been actively involved for some time in the area. We may well, therefore, understand why Paul had to beseech – 1Tim 1:3 – to go to and stay in Ephesus. He moved from an environment where he was well respected to one where his authority was questioned and his youth despised.

16:15,31,33 Lydia and her family were baptized; and so too the jailer and his family. These were the first baptisms recorded which were connected to Paul’s work.  In both cases, the principal parties and their families were baptized.

There are some misinformed ideas about these baptisms.

Some have argued that there must have been small children in those families.  This assumption has given rise to the idea that a parent’s acceptance of the gospel can allow all his/her small children to benefit from salvation. 

Then, there are churches which have taken that one step further and have deemed infant baptism (sprinkling) as sufficient for salvation (in their case, going to heaven at death).

Then, there is another religious group who thinks that people can be baptized for dead people to ensure their salvation. This idea is based on a misunderstanding of 1Cor 15:29. (For an explanation of this, see my note on 1 Cor 15 for March 2).

Baptism symbolizes the death and resurrection of Jesus that a candidate for salvation re-enacts to become a new spiritual creature.  This allows him/her to come into covenant relationship with the Lord and to be a member of His household, thus being eligible for salvation. 

But, baptism comes after a personal confession of faith based on understanding the gospel (the things concerning the kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ) (1Pet 3:21).  

If that is the case, how could infants or small children be eligible for baptism? Nobody can be baptized for another (either living or dead) by proxy.

There might have been small children in the families of Lydia and the jailer.  But, whoever in their families was baptized must have been of an age of understanding; understood the gospel; and made a good personal confession before being baptized.

PREACHING AND CIRCUMSTANCE

Comparing the message Paul preached to the people at Thessalonica with the message he preached just a short time later at Athens, we notice some interesting points. The way Paul preached in Thessalonica was this: "As his custom was, Paul went into the Synagogue and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. 'This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,' he said." (Acts 17:2-3)

Later, when Paul arrived at Athens, he not only preached to the Jews in the synagogue, but he also preached in the market place and at a meeting of the Areopagus where his speech was recorded for us. Compared to his teaching in Thessalonica, there was a huge change in preaching style. At the Areopagus in Athens he was speaking to Gentiles who didn't know the Jewish Scriptures. So instead of proving Jesus from the word of God, Paul spoke about creation, life and idol worship which the people of Athens could relate to as he led up to Jesus and the resurrection from the dead.

As we share the gospel with people we meet, let us, like Paul, share God's word with a consideration of the background of those we share it with. It is no use trying to convince others of Scriptural arguements if they don't believe the Scriptures. Let us preach in a way that meets people right where they are and draws them in toward a relationship with God and Jesus.

REASONING

I have often thought of Paul as a very public person and my impression of him has been that he would go into synagogues, public places or anywhere he happened to be and stand up to proclaim the gospel in front of a crowd. But while Paul did this some of the time, his main method of preaching was quite different. Luke records, "As his custom was, Paul went into the Synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead." (Acts 17:2-3)

After he had preached this way in Thessalonica, he did the same at Athens. "So he reasoned in the Synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the market place day by day with those who happened to be there." (Acts 17:17) His method of preaching was to reason with people, to discuss with them. It was a two way conversation, something that we are all able to do on a one to one basis.

Not all of us are cut out to be public speakers, but we can all discuss the words of God with someone else and get them to think about the logic and love of the gospel message. So let's follow Paul's example of reasoning and discussing the message of Christ with anyone who happens to be around.

Divine activity on Behalf of the Phillippians

It's remarkable how the providence of God works at times. Seven times the spirit of God intervenes to bring about salvation and the spreading of the gospel to the Phillippians and beyond:

1. The spirit intervenes to stop the Asian visit Acts 16:6

2. "Spirit of Jesus" intervenes to bar the way to Bithynia Acts 16:7

3. The vision at Troas of the "Man of Macedonia" is given Acts 16:9

4. A 2 day journey with fair winds Acts 16:11, this same journey in reverse later on takes Paul 5 days to complete Acts 20:6

5. Lydia ... "The Lord opened her heart" Acts 16:14

6. The girl with the Pythian spirit is cured in the name of the Lord Acts 16:18

7. The earth quake looses the prisoners and converts the jailer Acts 16:26-30