Acts 5
Ananias and Sapphira
So i gave a precursor to this yesterday, it's an odd and alarming story to start the chapter off with and as far as i know does not seem to have happened ever again, why here? I don't know. but lets dive in and see what we can learn. (ill post the whole thing here and we can break it apart)
“But a man named Ananias—his wife, Sapphira, conniving in this with him—sold a piece of land, secretly kept part of the price for himself, and then brought the rest to the apostles and made an offering of it. Peter said, “Ananias, how did Satan get you to lie to the Holy Spirit and secretly keep back part of the price of the field? Before you sold it, it was all yours, and after you sold it, the money was yours to do with as you wished. So what got into you to pull a trick like this? You didn’t lie to men but to God.” Ananias, when he heard those words, fell down dead. That put the fear of God into everyone who heard of it. The younger men went right to work and wrapped him up, then carried him out and buried him. Not more than three hours later, his wife, knowing nothing of what had happened, came in. Peter said, “Tell me, were you given this price for your field?” “Yes,” she said, “that price.” Peter responded, “What’s going on here that you connived to conspire against the Spirit of the Master? The men who buried your husband are at the door, and you’re next.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than she also fell down, dead. When the young men returned they found her body. They carried her out and buried her beside her husband. By this time the whole church and, in fact, everyone who heard of these things had a healthy respect for God. They knew God was not to be trifled with.”
Acts 5:1-11 MSG
This one is really hard to get my head around, What I found that was most compelling of an argument for me was that, because they lied about what they had to offer they were essentially counterfeits in the community. Peter was informed about this through the Holy Spirit and confronted their lies and states that the money was theirs to begin with and they had no need to lie about the amount of money they had to offer. I am gathering that their death was maybe a warning to others, might have something to do with the narrative of pruning branches that bear bad fruit, the importance of keeping the congregation in check, watching out for imposters . . . I am not really sure, this is one of the sections that keeps me stumped and that seems to be the consensus on the internet, with some interesting theories.
The story just moves right along from this.
They All Met Regularly
The apostles were performing many miracles and signs among the people, causing people to admire them and join the faith. The people from surrounding villages brought the sick and demon-possessed to be healed, and even hoped to be touched by Peter's shadow for healing. The result was a large influx of converts to the faith, both men and women.
Here is a picture of the temple porch named after Solomon.
So this is so cool! People were coming in the hopes that they would be able to fall into Peter's shadow and be healed just from that! All the healing power and authority that Jesus had is now available to us.
To Obey God Rather than Men
The story just starts to get out of hand, it's so cool and I love reading through acts. So here we see that the same chief priest and sadducees that killed Jesus are now after the apostles, we read that they are arrested again and thrown in the town jail. But God! An angel comes and opens the jail and tells them to get back to the temple and start preaching again, so of course first thing in the morning they are back in the temple continuing on with their preaching!
The Chief Priest and council send for them in the jail but of course no one is there! no evidence of a breakout and everything is locked and all the guards are still there! I would also be as confused as they were.
“Just then someone showed up and said, “Did you know that the men you put in jail are back in the Temple teaching the people?” The chief and his police went and got them, but they handled them gently, fearful that the people would riot and turn on them.”
Acts 5:25-26 MSG
So now they are afraid and trying a different approach, they realize that they can't just shut this thing down the way they wish they could because of the huge crowds gathering to hear and see what is happening! if you recall yesterday we had numbers counting over 5000 people. You can't just walk in a stop such a production without causing a scene. So they go back to the temple and arrest them again as quietly as they can and then have the same conversation they did the first few times this has happened.
“Bringing them back, they stood them before the High Council. The Chief Priest said, “Didn’t we give you strict orders not to teach in Jesus’ name? And here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are trying your best to blame us for the death of this man.” Peter and the apostles answered, “It’s necessary to obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, the One you killed by hanging him on a cross. God set him on high at his side, Prince and Savior, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things. The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who obey him, corroborates every detail.””
Acts 5:27-32 MSG
Then we get a good guy enter the scene here, a very well respected teacher named Gamaliel speaks up and makes a good point that they have seen these uprisings before and that they fizzle off after some time. He gives a good stern warning that if this is from human work it will fall apart but if it is of God then there is nothing they can do to stop it, and that they don't want to be found fighting against God.
“That convinced them. They called the apostles back in. After giving them a thorough whipping, they warned them not to speak in Jesus’ name and sent them off. The apostles went out of the High Council overjoyed because they had been given the honor of being dishonored on account of the Name. Every day they were in the Temple and homes, teaching and preaching Christ Jesus, not letting up for a minute.”
Acts 5:40-42 MSG
Genesis 27
So Yesterday we saw Jacob steal Esau's birth right by taking advantage of his hunger, Esau agreed to this, and now we get to see how that plays out in Jacob stealing and securing the birthright and blessing from Isaac.
In the Bible, blessings from patriarchs were considered significant because they were seen as a reflection of God's will for the individual or the community being blessed. The patriarchs were seen as having a special relationship with God and the authority to speak on His behalf. Receiving a blessing from a patriarch was seen as a demonstration of God's favor and a promise of future prosperity, protection, and blessings. This is why blessings from patriarchs were treated with such respect and why people believed that what was in the blessing would absolutely occur.
So the story continues here with Issac as an old blind man, He is anticipating his death and calls his son Esau and asks him to go on a hunt and bring him back some game (this is why he loved him more) and that after he eats he will give Esau his personal blessing before he dies. His wife Rebekah had been listening and decides to take advantage of the situation in order to get Jacob the blessing! She then goes and tell Jacob what she had heard and instructs him to go and kill some of the goats from the flock and that she will prepare a meal for Isaac and he can pretend to be Esau.
Now if you recall the description of Esau, he was very hairy! Jacob points this out to his mother and she comes up with a plan to cover Jacob in goats hair so that if his father touches him he will think it is Esau, she gets Esau's clothes and the goatskins and dresses Jacob up.
Just re read what happens here - lots of lies and deception.
“He went to his father and said, “My father!” “Yes?” he said. “Which son are you?” Jacob answered his father, “I’m your firstborn son Esau. I did what you told me. Come now; sit up and eat of my game so you can give me your personal blessing.” Isaac said, “So soon? How did you get it so quickly?” “Because your God cleared the way for me.” Isaac said, “Come close, son; let me touch you—are you really my son Esau?” So Jacob moved close to his father Isaac. Isaac felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice but the hands are the hands of Esau.” He didn’t recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s. But as he was about to bless him he pressed him, “You’re sure? You are my son Esau?” “Yes. I am.” Isaac said, “Bring the food so I can eat of my son’s game and give you my personal blessing.” Jacob brought it to him and he ate. He also brought him wine and he drank. Then Isaac said, “Come close, son, and kiss me.” He came close and kissed him and Isaac smelled the smell of his clothes.
Finally, he blessed him, Ahhh. The smell of my son is like the smell of the open country blessed by God. May God give you of Heaven’s dew and Earth’s bounty of grain and wine. May peoples serve you and nations honor you. You will master your brothers, and your mother’s sons will honor you. Those who curse you will be cursed, those who bless you will be blessed.”
Genesis 27:18-29 MSG
So Jacob lies to and deceives his father and gets his brothers birthright and fathers blessing. He has now swindled his twin brother twice. . . as we read on we will see that Jacob was one wild all over the place dude that seems to be ruled over by women. . . we will explore that later. because what happens next is important life lessons.
The story continues with Esau returning from his hunt, preparing a meal and bringing it to his father, I can imagine his anticipation, He probably had thought about this for a long time and was really excited to receive his fathers blessing before he passed away, it's his turn now to become the patriarch of the family and inherit the estate and covenant blessing from God.
He enters in to give his father the meal he had just worked hard for only to find out that he had been swindled yet again. . . He then begins to beg his father for a blessing, asking him if he had saved any blessing for him!
“Esau said, “Not for nothing was he named Jacob, the Heel. Twice now he’s tricked me: first he took my birthright and now he’s taken my blessing.” He begged, “Haven’t you kept back any blessing for me?” Isaac answered Esau, “I’ve made him your master, and all his brothers his servants, and lavished grain and wine on him. I’ve given it all away. What’s left for you, my son?””
Genesis 27:36-37 MSG
Esau must have been so devastated, the story describes it as inconsolable crying, violently and most bitterly sobbed. And to make it worse, his father doesn't muster up a blessing for him but something more of a curse . . .
“Isaac said to him, You’ll live far from Earth’s bounty, remote from Heaven’s dew. You’ll live by your sword, hand-to-mouth, and you’ll serve your brother. But when you can’t take it any more you’ll break loose and run free.”
Genesis 27:39-40 MSG
Esau is rightfully angry, and he decides in his heart that after his father passes away and his time of mourning is over he is going to kill Jacob. Rebekah gets word of his decision and warns Jacob and instructs him to run for his life to Haran where his uncle Laban lives. (this is where Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac.)
So there is a few things at play here, for one, remember yesterday that Esau had married and Hittite woman, She is also using this in a way to hope that Jacob meets someone from their own family line and does not cross the genetics with the foreigners of the region. This is important for the lineage and genealogy from Adam to Jesus as we will see played out in some of the genealogies in the Bible.
Genesis 28
Genesis 28 starts out on the point I was just making, Isaac calls in Jacob and tells him to go to Paddan Aram to his mothers father to find a wife for himself and that he is not to take on a Canaanite woman as his wife. He gives him more Blessings ““And may The Strong God bless you and give you many, many children, a congregation of peoples; and pass on the blessing of Abraham to you and your descendants so that you will get this land in which you live, this land God gave Abraham.””
Genesis 28:3-4 MSG
Issac then heads to Paddan Aram, And Esau does something really random, He has already a few Hittite wives, but realists how much his Father dislikes them and decides to find kin of Ishmael (Abrahams first son with his maidservant) and Marries one of his daughters.
Some speculation on this, he may have been trying to correct his path, or do something to change his current predicament, Perhaps he believed that if he married someone from the family line it would reverse the damage that he caused by marrying outside of the lineage.
This Next scene is a very interesting one indeed, and a few significant things happen here.
So as the story goes, Jacob is resting on his way to Haran, and while he is asleep he has this dream of a stairway that goes up into the sky and it has angles moving up and down the ladder, this is known as Jacobs ladder. I like to believe that this is a real thing that Jacob saw, as it would represent that God is not separate from us and that we have access to Him. or something like that.
Then the story says that God appeared right there in front of Jacob! God gives Jacob a very powerful promise in this visit.
“Then God was right before him, saying, “I am God, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. I’m giving the ground on which you are sleeping to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will be as the dust of the Earth; they’ll stretch from west to east and from north to south. All the families of the Earth will bless themselves in you and your descendants. Yes. I’ll stay with you, I’ll protect you wherever you go, and I’ll bring you back to this very ground. I’ll stick with you until I’ve done everything I promised you.””
Genesis 28:13-15 MSG
Jacob wakes up and makes a memorial stone and anoints it with oil and calls the place Bethel (God's House) We will see this space again! so remember the name Bethel
- Genesis 35:6-7, where Jacob returns to Bethel after leaving his parents-in-law, Laban's household
- Judges 20:18, where an assembly of Israelite tribes was held at Bethel to plan their response to the massacre of the tribe of Benjamin
- 1 Samuel 7:16, where Samuel sets up a memorial stone at Bethel to commemorate the Israelites' defeat of the Philistines
- Amos 4:4, where the prophet Amos warns the people of Bethel and Samaria of the coming judgment of God.
“Jacob vowed a vow: “If God stands by me and protects me on this journey on which I’m setting out, keeps me in food and clothing, and brings me back in one piece to my father’s house, this God will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a memorial pillar will mark this as a place where God lives. And everything you give me, I’ll return a tenth to you.” * * *”
Genesis 28:20-22 MSG
Psalms 33
Beautiful psalm about how God is faithful, How he keeps his Promises and how He sees everything and watches over all people!
“We’re depending on God; he’s everything we need. What’s more, our hearts brim with joy since we’ve taken for our own his holy name. Love us, God, with all you’ve got— that’s what we’re depending on.”
Psalms 33:20-22 MSG
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