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JULY 17
DAY 16: How profound an impact can the gospel have on a society?
Reading Acts 19:1–20,it is clear that the gospel made a tremendous impact on Ephesus.Paul’s
two years of ministry here along with “unusual miracles,”the very public deliverance of a man from
an evil spirit,and burning of magic books had left there mark.“So the word of the Lord grew mightily
and prevailed”(v. 20).
So much so that Demetrius, a silversmith, took action against them. He was a maker of “silver
shrines of Diana” (v. 24), the goddess Diana (also known as Artemis). These shrines were used as
household idols and in the worship at the temple of Diana. Worship of her, centered at the great
temple of Diana at Ephesus (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), was widespread
throughout the Roman Empire. It is likely that the riot described in this passage took place during
the annual spring festival held in her honor at Ephesus.The statement “brought no small profit”sug-
gests Demetrius may have been the head of the silversmiths’ guild—which would explain his tak-
ing the lead in opposing the Christian preachers.
Demetrius cleverly played upon his hearers’fears of financial ruin,religious zeal,and concern for
their city’s prestige. The Christian preachers, he argued, threatened the continued prosperity of
Ephesus. His audience’s violent reaction shows they took the threat seriously (v. 28). That was the
impact of the gospel on their daily lives.The frenzied mob gathered in the theater clearly threatened
the lives of Gaius and Aristarchus because of their role in the delivery of the Christian message.

command of the king: “Children of Israel, re-
July 17 Israel; then He will return to the remnant of
turn to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and
you who have escaped from the hand of the
kings of Assyria. And do not be like your
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2 Chronicles 30:1–31:21
fathers and your brethren, who trespassed
And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and against the LORD God of their fathers, so that
30 Judah, and also wrote letters to He gave them up to desolation, as you see.
Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should 8 Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers
come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, were, but yield yourselves to the LORD; and
to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Is- enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified
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rael. For the king and his leaders and all the forever, and serve the LORD your God, that the
assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from
Passover in the second month. For they could you. For if you return to the LORD, your
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not keep it at the regular time, because a suf- brethren and your children will be treated with
ficient number of priests had not consecrated compassion by those who lead them captive,
themselves, nor had the people gathered so that they may come back to this land; for
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together at Jerusalem. And the matter pleased the LORD your God is gracious and merciful,
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the king and all the assembly. So they re- and will not turn His face from you if you return
solved to make a proclamation throughout all to Him.”
Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they 10 So the runners passed from city to city
should come to keep the Passover to the LORD through the country of Ephraim and
God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but they laughed
done it for a long time in the prescribed manner. at them and mocked them. Nevertheless
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6 Then the runners went throughout all Is- some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun
rael and Judah with the letters from the king humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
and his leaders, and spoke according to the 12 Also the hand of God was on Judah to give
them singleness of heart to obey the com-
mand of the king and the leaders, at the word
of the LORD.
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30:6 return. The nation was required by law Now many people, a very great assembly,
to annually celebrate 3 feasts in Jerusalem: 1) gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Un-
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Passover; 2) Pentecost; and 3) Tabernacles (Ex. leavened Bread in the second month. They
23; Lev. 23; Num. 28; 29; Deut. 16). God would arose and took away the altars that were in Je-
have returned to bless the people of the rusalem, and they took away all the incense
northern apostate and idolatrous kingdom of altars and cast them into the Brook Kidron.
Israel if they had returned to Him. 15 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs
on the fourteenth day of the second month.
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