When Barnabas and Saul went to Lystra on their first missionary journey (Acts 14:8-18), Paul healed a crippled man by the power of God. The crowds who saw this event were so amazed by the miracle that they began to cry out, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” They said that Barnabas was Zeus, king among the Greek gods, and that Paul was Hermes, messenger among the Greek gods. The local priest of Zeus prepared to lead the crowd in sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas. The speech that Paul and Barnabas gave in response to this is one of the great speeches of the Bible.
“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness” (14:14-17).
The inspired historian Luke records that “Even with these words [Paul and Barnabas] scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them” (14:18). Notice three important points from this text:
- There is only one God, Who is the Creator of all material reality, and all humans are equally accountable to Him. This should lead us to humility before God and our fellow man, and to concern for the souls of all. “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 40:28).
- In nature, God has provided ample evidence of His existence and personal care for humanity. On the day of judgment, nobody will be able to accuse God of providing too little evidence for Himself. “[H]is invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).
- Idols are worthless. Although people may put great stock in those false gods they worship (e.g., graven images, sports, money, education, societal status, family), those things are not the Lord and never will satisfy (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Nor will they take us to heaven. Only the one true God can do that (2 Timothy 4:6-8).