Jubilee Christian College provides a complete Biblical and academic educational program based on the Hebraic/Christian heritage found in the ancient traditions and Scripture of the Jewish people and on the principles and examples given by the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus). Through a conceptual learning process each course attempts to train the whole person to apply Biblical instructions to every facet of life. Classes meet in several locations around the country as well as in the rural retreat campus in Jasper, Arkansas.

Jubilee is an institution accredited through the Accrediting Commission International. ACI is an internationally recognized accrediting organization which holds as its primary objective the encouragement and maintenance of sound scholarship and the highest academic achievement in areas of private education. The primary function of ACI is to act as an international accreditation society for the preparation of quality education in private schools, colleges, and theological seminaries. Members must exemplify outstanding scholarship, leadership, and character. Each institution is periodically re-evaluated to assure the commission that the institution continues in its commitment to these goals. Member schools are listed in the Library of Congress through accreditation with ACI.

Studies are offered in Ancient Middle Eastern Studies, Biblical Studies, Ministry, and Christian Education for Bachelor and Graduate Degrees.

A God Made With Hands Is No God At All

Acts 19: 23 – 41

Douglas A. Wheeler, Ph.D., Th.D.

In the book of Acts we find one of the great versus, great statements of the entire Word of God.  This statement, found in verse 26, is attributed to Paul; and even in its simplicity, though it is didactic, rightly applied, has the power to transform the life of a believer.  By its force and power it brings an automatic evaluation into the heart of all those that long to walk close with the Lord.  It is so closely woven into the contest that without a careful reading, one may just skim right by it not understanding the power contained in it.  When Paul came to Ephesus, he met certain disciples who had not yet received the Holy Spirit, as they were functioning under the baptism of John.  Paul explained to them the work of Jesus the Messiah and they accepted Him as the Lord and Savior of their lives.  They were re-baptized in the name of Jesus and it is the only record in the entire New Testament where someone was re-baptized.

We are told in this context that there were about 12 of these men.  Paul and these new disciples spent about three months "disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God."  We are told that this was a difficult time for Paul because many were hardened and did not believe.  They were vocal about it and spoke evil of the way before the crowds.  We are told that this continued for a period of over two years.  Even though this was a difficult time, God brought many miracles to substantiate the ministry of Paul.  In context, we next read about the seven sons of Sceva.  We will not give time to that sequence of events in this article but will discuss it in the next article for Tishrei.

The Scripture states that "at about that time there arose no small stir about that way.  For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith which mad shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsman; Whom he called together with the workman of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.  Moreover ye see and hear, than not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands."

Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen were very upset because the ministry of Paul was encroaching on their wealth.  They experience a decline in sales of statues of Diana and cult artifacts, and they were certainly not happy about it.  They further stated that "our craft is in danger to be set at naught; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world Worshippeth.  And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians."

There is nothing in the world that gets people upset faster than messing with their money.  Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen were certainly not interested in the Temple of Diana or the worship of Diana.  They were interested in money.  It was in this context that the great verse of scripture that was attributed to Paul was made.  Demetrius stated that Paul was teaching that "a god made with hands is no god at all."  What a powerful statement -- a god made with hands is no god at all.

In today's world, people are not going around building little statues of Diana.  We do not, as believers, spend our time making little artifacts to sell.  However, it is a fair question to ask: Are we serving a god that we have made with our own hands?  Have you ever thought about that?  We are not talking about salvation here, but simply doing an assessment of whom we are serving.  Is our God a god that is formed by relationship purchased from the shed blood of Jesus Christ, or is the God that we serve a god of our theology?  Is the God that we serve a God that we were taught about when we were young but really don't have an in-depth, personal, vibrant, and growing relationship with today?  Is the God that we serve today a God of anger and judgement; is He a God that demands flawless behavior and thought, who when He does not get it will respond with severe punishment?  Is our God a god that more closely resembles Santa Claus?  Is the God that we serve our servant, or are we his?

Though these questions are not comfortable, they must be asked.  We simply must ask ourselves what kind of a god are we serving.  Are we serving the God of the Word of God, or are we serving a god that we have created or allowed to be created by our own hand?  How can we answer that question?  We must know the God of the Word.  It is not enough to know the Word of God.  A good indication that we may be serving a god that we have made with our own hands is shown in this passage of scripture.  In Acts 19:29 we read, "And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, me of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.  And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.  And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.  Some therefore cried one thing, and some another; for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together."

One common ingredient that is present whenever we serve a god that we have formed with our own hands is confusion.  Is it possible, in today's world, to serve a god that we have formed with our own hands?  The answer is yes.  When we do, the outcome is always the same -- confusion.  Here are a few other statements that can be made to help us determine if we are serving a god who has been created by our own hands:

-->Do we really have an understanding of who God is and what He wants in our lives?  The fact of the matter is that the Lord is far more interested in you than in what you do.  This is not to say that He is not interested in what you do with your life because that is simply not true.  He has a plan and purpose for your life.  You might devise your own way but it is the Lord that places your steps.  At the heart of it all is relationship.  It is the heart of the Lord to walk in a close, intimate relationship with you.  If we think that life is to be lived simply to fulfill the call that is on us, we miss the boat.  The call is important but the relationship is far more important than any call.  Some have gotten so wrapped up in fulfilling the call of God on their lives that they have neglected the relationship with Him.  Once that happens, we are then serving a god that we have created with our own hands.

-->Do we allow the Lord to direct our lives, or do we direct our lives and ask the Lord to bless us in our decisions?  We walk in a covenant relationship with God.  He holds both ends of the covenant.  In this culture if two people are going to enter a covenant they would take a lamb or a bull and cut the animal in half.  The stronger partner of the covenant would walk through the split pieces first symbolizing that the same fate would happen to him if he did anything to break the covenant.  Then the weaker partner of the covenant would walk through the split pieces symbolizing that if he broke any part of the covenant the same thing would happen to him as to the animal.  It was a covenant established in blood.  You see, it was the stronger partner in a covenant that set the parameters of the covenant.  When you read of the covenant that God established with Abraham, you will see that God walked through the split pieces of the animals but Abraham was sleeping.  He woke up to see the Lord as "a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces."  What was being said here in terms of covenant?  God was saying that He would uphold His part of the covenant and He would even uphold Abraham's (and his seed) part of the covenant.  He would pay with His own blood if Abraham or his seed broke the covenant.  This is referring to the cross where the Lord paid, in his own blood, for our breach of covenant.  You see, God is the stronger partner in the covenant relationship and we are the weaker.  It is the function and role of the weaker to perform the will of the stronger.  What does the weaker get out of the covenant?  It is the role of the stronger to make total provision for the weaker so that the weaker only has to do one thing -- perform the will of the stronger.  When we become the master of our own ship, we become the Lord of our own life.  We are serving a god that we have created with our own hands.  When we make our own decisions, never check with the Lord, but simply ask Him to bless what we do and act as though we are the stronger partner in covenant, we are serving a god that we created with our own hands.  When we stress out, worry, fear over any situation, we are functioning in the role of the stronger.  We are the weaker partner in covenant and it is the role of the stronger to take total care of the weaker so that the weaker has to focus only on doing the will of the stronger.

-->God will take care of you.  He has promised to do so, but He is not your servant; you are His servant.  His advantage is that He is not confined to your time and space.  He transcends them.  He knows your beginning and He knows your end.  He can see the totality of your life and He knows what He is doing in your life.  We need to be about the business of building an intimate relationship with Him and performing His will in our lives, our family's lives, and in our community.  We don't use the promises of God as a means of making God our Santa Claus.  We don't use the promises of God in a way that turns God into our servant to be ordered around by us.  We don't walk with the Lord just because of the blessings we get, but we walk with the Lord because of the relationship that is ours.  Again, God will take care of you.  There is a great verse in Jeremiah 29:11-13 that states: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Then shall you call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you.  And you shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."  This speaks of relationship.  Seek God, not the promises.  He has got you covered.

How can we make sure that we are not serving a god that we have made with our hands?  First, don't just know the Word of God; know the God of the Word.  Secondly, understand the kind of covenant you are involved in.  If there is confusion in your life it may be because you are trying to be the master of your own ship; you are trying to be the stronger partner in the covenant.  You were never designed to be the stronger partner; you were designed to be the weaker partner in the covenant.  Learn to live there.  Learn to trust Him in all things and for all things.  Thirdly, understand what the Lord wants in your life.  He wants you.  Make sure that you are more interested in the relationship than you are in the promises.  We should want the Lord more than we want the blessings.  We should want the Lord because He makes us feel clean and good about ourselves.  We should want the Lord because He gives us purpose, meaning, and identity.  We should want the Lord because He gives us vision of all that we can become in Him.  We should want the Lord because He allows us to be a partner with Him in fulfilling His desire in the earth.  We should want the Lord because He gives us the opportunity to walk in a realm of life that is not possible without Him.  We should want the Lord because He can become the common bond in all our relationships.  We should want the Lord because He can take us into a world that is dominated by self and teach us to be a servant.  We should want the Lord because of the relationship.

Are you serving a god that you have made with your own hands?  Paul says that a god that is made with hands is no god at all.  If you find yourself there, it is easy to fix.  Just pray and tell Him that you desire intimacy with Him above anything in your life; and if you are not there, ask Him to help you get there.  May the peace of God be yours.

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