April 11 (Deuteronomy 28; Psalm 93; Acts 17)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry

Episode Title: April 11 (Deuteronomy 28; Psalm 93; Acts 17)
Host/Author: Crossway
Release Date: April 11, 2025

In this episode of "Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry," listeners are guided through a profound exploration of Deuteronomy 28, Psalm 93, and Acts 17. This session delves into the themes of obedience and disobedience, the majesty of God, and the early Christian mission in Athens. The episode weaves together scriptural readings with insightful reflections, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of these passages.

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1. Deuteronomy 28: Blessings and Curses

Overview: The episode begins with a detailed reading of Deuteronomy 28, where Moses outlines the blessings that the Israelites would receive for obeying God's commandments and the severe curses that would befall them if they turned away.

Key Points:

• Obedience Brings Prosperity:
  Moses articulates the numerous blessings that God promises to the Israelites for their faithfulness. These include prosperity in the city and field, victory over enemies, and general well-being.
  Notable Quote:

  Moses [00:16]: "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field."
  (Timestamp: 00:16)

• Disobedience Leads to Destruction:
  Conversely, the chapter warns of dire consequences if the Israelites forsake God. These curses encompass economic hardship, disease, defeat by enemies, and societal collapse.
  Notable Quote:

  God [01:59]: "Today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you."
  (Timestamp: 01:59)

• The Severity of Apostasy:
  The text emphasizes the gravity of turning to other gods, detailing horrific punishments to underline the seriousness of remaining faithful.
  Notable Quote:

  God [04:57]: "You shall have olive trees throughout all your territory, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives shall drop off."
  (Timestamp: 04:57)

Insights: The reading underscores the covenant relationship between God and Israel, highlighting the tangible effects of spiritual fidelity or infidelity. It serves as a timeless reminder of the importance of obedience to divine commandments and the far-reaching implications of our choices.

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2. Psalm 93: The Majesty of God

Overview: Following the Deuteronomy passage, Psalm 93 is read, celebrating God's eternal reign and unshakable sovereignty over creation.

Key Points:

• God's Eternal Throne:
  The psalmist proclaims God's everlasting rule, emphasizing His supreme authority and unchanging nature.
  Notable Quote:

  Reader [09:26]: "The Lord reigns. He is robed in majesty. The Lord is robed. He is put on strength as his belt."
  (Timestamp: 09:26)

• Stability of Creation:
  Despite the tumultuous forces of nature, the psalm affirms that God's decrees ensure the world's stability.
  Notable Quote:

  Reader [09:57]: "Yes, the world is established. It shall never be moved."
  (Timestamp: 09:57)

• Trustworthiness of God's Decrees:
  The faithful trust in God's trustworthy plans and statutes, recognizing His holiness and eternal dominion.
  Notable Quote:

  Reader [09:59]: "Your decrees are very trustworthy. Holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore."
  (Timestamp: 09:59)

Insights: Psalm 93 serves as a poetic affirmation of God's absolute power and unassailable authority. It invites believers to reflect on the majesty of God and find reassurance in His steadfastness amidst a changing world.

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3. Acts 17: Paul's Mission in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens

Overview: The episode transitions to a New Testament reading from Acts 17, chronicling Apostle Paul's evangelistic efforts in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. It highlights his strategic approach to preaching and the varied receptions he encountered.

Key Points:

• Paul's Preaching in Thessalonica:
  Paul engages the Jewish synagogue, explaining the necessity of Christ's suffering and resurrection. His message persuades many, including devout Greeks and prominent women. However, jealousy among the Jews leads to opposition and the persecution of Paul and his companions.
  Notable Quote:

  Narration [09:11]: "Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, what does this babbler wish to say?"
  (Timestamp: 10:05)

• Response in Berea:
  Unlike Thessalonica, the Bereans are described as more noble, eagerly examining the scriptures to verify Paul's teachings. This open-mindedness results in a significant number of believers. However, jealousy from Thessalonian Jews once again stirs unrest, prompting Paul to continue his mission elsewhere.
  Notable Quote:

  Narration [10:51]: "But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds."
  (Timestamp: 10:51)

• Paul's Address at the Areopagus in Athens:
  Arriving in Athens, Paul observes a city filled with idols. Seizing the opportunity, he delivers a profound sermon at the Areopagus, addressing pagan philosophers about the "unknown God" they worship. He presents the true God who created the world, emphasizing His proximity to humanity and the necessity of repentance through Jesus Christ. While some mock his message, others express interest, leading to the conversion of figures like Dionysus the Areopagite and Damaris.
  Notable Quote:

  Paul [10:54]: "For the times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent."
  (Timestamp: 10:54)
  Paul [10:59]: "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man."
  (Timestamp: 10:59)

Insights: Acts 17 highlights Paul's adaptive evangelistic methods tailored to his audience—engaging synagogue members, noble seekers in Berea, and philosophically inclined Athenians. The narrative underscores the varied receptions of the gospel and the importance of cultural context in missionary work.

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Conclusion

This episode serves as a rich tapestry weaving together themes of divine blessings and curses, the unassailable majesty of God, and the dynamic spread of the early Christian message. By engaging with Deuteronomy 28, Psalm 93, and Acts 17, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the covenantal relationship between God and His people, the eternal nature of His reign, and the proactive nature of spreading the gospel. Jackie Hill Perry, through the Crossway podcast, facilitates a meaningful journey through these scriptures, encouraging believers to reflect on their faith and actions in light of God's word.

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Notable Quotes Summary:

1. Blessings for Obedience:

   Moses [00:16]: "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field."
   (Timestamp: 00:16)

2. Consequences of Disobedience:

   God [01:59]: "Today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you."
   (Timestamp: 01:59)

3. God’s Eternal Reign:

   Reader [09:26]: "The Lord reigns. He is robed in majesty."
   (Timestamp: 09:26)

4. Paul’s Message in Athens:

   Paul [10:59]: "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man."
   (Timestamp: 10:59)

These selected quotes encapsulate the essence of each reading, providing focal points for reflection and discussion.

Transcript

[Reader]

A reading from the book of Deuteronomy.

[Moses]

And if you faithfully obey the voice.

[God]

Of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments, that I command you today.

[Moses]

The Lord your God will set you.

[God]

High above all the nations of the earth.

[Moses]

And all these blessings shall come upon.

[God]

You and overtake you. If you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in. And blessed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you.

[Moses]

They shall come out against you one.

[God]

Way and flee before you seven ways.

[Moses]

The Lord will command the blessing on.

[God]

You in your barns and in all that you undertake.

[Moses]

And he will bless you in the.

[God]

Land that the Lord your God is giving you.

[Moses]

The Lord will establish you as a.

[God]

People, holy to Himself, as He has sworn to you.

[Moses]

If you keep the commandments of the.

[God]

Lord your God and walk in his ways.

[Moses]

And all the peoples of the earth.

[God]

Shall see that you are called by.

[Moses]

The name of the Lord.

[God]

And they shall be afraid of you.

[Moses]

And the Lord will make you abound.

[God]

In prosperity in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your.

[Moses]

Ground within the land that the Lord.

[God]

Swore to your fathers to give you.

[Moses]

The Lord will open to you his.

[God]

Good treasury, the heavens to give the.

[Moses]

Rain to your land in its season.

[God]

And to bless all the work of your hands.

[Moses]

And you shall lend to many nations.

[God]

But you shall not borrow.

[Moses]

And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail.

[God]

And you shall only go up and not down.

[Moses]

If you obey the commandments of the.

[God]

Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them.

[Moses]

And if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I.

[God]

Command you today to the right hand or to the left to go after other gods to serve them.

[Moses]

But if you will not obey the.

[God]

Voice of the Lord your God or.

[Moses]

Be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you.

[God]

Today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city and cursed shall you be in the field. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground. The increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration, and all that you undertake to do until you are destroyed.

[Moses]

And perish quickly on account of the.

[God]

Evil of your deeds.

[Reader]

Because you have forsaken me.

[Moses]

The Lord will make the pestilence stick to you until he has consumed you.

[God]

Off the land that you are entering to take possession of it. The Lord will strike you with wasting disease and with fever, inflammation, and fiery heat. And with drought and with blight and with mildew they shall pursue you until you perish.

[Moses]

And the heavens over your head shall.

[God]

Be bronze, and the earth under you shall be iron.

[Moses]

The Lord will make the rain of.

[God]

Your land powder from heaven. Dust shall come down on you until you are destroyed. The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them.

[Moses]

And you shall be a horror to.

[God]

All the kingdoms of the earth.

[Moses]

And your dead body shall be food.

[God]

For all birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away. The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors and scabs and itch, of which you cannot be healed.

[Moses]

The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of mind.

[God]

And you shall grope at noonday as.

[Moses]

The blind grope in darkness.

[God]

And you shall not prosper in your ways.

[Moses]

And you shall be only oppressed and.

[God]

Robbed continually, and there shall be no one to help you. You shall betroth the wife, but another man shall ravish her. You shall build a house, but you shall not dwell in it. You shall plant a vineyard, but you shall not enjoy its fruit. Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you shall not eat any of it. Your donkey shall be seized before your face, but shall not be restored to you.

[Moses]

Your sheep shall be given to your.

[God]

Enemies, but there shall be no one to help you.

[Moses]

Your sons and your daughters shall be.

[God]

Given to another people where your eyes.

[Moses]

Look on and fail with longing for.

[God]

Them all day long. But you shall be helpless.

[Moses]

A nation that you have not known.

[God]

Shall eat up the fruit of your ground and of all your labors, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually, so that you are driven mad by the sights that your eyes see.

[Moses]

The Lord will strike you on the knees and on the legs with grievous.

[God]

Boils of which you cannot be healed from the sole of Your foot to the crown of your head.

[Moses]

The Lord will bring you and your king whom you set over you to.

[God]

A nation that neither you nor your fathers have known.

[Moses]

And there you shall serve other gods.

[God]

Of wood and stone. And you shall become a horror, a proverb and a byword among all the peoples where the Lord will lead you away. You shall carry much seed into the field and shall gather in little, for the locusts shall consume it. You shall plant vineyards and dress them. But you shall neither drink of the.

[Moses]

Wine nor gather the grapes, for the.

[God]

Worm shall eat them. You shall have olive trees throughout all your territory, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives shall drop off.

[Moses]

You shall father sons and daughters, but.

[God]

They shall not be yours, for they shall go into captivity. The cricket shall possess all your trees and the fruit of your ground.

[Moses]

The sojourner who is among you shall.

[God]

Rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and and lower. He shall lend to you, and you.

[Moses]

Shall not lend to him.

[God]

He shall be the head and you shall be the tail. All these curses shall come upon you.

[Moses]

And pursue you and overtake you till.

[God]

You are destroyed because you did not.

[Moses]

Obey the voice of the Lord your.

[God]

God, to keep his commandments and his.

[Reader]

Statutes that he commanded you.

[God]

They shall be a sign and a wonder against you and your offspring forever, because you did not serve the Lord.

[Moses]

Your God with joyfulness and gladness of.

[God]

Heart, because of the abundance of all things.

[Moses]

Therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you in.

[God]

Hunger and thirst, in nakedness and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.

[Moses]

The Lord will bring a nation against.

[God]

You from far away from the end of the earth, swooping down like the eagle. A nation whose language you do not understand.

[Moses]

A hard faced nation who shall not.

[God]

Respect the old or show mercy to the young.

[Reader]

It shall eat the offspring of your.

[God]

Cattle and the fruit of your ground until you are destroyed. It also shall not leave you grain, wine or oil, the increase of your herds, or the young of your flock, until they have caused you to perish.

[Moses]

They shall besiege you in all your.

[God]

Towns until your high and fortified walls, in which you trusted, come down throughout all your land.

[Moses]

And they shall besiege you in all.

[God]

Your towns, throughout all your land, which the Lord your God has given you.

[Moses]

And you shall eat the fruit of.

[God]

Your womb, the flesh of your sons and daughters, whom the Lord your God has given you.

[Moses]

In the siege and in the distress.

[God]

With which your enemies shall distress you.

[Moses]

The man who is the most tender and refined among you will begrudge food.

[God]

To his brother, to the wife he.

[Moses]

Embraces, and to the last of the children whom he has left, so that he will not give to any of them any of the flesh of his.

[God]

Children whom he is eating, because he has nothing else left.

[Moses]

In the siege and in the distress with which your enemies shall distress you.

[God]

In all your towns, the most tender and refined woman among you, who would.

[Moses]

Not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because she is so delicate and tender, will begrudge.

[God]

To the husband she embraces, to her son, and to her daughter her afterbirth that comes out from between her feet and her children whom she bears, because, lacking everything, she will eat them secretly.

[Moses]

In the siege and in the distress.

[God]

With which your enemies shall distress you and your towns. If you are not careful to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God, then the Lord will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions, afflictions severe and lasting, and sicknesses grievous and lasting.

[Moses]

And he will bring upon you again.

[God]

All the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid. And they shall cling to you every sickness also, and every affliction that is.

[Moses]

Not recorded in the book of this law.

[God]

The the Lord will bring upon you until you are destroyed. Whereas you are as numerous as the stars of heaven, you shall be left few in number because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

[Moses]

And as the Lord took delight in.

[God]

Doing you good and multiplying you, so.

[Moses]

The Lord will take delight in bringing.

[God]

Ruin upon you and destroying you. And you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

[Moses]

And the Lord will scatter you among.

[God]

All peoples from one end of the earth to the other.

[Moses]

And there you shall serve other gods.

[God]

Of wood and stone which neither you nor your fathers have known. And among these nations you shall find no respite, and there shall be no resting place for the sole of your foot. But the Lord will give you there a trembling heart and failing eyes and a languishing soul.

[Moses]

Your life shall hang in doubt before.

[God]

You night and day. You shall be in dread and have no assurance of your life. In the morning you shall say, if only it were evening. And at evening you shall say, if only it were morning, because of the dread that your heart shall feel and the sights that your eyes shall see.

[Moses]

And the Lord will bring you back.

[God]

In ships to Egypt, a journey that I promised that you should never make again.

[Moses]

And there you shall offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves.

[God]

But there will be no buyer.

[Reader]

A reading from the Book of Psalms. The Lord reigns. He is robed in majesty. The Lord is robed. He is put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established. It shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old. You are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord. The floods have lifted up their voice. The floods lift up their roaring, Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea. The Lord on high is mighty.

[God]

Your decrees are very trustworthy.

[Reader]

Holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore. A reading from the Book of Acts. Now, when they had passed through Amphipolis in Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, and as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, this Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ. And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews were jealous and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the.

[God]

Brothers before the city authorities, shouting, these.

[Reader]

Men who have turned the world upside down have come here also. And Jason has received them. And they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king Jesus. And the people. And the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. And when they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now, these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica. They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea. But Silas and Timothy remained there. Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens. And after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed. Now, while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons. And in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, what does this babbler wish to say? Others said, he seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, may we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting for? You bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know, therefore, what these things mean. Now, all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said, men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription to the unknown God. What therefore you worship as unknown? This I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man. Nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything, Since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, Having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find Him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said. For we are indeed his offspring. Being then God's offspring. We ought not to think that the divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked. But now he commands all people everywhere to repent. Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed. And of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, but others said, we will hear you again about this. So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysus the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.