Lighthouse Trails Research Journal
12
“Supreme Beings”—continued from previous page
Astarte (continued worship of Nimrod
and Semiramis). 10
9. Did Ezra and Nehemiah ask the Per-
sians if they could rebuild the Temple as a
tribute to the Persian god Ahura Mazda?
The vessels also that are given thee
for the service of the house of thy
God, those deliver thou before
the God of Jerusalem. (Ezra 7:19)
The king Artaxerxes ordered that the
temple implements be returned so they
could eventually rebuild the temple of the
“God of Jerusalem.” This was not for the
Persian gods but for the True God. The
gods of the Persians were Ahura Mazda
and Spenta Armaiti. 11
10. Did Paul use a clever missiological
technique by telling the Greeks that God
is Zeus, or the Romans that He is Jupiter
or the Ephesians that He is embodied in
Artemis?
And when the people saw what
Paul had done, they lifted up their
voices, saying in the speech of
Lycaonia, The gods are come down
to us in the likeness of men. And
they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and
Paul, Mercurius, because he was
the chief speaker. Then the priest of
Jupiter, which was before their city,
brought oxen and garlands unto the
gates, and would have done sacrifice
with the people. Which when the
apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard
of, they rent their clothes, and ran
in among the people, crying out,
and saying, Sirs, why do ye these
things? We also are men of like
passions with you, and preach unto
you that ye should turn from these
vanities unto the living God, which
made heaven, and earth, and the sea,
and all things that are therein: who
Volume 7—No. 5
in times past suffered all nations to
walk in their own ways. Nevertheless
he left not himself without witness,
in that he did good, and gave us rain
from heaven, and fruitful seasons,
filling our hearts with food and
gladness. And with these sayings
scarce restrained they the people,
that they had not done sacrifice unto
them. (Acts 14:11-18)
This situation is entirely consistent with
Paul teaching over and over again that the
Gentiles “do not know God.” Paul was
there to bring them the Gospel, not to
syncretize their own god with the God of
the Bible. This is exactly what he did in
Aereopogus also when he explained to them
Who the “Unknown God” was, and most
of them did not want to hear the truth.
Howbeit then, when ye knew not
God, ye did service unto them
which by nature are no gods.
(Galatians 4:8)
For after that in the wisdom of God
the world by wisdom knew not God,
it pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that believe.
(1 Corinthians. 1:21)
Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of
God: therefore the world knoweth
us not, because it knew him not. (1
John 3:1)
And even as they did not like to
retain God in their knowledge, God
gave them over to a reprobate mind,
to do those things which are not
convenient. (Romans 1:28)
[N]ot in the lust of concupiscence,
even as the Gentiles which know not
God. (1 Thessalonians 4:5)
. . . that at that time ye were
without Christ, being aliens from
the commonwealth of Israel, and
strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and
without God in the world: but now
in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes
were far off are made nigh by the
blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:12-13)
[I]n flaming fire taking vengeance
on them that know not God, and
that obey not the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8)
The “supreme beings” of the Greeks
were Zeus and Hera, though Zeus had a
number of other consorts spawning a pan-
theon of gods. 12 Jupiter and Juno were the
“supreme beings” of Rome, again spawning
a pantheon of other gods. 13 Artemis was a
virgin goddess, never married, but was the
daughter of Zeus and Leto. 14
IN CONCLUSION
he obvious answer to the questions
above, both from the Bible and histori-
cal records, is a resounding “No.”
T
. . . that ye come not among these
nations, these that remain among
you; neither make mention of the
name of their gods, nor cause to
swear by them, neither serve them,
nor bow yourselves unto them.
(Joshua 23:7)
For all the gods of the nations are
idols: but the LORD made the
heavens. (Psalm 96:5)
For all people will walk every one
in the name of his god, and we will
walk in the name of the LORD our
God for ever and ever. (Micah 4:5)
The LORD will be terrible unto
them: for he will famish all the
gods of the earth; and men shall
worship him, every one from his
Continues on next page
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019