Text: "Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not." (Acts 16:6,7}

-- "If we shrink sensitively from the idea that the God of Heaven and Earth reveals to some and hides from others, we are strangely out of sympathy with the feelings of Jesus and of Paul." (Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, American Baptist Publication Society, 1886 --on Matthew 13: 13)

The fact chat God has the right to "have mercy upon whom He will have mercy" and to harden "whom He will" (Rom. 9:18) has occasioned adoration and joy among the saints of God in every age. Throughout history, they have found reason to rest in the Lord being firmly persuaded that God is Good, and that He knows what He is doing.

Jesus told his disciples, "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: that seeing they may see and not perceive; and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest at any time they should he converted and their sins should be forgiven them." (Mark 4:11,12)

Here is Gospel Truth which arrogant men have resisted in every age. Come to grips with it, Reader, and do not be like the foolhardy who receive it as if it were the word of men. (I Thess. 2:13) Stand reverently and worship!

In the text Paul and Silas were "forbidden of the Holy Ghost" to preach the Word of God in Asia. Here is great mystery and Scripture simply affirms for us that "known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world" (Acts 15:18) One thing I know: God has every right to withhold His Truth from any man God or nation.

The text continues. Paul and Silas next made plans to go into Bithynia, "but the Spirit suffered (allowed) them not." Woe be unto that man or nation to whom the Lord denies His Gospel!

Application

Sometimes, God withdraws His Truth from a people. When He does, Truths once revered are no longer feared. Things once understood are no longer understood. Principles once cherished are no longer dear.

First, When God withdraws godly influence from a man or woman, that person may not be aware of it. So Samson "knew not that the Lord was departed from Him." (Judges 16:20)

Such a man may come to value his job more than he values the Truth of God. He may choose to have his parent’s or his wife’s favor to having the grace and blessing of God. The awful evidence that God has withdrawn His hand is the stark reality that he has lost his convictions.

Second, God may harden such a man so that he loses interest in the Gospel. He may come late to worship, and them may be less frequently there. He may argue that he is tired or that he is ill, but the truth is, he has lost interest in the things of God.

Third, When God withdraws His Gospel from a man or woman He may cause that person to reject His servants. Such a person often becomes so critical of the man of God that by slandering him, he mutually poisons himself and therefore resists the Truth he brings.

Fourth, When God removes His Gospel from a people, denying them the light of Truth, He may simply leave them under the control of some sin, and to the destruction of the flesh.

God May Remove His Preachers

Fifth, Sometimes God removes His preachers. He may do it simply by shutting their mouths so they cannot preach. So, God made the tongue of Ezekiel to cleave to the roof of his mouth, and made him dumb, that the preacher would no longer be a reprover of the people. (Ez. 3:26) But, woe be unto that man or nation whom God no longer reproves!

Sixth, God may remove His Gospel from s people by giving them preachers who love filthy lucre --professional ministers who become "dumb dogs" in order to ensure their "job." (Is. 56:10) Many others leave the high calling of God to enter the world of business --where the "money" is.

Seventh, Some preachers are unwilling to continue "earnestly con-tending for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints," (Jude 3) When such a candlestick ceases to give forth the light, how great is the darkness left upon society!

Eighth, God nay remove the Gospel from the mouth of His preachers by allowing them to become sidetracked into preaching a particular doctrine that may be a denominational peculiarity.

Ninth, when God withholds His Gospel from a man or from a nation, He may keep the Gospel from the people’s door, or from the church building, or even from their city.

Tenth, when God does not allow a people the blessings of the Gospel ministry, He may simply send His servants elsewhere. Although such people may not be aware the Spirit of God has departed, yet, in reality, He has departed.

Eleventh, God may remove His preachers by death. In this way, He may spare them from the evil which He intends to bring upon the nation. Although He takes His servants in peace, God may be at war with the people. (II Kings 22:20)

God May Cause the People to Believe A Lie

Twelfth, when God withholds His Gospel, He may send strong delusion that a man may believe a lie. (II Thess. 2:11,22) It may be a falsehood he has embraced from his youth.

1. Many people are deluded into thinking religious exercise is all that is necessary with God. This judgment is often brought upon people on account of their pride.
2. When God withholds the preaching His Word, He may give a person strong delusions so that they come to respect the opinions of men above that which I written in the Book of God. It is pride that makes people venerate the brilliant the highly educated, and although they be "Church-men" they are but men nonetheless.
3. Such people are easily influenced by the cults because they acquire an appetite for that which is false.

Conclusion

Although God later shared His Word with the Asian people, yet God is not compelled to give His Truth at any time, in any place, to any one. Except for the promises He has made to redeem "His people from their sins", all mankind would be left to the judgment they deserve.

What grace is manifested by the fact God would have mercy upon the likes of you or of me!

Could my tears forever flow,

Could my zeal no languor know;

These for sins could not atone --

Thou must save, and Thou alone.

-Augustus Toplady-

"Rock of Ages"

Text: "And the earth was without form and void."

Although Godly people are warned they should "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints," (Jude 3) many are the most accommodating people in the world.

Take for example the so-called "Gap" Theory which has been popularized by Dr. C.I. Schofield and by the Bible that bears his name.

In his day, the theory of evolution was adopted by many scientists, but instead of denouncing it as the pagan concept that it is, many Christians were unwilling to be stigmatized as "ignorant." Instead, they attempted to accommodate the godless system by harmonizing it with the Word of God.

Historically, Genesis chapter one, verse two has been translated as if is found in the King James Version: "And the earth WAS without form and void." Dr. Schofield sought to "correct" the Bible and translated it, "And the earth BECAME without form and void." In this way the scholarly theory of evolution could be made to fit between verse one and verse two.

The Hebrew word "tohu" is translated "without form" and means the face of the earth was not sculptured. The Hebrew word "bohu" is properly rendered "empty" or "void."

The Septuagint translated the word "unsightly", "unfinished" because the creation was not yet perfect, since it was not complete.

Fifty years before the Authorized or King James Version of 1611, the Geneva Bible of 1560 translated the verse, "The earth was without form and void."

Calvin translated it "shapeless, and empty."

In order to lend credence to their altering the sense of the text, so-called "theistic evolutionists" have pointed out verse 28: "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth.’" This means, they affirm, that the creation of chapter one was intended to "refill" the former creation that had gone awry.

Let the reader pick up ant reputable dictionary and he or she will find the meaning of "replenish" is "to supply what is lacking." There were no creatures in the earth except for Adam and Eve, and the animals God had created. An alternate definition "to finish" or "to complete."

The Hebrew word is therefore translated "fill," as is the Greek word.

The Geneva Bible translated the phrase "fill the earth," as does the New American Standard Version.

But does the Bible teach the face of the earth was not as yet sculptured? Yes, it does.

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hast formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God." (Psalm 90:2}

"(The waters) go up by the mountains: they go down by the valleys unto the place which Thou hast founded for them." (Psalm 104:8) The meaning here is that the mountains rose, the valleys sank.

Take the case of Peleg who was so-named because "in his day was the earth divided." {Genesis 10:25) The animals and birds of the earth were thus divided when the earth separated into continents.

Several doctrines are profoundly affected by the manner in which we exegete Genesis 1:2.

First, the "Gap" Theory undeniably nullifies the Fourth Commandment which says, "in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is." (Exodus 20:11)

Second, the so-called "Gap" Theory repudiates the doctrines of the Federal Headship of Adam, and of the origin of Death. It is the testimony of Scripture, "by man came death" (I Corinthians 15:21; Romans 8:20-22; 5:12), and Paul declares, "The first man (was) Adam." (I Corinthians 15:45) Death is the result of his sin.

Third, there is not one verse in God’s Word that teaches Satan was associated with the earth before the creation of man.

People who espouse the "Gap" Theory do so because they have not considered how greatly it contradicts the Bible.

Reader, beware of the awesome price of attempting to harmonize the Word of God with the thoughts of men. Such accommodations can only be made with the greatest of danger to the text of Scripture and therefore to the souls of man.