Philosophers said, “What does this babbler want to say?”

Acts 17:18

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.” Acts 17:18

In the previous post on Acts 17:16-17, Paul was speaking in the synagogues and at the marketplace against the idols that saturated the city. He was making known to them the Living God who is the Creator of all and of Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. This is like Christians of today who speak against the idol of the community culture, which is also within the manmade churches, that speaks and lives through people. They say about us what they said about Paul, “What does this babbler want to say?”

Why was Paul called a “babbler” by the Epicureans and Stoics? Because he was speaking of a Living Creator, faith in Jesus Christ who suffered, was crucified, and died to atone for sin, and spoke of the resurrection and eternal life. Paul spoke against the many idols that were used to incite happiness and pleasure through physiological gratification.

The Epicureans emphasized happiness and pleasure by the avoidance of pain and fear and encouraged the cultivation of interpersonal relations. This is what today’s atheistic culture is all about in their use of behavior modification. They inflict pain and fear through social disapproval for not conforming to the community culture. Their culture requires conformity to the beast that governs through thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors of people. Social approval is conveyed through warmth, happiness, and pleasure when people are living by the beast giving them what to speak and do. Also, the Epicureans considered the fear of God and the afterlife to be superstitious and foolishness. They believed in pursuing worldly and physical contentment.

The Stoics believed that virtue was enough for happiness and emphasized living in harmony with nature and human reason. This describes the goals of the United Nations and their global culture as emphasis is placed on being in harmony with the “universe”. They believe the salvation of the planet depends on virtuous living through human reasoning [such as living responsibly to eliminate air and water pollution]. Click here for the “Sustainable Development Goals” of the United Nations. 

Paul very plainly said that God was the Creator of all the earth and everyone on it. As we see by global warming, God has the power over “Mother Nature”, the “Universe”. Global warming is the Fourth Plague of Revelations 16:8-9. Even then, people refuse to repent of their unbelief, as quoted, “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.” Revelations 16:8-9 The more powerful the United Nations become as the one world government the hotter and more intense the effects of global warming becomes.

The philosophers of the Epicureans and Stoics are the essence of the practice of humanism today. Humanism is the fig leaf worn by those who serve the beast giving them what to speak, do, think, and feel. Humanism is “An outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.” 

Our Lord Jesus says, “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ” Matthew 15:9 Jesus also says, “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” John 5:44

The philosophers said of Paul what today’s atheistic culture say of we who live for the Living God through Jesus Christ, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods…” That’s because we speak about Jesus and the resurrection. God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are foreign to them. They have no belief in a Living Creator, feel no need for the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, and rely on human emotions to replace the Holy Spirit. They scoff at the resurrection, eternal life, the judgment beyond the grave, and eternal hell.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1