When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted…”The gods have come down to us in human form!” …(But Paul) rushed into the crowd, shouting, “Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you.” Acts 14:11, 14-15 NRSV.

In Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, “For we are also His offspring.” Acts 17:28 NKJV.

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Romans 8:28.

Our chapter, Hebrews 9, is deep and needed for understanding. Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship…but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing…which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation. But…when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle…not made with hands, that is to say…not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves…but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh…how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God…cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? v. 1-14. I know this is long, but it is incredibly beautiful and needed. For this reason, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats; with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.” And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these…but…the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one…but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And…inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment…so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time…for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. V. 15-28.

There is something deep and profound in Creation. And we are a part of that Creation. Think of the difference of the people who witnessed Paul healing a man lame from from his mother’s womb, and in ignorance of Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, called Paul and his companions names of their gods and were joined by the priests of Zeus, who wanted to offer sacrifice to them with the crowds…dead works! The ignorance of not knowing God. Ignorance is of what is shallow. God’s word is of what is deep and brings understanding of Creator God. As we read Scripture with hearts and minds longing for understanding, He helps us go deep and brings correction and positive help that removes darkness we can’t see and brings light and air and food we need that is real. How do I put that together with me today? For some time now, He has been bringing gently to my thoughts the discord in me brought about by my own pride. That what pride builds in me is false and destroys. And the good He is bringing builds peace and love and hope. He tells me to let go of pride and its roots of control. The same Spirit working in me is the God of Creation working from before the foundation of this created world in ways deep described in this Book and in all of Scripture. There is something holy and deep and profound in all that Creator God is doing – Life Giving. It helps to look away from the ways of this fallen world so we can look deeply with God’s help into Scripture He inspired and know His heart of love speaking to us now. Creator God never stops speaking. We just need to come to that place of deep need where we want to listen.