Shalom,

Scripture references are from,
the SET (Stone Edition Tanach) or the CJB (Complete Jewish Bible) for the OT
and the PNT (Power New Testament) for the NT unless otherwise specified.

19:21. And as these things were finished, Paul resolved in his spirit to go through Macedonia and Achia, then to go to Jerusalem, saying that �After I am there, it is then necessary for me to see Rome.� 22. And after he sent two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia he stayed a time in Asia.
19:23. And there was at that time a not small commotion concerning the Way. 24. For someone named Demetrius, a silversmith, was making no small profit for himself by making silver shrines of Artemis. 25. And when he gathered those with similar work, he said concerning such things as these, �Men, you must understand that our prosperity is from this business, 26. and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in nearly all Asia, this Paul, when he induced by his persuasion, caused a large crowd to change their minds, saying that those gods created by human hands are not gods at all. 27. And not only is this trade in danger of coming into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis, to be counted for nothing, and Artemis, who is worshipped in all Asia and in the civilized world, is even going to suffer the loss of her magnificence.�
19:28. And when they heard this then they were full of anger. They were crying out saying, �Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.� 29. And the city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one mind into the theater, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus of Macedonia, fellow travelers of Paul, by force. 30. And although Paul wanted to go into the mass of people, the disciples did not let him: 31. and then some of the consuls, who were friends with him, when they sent to him, they were urging him not to go into the theater. 32. Then indeed others were crying out something different: for the assembly was confused and did not know why they had gathered. 33. And they brought Alexander out of the crowd, because the Jewish people put him forward: and Alexander, who waved his hand, was wanting to defend himself to the crowd. 34. But when they perceived that he was Jewish, one voice came from all for about two hours crying out, �Great is Artemis of Ephesus.� 35. And after the city clerk quieted the crowd he said, �Men of Ephesus, who in fact is there who does not know that the city of Ephesus is the temple keeper of the great Artemis, also fallen from Zeus? 36. Therefore these things are undeniable. It is proper, now that you have been quieted, to remain so, and in no way to act rashly. 37. For you brought these men, who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38. Now then if Demetrius and those craftsmen with him have a ground of action against anyone, court days are in session and there are proconsuls, they could bring court charges against one another. 39. But if you want to know further, it will have to be decided in a legal gathering. 40. For we also run a risk of being accused of rebellion concerning this today, and there is no reason which we are able to give to account for this disorderly gathering.� And having said these things he dismissed the gathering.

The first thing I want you to see from this entire passage is the fact that Paul is still under the protective hand of YHVH that we read about in...
Acts 18:9. And the Lord said to Paul at night through a vision, �You must not be afraid! But you must be speaking and do not be silent, 10. for I AM with you and no one will be able to lay hold of you to harm you, for many of My people are in this city.� 11. And he stayed among them a year and six months teaching the Word of God.
Paul is the one who has been preaching The CHRIST and Him crucified. He is the one that threatens the livelihood of Demetrius and the other idol makers by way of this preaching and yet that is not who they take. The other very important thing you should see involves Alexander. Just prior to the seizing of Alexander it states that the crowd was confused. That many had no idea as to why they had even gathered.
In short this was simply a "Mob."
They were all fired up and something was going to happen!

Acts 19:33. And they brought Alexander out of the crowd, because the Jewish people put him forward: and Alexander, who waved his hand, was wanting to defend himself to the crowd. 34. But when they perceived that he was Jewish, one voice came from all for about two hours crying out, �Great is Artemis of Ephesus.�
It appears that Alexander was just a Jew that someone disliked or at least was willing to sacrifice. This also shows us the belief that CHRISTianity was simply a sect of Judaism for in Ephesus they still saw no difference between the two and therefore a sacrifice of either would be satisfying to this mob.

Have you ever been Alexander?
Most of you will say, "No, this sort of thing doesn't happen much anymore and at least not in the USA." Think again!
This happens all the time in CHRISTianity!
Bring a Baptist, maybe a Southern Baptist and a Pentecostal together to seriously discuss their beliefs. Put the discussion in a setting where either one has allot of support from other like believers while the other debater has virtually none and it will not be surprising at all to find that the one without support gets mobbed! He may not get physically abused but he will definitely get mentally, spiritually abused.
Still don't think so?
Take some of the beliefs you see me write and take them to a website with opposing beliefs. I do it all the time and I have heard the crowds describe me as a heretic, as not being CHRISTian as not even being Jewish. I have been banned from so many sites to the unpronounced cries of "crucify him, crucify him!" And that is precisely what ensues from the moderators or webmasters.

I was not raised as a CHRISTian and therefore I do not accept many of the teachings of CHRISTianity until someone can definitively prove them to me. Most of the time they cannot but will fall back into "tradition", This is what I believe" or "This is what I have been taught" and yet they cannot prove these beliefs. Some will attempt to and may even do an excellent job of it for awhile until you can refute their belief with Biblical evidence to the contrary and then will pull out the commentary and quote the words of a dead man.
Dead men are not still being led by The SPIRIT!
What they said and or wrote may still be good but it is not alive.
It may contain wisdom and it may have been as dead-on accurate as mankind could handle in the days they were alive but what is The SPIRIT saying today?

A mob mentality does not really think. Basically it just gets stirred-up and follows. You can witness this by going to a website that basically professes to be of a denomination that believes in OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved) and profess that one can still sin after being Born Again or that they can choose to forgo their eternal salvation once they have Believed and you will get crucified. The same thing can happen in reverse. I believe in times past I have been guilty of being the accuser myself.
Why does this happen?
Flesh!
Gen 3:12 The man replied, "The woman you gave to be with me - she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate."
Ever since Adam fell this has been a simple flesh reaction of self preservation. Rather than relying upon YHVH to protect and provide for us we attempt to doing it ourselves.
2 Chn 7:14 then, if my people, who bear my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land.

Paul is going to NEED to learn to trust YHVH for his protection and provision. He must become dependent upon YHVH rather than upon his "SELF." HE must learn that his social status, that his education and that his heritage mean nothing. He must learn to be led by The SPIRIT of YHVH.
Rom 8:14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the children of God.
He must learn to be a child of YHVH.
Even though born as a son of YHVH, Y'SHUA had to learn this as well...
Hbr 5:8. although He was a Son, He learned obedience from that which He suffered,

Paul and Y'SHUA both became men of repute not because of their heritage but because of what they learned!
Has YHVH been trying to teach you?
Have you learned anything?
What have you learned?


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