2. STEPHANS HISTORY LESSON
ACTS 7:42-53

3. Psa 81: But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

4. Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

5. 1 If a person turns their back on God long enough there comes a point where He will give them up to the sins they want to be a part of.

6. Rom 1: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

7. Rom 1: For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 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..

8. 2 The worshipping of the heavens is called astrology that dates back to very ancient times and God is not pleased with it.

9. Amo 5:8 Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth:
The LORD is his name:

10. Deuteronomy 4:15-19 that Israel “saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb....lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image...and lest thou liftest up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest...all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them.”

11. 3 There was a tabernacle of the congregation that Israel made for themselves that was separate from the tabernacle of God.

12. Exo 33:7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation.
Num 16: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

13. 1Ki 11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

14. Lev 20:2-3 Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones. And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
Lev 20:6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

15. The point of all of this is two fold
1 Israel did not obey God, lusted after their own sins and God gave them up to what they desired to the point they built their own tabernacle to replace Gods tabernacle and worshipped and served false gods that included the sacrificing of their own children.
2 We need to be very careful that we do not set up our own tabernacles and not allow God to take up residence in what is supposed to be His tabernacle (US.)

16. 4 The use of the name of Jesus (Joshua) in v 45 is the difference between the Hebrew of the OT and the Greek of the NT. It shows us that Joshua is a type of Christ.

17. 5 Solomon built the Lord a house in 972 BC that is commonly referred to as Solomon’s Temple.

18. 2Ch 6:6 But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there…..
1Ch 22:1 Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
2Ch 3:1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father……
Deu 12:5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:
2Ch 6:6 But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there…..

19. 6 The reminder in v48 is that the Lord does not need a building as the Heaven is His throne and the Earth is His footstool.

20. Isa 66:1-2 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Isa 66:3 ….Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
Isa 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

21. 1Co 6: What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.