Who Is God? To some, God is unknown. The Apostle Paul Explained This Unknown God In Thirty Seconds Acts 17:16-31

“THE UNKNOWN GOD” During his visit to the city of Athens, Paul’s spirit was provoked by the overwhelming idolatry of the place. He preached the gospel in the synagogue and the marketplace, then received an invitation to preach at the Areopagus. There, on Mars’ Hill, the apostle seized on the thoroughness of the Athenians’ idol worship, noting they even worshiped “the unknown God”. He explained the true God of heaven is the god they did not know.

God Made The World Acts 17:24 Genesis 1:1 Hebrews 11:3 1 Kings 8:27 Even when the Temple was dedicated by Solomon during the Old Testament, as a mere shadow of what was to come, it was acknowledged to be inadequate to contain God who made all.

God Does Not Dwell In Temples Temples made by man cannot contain Him, and God is not limited by space or anything that limits humans. Stephen spoke of God using the earth as His footstool. (Acts 7:48-49)

God Is Not Served By Human Hands Acts 17:25 Unlike the false gods and idols which can do nothing themselves. Our God is living and active in the affairs of men and governments, and has an interest for the better welfare of all mankind. He had such concern that He provided a way of salvation through Jesus the Son.

God Gives Life To All Humans Genesis 2:7 God breathed life into man. Isaiah 42:5 Job 12:7-10 Colossians 1:16-17 We could not be in existence without God.

God Has Made All Men Of One Blood Acts 17:26 While there are various blood types among humankind, those blood types are evenly distributed among the races. However, humans cannot receive lizard blood and humans cannot donate blood to donkeys. Genesis 3:20; 9:19 We are of one blood because we are all descendants of the same people. We’re brothers and sisters as children both of Noah, and of Adam and Eve before him. All Humans are equal in the sight of God.

God Made Man To Seek Him Acts 17:27 Ecclesiastes 3:11; Romans 1:20; Isaiah 29:15-16 Because the Lord has placed eternity in the heart of man, the search for the divine is innate. Nearly every spiritual truth must be learned, but the existence of God and the reality of eternity is understood on its own.

God Made Man To Seek Him God’s creation reveals His existence. As the creatures, it is not our place to question Him. Ezra 7:10; A proper search of God requires preparation of the heart. If we are willing to seek, He will make Himself known. Cornelius was rewarded for his searching heart Acts 10.

God Is Not Far From Us Acts 17:27 Psalm 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:23-24 God is omnipresent. As such, He is well within reach of the seeker. Isaiah 55:6

“WE ARE ALSO HIS OFFSPRING” Acts 17:28 Even the Athenians understood that men are the children of the divine. Genesis 1:26-27; Luke 3:38 Lineage claims Adam son of God. God created man. Some men choose to claim we are descended from pond scum. While we claim we are descended from God.

God Is A Divine Spirit Being Acts 17:29 Deuteronomy 4:12-19 God was careful never to reveal His appearance so as not to induce artistic depiction. John 4:24 He is “spirit”, having no physical form.

God Commands Repentance Of All Men Acts 17:30 Acts 3:19; Luke 13:3 Repentance is a life or death proposition. 2 Corinthians 7:10; Matthew 3:8 Repentance is preceded by remorse and followed up in action. Repentance is changing direction.

God Will Judge Men Acts 17:31 Matthew 25:32; 2 Corinthians 5:10 The whole world will face the judgment of God through Christ, according to each action, whether good or bad.

Conclusion If the world could not contain the whole of what Christ has done (John21:25). What could we say about God? Paul took an opportunity to explain who God is to a people who were ignorant. We have a world that is very much ignorant about God. May we also seek the opportunity to tell people about God.