The morning Manna will be provided at 6am. Thanks.

Studying Ephesians in the SSnet.org series Lesson 1, may the Holy Spirit be the speaker to your heart.

The Topic today is: “Ephesians and magic and power not from God for Morning Manna of the Sabbath School Lesson Ephesians”.

The Opening Hymn will be 229 "Spirit of the Living God."

The Sabbath School Quarterly, downloadable from SSnet.org in the Teacher's Edition is on page 11.

The SSnet.org site allows anyone, anywhere to read the lesson in their own language. Choose your own language to see God speaking also to your heart.

Why do you not click on this now?

--- https://www.adultbiblestudyguide.org/pdf.php?file=2023:3Q:SE:PDFs:EAQ323_01.pdf

---Or try in alternative this one:  https://ssnet.org/lessons/23c/less01.html

---Daily Life in Rome is what Jerome Carcopino wrote in the 1930’s.

---He said that the Roman society converted to the gods of the East, because the Orient had many gods and a long history.

---The influence of Hellenism (Greek culture) spread these Oriental cults in Rome and the Roman empire.

---Rome moulded “to one pattern cults derived from every quarter of the East moulded them as it were in its own image and under the pressure of its own spiritual instincts”. (Carcopino page 129).

---He listed examples: (a) Anatolian cults were used in Rome by Emperor Claudius who made a decree which reformed the liturgy of Cybele and of Attis.

(b) Emperor Tiberius (mentioned in Luke) banished the Egyptian cults and were publicly welcomed back by Emperor Caligula.

(c The temple of Isis (Egyptian goddess) in Rome was destroyed by fire in the first century and was rebuilt by Domitian with luxury. The obelisks and colossal statues from the Nile that is in the Louvre and Vatican museums are by him!

(d) Hadad and Atargatis had a temple in Rome in the Second Century AD. It was on the bank of the river Tiber.

(e) It was on the Janiculum below the Lucus Furinae.

(f) Atargatis was the only deity that Emperor Nero (who put Paul in jail) was willing to recognize and paid homage to. He denied gods. (Carcopino page 130).

Source: https://archive.org/stream/dailylifeinancie035465mbp/dailylifeinancie035465mbp_djvu.txt

---So Paul is mentioning in Ephesians the supernatural powers of Satan and its influences in cults and magic and spells and other practices.

---In Ephesians 1:20-22 Paul is dealing with Psalm 110 where the Father said to Christ to come and sit at His right hand until He subdued all powers under Christ.

---The Trinity has superiority over all powers. This is radical in Rome. It is saying in the face of Nero, even though you are the super boss of the Roman Empire there is a higher being that is over you.

---But Nero was agnostic and atheistic.

---Paul did not hesitate to tell his story.

---Look at the radical word choice by Tychicus in Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]

---Do you see “rulers”? Actually Tychicus chose the word kosmokratos. It means world-power. Who is the World Power while Paul is in jail here? Romans. Who is the chief World-Power? Emperor Nero. Kosmo means world and kratos means power in Greek. Radical!

---So Paul has no fear and neither has Tychicus because soldiers may read this. It sound like “rebellion” the secret agencies might say!

---What about you?

---Are you hiding Christ or Jesus among friends and family members or at work? There is such a thing as stepping out for God when given that opportunity. Wise as doves. Right?