Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Acts 2:8-9 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia ...
ARE YOU AN ELAMITE?
Who were the Elamites, anyway? That one can take us all the way back to the flood. Elam and Arphaxad were grandsons of Noah. Arphaxad's descendants included Abraham. Elam apparently became the ancestor of Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites, in what was later known as Persia.
Chedorlaomer was one of the kings whom Abraham defeated in order to rescue his nephew Lot. So even though they shared a common ancestor, Abraham and Chedorlaomer were enemies. That defeat, by the way, was not the end of the Elamites. There were Elamites among those people who were deported to Samaria after the Northern ten tribes of Israel were carried into exile, and they were among those who tried to stop the returning Jews from rebuilding the temple at Jerusalem.
Yet on Pentecost day Elamites were among those who were attracted by the sound of a mighty rushing wind, whose attention was riveted on the small band of disciples, who heard in their own native language the wonderful works of God.
Among those three thousand baptized that day, there could have easily been Elamites. And when they scattered again to their homes, they might then have carried the good news of Jesus back to the ancient land of Persia. Unlike the scattering of the Tower of Babel after the flood, this scattering would bring peoples, even ancient enemies, together in Jesus Christ.
Are you an Elamite? You and I both were born dead in trespasses and sins. "Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:12-13).
The Elamites may not be long remembered. Thank God that He remembered them, and us!
