Based on Acts 23:11-35 (New King James Version)
“But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.’ And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy. They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, ‘We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul. Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near.’ So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, ‘Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.’ So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, ‘Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.’ Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, ‘What is it that you have to tell me?’ And he said, ‘The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.’ So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, ‘Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.’ And he called for two centurions, saying, ‘Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night; and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.’ He wrote a letter in the following manner: Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. And when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council. I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains. And when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Farewell. Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks. When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said, ‘I will hear you when your accusers also have come.’ And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.’”
In today’s passage, we read that Paul was living rather difficult times for his faith. In this instance, we read that he was being transported as a prisoner because of the Jews trying to kill him. We further read that more than forty men had taken a great oath (meaning that they would be cursed if they broke it), that they would not eat or drink anything until they would have killed Paul. Where does all this hostility come from? Why so much hatred and anger over a person that is just sharing their faith?
Christ gave us fair warning through the Scriptures that it would be so. For it is written: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”Matthew 10:32-39. So unfortunately, persecution is part of following Christ, possibly even within the family. Why does this happen?
The very thing that brings division and causes persecution is that many people do not want to do what God says is good to do. They want to do what they feel like doing, and that’s all that matters to them. They would rather obey the evil desires of their flesh than seek after a God that loves them and is only trying to teach them what is in their best “eternal” interest. And these desires lead ultimately to violence and separation, even if they are just words. Does God really want this to happen? Absolutely not! But it happens because people don’t want to follow. It does not get any simpler than that. In the end, you can take away the wealth, the education, and whatever else people wrap themselves with, and you ultimately end up with what generates all action in a person: their own personal desire with what they want or do not want to do.
When we faithfully follow Christ, we learn through this passage that all things are revealed at some point to those that love Him and serve Him. Nothing stays hidden for long, especially the evil intentions people have. And He reveals the truth for a purpose: So you can always know the ground you are on. That within itself is an incredible benefit, because I don’t think anyone likes to ignore what may be lurking somewhere else. And this gives us the option on how to react to the situation. God can use many things to protect His people, even very unexpected things. The Romans were not the most god-fearing folks, yet some of these authorities were sensitive enough to God that they were used to conserve the life of Paul for quite some time, so he could continue doing what God wanted him to do.
In the end, Paul did die for his faith in Christ, and he knew when his time was drawing near. Some might say, “So, why did God allow for Paul to be killed in the end?” And the answer is that Paul really had no issues with dying for his faith in Christ. He was actually pretty comfortable with the idea and even looked forward to it. For he himself said: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”Philippians 1:21. His faith was very strong in what he believed. No fear! This is ultimately the best protection we have through Jesus Christ; a beginning with no end; eternal life. So, are you truly protected by God for all eternity by believing and following Christ, no matter what circumstances you might experience? Lord bless! John