Acts 23 -- Trusting The Future To His Providence

The Roman soldiers thought it best that the Jewish Sanhedrin handle Paul's case, but they remained with their prisoner since he was a Roman citizen.  Paul first appealed to them as a fellow Jew, but the actions of the high priest showed that he had no desire to be fair.  Paul then mentioned resurrection, which drew the support of the Pharisees but incensed the Sadducees on the Sanhedrin.  He knew there was no way he'd get a fair trial, and the ensuing arguments showed that to his Roman guards.

In verse 11, we're told that Jesus visited Paul in the night (one of 5 visits, my commentary said), and told him, "Be brave.  You have told people in Jerusalem about Me.  You must do the same in Rome."

Forty Sanhedrin members took oaths to fast until they'd killed Paul, thinking they were being zealously loyal to God.  Paul's nephew heard about the plot and told Paul, who then sent him to the Roman garrison commander.  Wisely, the man gathered 470 Roman soldiers to safely escort Paul from Jerusalem to Caesarea to guarantee his safety until the Roman court system could get to the bottom of it all.  My commentary noted, "In all of this, the Lord was with him and fulfilling His perfect plan to get His faithful servant to Rome ... the exalted Lord was watching from heaven.  At Paul's conversion, the Lord had told him that he would suffer, but He had also promised that He would deliver him from His enemies.  Paul held on to that promise all of his life, and God was faithful ... Psalm 34:7 says, 'The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them.'  'Let us trust in God, and be very courageous for the gospel, and the Lord Himself will screen us from all harm,' Charles Spurgeon once said."

I also loved something my commentary included from St. Augustine:  "Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence."

Father, thank You for loving me so!  I'm so glad that Your great will determines my future, not random chance.

 

Your Brother In Christ