Take courage...

Acts 23:11-35 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”

¹² When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than forty who formed this plot. ¹⁴ They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Now therefore, you and the Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.”

¹⁶ But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. ¹⁷ Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” ¹⁸ So he took him and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” ¹⁹ The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” ²⁰ And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him. ²¹ So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.” ²² So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”

²³ And he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.” ²⁴ They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor. ²⁵ And he wrote a letter having this form:

²⁶ “Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings.

²⁷ “When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. ²⁸ “And wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Council; ²⁹ and I found him to be accused over questions about their Law, but under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment.

³⁰ “When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you.”

³¹ So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. ³² But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. ³³ When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. ³⁴ When he had read it, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵ he said, “I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.

Isaiah 54:17 says:   “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord.     Paul was indeed a servant of the Lord. In today’s text we see the fulfillment of this promise from God to his servants. The text begins saying:   the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”    The plans of man could not and would not overcome the plans of God. The text says that more than forty people formed a plot and conspired with the chief priests and the elders. They were committed to killing Paul.

How did God counter? What was His first line of defense for Paul?  But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.  Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.”   An unnamed young man, Paul’s nephew, that’s what God put in place to thwart the plans of Paul’s enemies. The God used the Roman army to secure and deliver Paul. The text says:      So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”  And he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.”  They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor.  Daniel 2:20-21 says:     “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.  “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings…”          As God raises up kings, He also has authority over their armies.

Jesus is also known by the name “the captain of the host”, He is the captain of God’s angelic army as well. When Jesus was arrested in Matthew 26:53, He says: “ Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”     A legion refers to at least 6000, so Jesus said that there would be more than 72,000 warring angels at His disposal.  In Psalm 91, the psalmist declares the promise and protection of God, for those who serve and abide in Him. He says:      Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place,  No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;  For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.  In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Throughout the Bible there are accounts of the supernatural intervention of God on behalf of His servants. From the parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of the walls of Jericho, to sending and angel to lead Peter out of prison, God does many seen and unseen things on behalf of His servants. There are accounts today also of miraculous intervention into the lives of people. Unknown heroes appear on the scene of an accident, change the situation and disappear. No one knows and no one can explain who they were, how they got there or where they went. Above all that, beyond the miraculous intervention of God that is seen but unexplained, none of us know how often God may send some unnamed person to thwart the plans of our enemies. How often does God protect us, His servants in ways that we don’t even know? Nearly every time there is a tragedy where multiple people are killed or gravely wounded, there are also stories of how others were supposed to be there but circumstances arose to prevent it. Is that merely a coincidence or the protective hand of God preserving them for another day?

We have no way of knowing how often God has changed circumstances around us, to protect us from evil. But we can be sure that if we, like Paul, will be faithful to God, if we will walk in His will, He will preserve us until His will is done, until we have accomplished all that He desires. In the end we will all die, some by natural causes, some, like Paul and many other faithful servants will even die at what appears to be the hands of their enemies. But if we will live our lives to fulfill His purpose, then even in death we will fulfill ours. However and when ever our life here comes to its end, what each of us should want to hear is:  “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!”(Matthew 25:23)

Until then we should walk confidently knowing that the Lord our God, the Lord who raises up and rules the armies of the earth and the armies of heaven, watches over us day and night.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; Holy Spirit of God for the countless ways, both seen and unseen, by which you have preserved me. May I indeed walk with confidence knowing that nothing outside of Your will can harm me. At the end of this life may I hear Your words, well done, good and faithful servant, come and share your Master’s happiness.    Amen