{"id":2015,"date":"2020-01-16T07:31:11","date_gmt":"2020-01-16T15:31:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=2015"},"modified":"2020-01-16T07:31:11","modified_gmt":"2020-01-16T15:31:11","slug":"devotion-acts-21-27-36-esoteric-but-sure-victory-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=2015","title":{"rendered":"Devotion Acts 21.27-36 Esoteric, But Sure Victory Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

Acts 21:27-36\u00a0<\/b>–\u00a0When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,<\/i><\/span>\u00a028\u00a0shouting, \u201cFellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.\u201d<\/span>\u00a029\u00a0(They had previously seen Trophimus\u00a0the Ephesian\u00a0in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)\u00a0 30\u00a0The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul,\u00a0they dragged him\u00a0from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.<\/span>\u00a031\u00a0While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.<\/span>\u00a032\u00a0He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.\u00a0 33\u00a0The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound\u00a0with two\u00a0chains.\u00a0Then he asked who he was and what he had done.<\/span>\u00a034\u00a0Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another,\u00a0and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.<\/span>\u00a035\u00a0When Paul reached the steps,\u00a0the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers.<\/span>\u00a036\u00a0The crowd that followed kept shouting, \u201cGet rid of him!\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul,\u00a0they dragged him\u00a0from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.<\/i><\/span>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0A fire spreads quickly when a man adds an accelerant.\u00a0\u00a0In this case the accusers, who were feeling threatened by Paul\u2019s teachings, both started the fire and threw gas on it.\u00a0\u00a0They either did not understand his teachings or lied about them.\u00a0\u00a0Then, they either lied, or wrongly assumed that Paul had \u201cdefiled\u201d the temple by bringing Trophimus (non-Jew) into it.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Actually, while Trophimus was with Paul, he did not enter the temple with him.\u00a0\u00a0The instigators were after blood and they weren\u2019t concerned about facts.\u00a0\u00a0Whenever there is a rush to justice we should beware.\u00a0\u00a0Why do the accusers not want to be sure of all the facts before conclusions are drawn?\u00a0\u00a0Family, beware those who can\u2019t wait for all the facts.\u00a0\u00a0(Proverbs 18:17<\/b>)<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.<\/i><\/span>\u00a032\u00a0He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.<\/span><\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s not skip over the opening of the first sentence here.\u00a0\u00a0The intent of the offending Jews was not arresting him, it was not to shake him up and then to let him go, it was not to only beat him, no, their intent was to kill him.\u00a0\u00a0This was all the result of men purposely lying about Paul with the intent to cause his death.\u00a0\u00a0If one cannot withstand the truth of another person, they too often try to hurt him, to remove him, to silence him, or to kill them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When riots broke out in the city the Romans would come quickly.\u00a0\u00a0It was not necessarily because they cared about the welfare of someone like Paul, but they were concerned about their own welfare.\u00a0\u00a0If things got out of control and got back to Rome, then people in authority could lose their positions.\u00a0\u00a0Rome wanted control maintained and did not want riots that lead to uprisings.\u00a0\u00a0So the commander and solders came quickly and as soon as this illegal mob saw the Romans troops coming they stopped beating Paul.\u00a0\u00a0They knew that if they did not they could end up suffering the wrath of the Romans.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound\u00a0with two\u00a0chains.\u00a0Then he asked who he was and what he had done.<\/i><\/span>\u00a034\u00a0Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another,\u00a0and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u00a0To quiet the crowd and to protect Paul from being murdered the commander had Paul put in protective custody.\u00a0\u00a0The commander then inquired of the crowd what Paul had done to cause such outrage.\u00a0\u00a0Because the crowd was so riled up, and really didn\u2019t even know the reason for being so angry with Paul, the commander could not find out what Paul may have done to cause this riot.\u00a0\u00a0So the commander wanted to remove Paul to the barracks so that he could get answers and so that the crowd would quiet down and disperse.\u00a0\u00a0The commander probably wondered what heinous thing Paul had done and he would never have imagined that this was all over personal beliefs.\u00a0\u00a0Paul believed in and preached the Gospel.\u00a0\u00a0The Jews who disagreed felt threatened by the truth of Paul\u2019s words and also that many were coming to believe what Paul preached.\u00a0\u00a0The instigators were violent and murderous because they could lose their influence and position over the people.\u00a0\u00a0Certainly the commander would \u201cscratch his head\u201d that all this was over opposing beliefs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Paul reached the steps,\u00a0the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers.<\/i><\/span>\u00a036\u00a0The crowd that followed kept shouting, \u201cGet rid of him!\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u00a0Wow, put ourselves in Paul\u2019s place.\u00a0\u00a0He had been falsely accused, beaten by a mob who intended to kill him, and they were so intent on killing him that they even pressed in on the Roman solders and tried to snatch Paul away from them so they could finish the job of killing him.\u00a0\u00a0Family, most of us would have been terrified, but not Paul, as we shall see.<\/p>\n

If we were being beaten and almost pulled apart because we have clung to the truth of the Gospel, and if we were going to face what Paul faced, would we stand strong with Jesus?\u00a0\u00a0Let us encourage ourselves and each other that we must stand strong for Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus said \u201c\u201cWhoever acknowledges me before others,\u00a0I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.\u00a033\u00a0But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven<\/i>.\u201d (Matthew 10:32-33<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jesus also said \u201cWhoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0(Luke 9:26<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0We must never take lightly the grace by which we are saved and which was purchased at a great price to Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0Do not think that we can waffle from one side to another.\u00a0\u00a0We must remember\u00a0Galatians 6:7<\/b>\u00a0which tells us that God will not be mocked.\u00a0\u00a0We should not think that we can count the blood of Jesus lightly.\u00a0\u00a0That is not what one who truly loves Him does.\u00a0\u00a0Do we think that parents of a soldier take it lightly when a person dishonors their son and what he, or she, died for?\u00a0\u00a0No, if someone gave their life for you, and then you dishonor them, that person\u2019s parents will not be your friends.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s not fool ourselves, if we don\u2019t honor the blood of Christ, do we think God the Father will be our friend?\u00a0\u00a0Some raise the banner of grace, and rightfully so, but remember God knows true motives and He knows what is in the heart so that is a dangerous game to play.\u00a0\u00a0Instead, let us praise and honor God always, to the best of our ability.\u00a0\u00a0Let us stand strong for He who stood strong for us.\u00a0\u00a0Let us praise our triune God.\u00a0\u00a0Yes, praise and stand strong with God!<\/p>\n

Psalm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/i><\/p>\n

Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear\u00a0me.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0He has shown You, O man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; And what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Numbers 6:24-26<\/b>\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0Lord\u00a0bless you and keep you; 25\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0turn His face\u00a0toward you and give you peace.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Acts 21:27-36\u00a0–\u00a0When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,\u00a028\u00a0shouting, \u201cFellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[82,1969,106,101,94,1874,88,17],"class_list":["post-2015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-acts","tag-galatians","tag-luke","tag-matthew","tag-micah","tag-numbers","tag-proverbs","tag-psalm"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2015"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2016,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015\/revisions\/2016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}