Acts 23:12-22<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy\u00a0and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.\u00a013\u00a0More than forty men were involved in this plot.\u00a014\u00a0They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, \u201cWe have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.\u00a015\u00a0Now then, you and the Sanhedrin\u00a0petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.\u201d\u00a0 16\u00a0But when the son of Paul\u2019s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks\u00a0and told Paul.\u00a0 17\u00a0Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, \u201cTake this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.\u201d\u00a018\u00a0So he took him to the commander.\u00a0 The centurion said, \u201cPaul, the prisoner,\u00a0sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.\u201d\u00a0 19\u00a0The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, \u201cWhat is it you want to tell me?\u201d\u00a0 20\u00a0He said: \u201cSome Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin\u00a0tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him.\u00a021\u00a0Don\u2019t give in to them, because more than forty\u00a0of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him.\u00a0They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.\u201d\u00a0 22\u00a0The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: \u201cDon\u2019t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cThey went to the chief priests and the elders and said, \u201cWe have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.\u00a015\u00a0Now then, you and the Sanhedrin\u00a0petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.\u201d<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0So these hired killers approached the Sanhedrin and told them that they had taken an oath to kill Paul but needed their help.\u00a0\u00a0Honestly, I can\u2019t imagine the today\u2019s leaders of Judaism or Christianity not only not going along with such a plot, but also reporting the plot to the police, and that whether the person was another murderer and not just someone who had a different faith.\u00a0\u00a0Truly this applies for even the intended victim even if a killer, but most certainly for someone who only had a different view of faith.\u00a0\u00a0But these in the Sanhedrin were not true leaders of the Jewish faith, but they were Sadducees who were very wealthy and drunk with power.\u00a0\u00a0Men of pride whose ego could not bear another differing in opinion and even worse, many of their congregants switching to follow this new faith that claimed to reveal the true fulfillment of the belief that they preached.\u00a0\u00a0Really, the level of depravity of such men who claimed to serve God causes one\u2019s jaw to drop at the sheer evil.<\/p>\n
So the Sanhedrin\u2019s part was to lie to the Roman commander, Claudius Lysias.\u00a0\u00a0They were to get him to bring Paul to them for a fair examination.\u00a0\u00a0But on the way the forty assassins would kill Paul and so fulfill their ungodly vow.\u00a0\u00a0I truly love the forbearers of our faith, the Jews, and I pray for them, and so knowing what the then leaders in Jerusalem did is so distressing!\u00a0\u00a0But of course, they instigated and demanded the killing of their Messiah, our Savior and Lord Jesus. Yet, even in these details, we see the truth of\u00a0Romans 8:28<\/b>\u00a0being borne out.\u00a0\u00a0The will of God for Paul to testify of Him in Rome was being unwittingly moved along by these assassins and the Sanhedrin.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when the son of Paul\u2019s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks\u00a0and told Paul.\u00a0\u00a017\u00a0Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, \u201cTake this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.\u201d\u00a018\u00a0So he took him to the commander.\u00a0\u00a0The centurion said, \u201cPaul, the prisoner,\u00a0sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.\u201d<\/i>\u201d Oh, the superior wisdom of God!\u00a0\u00a0Even as these diabolical men were plotting the murder of Paul, the protection of God was present.\u00a0\u00a0It seems that Paul\u2019s nephew was likely a young boy who was devoted to temple service (not unlike a Catholic Altar Boy) who was there to devoutly serve.\u00a0\u00a0However he came to be placed there, God has his agent in place to counter the evil plans being discussed.\u00a0\u00a0God always has His \u201cremnant.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0(1 Kings 19:1-18, Romans 11:1-6<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0God always has His people in place.\u00a0\u00a0Once again we see the truth of scriptures like\u00a0Psalm 21:11, Proverbs 19:21<\/b>, it is God\u2019s will that will be done.<\/p>\n
So the nephew snuck away from the men and ran to Paul to report the plan against him.\u00a0\u00a0Paul told him to tell the plot to the commander and Paul told one of the centurions to take his nephew to the commander because he had something to tell him.\u00a0\u00a0It seems odd that the centurion did as Paul said, but not so much when considering all that had just transpired.<\/p>\n
The providence of God being played out before us is exciting and fascinating and for those who care to see, faith inspiring!<\/p>\n
\u201cThe commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, \u201cWhat is it you want to tell me?\u201d\u00a0\u00a020\u00a0He said: \u201cSome Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin\u00a0tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him.\u00a021\u00a0Don\u2019t give in to them, because more than forty\u00a0of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him.\u00a0They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.\u201d<\/i>\u201d Some people have questioned that the commander would have led the \u201cyoung man\u201d aside by taking hold of his hand.\u00a0\u00a0This man was likely a prepubescent boy (though could have been older).\u00a0\u00a0However it make most sense of a man grabbing a boy\u2019s hand to lead him and to make him more comfortable.\u00a0\u00a0Some people, thinking of this in an out of cultural reckoning, cannot think of this commander who had men beaten and killed without troubling of conscience, as someone who would be so kind to a young lad.\u00a0\u00a0Yet we must consider the times, the culture and the position of this man.\u00a0\u00a0He may have had a boy himself and could have been tender to his son.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s nephew repeated the story to the commander.\u00a0\u00a0Interesting is that this young man started off by giving this commander direction in saying \u201cDon\u2019t give into them.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Some find trouble with that, however it is not so hard to believe, especially from a younger boy who had not yet learned all the proprieties of addressing elders or authorities.\u00a0\u00a0That is true of children then and today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe commander dismissed the young man with this warning: \u201cDon\u2019t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Claudius Lysias listened to all the boy reported and obviously believed him and upon dismissing him told him to tell no-one that the plot was now uncovered.<\/p>\n
Family and Friends, the witness of God\u2019s faithfulness is fully evident in the telling of these events.\u00a0\u00a0We see the plotting of killers and authorities in high places plotting against the man of God and indeed, against God\u2019s very plans.\u00a0\u00a0Yet, God, who knew their plan since before time, already had arranged the defeat of their plans.\u00a0\u00a0Not only that, but He would use what they would do to bring about His plan.\u00a0\u00a0So these men unwittingly directly contributed to the bringing of Paul to Rome to testify on behalf of Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0In fact, they likely expedited it!\u00a0\u00a0We may have confidence that the plans of God for all they that love and serve God will also come to fruition.\u00a0\u00a0We do our best but as we can see, what we do is only a very small piece of the big plans God has long ago had in place.\u00a0\u00a0As the saying goes \u201cWhere God guides, God provides.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Amen!\u00a0\u00a0We, no matter what we see or don\u2019t see, or understand or don\u2019t understand, have full faith that God is able to carry out His plans for our lives.\u00a0\u00a0Paul knew this \u201c\u2026because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Family, we also know this.\u00a0\u00a0Now let us remember it and fearlessly do and live as He has called us to.\u00a0\u00a0And that for His praise and glory!\u00a0\u00a0Praise God!<\/p>\n
P<\/b><\/span>salm 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 23:12-22\u00a0–\u00a0The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy\u00a0and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.\u00a013\u00a0More than forty men were involved in this plot.\u00a014\u00a0They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, \u201cWe have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[82,2148,94,1874,1315,88,10],"class_list":["post-2078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-inspirations","tag-acts","tag-kings","tag-micah","tag-numbers","tag-palm","tag-proverbs","tag-romans"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2078","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=2078"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2078\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2079,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2078\/revisions\/2079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}