He Will Neve Leave You

Acts 23:22-24 The commander dismissed the young man and cautioned him, “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.” 23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24 Provide mounts for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”
 
THE young man was Paul’s nephew. He had overheard a plot to kill Paul. Now he has told the Roman commander guarding Paul. In response 470 highly trained Roman soldiers were ordered to protect Paul on a nighttime journey of 74 miles (120 kilometers) from Jerusalem to Caesarea. This is a fast-paced journey! Why did the Roman commander so urgently expend these large resources to protect one man? The reason is that the commander was obedient to his high command. He was fulfilling his duty to defend Rome’s law.
   Under Roman law, Paul had the right to full protection. Roman law demanded any accused person be tried before a jury. No one was to be punished or imprisoned without a fair trial. Rome, a pagan nation, demonstrated the principles of God’s law: Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. In contrast, the Jews were a lawless gang. Israel’s law keepers were Israel’s law breakers.
   Israel’s great sin throughout the centuries was to reject God’s righteous rule for their own violent desires. In each generation, these words defined Israel’s disobedient heart: Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. Many times this chaos had destroyed Israel. It would destroy Israel once more when God sent Rome to Jerusalem in 74 AD to destroy the temple and end the Pharisees and Sanhedrin’s rule.
 
God Protects You

IN Rome’s protection of the citizen Paul of Tarsus, we find an illustration of God’s kingdom protection for us. You, dear Christian, are a citizen of the kingdom of God. Paul wrote it this way in Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
   Even though Paul was not in Rome, he had Rome’s protection. In a like manner, even though we are not in heaven, we have God’s protection. The Holy Spirit, protects us from the devil’s destruction. Our life remains with God.
   All of Rome’s authority protected Paul. All of heaven’s authority protects you. In faith trust God for your life now and forever. Be strong and courageous. “Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)