Jesus Protects and Directs

Acts 23:12-15 The next morning the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition 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.”
 
THOSE who stirred the crowd against Paul now wanted to raise the sword against him. Imagine you go to the law officers in your community and you tell them, “My neighbor is stirring up trouble. Send for him. Then I and my 39 friends will kill him.” How grievous a sin the murderous crowd could conspire with the chief priests and elders. They claimed be the keepers of the law! Yet they conspired against God’s command, “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13)
   Tragically, this was the Jews’ continuing response to God’s true Word. For centuries, Israel’s rulers had conspired to kill the prophets. Jesus grieved his city’s violence against his prophets: Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”
The devil hates the truth because it will send him into the eternal pit. Revelation 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
   Be alert to the Evil One’s methods to cancel God’s redeeming promises. The Spirit stepped in to cancel the killers’ plot.
 
Saved
 
Acts 23:16-21 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So the centurion took him to the commander. The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?” 20 He said: “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
 
WE don’t think of Paul having a sister and a nephew. Perhaps he had several siblings with children. God used this young man to speak up and defend his uncle. When Satan attacks spiritually and physically, be alert and prepared to help family and friends know the danger that lies in their path.