March 10, 2023 -- Acts 23:12-15 -- The Acts of the Apostles: God's purposes exposed in the honourable and the devious
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When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
Acts 23:12-15 ESV
Do not envy a man of violence
and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for the devious person is an abomination to the LORD,
but the upright are in his confidence.
33 The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Toward the scorners he is scornful,
but to the humble he gives favor.
35 The wise will inherit honor,
but fools get disgrace.
Proverbs 3:31-35 ESV
The Jews involved in Paul’s imprisonment were scornful toward him and therefore toward God. It is the LORD the Spirit Who moved Paul to preach the grace of Jesus Christ, long prophesied in the Old Testament, the same Jesus Who reveals the depths of the Father’s love. The Jewish leadership, steeped in the Old Testament, should have recognized the Day of Jesus’ appearing. Instead they were violent men and devious, intent on keeping their power. By such actions they showed themselves to be under the curse of God.
The fact that God is in charge of all things is seen through these passages today. It is the LORD’s plan that Paul testify to the highest echelons of power in Rome. The evil plans of those Jewish men are sins for which they will fully be held accountable, but are also the instrument used to bring Paul before the courts and ultimately to Rome. While the humble faithfulness of Paul will be acknowledged before God in such a way that all the sufferings of Paul will be esteemed in heaven as totally purposeful, meaningful and precious in the sight of the LORD our God; simultaneously the wicked intentions of the devious are subject to great condemnation.
Christians are citizens here of earthly kingdoms, but our primary and most important citizenship, even now while we live here on earth, is in heaven. From our Faithful Father we await the reward that is yet to come. While we live in two kingdoms, how are we to distinguish true prophets and faithful Christians from false prophets and teachers?
First and foremost, know the Word of God. From it and through it all falsehoods are exposed.
Examine the fruit on the life of those who believe they are acting for God; their violence, their deviousness and disgraceful conduct will show who they really serve
Jesus prophesied that the wheat and the weeds will grow up side by each, even among believers. It can be hard to distinguish one from the other. Therefore, the follower of Jesus Christ must always know the Word, live for Jesus, bear fruit that is in keeping with repentance and guard his heart will.
Our Father in heaven forever blessed and honoured be Your Name. Who is like You?! You bring the upright into Your confidence, showing Your glorious purposes through the radiance of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Savior. You bless the dwelling of the righteous, giving to Your sons and daughters the inestimable treasure of Your Spirit. Triune God, may our lives reflect Your splendor and glory, inspiring the faithful to greater obedience, inspiring those You have called to Yourself to be filled with holy curiosity at our living, and inspiring the devious to reconsider their abominable ways before the hour of Judgment renders their cursed state fixed and they are cast to the fires of hell. Increase our hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
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