ACTS

ACTS 25

Act 25:1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
Act 25:2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
Act 25:3 And desired favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

As I mentioned in previous articles on this subject, it is usually the religious crowd who does the persecution and very often it is a group of people who think that what they do is done on God's behalf. Some religions even expect a reward in Heaven if they persecute and kill those that oppose their particular religion. I dare say that any reward in heaven would not be given to those that kill and destroy but to those that show love yet walk in truth. God loves truth and hates lying. He loves mercy and prefers that to judgment but He will judge if His words are ignored or taken lightly.

Reading the story of Jonah reveals the heart of God in the Old Testament and reading the words of Jesus in the New Testament shows us that God wants to save not destroy. He is not willing that any soul should perish in hell.

Act 25:4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.
Act 25:5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.
Act 25:6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
Act 25:7 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
Act 25:8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.
Act 25:9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

Communities which are privileged to have unbiased judges who do not seek to please men but seek to judge fairly, are gifts from God I think. When we have judges with an agenda or that want to please people, it is sad for any society.

Act 25:10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
Act 25:11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.
Act 25:12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

Festus probably was glad to be rid of this responsibility because he knew Paul was innocent and yet he wanted to please the Jews who gathered together against Paul. When I say Jews here, I mean only the religious Jews that had resisted the truth and denied Jesus as the Messiah of Israel. All the apostles and the thousands who followed them were Jews also.

Act 25:13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.
Act 25:14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
Act 25:15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
Act 25:16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
Act 25:17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
Act 25:18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
Act 25:19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Act 25:20 And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.
Act 25:21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.
Act 25:22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
Act 25:23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.

I wonder sometimes what God must think of these great celebrations of pomp in honor of dignitaries. They all die the same as the slaves and servants. They are all subject to the same sicknesses, weaknesses and all end up at the mercy of God at the judgment.

Act 25:24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
Act 25:25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
Act 25:26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
Act 25:27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

All this is happening so the officials and those in control of the area of Judea have a chance to hear the gospel and decide whether or not to believe it. When the Roman armies destroy this area later in 70 AD there would be no excuse before God for He gave them every chance to repent years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That generation had more than any other before or after it. They had Jesus Himself walking their streets and teaching them the truth of God's word. They had Jesus perform many miracles and show forth God's power in a way that had never been done before to confirm the word He taught and to confirm that He was indeed the Messiah that was prophesied by Moses and the prophets. After Jesus was crucified and returned to heaven from where He came from originally, the apostles and now Paul gave witness to the resurrection of Jesus. When Paul leaves this place to go to Rome, they will have had no excuse when the armies of Rome enter the city and destroy everything in their path.

The United States and other countries of the world who have had the gospel preached to them are now ignoring the gospel and even going so far as to forbid public praying in the name of Jesus. Imagine denying the only name under heaven where we can be saved and have eternal life. They still allow prayer but when it is before Congress or before a school assembly they have rules in place where the one doing the praying cannot use the name of Jesus because it may bring offense to other religions. The thing they don't realize is that if they can't pray in His name, the whole prayer is a waste of time for the only way to get to God is through Jesus Christ.  It is the same as a country sending its most important ambassador to a foreign country.  That ambassador represents the country he was sent from.  If the foreign country refuses to see him or hear him it is the same as if they were refusing to see the head of the country.   God sent His beloved Son.  It was exactly the same as if He sent Himself for Jesus was God in the flesh.  To reject Jesus, is to reject God.  Now, to reject a true representative of Jesus is to reject Jesus and God.  In saying that, I don't mean all who claim to represent God but those who are walking in the spirit and in the truth of God's word. 

By denying the one God sent to us to die for our sins, we are cutting off the hand of protection and opening the door for any enemy of the United States to do their worst. Do I believe God caused the 9/11 attack? NO, but I do believe His hand of protection is not as strong upon us as it used to be. If we do not want His presence, His presence will not be here and the enemy has more power over us. Wake up people. The Old Testament tells us the story of the Jewish people. They were a called out people and chosen of God. Every time they forsook God, their enemies could bring them into bondage and slavery. Every time they repented and turned to God, He sent a deliverer. As long as they lived by the word of God, they were safe. The minute they departed from God, He started lifting His hand of protection.

God has not changed. The ones who have heard the gospel the most are accountable the most. We need God and we need Him back in our country.

Acts 26