Scripture Reading : Acts 23:12-35
Theme : Protected by Providence of God
- The plot to kill Paul was planned. More than forty Jews made an oath to kill Paul. What these Jews actually did was they invoked divine judgment upon themselves should they fail to kill Paul! In the Old Testament, taking an oath was meant for a person who devoted himself to serving God (Deut. 23:21). These Jews took an oath before God to kill Paul, thus swearing falsely by God’s name and profaned His name (Lev. 19:12).
- The plot to kill Paul was punctured. This is the only passage where Paul’s family is clearly identified. Why the nephew was in Jerusalem and helped Paul is not revealed in the Bible. What is clear is that by God’s providence, He directed Paul’s nephew to learn of the ambush and informed him of the plot. The plot was subsequently reported to the tribune, who took the matter seriously.
- The plot to kill Paul was prevented. The tribune prevented the assassination by sending Paul away by night under heavy guard. Antipatris was 40 miles (64 km) away from Jerusalem, and to reach there in one night was no small feat by the soldiers who marched on foot. From Antipatris, only the horsemen continued with Paul to Caesarea, because the foot soldiers would have been extremely tired after marching 40 miles in one night.
Praying the Scripture
- The Jews took an oath to kill Paul, which was swearing falsely by God’s name and profaning His name (Lev. 19:12). On the other hand, Jesus said, “Do not take an oath at all… Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matt. 5:34-37) Pray that we will not profane the name of God, and that we will do all things for the glory of God.
- Luke 12:2-3 “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.” Nothing can be hidden from God, including the plot of the Jews to kill Paul. Let us thank God for being omniscient, and pray that we will watch everything that we do and say, even when no human is watching, because God knows it all.
- Through God’s providence, Paul was protected and sent to Caesarea. Eventually, he would be sent to Rome under Roman guard too. God only reveal certain things for us to obey, but many details are hidden from us by His wisdom. Pray that we will obey whatever God has revealed to us, and not try to find out the unnecessary details which God has kept hidden.
经文：使徒行传23:12-35
主题：因神的护理得保全
- 崛起杀害保罗的计谋。超过四十个犹太人起誓要杀保罗。实际上，这意味着若他们失败，他们要神向自己降下审判！原来在旧约时代，只有专心侍奉神的人才会起誓（申23:21）。这些人在神面前起誓要杀保罗，事实上是指着神的名起假誓，亵渎了神的名（利19:12）。
- 戳穿杀害保罗的计谋。圣经只有在这一段清楚点明保罗的亲人。圣经虽然并没阐明保罗的外甥为何会在耶路撒冷帮他，但明确地凸显了神的护理——祂使保罗的外甥得知埋伏的计划，并通知了保罗。保民官后来也得知这事，并严谨处理。
- 避免杀害保罗的计谋施行。保民官安排保罗夜间由众多兵丁护送离开，从而避免他被杀。安提帕底离耶路撒冷约64公里，所以要步兵一夜步行赶到那里并不容易。到了安提帕底，只有马兵继续与保罗前行到恺撒利亚，因为步兵一夜赶64公里的路后必定疲惫不堪。
用经文祷告
- 犹太人起誓要杀保罗——这事实上是指着神的名起假誓，亵渎了神的名（利19:12）。另外，耶稣说过：“什么誓都不可起……你们的话，是就说是，不是就说不是；若再多说，就是出于那恶者。”（太5:34-37）祈求我们不会亵渎神的名，凡事要为神的荣耀而行。
- 路加福音12:2-3：“掩盖的事没有不露出来的，隐藏的事没有不被人知道的。因此，你们在暗中所说的，将要在明处被人听见；在内室附耳所说的，将要在房上被人宣扬。”人不能向神隐藏任何事，包括犹太人想杀保罗的计谋。让我们感谢神是全知的，并祷告我们在言行举止上要留心，因为即便无人看见，神却晓得一切。
- 藉着神的护理，保罗受到保护，并被送到撒迦利亚去。最终，他也会由罗马兵丁护送到罗马。神往往只向我们启示祂要我们遵行的事；藉着祂的智慧，许多细节是向我们隐藏的。祈求我们会顺服凡神已经向我们启示的事，而不是试着挖掘我们无需晓得的一些被隐藏了的细节。
