Good Tuesday May nineteenth as we grow in our faith from studying God’s word.
Five Days gone-
Paul has been brought to Caesarea to stand before the governor Felix. Paul being a Roman citizen has rights, and the Jews cannot judge a Roman citizen so Paul is brought to Felix by Lysias from Jerusalem for Paul to receive a fair Roman trial. What Felix does not know is Paul’s rights have all ready been violated when Lysias had Paul tied and flogged to appeal to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Only when Paul made it known to the soldiers in charge, was Paul then given his Roman rights. So what is the big problem? Bottom line, just different religious beliefs and practices. Still this day, religious battles continue, and some actually do kill others for not believing as they do. The problem is everyone wants to clone others to be just like them, can you imagine what this robot community would look like, like a zombie movie no one having free choice. The promise was simple; God said to Abraham I will make you a great nation by just believing in Me. Genesis 12:2-3 “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and pin you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” When one has the blessings from God then one should want to bless others and not judge others even if they are different. Romans 14:13a “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another.” So Paul waits as Lysias has instructed the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem if they want to press charges against Paul then they needed to go to Caesarea. Let’s read together from Acts 24:1-4“Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul. And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us.”Did you hear that, this mob and Sanhedrin had Paul in their hands ready to kill him before Lysias intervened, but now we learn they were no longer in a rush, waiting Luke says after five days gone they finally show up to present their case against Paul. Ananias the high Priest who is in his eighties travels the sixty miles to be present as well as the number one lawyer from Jerusalem a man named Tertullus. Let it be known the Jewish leadership despised all the Roman authorities for their treatment and over taxing on them. Most likely one would never hear a Jewish leader saying anything good about one, but here Tertullus butters them up, a tactic used to get favor. He says under you Felix we have peace, really was there not just a mob riot in Jerusalem. This is all false flattery and Felix who himself is at the low end of the totem board, eats it all up. Tertullus then says most high and honorable Felix we do not want to waste your time with this meaningless matter, so just hear us. Like being tried in the media today just hear us we have the facts we are honest. Really! Where do you get truth? Remnant
