Paul is under guard. The situation is volatile. The commander has a riot he must account for, and he still is uncertain as to why Paul was being beaten. He called for an inquest which ended in disaster, endangering his prisoner. To top it off, Paul is a Roman citizen, and the commander is still unnerved about violating his rights. Unexpectedly news comes to him of an impending assassination attempt! It sure seems like things have gone wrong for Paul since he came to Jerusalem! Perhaps he was mistaken in coming!
And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy. They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul. "Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near."
The Plot: to lure Paul out in the open and kill him.
“If they hated me, they will hate you.” John 15:18
40 men conspired to kill Paul with the blessing of the Sanhedrin.
They may have been the Jews from Asia who stirred up the mob.
They may have been a radical Jewish faction called Zealots.
They believed violence was the way to make wrongs, right.
They may have been a faction of Zealots called the Sicarii.
sicarii means "dagger-men."
They hid weapons under their robes.
They assassinated the previous High Priest named Johahan.
Ananias, the High Priest at times collaborated with them!
Ananias was so corrupt that, later on, they assassinated him!
The Sicarii were led by an Egyptian! Acts 21:38
The Great oath a binding, self-cursing vow (anathema).
When you are serving Jesus Christ, Expect attacks and persecution.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, stalks about, seeking whom he may devour.
John 15:19–20 If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
2 Timothy 3:12 everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Revelation 2:10–11 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison.
So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, "Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him." So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, "Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you." Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside and asked privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?" And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. "But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you."
God always has his man or his woman in place at the neediest hour.
In the Old Testament it was Esther (Esther 4:15-16).
Who knows if you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Paul’s sister’s son risked his life to expose the plot.
He was a young man, between 20 to 40, not yet an elder.
Paul’s father was a Pharisee, a citizen, probably well-to-do.
Paul’s Nephew may have been an understudy of a Pharisee.
His nephew heard the plan because he had access to the Council!
He bravely exposed the plot against Paul.
So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me." And he called for two centurions, saying, "Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night; "and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor." He wrote a letter in the following manner: Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. And when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council. I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains. And when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Farewell. Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks. When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
God made a way for Paul to escape
400 infantry and 70 horseman = 12 to 1 in Paul’s favor.
Most Roman citizens would not have received this protection!
when the tables are turned against us, God storms in like a flood!
Job 42:2 You can do all things, and no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
2 Chronicles 20:6 in your hand is power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.
Romans 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us?
God used a Roman Commander who wasn’t completely honest.
He painted himself in the best possible light!
I rescued Paul because I learned he was a Roman Citizen!
And by the way, he has done nothing criminal!
The march to Antipatris was 35 miles, halfway to Caesarea.
The next day they marched the rest of the way.
Caesarea was named after Caesar himself.
God made a promise in Acts 23:11: as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome."
This was all part of God’s plan to get Paul to Rome!
God always uses circumstances for his own purposes.
No matter how dark the situation you find yourself in, no matter the trials or persecution you face, trust God's guidance; trust God's providence. As servants of the Most High God he has plans for us and no conspiracy of the enemy, no circumstance of life will be able to thwart His agenda. So ease up. Relax a little. Allow the labored breathing and the anxious beating of the heart to slow. What appears to be our downfall will eventually result in our victory and God's glory.