Acts 23:11-22 (NIV)
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
The next morning the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. More than forty men were involved in this plot. They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”
But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” So he took him to the commander.
The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”
The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”
He said: “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
The commander dismissed the young man and cautioned him, “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
Paul didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. He was in jail (again!), this time in Jerusalem. The great plan of the Jerusalem elders (Acts 21:20-24) had not been of any use. He had nearly been killed, and he was now in a Roman jail helplessly awaiting his fate.
It was while he was praying earnestly in this frame of mind that Jesus appeared to him with words of encouragement. He promised that Paul wasn’t going to die in Jerusalem but would get past all this and be able to testify about the Lord in Rome!
The very next morning, more than forty men swore that they would not eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul. Their plan, worked together with the high priests and elders, was to have the Sanhedrin summon Paul for further investigation, and then to assassinate him on the way.
But God was right there hearing the plot, and immediately took steps to protect Paul. He put Paul’s nephew where he could hear the plot being formed. The nephew reported the plot to Paul, and Paul sent him on to report the plot to the commander.
The commander heard the plot and immediately believed it. Paul was such a strange man, and the Jews seemed so bent on doing away with him, that it took no effort to believe that such a plot had truly been laid out against him.
The commander immediately laid out his own plan in his mind to save Paul. He didn’t speak it aloud at that time so that it wouldn’t be discovered. He merely sent Paul’s nephew away, sworn to silence, and assured that the situation would be handled.
Father, Your hand is so clearly evident in all this. Even though the commander was not a believer, You still worked through him to do Your will and protect Paul. Even though Paul had no earthly allies in high places to pull strings for him, You worked through the people who were available to pull the teeth of the plotters and to protect him. Lord, we all need Your guidance, even Your protection, more often than we are aware of. Help us to always rely on Your, and to always listen for and follow Your guidance. Amen.
If you are enjoying my blog, I invite you to check out my book, When We Listen, A Devotional Commentary on the Gospel of Mark. Just follow this url: https://www.amazon.com/When-We-Listen-Devotional-Commentary/dp/198668153X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=when+listen+robertson&qid=1569731760&s=gateway&sr=8-1 Thanks, and God bless you all!