Acts 26:1-32 Almost Thou Persuadest Me to Become a Christian

[Study Aired October 8, 2023]

Act 26:1  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
Act 26:2  I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
Act 26:3  Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
Act 26:4  My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
Act 26:5  Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
Act 26:6  And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
Act 26:7  Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
Act 26:8  Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Act 26:9  I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Act 26:10  Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
Act 26:11  And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Act 26:12  Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
Act 26:13  At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
Act 26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Act 26:19  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Act 26:20  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
Act 26:21  For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
Act 26:22  Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
Act 26:23  That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
Act 26:24  And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Act 26:25  But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
Act 26:26  For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
Act 26:27  King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
Act 26:28  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
Act 26:29  And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
Act 26:30  And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
Act 26:31  And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
Act 26:32  Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

In our last study, King Agrippa and Bernice had come down to Caesarea to congratulate Festus on his replacing Felix as governor of Judea. Agrippa is the son of Herod who killed James the brother of John. After a few days of visiting, Festus told King Agrippa about his prisoner, Paul, and how Paul was so hated by the Jewish rulers in Jerusalem.

Here is where we left off in our last study:

Act 25:22  Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, 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.
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 specially 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.

Paul has spent his entire life, since his conversion, preaching in the synagogues to both the Jews and the Gentiles. He was rejected by the Jews in every city. However, there was always a remnant who were given to  accept the gospel, and Paul was always ready to move on to the next city when he was forced to do so, just as the Lord had instructed:

Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Paul is now a Roman prisoner. He can no longer “flee… into another… city”. Now the holy spirit has arranged for him to witness to the political leaders of this age. In a relatively short period of time, he has been given the privilege of witnessing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jewish Sanhedrin twice. He has witnessed to Felix and then to Felix and his wife Drucilla. Then he was able witness to Festus when the high priest and the elders of Jerusalem falsely accused him again. In this 26^th chapter, he is given the blessing of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and the story of how he was dragged to Christ with King Agrippa and Bernice, as well as all the leaders of the city of Caesarea.

Here is how the Lord set King Agrippa and Bernice up to hear Paul’s witness for Christ:

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 licence 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. To morrow, 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.
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 specially 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.

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, Festus brings Paul in and introduces him to King Agrippa and Bernice and all the principal men of Caesarea. Festus acknowledges that Paul has done nothing worthy of death, and he is hoping King Agrippa, being a Jew, can help him explain to Augustus Caesar why Paul is being sent to him. Paul is excited and happy to share the gospel with King Agrippa and Bernice in the presence of the governor of Judea, Festus, and all the principal men of Caesarea, the Roman capital of the province of Judea.

Act 26:1  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
Act 26:2  I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
Act 26:3  Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
Act 26:4  My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

Paul was born in Tarsus, the capital of the province of Cilicia, but he tells us here that “from [his] youth, which was… at Jerusalem.” This is what he told the multitude which was trying to kill him when he was first rescued by Lysias the chief captain in Jerusalem:

Act 22:3  I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

Gamaliel is the highly respected Rabbi who counseled the Sanhedrin against doing any harm to the apostles who had just healed all the sick who came to them just before they were cast into prison by the high priest and the Sadducees, but were delivered by an angel that very night and were found teaching in the temple. Gamaliel was given to acknowledge that what the apostles were doing was an apparent work of God, and if it were not, it would come to nothing of itself. Paul tells us he was brought up at this rabbi’s feet, but as ‘Saul of Tarsus’ he witnessed the growth of the Christian church and hated being accused of killing the Son of God.

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Act 5:30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Act 5:31  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Act 5:33  When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

Stephen made the same accusations, and they stoned him under the supervision of Saul of Tarsus:

Act 7:51  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Act 7:52  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Act 7:53  Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
Act 7:54  When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

Saul of Tarsus went on from the stoning of Stephen to become the most vicious opponent of Christ with the blessing of the chief priest and elders at Jerusalem. Then suddenly, literally “out of the blue” their most ardent soldier and opponent of Christianity is now with equal ardor proclaiming that this Jesus whom the apostles claimed was risen from the dead had indeed appeared to him while on the road to Damascus, a city outside of Israel. Saul was traveling to Damascus for the purpose of bringing anyone who believed in Jesus back to Jerusalem to be punished for their heresy. Christ had appeared as brighter than the sun and had blinded him for three days, after which he was commissioned to witness for Christ to both the Jews and the Gentiles.

This chapter of Acts is the account of how the Lord has privileged His apostle to witness to the leaders of the world about how Saul of Tarsus has been dragged to Israel’s Messiah and given a commission which he must fulfill to take the message of Jesus to both the Jews and the Gentiles. Just as the Lord has revealed Himself to each of us, the Lord has worked everything in a way that, as Paul tells King Agrippa, if the leaders of the church would be honest with themselves, they would have to admit their own culpability in the rejection of the Lord and His doctrines:

Act 26:5  Which [vs 4: “all the leading Jews” at Jerusalem] knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
Act 26:6  And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
Act 26:7  Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

Because there is a wide spread doctrine which teaches that the ten northern tribes of Israel were “lost” and ended up in western Europe and the United states, Canada and Australia, we need to take note that Paul says to King Agrippa… “our twelve tribes…” The book of James is also addressed to “the twelve tribes scattered abroad”.

Jas 1:1  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

There is no denying the Jews were “scattered abroad”, but they certainly were not “lost”, and they certainly are not ethnic Europeans as that widely believed false doctrine affirms!

Act 26:8  Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Act 26:9  I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Act 26:10  Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
Act 26:11  And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

Paul just told us that he had imprisoned and had “many of the saints” imprisoned and killed in Jerusalem before he went to Damascus.

The Greek word translated as ‘strange’ in verse 11 is the word ‘exo.’  It means ‘out of.’ It is the root of our English word ‘exit’ and our English word ‘exodus’, the title of the second book of the Bible relating the events surrounding Israel coming ‘out of’ Egypt. What Paul is telling King Agrippa is that he was so zealous for the law of Moses, including the commandment to ‘hate thine enemies’, that he was going ‘out of’ Israel in pursuit of the Christians whom he considered to be heretics and thereby his enemies. Then suddenly he was stopped in his tracks just before he arrived at Damascus:

Act 26:12  Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
Act 26:13  At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
Act 26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

For anyone who would say that what Paul tells us here contradicts what he told the people at the palace when he was taken captive, we need to remember that unless something is qualified, there is no contradiction.  Let’s look at the two times Paul gave his account of meeting Christ on the road to Damascus before speaking to the people here at the judgment hall in Caesarea.

Act 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

Act 22:6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

As always, we must never be guilty of limiting the Word of God unless the scriptures themselves qualify or limit what is being said. Neither in Acts 9:3 nor in Acts 22:6 is it stated that this light from heaven shined ‘round about him only.’ There is also no such qualification in Acts 22:6 saying it was ‘round about me only.’ Therefore, when Paul includes “and them which journeyed with me”, the addition of that detail in no way contradicts the fact that the light did indeed shine about Paul also.

When there are words which do qualify what is said, words like ‘before… afterward… and only’ then we had better pay close attention to what the Lord has said. We were “called in Christ before the world began” (2Ti 1:9; Tit 1:2). All in Adam will be made alive, but Christ is first, and “afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming” (1Co 15:23); God gave “His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Joh 3:16).

Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

“Those things in the which I will appear unto you” is another way of saying:

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Of course, “the things in which I will appear unto you” includes all the trials and persecutions which necessitated the Lord’s appearance to strengthen Paul to endure to the end. The Lord appeared to Paul when he was first taken captive and just after the chief captain had put Paul before the Sanhedrin, who again demanded his death:

Act 23:10  And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
Act 23:11  And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

This visit from the Lord took place the night before Paul’s sister’s son had overheard “above forty men” who had conspired to kill Paul and had taken an oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

The Lord appeared to Paul again when he was in an equally bleak and hopeless situation:

Act 27:20  And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
Act 27:21  But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
Act 27:22  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.
Act 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Act 27:24  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

This second appearing simply confirmed the words of the first, and both came in a very timely manner when it appeared that “all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.”

Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Act 26:19  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Act 26:20  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Paul just told us that he preached the gospel “throughout all the coast of Judea” before he went to the Gentiles. That is apparently what he was doing for many years from his home base of Tarsus, before Barnabas went to Tarsus to recruit Paul to help with the growth in the church at Antioch in Syria.

All we are specifically told here in the book of Acts is that Paul was sent to Tarsus from Jerusalem when the Lord revealed to him that the Jews of Jerusalem would reject his words and were plotting to kill him.

Act 9:26  And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
Act 9:27  But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
Act 9:28  And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
Act 9:29  And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
Act 9:30  Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

In the first chapter of Galatians Paul informs us the time he spent in Jerusalem was a mere “fifteen days” and that he met none of the apostles other than Peter and James the Lord’s brother.

Gal 1:18  Then after three years [at Damascus] I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
Gal 1:19  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.

In Acts 22 Paul lets us know exactly what caused him to flee from Jerusalem when he first went there from Damascus:

Act 22:17  And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
Act 22:18  And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

So  it is only here in this 20^th verse that Paul tells us he did indeed preach the gospel “throughout all the coasts of Judaea, [“to the Jew first” (Rom 1:16, Rom 2:10)] then to the Gentiles” (Act 26:20).

Act 26:21  For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
Act 26:22  Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
Act 26:23  That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people [Jews], and to the Gentiles.
Act 26:24  And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

Festus is a Roman, and as such was not impressed with Paul’s experience or his message which didn’t even mention Caesar or the Roman Empire. The doctrine of a resurrection from the dead and a man who had actually conquered death did not impress Festus. Now he is hearing the Truth for the first time, and it is overwhelming to him. Paul reassures him that he is sane and of a sound mind, and to prove it he puts the Jewish King Agrippa on the spot knowing that it was King Agrippa’s father who had also engaged in fighting against Christ just as Paul had when he was still known as Saul of Tarsus. Paul realizes that it was only the sovereign hand of God that kept him from being eaten of worms like King Agrippa’s father, King Herod. It was about 17 years after Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus that Paul and Barnabas had been sent to Jerusalem with a gift from the Gentiles in Antioch, when Agrippa’s father, King Herod had killed James, the brother of John, and had taken Peter also, intending to kill him after the Passover. Peter was miraculously delivered from a guard of “four quaternions of soldiers.” The holy spirit put the whole prison to sleep while an angel woke Peter out of “sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the prison.” This all took place while Paul and Barnabas were right there in Jerusalem, which Paul tells us was 14 years after he had returned to Jerusalem from his conversion at Damascus where he had spent the first three years of his ministry preaching the gospel in the synagogues of Damascus immediately following his conversion. After witnessing the death of James and the deliverance of Peter, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch and were shortly sent out together to spread the gospel on Paul’s first missionary journey, during which his name was changed from Saul to Paul.

Paul knows that King Agrippa is very aware of the veracity of everything Paul is saying, and Paul’s answer to Festus is to appeal to King Agrippa’s integrity and the fact that the whole of Jerusalem was aware that Peter had miraculously been delivered out of his father’s Herod’s prison and then shortly afterwards had been “eat of worms” right here in Caesarea:

Act 12:18  Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
Act 12:19  And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
Act 12:20  And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.
Act 12:21  And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
Act 12:22  And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Act 12:23  And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

Act 26:25  But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
Act 26:26  For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

Indeed King Agrippa “knew of these things” and indeed everyone at Jerusalem had heard how Peter was miraculously delivered out of Herod’s prison. There was a lot of weight to Paul’s statement… “For this thing was not done in a corner”, and there was no way King Agrippa could deny it.

Act 26:27  King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
Act 26:28  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
Act 26:29  And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
Act 26:30  And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
Act 26:31  And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
Act 26:32  Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

Everything that happened to Agrippa’s father, King Herod the fourth, happened at the Passover, and it was known to all the Jews in Jerusalem that King Herod had killed James the brother of John. Everyone also knew that King Herod had imprisoned Peter, and Peter had been delivered from King Herod’s prison with no one even accusing anyone of an insurrection or a jailbreak. It was all very humiliating for King Herod, and then shortly thereafter he was eaten by worms and died. King Agrippa could not deny anything Paul had said. The truth is its own defense.

Next week, we will follow Paul on his long and very trying journey to Rome. There will be many lessons for us along the way.

Act 17:1-17 These Have Turned the World Upside Down

[Study Aired June 11, 2023]

Act 17:1  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
Act 17:2  And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Act 17:3  Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Act 17:4  And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
Act 17:5  But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
Act 17:6  And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
Act 17:7  Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
Act 17:8  And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
Act 17:9  And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
Act 17:10  And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Act 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Act 17:12  Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
Act 17:13  But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
Act 17:14  And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
Act 17:15  And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.
Act 17:16  Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
Act 17:17  Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

In our last study, Paul and Silas had insisted that the hypocritical magistrates of Philippi, who had commanded that Paul and Silas be beaten without a trial, not knowing they were both Roman citizens with the right to a trial, must come themselves to the prison and lead them out of their city. Those magistrates, upon learning that they had broken Roman law, were humbled enough to come to the prison and “beg” Paul and Silas to leave the city:

In this study we will first review our last study to demonstrate the pattern of being rejected which developed in Paul’s life.

Act 16:37  But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly, being Romans and uncondemned men, they threw us into prison. And now do they throw us out secretly? No, indeed! But coming themselves, let them bring us out.
Act 16:38  And the floggers reported these words to the magistrates. And hearing that they were Romans, they were afraid.
Act 16:39  And coming, they begged them. And bringing them out, they asked them to go out of the city.
Act 16:40  And going out from the prison, they went into the house of Lydia. And seeing the brothers, they exhorted them, and went out. (LITV)

Paul and Silas accommodated their persecutors because that is what the Lord had instructed them:

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

This is a pattern which was established on Paul’s first missionary journey with Barnabas. He was cast out of Pisidian Antioch and fled to Iconium. In Iconium he became aware of a plot to stone him, and he and Barnabas fled to Lystra where Paul was stoned and left for dead. The Lord raised him up, and he and Barnabas fled to Derbe.

On this second missionary journey, Paul travels from Syrian Antioch through his hometown of Tarsus in the province of Cilicia, where he had spent well over a decade after fleeing Jerusalem for his life. He then visits all the churches he and Barnabas had established in Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch. Then being forbidden by the spirit to preach the gospel in Asia at this time, and being forbidden to preach the gospel in Bithynia, Paul is directed by the Lord in “a vision… in the night” to go into Macedonia and preach the gospel:

Act 16:6  Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
Act 16:7  After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
Act 16:8  And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
Act 16:9  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
Act 16:10  And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

It was at the Lord’s direction that Paul and Silas ended up in “Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia.”

Act 16:11  Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;
Act 16:12  And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

Philippi is a Roman colony, and there is no mention of a synagogue in Philippi. Instead, we are told that Paul and Silas met on the sabbath day with the women of the city who prayed by a river. This is where Paul and Silas met with and converted a woman named Lydia, who insisted they stay at her home.

Act 16:13  And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
Act 16:14  And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
Act 16:15  And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

It is here in Philippi that “a certain damsel” follows Paul and Barnabas “many days” proclaiming them as men of God who “show us the way of salvation.”

While the young lady’s message was true, she was doing exactly what the scriptures tell us will place us under a curse:

Pro 27:14  He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

Constantly singing the praises of any man, as opposed to constantly affirming the praises of Christ, places us in the unenviable position of placing a man above our Lord, and that is exactly what this young lady was doing.

Paul was given to discern an evil spirit which was directing this young lady, and he ordered it to come out of her, and it did:

Act 16:16  And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
Act 16:17  The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
Act 16:18  And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

That spirit of divination came out of the young lady, and she was no longer able to “bring her masters much gain.” So, her masters caught [Paul and Silas], and dragged them to the magistrates of Philippi and accused Paul and Silas of “teaching customs which are not lawful for us to receive… being Romans.” The multitudes and the magistrates “rose up together against them” [Paul and Silas], beat them mercilessly with “many stripes”, and then cast them into prison.

Act 16:19  And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
Act 16:20  And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
Act 16:21  And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
Act 16:22  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
Act 16:23  And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

While in the stocks in this Philippian jail, at midnight Paul and Silas were praying out loud and singing praises to the Lord when ‘suddenly there was an earthquake’ so [powerful] that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and all the prisoners were set free of their bonds:

Act 16:25  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Act 16:26  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

The jailer wakes to see the doors of the prison open and immediately assumes that all the prisoners had already fled, but miraculously none of them had fled. Not knowing this, the jailer proceeds to commit suicide because he is well aware of the Roman law that if a prisoner escapes, the person who was in charge of that prisoner must die for being negligent.

Act 16:28  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

This entire miraculous series of events, along with the witness of Paul and Silas, led to the conversion of the Roman jailer and all his house:

Act 16:30  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Act 16:32  And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
Act 16:33  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Act 16:34  And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

The next morning the magistrates sent word to secretly let Paul and Silas go free, but Paul insisted that since they had beaten and imprisoned them publicly, Paul and Silas, both being Roman citizens with all the rights to a trial of a Roman citizen, insisted that these hypocritical magistrates must come publicly to the jail and lead them out of the city themselves. Upon learning what they had illegally done to two Roman citizens, they were more than happy to comply with Paul’s demands, and they came and begged them to leave their city, which they did:

Act 16:39  And coming, they begged them. And bringing them out, they asked them to go out of the city.
Act 16:40  And going out from the prison, they went into the house of Lydia. And seeing the brothers, they exhorted them, and went out. (LITV)

This all brings us to the verses of our study today where the same scenario of being rejected by the Jews is about to be repeated in a Greek city named Thessalonica, which had a Jewish synagogue and was south of Philippi some 100 miles, or 161 kilometers.

Act 17:1  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
Act 17:2  And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Act 17:3  Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

As was always the case, the spirit had prepared the hearts of many to receive Paul’s words and given them eyes to see and ears to hear the words of the witness of Paul:

Act 17:4  And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to appeal to those who are not part of nor accepted by the established religions and their leaders in every generation. In Thessalonica Paul’s preaching at first appealed to “a great multitude…  of the devout Greeks… and of the chief women not few”, but once again the established church became envious of the appeal the gospel was having.

Act 17:5  But the Jews which believed not [the established church of that day], moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them [Paul and Silas] out to the people.

As we just read “the Jews that believed not” were not only envious of the multitudes to whom the gospel appealed, but they also “believed not” the doctrines of the gospel of Christ, and once again they stirred up the people and would have assaulted Paul and Silas if they had found them:

Act 17:6  And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

The leaders of the established church, and the people of Paul’s day, signifying the religious leaders and people of our day, had lived their lives in a world that was upside down. Being upside down is the human condition in which we all just naturally worship and serve the creature, meaning ourselves, rather than the Creator. This rebellious, “marred…upside down” condition of mankind is referred to in Romans 1 as “the unrighteousness of men” (Rom1:18):

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

It is mankind’s marred composition which makes him “to err from [the Lord’s] ways and hardens [our] hearts against [His] ways.” That is how we are all first “made”:

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

‘The creature’ (mankind) is at first ‘marred’ and unrighteous by God’s design. Our naturally marred and unrighteous condition places all mankind under the Lord’s wrath:

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature [our own fleshly desires] more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

We all as carnal-minded mankind just naturally tend to please our own flesh instead of striving to put Christ and His Father first in our lives. That is why the doctrine of Christ, which teaches us to love our enemies and turn the other cheek and resist not evil, appears as an upside-down world to our natural man. A doctrine which teaches that we should seek first the spiritual kingdom of God and His righteousness, and afterward all the necessities of this physical realm, seems very much upside down and backwards to our natural man.

Act 17:7  Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

Christ’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom which is no threat to civil governments of this age. The truth is that the gospel and doctrines of Christ produce the very best citizens in this present time because true Christians are obedient to these words which are inspired by the holy spirit:

Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Rom 13:2  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation [G2917: ‘krima’ judgment].
Rom 13:3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Rom 13:4  For he [civil government, “the powers that be”] is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute [God’s] wrath upon him that doeth evil [against others, including God’s elect].
Rom 13:5  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for [the execution of] wrath, but also for conscience sake. [For the sake of being obedient to the Lord]

These words make for the most honest and peaceful and productive citizens of any country. These words are not the sum of the Lord’s instructions to us, but they are only part of the Lord’s words on this subject. There is a time when we are forced to resist the powers that be, as Peter demonstrated when responding to “the powers that be” when they ordered him and all the apostles to refrain from preaching the gospel to the people:

Act 5:27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Act 5:28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

This is a Biblically qualified exception to being obedient to the powers that be. Therefore, any time the powers that be command us to disobey our Lord, we must refuse to do so.

Act 17:8  And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

This other king other than Caesar, is the same ingenuous, hypocritical canard which the chief priest and the Pharisees had placed upon Christ, acting as if they themselves were loyal to Caesar:

Luk 23:2  And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.

Joh 19:12  And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

They were lying, and they knew they were lying. Christ never once forbade anyone to give tribute to Caesar. This is His doctrine concerning paying taxes:

Luk 20:22  Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

Luk 20:24  Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s.
Luk 20:25  And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.

Rom 13:7  Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

The gospel of the kingdom of God in this age is a spiritual kingdom within us. That gospel proclaims a time when “the kingdoms of this world [will] become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ.” However, when that day would arrive, it will not arrive because those who proclaim the gospel have inspired a physical insurrection against the civil governments of this age. When the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, it will be a supernatural work of God which will be beyond the ability of mere flesh and blood to resist:

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Act 17:9  And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
Act 17:10  And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

It was on the first journey that Paul and Barnabas declared that since the Jews always rejected the gospel and ‘counted themselves unworthy of salvation, we turn to the Gentiles.’

Here is what Paul declared to the rebellious Jews in Pisidian Antioch during his first missionary journey:

Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Act 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Where does the Lord command Paul and Barnabas to go to the Gentiles? These are the verses Paul references as a commandment for him to take the gospel to the Gentiles:

Isa 49:1  Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
Isa 49:2  And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
Isa 49:3  And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
Isa 49:4  Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
Isa 49:5  And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
Isa 49:6  And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Even after proclaiming that his ministry was ‘turning to the Gentiles, Paul continued to also go into the local synagogues:

Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Act 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Act 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Act 17:12  Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

The pronouns, ‘these were more noble’ and ‘many of them believed’ are referring to the Jews of Berea mentioned in the previous verse:

Act 17:10  And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Act 17:13  But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
Act 17:14  And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

The apostles typify the Lord’s elect, who are indeed “hated of all men” as the Lord told us we would be:

Mat 10:21  And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

When we are persecuted, we are instructed to flee to another city, and that is the pattern of all of Paul’s efforts to share the gospel with both the Jews and the Gentiles to whom the Lord has sent him. We do not attempt to make people see the truth who are not given eyes to see the truth.

Act 17:15  And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

We are not told who ‘they’ are, but we know ‘they’ were not Silas and Timothy because we are told that they remained in Berea for a time before being instructed to later join Paul in Athens.

Act 17:16  Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
Act 17:17  Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

Once again, we see Paul first going into the synagogue in Athens. He always does so, because the gospel was intended to be preached to those who already had a relationship with God before being preached to others:

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Rom 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

That is what the holy spirit had originally told Saul of Tarsus by the agency of Ananias of Damascus:

Act 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Act 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Act 9:17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Act 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Immediately, Saul of Tarsus, the man who three days earlier had been seeking to kill all who followed Christ, was now in Christ’s employ and is proclaiming Him in the synagogues of Damascus:

Act 9:19  And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
Act 9:20  And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

As we will see in our next study, Paul had little impact upon this great Gentile city of Athens even though he was invited to speak in the Areopagus by “certain philosophers of the Epicureans” (Act 17:18).

Athens is the one city which did not persecute Paul before he left. He was not threatened there in Athens as he had been in every other city in which he had spent time preaching the gospel. Judging from ‘that which is written’ he spent more time speaking to the Gentiles at the Areopagus than the Jews in the synagogue. He did however speak to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles.

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Rom 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

Christ Himself came to His own first, and other than healing the Roman centurion’s servant (Mat 8:8), granting the Syrophoenician woman her request (after calling her a ‘dog’ to her face [Mar 7:24-30]), Christ never once went to a Gentile. They always came to Him because, as He told that woman:

Mar 7:27  But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

This is the principle which rules the thoughts of all the apostles throughout the book of Acts.

In our next study we will see that the Gentiles also rejected the gospel of the resurrection of the dead. As always there was and there is a remnant who are given to receive our Lord and His Word.

Acts 12:1-25 The Lord Hath Sent His Angel to Deliver Me

[Study Aired April 16, 2023]

Act 12:1  Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
Act 12:2  And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
Act 12:3  And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
Act 12:4  And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
Act 12:5  Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Act 12:6  And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
Act 12:7  And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
Act 12:8  And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
Act 12:9  And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
Act 12:10  When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
Act 12:11  And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
Act 12:12  And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
Act 12:13  And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
Act 12:14  And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
Act 12:15  And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
Act 12:16  But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
Act 12:17  But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
Act 12:18  Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
Act 12:19  And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
Act 12:20  And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.
Act 12:21  And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
Act 12:22  And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Act 12:23  And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

Once again, the order of events is important. Herod was “eaten of worms [first] and [then he] gave up the ghost”.

Act 12:24  But the word of God grew and multiplied.
Act 12:25  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

Verse 25 is connected to everything that occurred in this chapter. Everything we just read happened when and while Barnabas and Saul of Tarsus took the relief from the church in Antioch up to the apostles and the leaders of the church at Jerusalem.

The timing of the events of this chapter becomes very clear by placing the last verses of chapter 11 together with the last verse of this chapter:

Act 11:27  And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
Act 11:28  And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Act 11:29  Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
Act 11:30  Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

This is the first verse of chapter 12:

Act 12:1  Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
Act 12:2  And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
Act 12:3  And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

The phrase “about that time” refers back to the last verses of chapter 11 which we just quoted telling us that the church in Antioch had determined to help the poor saints in Jerusalem and that they had sent their relief “by the hands of Barnabas and Saul”. Then, because the holy spirit wants to make the timing of all these events very clear this is the last verses of this 12^th chapter concerning the martyrdom of James, the imprisonment and deliverance of Peter, and the death of Herod:

Act 12:23  And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him [Herod], because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Act 12:24  But the word of God grew and multiplied.
Act 12:25  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

The last verses of chapter 11 and the last verse of chapter 12 both tell us that this trip back to Jerusalem is the end of the fourteen years Paul speaks of in Galatians 2:1, and these two verses tell us that all these events of this twelfth chapter occurred while Barnabas and Saul were right there in Jerusalem. Herod killed James, the brother of John, and intending to kill Peter, he had him apprehended and imprisoned. The night before Peter was to appear before Herod, the Lord miraculously delivered him from prison. The prison guards were interrogated and put to death because they could not account for Peter’s disappearance. Shortly after this, Herod gave an oration that was so powerful that the people called him a god and not a man. When that happened the Lord smote Herod to death, and he was eaten of worms, and then and only then:

Act 12:25  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

Verse 25 is the last verse of this 12^th chapter. This is the second time Paul went up to Jerusalem after his conversion in Damascus.

Therefore, when Paul says in Galatians:

Gal 2:1  Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
Gal 2:2  And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Gal 2:3  But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Gal 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Gal 2:5  To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Gal 2:6  But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Gal 2:7  But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Gal 2:8  (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

“He that wrought effectually in Peter” and in Saul was the “one Lord Jesus Christ” (1Co 8:6).

Gal 2:9  And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Gal 2:10  Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

That “fourteen years” began from the time Saul of Tarsus left Jerusalem to return to Tarsus, and it ended when he went up to Jerusalem again for the first time in fourteen years with Barnabas and Titus, both of whom he had been ministering in Antioch.

The fact that Paul here in Galatians tells these Galatians:

Gal 2:2  And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Gal 2:3  But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Gal 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

“That gospel which I preach among the Gentiles” does not necessitate that Paul had already begun his first missionary journey because there were without doubt some Gentiles there in Antioch, even though the church was mostly Grecian Jews. Titus, a Gentile, went up with Barnabas and Saul ahead of Barnabas and Saul before they had even begun their first missionary journey.

The point Paul is making is that Paul had been told by the Lord from the time Ananias had come to give him back his sight, that the Lord was going to send him to the Gentiles:

Act 9:10  And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
Act 9:11  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
Act 9:12  And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Act 9:13  Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Act 9:14  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
Act 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Act 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

The point Paul is making in both cases is that His doctrine is not of men, but his gospel came directly from Christ Himself.

Paul reiterates this very important point in:

2Co 12:4  How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

The Greek word translated as “unspeakable” in Second Corinthians 12:4 is:

G731
ἄῤῥητος
arrhētos
ar’-hray-tos
From G1 (as a negative particle) and the same as G4490; unsaid, that is, (by implication) inexpressible: – unspeakable.
Total KJV occurrences: 1

This word appears just one time in the New Testament. ‘Unspeakable’ is not the proper English translation of this Greek word ‘arrhetos’. It is the combination of the negative particle and the Greek word:

G4490
ῥητῶς
rhētōs
hray-toce’
Adverb from a derivative of G4483; out spokenly, that is, distinctly: – expressly.
Total KJV occurrences: 1

This word also appears just one time in:

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly [G4490: ‘rhetos’, distinctly], that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Corinthians 12: 4 would obviously be better translated as:

2Co 12:4  How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard… words [which had never before been distinctly expressed], which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Act 10:28  And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Which is just another way of saying:

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will [distinctly express and ] guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come [which are “not (yet) lawful for a man to utter”].

Peter’s vision at the house of Simon the tanner, resulted in Peter being the first apostle to take the gospel to the house of the Gentile Cornelius. That, too, was “unlawful for a man to utter” before that time. Peter’s vision in Joppa, and him being told to go into the home of the Gentile centurion, Cornelius, all took place while Saul of Tarsus was preaching in the synagogues of Damascus. Saul of Tarsus may or may not have heard of Peter being sent to the house of the Gentile, Italian centurion, but if he did hear of that event then it would have simply served to confirm the words of Ananias concerning what the Lord had told Saul about “bearing [the Lord’s] name before the Gentiles, and kings and the children of Israel”. Saul of Tarsus was the only apostle who had been called into the Lord’s service outside of the nation of Israel… “as… he came near Damascus [Syria]”. He is the only apostle, besides John in the Book of Revelation, to give us the timeline of events which brings us to the consummation of the eons and God being “all in all”. These are just some of the things which, under the law of Moses, were “unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2Co 12:4).

Here in 2 Corinthians 12 is the only other time Paul mentions ‘fourteen years.’ In this case Paul says “above fourteen years ago”:

2Co 12:1  It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2Co 12:2  I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven [the very mind of Christ].
2Co 12:3  And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
2Co 12:4  How that he was caught up into paradise [the very mind of Christ], and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
2Co 12:5  Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
2Co 12:6  For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Notice that this was “above 14 years ago,” and this is in 2 Corinthians which was written after Paul’s second missionary journey in which the church at Corinth was founded. When Paul said he went up to Jerusalem “after fourteen years” in Galatians 2, he was referring to the first time he had returned to Jerusalem after having fled for his life when he had returned to Jerusalem after fleeing for his life from Damascus where he had been converted and from whence he had gone into Arabia for a season before returning to Damascus, where he spent three years from his conversion preaching in the synagogues of Damascus.

When Paul did return to Jerusalem, even after preaching the gospel for three years to the Jews in Damascus, the Jewish Christian apostles and disciples were so afraid of him that they would not fellowship with him until Barnabas, who somehow knew about Saul’s conversion and the fact that he had been teaching in the synagogues of Damascus for three years, brought Saul to Peter, with whom Saul spent a mere three weeks before he had to flee Jerusalem for his life. The only other apostle Saul met while he was in Jerusalem during his three weeks with Peter was “James the Lord’s brother”. The point being that he had neither time nor opportunity to glean any new doctrines from Peter or James in those three weeks which were spent speaking to and being rejected of the Grecian Jews there in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, Saul had been instructed by Christ Himself that he was to take the gospel to the Gentiles. It was Christ Himself who had shown Paul that all men would be saved through Christ just as all men had been born into a dying body of clay via their father “the first man Adam” (1Co 15:45):

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

It was the Lord Himself, and not any of the other apostles, who revealed to Paul that this universal salvation would come to mankind via a three-step method through which death itself would be destroyed:

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: [1] Christ the firstfruits; afterward [2] they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24  Then cometh [3] the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

“The end” is not a reference to the false doctrine of eternal torment, nor does it refer to the slightly less offensive false doctrine of annihilation in the lake of fire. “Then cometh the end” refers to the final harvest of the souls of mankind “at the end of the year”:

Exo 23:14  Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. [Typifying the three harvests of the souls of “all in Adam” (1Co 15:22)]
Exo 23:15  Thou shalt keep [1] the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty) [With the accompanying offering of the Passover Lamb, typifying Christ as the first of the firstfruits]:
Exo 23:16  And the feast of harvest, [2] the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field [typify: and [3] the feast of ingathering],  which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

Now we come to the events of this 12^th chapter of Acts, which will serve to humble Paul and remind him that he must “be persuaded of” the older apostles even if they are not yet aware of the full extent and impact of the revelations given to Saul of Tarsus.

Heb 13:17 Be persuaded by your leaders, and be deferring to them, for they are vigilant for the sake of your souls, as having to render an account, that they may be doing this with joy, and not with groaning, for this is disadvantageous for you.

The reference to “after fourteen years” and “above fourteen years” ago, places all these revelations given Saul of Tarsus, either during the three years at Damascus, during which he spent time in the wilderness of Arabia, or during the ten to thirteen years he spent at Tarsus before the “full year” spent with Barnabas preaching in Antioch. It was at this time that Barnabas and Saul went up to Jerusalem again, to witness the death of the apostle “James the brother of John”, the imprisonment and miraculous deliverance of Peter, and the miraculous death of Herod:

Act 12:1  Now about that time [the time Barnabas and Saul went up from Antioch to Jerusalem] Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
Act 12:2  And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
Act 12:3  And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
Act 12:4  And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter [G3957: ‘pascha’, Passover] to bring him forth to the people.

The Greek word ‘pascha’ is an obvious reference to the Jewish feast of the Passover. ‘Easter’ is a ridiculous translation which the King James translators chose in an attempt to simply erase any Jewishness from the early church. ‘Easter’ is an abominable translation of the Greek word ‘pascha’.

Act 12:5  Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

Like us, the church prayed for Peter’s release, but could not believe that the Lord had actually done so, as we will see.

Act 12:6  And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
Act 12:7  And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

There is not one word about how all this affected the “four quaternions of soldiers” or the “two soldiers… between [whom] Peter was sleeping”. It is immaterial to what the Lord is doing for His elect.

Act 12:8  And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
Act 12:9  And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
Act 12:10  When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

That gate had about as much ‘free will’ as you and I have. That gate “opened to them of His own accord”, meaning of Christ’s own accord.

Act 12:11  And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

The same was true for Christ, even though He died upon the cross, because death was also defeated at the cross, and Christ was the first person ever to  be raised from the dead and given a spiritual body which is “like the wind”:

Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit [In “the redemption of the purchased possession” sense (Eph 1:14).

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; [Christ feared God more than men]

Act 12:12  And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
Act 12:13  And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda [Greek: rose].
Act 12:14  And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
Act 12:15  And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

We simply cannot help ourselves. We are all locked into this physical realm and cannot believe it when the Lord performs a miracle, even when we are petitioning Him for a miracle.

Act 12:16  But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
Act 12:17  But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren [Including Barnabas and Saul]. And he departed, and went into another place.

This is not what happened when Peter had earlier been imprisoned with the other apostles at the hands of the Sanhedrin. At that time, they were all told to return to the temple and speak to the people the words of the gospel of Christ:

Act 5:19  But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
Act 5:20  Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Act 5:21  And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
Act 5:22  But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
Act 5:23  Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
Act 5:24  Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
Act 5:25  Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

That is not what the spirit told Peter to do this time. Instead Peter, after showing himself to all those who had been praying for him in the home of “Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark… departed and went into another place”.

Act 12:18  Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

These soldiers knew they were as good as dead if Peter did not show up.

Act 12:19  And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.

The holy spirit had either put all sixteen soldiers in a deep sleep or a trance while Peter was taken from among them. Herod held them accountable, and the Lord will have Herod to give an accounting of His lack of mercy on these sixteen soldiers whom the holy spirit sacrificed for Peter’s sake. This is just how precious we are to the Lord as His elect:

Isa 43:2  When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Isa 43:3  For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Isa 43:4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

Act 12:20  And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.
Act 12:21  And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
Act 12:22  And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Act 12:23  And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Act 12:24  But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Herod died in Caesarea, but it appears to have happened before Barnabas and Saul left Jerusalem to return to Antioch.

The Lord gave the life of Herod for the sake of His elect, and Barnabas and Saul of Tarsus, who had never yet made their first missionary journey, were witnesses of all these things while they were there in Jerusalem to deliver the relief to the apostles for the poor Jewish saints who were suffering from the prophesied drought:

Act 12:25  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

This is ‘John’ the son of ‘Mary’ to whose house Peter had gone when he was taken out of prison by the angel. Mary was apparently a sibling of Barnabas because we are told this in:

Col 4:10  Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him)

This is the same ‘John whose surname was Mark’ who will accompany Barnabas and Saul through a part of their first missionary journey as we will learn in our next study:

Act 13:13  Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

It is on this first missionary journey that without explanation we are told in the verses preceding this 13^th verse:

Act 13:9  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
Act 13:10  And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
Act 13:11  And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
Act 13:12  Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

That will all be covered in our next study. What we should glean from this study is that Saul of Tarsus, whose name is changed to Paul the apostle, was taught by Christ and that he was made aware of many new doctrines while he was in Damascus and in the wilderness of Arabia, and while he was in Tarsus, before Barnabas came to take him with him to Antioch. It was during that period of his life, “above fourteen years ago”, before he went to Antioch with Barnabas, that Saul was shown by Christ things which had never been precisely expressed and which were unlawful to speak, according to the law of Moses. It should also be obvious from this study that both Paul and Barnabas witnessed the miraculous events of this 12^th chapter and thereby were made aware of the respect the honor which the Lord had placed upon the apostles who preceded Paul and Barnabas. Seeing how the Lord worked with Peter and the other apostles, prepared Barnabas and Saul to be persuaded of their leaders and to defer to them in the matter of the Gentiles not needing to be circumcised while the Jews were for a time continuing with being under the law of Moses as we will see in chapter 15.

Act 6:1-15  They Were not Able to Resist the Wisdom and the Spirit by Which He Spake

[Study Aired January 15, 2023]

Act 6:1  And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Act 6:2  Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Act 6:3  Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Act 6:4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Act 6:5  And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Act 6:6  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Act 6:7  And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Act 6:8  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Act 6:9  Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
Act 6:10  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Act 6:11  Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
Act 6:12  And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
Act 6:13  And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
Act 6:14  For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
Act 6:15  And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

The holy spirit was given on the day of Pentecost, and three thousand people were added to the one hundred and twenty already noted as believers. There were devout Jews from every nation under heaven in Jerusalem that day who heard the wonderful works of God in their own language. This miracle of the gift of languages maximized the effect of spreading the message of the salvation offered by the death and resurrection of Christ.

Shortly after the miraculous events of Pentecost and the giving of the holy spirit, the apostles Peter and John healed a beggar who had been laid at the gate of the temple for decades and was known by everyone in Jerusalem. Peter and John gave the risen Christ His deserved credit for that healing and for doing so were arrested, along with the man they had healed. The Sanhedrin could not deny the wonderful healing of a man the whole city knew, and therefore they were compelled to let the apostles go free with the order not to speak in the name of Christ. The healing of this particular man and the arrest of Peter and John, as well as the man who had been healed, again served to maximize the message of the gospel of a risen Savior.

Act 4:14  And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
Act 4:15  But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
Act 4:16  Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
Act 4:17  But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
Act 4:18  And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
Act 4:19  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
Act 4:20  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
Act 4:21  So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
Act 4:22  For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

Five thousand members were added to the church that day, and the apostles went back to speaking of Christ in Solomon’s porch, and multitudes were being healed from cities all around Jerusalem. In desperation the Sanhedrin panicked again, and in spite of the fact that “they were healed every one” (Act 5:16), they arrested all the apostles for disobeying their orders not to speak in the name of Jesus. The arrests were made very publicly in Solomon’s porch in the presence of all the people of the city. The Lord’s response to those who had Him crucified and then imprisoned His witnesses was to open the prison by night and release all the apostles commanding them to return to the temple and continue teaching the people in the name of Jesus.

The Sanhedrin was embarrassingly blindsided the next morning when they convened, anticipating the opportunity of putting the apostles on trial for teaching the people that they and their leaders had crucified their own Messiah. However, when they sent men to the prison to have the apostles brought to appear before their council, they found the prison secure, but the apostles were not inside. It wasn’t long before someone reported that all the men they had imprisoned a second time were back in the temple teaching the people. The people had witnessed their arrest the previous day, and the disciples were forced to explain that the man they had crucified had freed them from prison and had commanded them to return to the temple and proclaim that the risen Christ had died for their sins. All they needed to do was to truly repent and believe on the risen Christ. This very public arrest for no apparent reason, other than being told to stop teaching in the name of Jesus, had the maximum effect of proving that though Christ was not visible, He was as alive and active as the wind and far more powerful than electricity. All the supernatural healings and the miraculous deliverance from the prison by the risen Christ were demonstrating the meaning of what He had explained to Nicodemus about being born again of the spirit:

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

This just had to be stopped, so the Sanhedrin again had the apostles arrested and brought before them. This gave the apostles another opportunity to witness to them and to tell them that they had crucified the Son of God and that it was the risen Christ who had freed them from their prison and was calling all Israel to repentance. It must be remembered that the apostles at this time did not believe that God was calling the Gentiles to Himself. Indeed, at this time Peter still has not been told that he ought not call any man common or unclean (Act 10:28). None of the apostles at this time would ever think of defiling the temple, much less destroying it.

Act 5:26  Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned [for taking their teachers and healers away from them].
Act 5:27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Act 5:28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. [Which is exactly what they had asked to be done.]

Mat 27:24  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
Mat 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Act 5:30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Act 5:31  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Act 5:33  When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

Those who had Christ slain are in a very bad position. The man they had crucified now has twelve of His disciples teaching the people the very same things for which they had Him crucified. Instead of one man demonstrating their hypocrisy, there are now twelve, and their numbers are exploding as multitudes of the people in Jerusalem and the cities around Jerusalem, as well as many of the priests, are now also being converted to the Lord’s doctrines.

The Sanhedrin had every intention of having the apostles put to death just as they had done to Christ just a few months earlier. However, the Lord had a rabbi whose name was Gamaliel to convince them that if what the apostles were saying was not true then their work would be destroyed by God as He had destroyed so many others before them. However, if what the apostles were saying were true, then the Sanhedrin would find itself at war with God, a battle they were sure to lose.

Act 5:34  Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
Act 5:35  And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
Act 5:36  For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
Act 5:37  After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
Act 5:38  And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
Act 5:39  But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
Act 5:40  And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Act 5:41  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Act 5:42  And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

The ‘higher power’, the Sanhedrin, had not beaten Peter and John when they arrested them after healing the forty-year-old man who was born lame and “laid daily” at the gate of the temple. Instead, they commanded them to stop teaching in the name of Jesus whom they had crucified. Peter told them at that time that Christ had commanded them to be witnesses to His resurrection and that He and John could not deny what they had seen and heard from Christ. Therefore, when they returned to the people and told them of their answer to the authorities, they continued to teach the people in the name of Jesus. The number of Christian converts continued growing as multitudes were hearing the gospel and being healed even after the apostles were commanded not to teach in the name of Christ.

This second arrest included all the other apostles and, thanks to the Lord’s words through the highly esteemed rabbi, Gamaliel, they decided to let them go again after they were all beaten as well as being commanded to refrain from teaching in the name of Jesus. The chief priest and the Sanhedrin were hoping the beatings would deter their determination to spread the words of Christ. Instead, it had the opposite effect of strengthening their resolve to remain faithful to Christ and ‘counting it a blessing to be counted worthy to suffer shame for His name’.

While Christ tells us to be obedient to the higher power, He never tells us to obey that ‘higher power’ when it commands us to disobey Him:

Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

We are all placed in the same position as the apostles. Every day we must decide… “Will I please men or will I obey the Lord’s commandments?”

It is in this spiritual atmosphere of a growing church that the apostles are again released to resume preaching Christ while performing miracles and healings which no one could deny.

While Christ was teaching in Solomon’s porch He never once said a single word about destroying the physical temple. Even the Sanhedrin knew that when He drove the money changers out of the temple, He was referring to His own body when He told them that they would “destroy this temple and I will raise it up”:

Here are Christ’s word which the children of the serpent twisted to their own evil purpose of having an excuse to demand Christ’s crucifixion:

Joh 2:13  And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
Joh 2:14  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
Joh 2:15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
Joh 2:17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
Joh 2:18  Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, [You] Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

Here is Christ clearly telling the religious leaders of the established church that they would destroy the temple of His body, and He would “raise it up.” The Jews twisted His words to say that He threatened to destroy the temple so they could have an occasion to put Him to death, and they knew very well He was referring to His own body when He made that statement. This is revealed in their petition to Pilate to set a guard over His grave after He was crucified:

Mat 27:62  Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
Mat 27:63  Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Mat 27:64  Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Mat 27:65  Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
Mat 27:66  So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

“The last error [was indeed] worse than the first,” but it had nothing to do with Christ’s disciples stealing His body away. There was no ‘body’ to steal, and yet He showed Himself to over five hundred people at once. There was no denying that the Father had raised Christ up from among the dead, and had given Him all power in heaven and in earth:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Co 15:5  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Co 15:6  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1Co 15:7  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Co 15:8  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

The death and resurrection of Christ is as well-documented an event as is to be found in all history. Yet “His own” still deny Him until this day:

Joh 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

It is those who claim His name but do not do the things He says who do not receive Him to this very day. These early Jewish Christians had not yet learned that Christ would accept the Gentiles, but they were faithful to the understanding they had been given, and the Lord was blessing their service, and His church was growing. The Lord does not even begin to hint at having a relationship with the Gentiles until He sends Peter to the house of the Roman centurion in chapter 10:

Act 10:28  And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

One of the Biblical definitions of ‘sin’ is: “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom 14:23). Therefore, it would have been a sin for Peter to even think about eating with a Gentile at this time:

Rom 14:23  And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

The point is that here in the sixth chapter of the book of Acts the entire church is still living under the law of Moses. No one, Stephen included, had any reason to want to see the temple destroyed. All the disciples are observing the weekly sabbath, the holy days, the clean and unclean meat laws, and all the many other laws of Moses. They have learned that they are not to hate their enemies, and they have learned that they “ought to obey God rather than man”, but they are still very entrenched in the covenant of circumcision, and they still believe that the Lord’s only people are Israelites and proselytes to Israel’s laws and doctrines, which are the law of Moses.

The temple in Jerusalem is currently central to their own doctrine. This will be the case even after it is revealed in chapter ten that the Lord is calling the Gentiles to repentance. The New Testament Jewish church will remain faithful to the law of Moses throughout this entire book of Acts, even after Peter visits the Gentile Roman centurion, Cornelius, and even after it is decided in Act 15 that the Gentiles need not be circumcised nor keep the law of Moses. The Lord still has not granted the Jewish church to dispense with the doctrine that physical pedigree, and being descended from Abraham, is of any advantage. The Jewish church in the book of Acts, by the Lord’s decree, simply is not yet “able to bear” the fact that the time will come when the Lord will reveal that He is “breaking down the wall of partition [the law of Moses] between [the Jews and the Gentiles] and is making of twain one new man so making peace” (Eph 2:15). That revelation will not be given until after the book of Acts. It will be given only after Paul arrives as a prisoner in Rome, where he will write many of his epistles.

We are just in Acts chapter six, and the Lord is blessing His new church with great growth among the Jews.

Act 6:1  And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

Again, we must remember the word ‘Grecians’ has nothing at all to do with ethnicity. It refers only to the Greek culture and the use of the Greek Septuagint, which was read by these Jews who were the so-called ‘Grecians’. The disciples are sincere, and “of one mind and one accord,” but a physical body requires physical administration, and nothing which is physical is yet perfected, as our Lord so graphically demonstrated when He said this of Himself:

Mar 10:18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

Luk 13:31  The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

It is natural to care for your own before others, and that was happening in the early church. Those who were of the Hebrew culture were being placed above and before those Jews who were of the Greek culture and who read the Greek scriptures.

Act 6:2  Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

Peter is not saying that he is above waiting tables, but he is saying that feeding the flock spiritual food is far more advantageous for the flock than being fed physical food, as the Lord demonstrated with these words to Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus:

Luk 10:38  Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
Luk 10:39  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
Luk 10:40  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Luk 10:41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
Luk 10:42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

I had a woman brag to me that she was a ‘Martha’ because she was the one that got things done in her family. She obviously had not been granted eyes that see or ears that hear the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and in her bragging, she made it clear that she did not have the mind of Christ concerning Mary or Martha. We are not told Martha’s response to Christ, but we are told much later that she still believed that Christ could heal her brother Lazarus when he was sick:

Joh 11:1  Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
Joh 11:2  (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
Joh 11:3  Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
Joh 11:4  When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
Joh 11:5  Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

Notice that Christ did not reprimand Martha and tell her to sit at His feet and listen to what He was saying. Christ knew that the meal had to be served, and He provided Martha for that very purpose. We are all ‘Martha’ before we are granted to become ‘Mary’ who seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no [anxious] thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

There is no doubt, based on the sum of the Lord’s words, that Mary helped with the dishes after the Lord was finished speaking because the Lord never condones slothfulness:

2Th 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

So, there is a time for both Mary and Martha within the body of Christ, and the appointing of these seven deacons demonstrates that Martha will always be in demand:

Act 6:3  Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. [of Martha’s serving tables – vs 2]
Act 6:4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. [Mary’s seeking the mind of Christ first].

These words of the yet unknown apostle Paul had not yet been written, and yet they were already being demonstrated at the very beginning of the church:

1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co 12:28  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Each of us is an integral part of the one “body of Christ”.

Act 6:5  And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Act 6:6  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

Every one of these seven names are ‘Grecian’ names. This indicates that the people agreed with those who had complained that the Grecian widows were being ignored, and they were happy to appoint seven Grecian Christians to see to it that did not happen again.

The apostles told the church to “look out among you seven men of honest report, full of the holy spirit whom we may appoint over this business [of serving tables].” The church had grown exponentially, and they had all things in common, yet some ‘Grecian’ widows were being overlooked. The apostles were given the wisdom to know that the people knew who those were who were already doing the work of a deacon, so they told the people to “look out among you seven men whom we may appoint over this business” of administering the physical needs of the congregation. These seven men were not placed over the apostles and given the purse strings of the church as is the case in many churches today where the ‘board of deacons’ is empowered to hire and fire the minister of the church. The fiscal funds brought into the church were “laid at the apostles’ feet” not at the feet of these seven deacons whom the apostles appointed over the work of ministering to the physical needs of the church. Neither did the apostles just take the words of the people that these men were fit to administer the physical needs of the congregation. The fact we are told “when [the apostles] had prayed, they laid their hands on them” tells us these men were well vetted before being given that duty:

Act 6:6  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

1Ti 3:8  Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
1Ti 3:9  Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
1Ti 3:10  And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
1Ti 3:11  Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
1Ti 3:12  Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
1Ti 3:13  For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

These early Jewish Christians had very high standards, and the disciples of Christ still have very high standards until this very day “that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Hypocrisy in the body of Christ blasphemes His name:

Rom 2:23  Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Rom 2:24  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

Tit 2:3  The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Tit 2:4  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Tit 2:5  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Act 6:7  And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

This seventh verse gives us an idea why the Sanhedrin felt so threatened and wondered “whereunto this would grow”:

Act 5:24  Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

“A great company of the priests [the sons of Aaron] were obedient to the faith [of Christ].” This had to be stopped or the established church would lose its power over the people.

The Lord used one of the first deacons to be placed into the same position as our Lord. As we demonstrated above, those who rejected the offer to repent of what they had done to Christ, bribed men to lie about Stephen’s words just as they had twisted the words of Christ when they accused Him of saying He would destroy the temple.

Act 6:8  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

The holy spirit is not confined to doing the business of ministering to the physical needs of the congregation. Stephen was also used by the holy spirit to “do great wonders and miracles among the people,” and he was used by the spirit to witness to unconverted Jews while also doing the work of a deacon.

Act 6:9  Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
Act 6:10  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Act 6:11  Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

This was all lies. The apostles were still living under the law of Moses and had no intention of destroying the temple. They were still offering blood sacrifices in the temple as we learn in Acts 21:

Act 21:23  Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Act 21:24  Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

All the congregation of the New Testament church at this point were all Jewish, and they all “walked orderly and kept the law” of Moses at this time.

The Greek word translated as ‘suborned’ is G5260 – ‘hupoballo’ – and this is how the BT+ defines this Greek word:

Definition:
1. to throw or put under
2. to suggest to the mind
3. to instruct privately, instigate, to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or commit a crime
4. to induce (a person esp. a witness) to give false testimony

The Jewish Sanhedrin bribed men to lie about what Stephen had been teaching, using the same lie they used to condemn our Lord:

Act 6:12  And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

We are not told to what extent the high priest and the senate of the people were involved in what transpires next, but we are told that “the elders and the scribes… caught him and brought him to the council.” The Greek word here translated as ‘council’ is G4892 – ‘sunedrion’. It is the same ‘council’ before whom Christ was brought to be sentenced to crucifixion just a few months earlier:

Mat 26:59  Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council [G4892: ‘sunedrion’], sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

It was the same council which had ordered the apostles to stop speaking at all in the name of Jesus.

Act 6:13  And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
Act 6:14  For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
Act 6:15  And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Verse 14 is the record of a blatant lie being told against Stephen. It is the exact same lie that had been told against Christ just a few months earlier and used as an excuse to have Him crucified.

Next week we will see that Stephen has been given the backbone to stick to The Truth even unto death. We must all have that same resolve, or we are not worthy to be Christ’s disciples:

Mat 10:37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Hi Mike,

I was wondering about this scripture that has been on my mind for some time. “Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge and the judge deliver you to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.”

I understand that Jesus’s words are spirit, and they are life, and some say it is a spiritual prison in the course of our walk. But who is our adversary? Is it ourselves, the beast within? Is it the adversary, Satan the devil? Is it human confrontations we face? Or is it all these things together? Is it any of these things? What is it this prison does? Why is it we should “agree” with our adversary quickly while we are in the “way”, and what needs to be paid to the uttermost farthing? I am assuming God is the Judge.

God delivers some to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1Co 5:5). Some are delivered to prison and given the bread of affliction (2Ch 18:26), but why “agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him?

Thanks, Mike. Looking forward to the insight,

M____

Hi M____,

Thank you for your questions concerning Christ’s words in Matthew 5:25-26.

Here are those two verses:

Mat 5:25  Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Mat 5:26  Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Here are your questions:

“But who is our adversary? Is it ourselves, the beast within? Is it the adversary, Satan the devil? Is it human confrontations we face? Or is it all these things together? Is it any of these things? What is it this prison does? Why is it we should “agree” with our adversary quickly while we are in the “way”, and what needs to be paid to the uttermost farthing?”

…why “agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him?”

I must begin by informing you of a couple of Biblical principles, which are nothing less than “keys to the kingdom of heaven”.

The first principle is that we must all acknowledge that all the sins of Adam are within our own flesh, and in that sense we are all guilty of these words of our Lord:

Luk 11:48  Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.
Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

“This generation” is not just the generation in which Christ spent His 33 years in a body of flesh and blood. Rather, “this generation” is the generation reading those words in every generation.

The second principle is that mankind shall live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, as Christ Himself instructs us:

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

This principle is so important that it is repeated in Luke:

Luk 4:4  And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

We are also told there is one event to all men, and that there is no difference between what eventually happens to both the righteous and the wicked. God is working to save all, and He is doing so through the same formula for all, but “each in His own order”:

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

Rom 3:21  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Rom 3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: [Ecc 9:2 – “one event to the righteous and to the wicked”]
Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

If you are granted to see the truth of these verses, then you will find it much easier to understand that the answer to your questions will be applicable to all men of all time, “each in his own order.”

With all of this in mind, let’s look at your first question:

“Who is our adversary? Is it ourselves, the beast within? Is it the adversary, Satan the devil? Is it human confrontations we face? Or is it all these things together? Is it any of these things?”

It will help us in answering this question to know that we are commanded never to bear false witness (Mat 19:18). Therefore we are not being told to lie against ourselves if we have done nothing with which to agree with our adversary. So these verses are instructions for how we are to conduct our lives before a world which is looking to find fault with the Christ we say we are, inasmuch as we are His body and His dwelling place (Mat 25:40, 45; Act 22:8; 1Co 3:16).

While our beast within is certainly an adversary, we are not being instructed to agree with him. Rather, we are told he must die daily:

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

So it certainly is not the beast within with whom Christ is telling us to agree.

Neither are we ever instructed to agree with Satan or any of his doctrines. To the contrary, we are specifically told to resist him:

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Instead of agreeing with Satan, we are instructed to try the spirits to see whether they are of God:

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

When we determine a doctrine to be against the doctrine of Christ, rather than agree with our adversary, this is what we are commanded to do to those who are attempting to bring heresies into the body of Christ:

Tit 3:10  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Tit 3:11  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

So we can also eliminate Satan as being our adversary with whom we are to agree.

That leaves the third option you mentioned: “Is it human confrontations we face?” Yes, when we have offended a brother or a sister we must repent of being angry with our brother without a cause. That is the message and the subject of verses 23 and 24 about which you inquire. This is without a question as the connecting word ‘therefore’ demonstrates beyond any doubt.

Mat 5:21  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mat 5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Mat 5:23  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Mat 5:24  Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

It does say “whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause” so we are not being told to lie against ourselves when we have a reason to differ with a brother or a sister. We cannot tolerate heresies, hypocrisy, lies or fornication – physical or spiritual. However, if we have failed to acknowledge our own fault against a brother, who is not a brother in Christ, we may well end up in a physical prison.

Which brings us to your next question, “What is it this prison does?” The answer to this question is answered where Christ repeats His instructions concerning how we are to conduct ourselves when a brother sins against us. In Matthew 5 He deals with us sinning against our brother, and here in Matthew 18 He deals with how we are to conduct ourselves when a brother sins against us.

In verse 15-18 we are instructed to go to any brother who sins against us and tell him of his offense.

Mat 18:21  Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mat 18:22  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Mat 18:23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Mat 18:24  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Mat 18:25  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Mat 18:26  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:27  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Mat 18:28  But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Mat 18:29  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:30  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Mat 18:31  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Mat 18:32  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Mat 18:33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

It is in prison that we pay our debt to God and to our brother. The time spent there is supposed to be commensurate with the crimes we have committed. “Deliver him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due him.” Prison itself is torment, and in spiritual terms we all spend our own appointed time in a ‘prison’ of our own making where we do things we do not want to do, and the torment of not being able to do the things we know we should is excruciating. Christ never liberated a single physical prisoner, except Barabbas, and yet this is what Christ came to do spiritually:

Isa 42:7  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

So when we are in a place we do not want to be, doing things we do not want to do, spiritually we are “them that sit in darkness… of the prison.”

Notice how similar this is to what the apostle Paul tells us is our state before we are given to overcome sin in our lives:

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

So our own sins are our prison house where we are slaves to our own hatreds and passions, and we are helpless of ourselves to be delivered from prison.

That is the prison into which “the Judge”, Christ, will deliver us if we do not go to our brother when we have offended him, and agree with him quickly while we are “in the way”, while we are both able to act out of our love of God, which love is taken away when we are “angry with our brother without a cause.”

“The way” is defined as Christ:

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The message is clear to all of us. It is possible in God’s sovereign work to be taken out of the way and cast into prison if we are not granted to be reconciled with a brother against whom we are angry without a cause.

So Christ is the Judge, whose words will judge us all:

Joh 12:48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

I think we have answered all of your questions.

Who is our adversary [in Matthew 5]? Is it ourselves, the beast within? Is it the adversary, Satan the devil? Is it human confrontations we face? Or is it all these things together? Is it any of these things? What is it this prison does? Why is it we should “agree” with our adversary quickly whilst we are in the “way”, and what needs to be paid to the uttermost farthing? I am assuming God is the Judge.

God delivers some to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1Co 5:5). Some are delivered to prison and given the bread of affliction (2Ch 18:26), but why agree with thine adversary whilst thou art in the way with him?

Mat 5:23  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Mat 5:25  Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Mat 5:26  Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

1) Who is the adversary? Answer:  The word ‘therefore’ in verse 23 points us back to our brother who “has ought against us.”

2) What is it this prison does? Answer:  It torments us mentally and spiritually until our debt against our brother is paid (Mat 18:35-36).

3) Why is it we should “agree” with our adversary quickly while we are in the way with him? Answer:  You agree with him while you are in the way because Christ is that way, and you are not walking in that way if you are angry at your brother without a cause. Your brother has a claim against you, and your pride has kept you from admitting you were “angry with him without a cause”. If you remain angry without a cause, you will be taken out of “the way”, out of Christ.

4) What needs to be paid to the uttermost farthing? Answer:  Your anger with your brother without a cause. You know that you have sinned against your brother in hating him, because you know that ‘he that hates his brother is a murderer’. But your pride will not allow you to humble yourself and confess your sin against your brother. So you are in your own prison of guilt and mental torment in which you will remain until your debt against your brother is paid.

1Jn 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

5) I am assuming God is the Judge. Answer:  Yes, God is the Judge, but He has committed that judgment to the words of His Son (Joh 12:48).

I hope this helps you to see that you need to humble yourself before your brother whom you have in any way offended, and that you, along with all the rest of us, are given the humility to go to our offended brother and confess our sin against him and repent. Then we are “in the way”, we are “in Christ”, and we will do what Christ would do.

Your brother who is striving to be always “in the way” with my brothers,

Mike

(Key verses: Gen 41:39-57; Gen 42:1-24)

The life of Joseph provides us with a beautiful picture of what the elect of God is to endure to eventually reach their place of rulership over their flesh and all its pride and lusts (Rom 6:14). This rulership of God’s elect will also be fulfilled in the symbolic thousand-year reign on earth and through the work of the elect being the lake of fire for all the rest of humanity (1Co 6:2-3; Rev 20:4-15). Within this theme of spiritual glorification we see that we are ordained by God to suffer at the hand of our brothers and to be placed into slavery and captivity in our Egypt, which all points to our time in bondage or prison of flesh (Exo 2:23; Exo 20:2; Pro 5:22; Rom 6:20; Rev 11:8). In the final section of Joseph’s story, we see him being summoned to appear before the Pharaoh:

Gen 41:14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

Hair and the raiment connect spiritually with a covering in that verse. Shaving and having a change in raiment, in this case with Joseph, is God’s way of saying that a new way of living is about to be brought to Joseph. We also shave ourselves and change our raiment when we acknowledge we are inadequate to provide a proper covering for our spiritual nakedness and when we depend solely on God to cover us with Christ and His righteous mind (Gen 3:21; Lev 13:29-34; Num 6:1-21; Deu 21:11-13; Job 1:20-22; 1Co 2:14). This covering of Christ is how God ordains it for His elect to be placed in a position to rule over our Egypt (1Jn 2:16; Rom 6:1-14). After Joseph told the Pharaoh the meaning of his two dreams and revealed a plan of how Egypt will be saved from the approaching famine, Joseph was given the rulership in Egypt under the throne of the Pharaoh:

Gen 41:39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
Gen 41:40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

Joseph is a type of Christ, and the way the Pharaoh appoints Joseph as a ruler under him clarifies the relationship between the Father and Jesus for us, as it also indicates the relationship between Christ and His elect (Joh 10:29; Joh 13:16; 1Co 11:3; Eph 1:22; Eph 4:15). The Pharaoh is therefore a type of the Father of Christ in these passages in Genesis:

Joh 14:28 Ye have heard how I [Jesus] said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

Joseph’s dreams while in his father’s house back in Canaan are coming into fulfillment as he moved from being a seventeen-year old slave sold by his brothers, having to go through much tribulation to be the powerful ruler in Egypt at the age of thirty (Gen 37:2; Gen 41:46). The elect of God start off as babes in Christ under carnal dominion, but through much tribulation they are equipped to receive and handle the Godly covering and authority over their own Egypt (1Co 3:1-3; Heb 5:12-14; Heb 6:1-3; Rom 6:1-23):

Gen 41:41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
Gen 41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
Gen 41:43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Gen 41:44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

After being given rulership by the Pharaoh, Joseph was also given a wife by this very Pharaoh, who also gave Joseph a new name:

Gen 41:45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
Gen 41:46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

As Joseph was given an Egyptian wife, so is the Father giving Jesus a bride of flesh and bone at this time (Eph 5:30-32). Jesus is not unfamiliar with flesh because He created it (Gen 2:7; Joh 1:1-3; Col 1:16-17). He indeed attached Himself to flesh as He himself came in this “body of sin” and “took part of the same… flesh and blood” of His bride (Rom 6:6; Heb 2:14; 1Jn 4:1-2; 2Jn 1:7). Jesus experienced death in all its facets, while He never committed any sin or transgression while in this Egypt (Rom 7:24; Rev 1:8; Rev 1:11; Rev 1:18):

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Jesus came to take out a small remnant who will be the first to receive His righteousness and behold His glory through the grace and truth of the Father (Mat 22:14; Eph 1:4-12):

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt [Greek tense here is in the aorist] among us, (and we beheld [Greek tense here is also in the aorist] his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The Greek aorist tense conveys a statement of fact which is not limited to a specific time. If we can receive these powerful words in these scriptures, then we will appreciate being the bride of Jesus while we behold His righteousness, and also how we should treasure the Christ as a precious gift from the Father (Mat 13:44-46; Joh 6:44; Joh 17:6):

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

All former things are passing away indeed, and we also see this in the name Joseph gave to his firstborn son birthed to him by his wife, Asenath:

Gen 41:50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
Gen 41:51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.

The second son was named Ephraim:

Gen 41:52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

This is what the first resurrection is about – “to be fruitful in the land of [our] affliction.” The first resurrection is reserved for God’s few elect who will indeed forget the times of turmoil in the houses and prisons of flesh. They will be fruitful as they will rule on the earth in the symbolic thousand years. This is how the apostle Paul articulates the same mindset of those who are focussed on that high prize:

Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

These two sons, in this case, also link to the witness of God’s blessing on Egypt within the first seven years:

Gen 41:47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
Gen 41:48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
Gen 41:49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.

After the first resurrection, there will be a symbolic thousand-year reign for God’s elect and that period on earth connects with these “plenteous years” in Egypt:

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The “second death” mentioned here points to the judgment in the lake of fire which will come to all who were not in the first resurrection. The world in Joseph’s day did not know about the famine that was coming, even as they are also unaware of their spiritual poverty in this fleshly age. That is why God ordained a judgment for them where they will come to receive the fiery words from the mouth of God’s elect. Even those in the house of Jacob (physical Israel and all those in self-righteous spiritual Babylon) will have to acknowledge that they did not have God’s spiritual food and life (Gal 4:25-26). They will acknowledge that they are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked”, and they are guilty of the blood of the Christ (Rev 3:17-18; Rev 11:8):

Jer 5:11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.
Jer 5:12 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
Jer 5:13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Everyone will be devoured by God’s fire from the mouth of God’s elect, even as all flesh will appear before God and His elect who will be, like Joseph, clothed in “fine linen, clean and white” (Rev 19:8; Rev 19:14):

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

In the story of Joseph, we see a few important aspects mentioned in these final chapters of the book of Genesis which will help us to see how God will provide for all through this judgement process. We only learn of God’s spiritual provision and His righteousness through judgment:

Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Joseph’s thirteen years under God’s judgment prepared him to give the Pharaoh the right advice. For Egypt, and of course the whole world, this time of provision would be impossible if Joseph did not go through that time. This is the reason why judgment is first given to the church of God, who is His elect:

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

The question “what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” shall be answered through these final chapters in the book of Genesis, as designed by God. Joseph was exalted as a type of the spiritual exaltation of Christ through whom also “the end” is concluded:

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

“The ending” for all is to see Jesus and acknowledge Him as Lord over all things through the spirit of the Father in us (1Co 12:3):

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What will be seen in the lives of the family of Joseph and the people of Egypt as representatives of all in the world, typifies this fiery judgment through which all will be saved, each at their appointed time (1Co 15:22-28; 1Pe 4:17; Rev 20:12-15). Judgment is the merciful process of God where our sins and self-righteous hearts are revealed to us, and God’s righteous fire burns out all of ‘self’ (the “wood, hay and stubble” as per 1 Corinthians 3:12). Then we are in a position to accept His Word which enables us to experience spirit life (the “gold, silver and precious stones” as per 1 Corinthians 3:12). To the flesh this process of judgment will always appear as unloving and cruel, and it is also so if we cannot see that God’s love always chastens every son He receives to bring forth His life:

1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord…

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth [Greek: “paideuō” = discipline/chasten], and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Although Joseph’s forgiving heart cannot be questioned, the way Joseph tormented his brothers to reveal their own hearts before he revealed himself to them is very significant in the way God works with us (Rev 14:10). Forgiveness and spiritual liberty is intimately linked to judgment and restitution, as it all forms an integral part of the grace and mercy of God (Exo 22:1-15; Lev 6:1-7; Jas 2:12-13). Even the way Joseph systematically brought the Egyptians to their knees and took everything they owned, gives us much spiritual insight to our own lives.

We will first look at how Joseph dealt with his family, especially his ten brothers while they were forced to go to Egypt to buy provisions. Certain significant patterns are picked up in these stories which are repeated several times in the final chapters in Genesis. We read about specific commandments that were given at various stages which were then followed with journeys back and forth between Egypt and Canaan where interesting things are unveiled and discussed. Then there are also several occasions where the giving of an account was expected.

It all started when Jacob gave the first command to his ten sons while the famine was extreme in Canaan:

Gen 42:1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
Gen 42:2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
Gen 42:3 And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
Gen 42:4 But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
Gen 42:5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

This command of Jacob was then followed by the first journey of his ten sons to Egypt:

Gen 42:6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

Here we see how Joseph’s dream in his childhood days of his brothers bowing down to him is first fulfilled without them even being aware of this:

Gen 42:7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
Gen 42:8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
Gen 42:9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them….

The reason why it is written that Joseph deliberately “made himself strange to them, and spoke roughly to them” is to emphasize the truth that flesh (or the natural man) can never recognize or understand spiritual things and will always see God’s ways as cruel and unjust (Mat 25:24). This is also how God shows Himself to the froward:

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Psa 18:26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

Joseph accused his brothers of being spies:

Gen 42:9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies [Hebrew: râgal]; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

The Hebrew word “râgal” translated here as “spies” can also mean “tale bearers”, “slanderers” or “backbite” (2Sa 19:27; Psa 15:3). Here is Dr Strong’s explanation of this word “râgal”:

H7270 – râgal: A primitive root; to walk along; but only in specific applications, to reconnoitre, to be a tale bearer (that is, slander); also (as denominative from H7272) to lead about: – backbite, search, slander, (e-) spy (out), teach to go, view.

Of course these ten brothers indeed committed slanders or evil things against their father and Joseph which Joseph also reported to his father at times:

Gen 37:2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report [dibbâh = slander/defaming/evil report/infamy].

At this stage these ten brothers could not give a truthful account of this to Joseph, even while calling themselves “true” men:

Gen 42:10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
Gen 42:11 We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

Joseph repeated his accusation for their attention:

Gen 42:12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

With this pressure from Joseph more is revealed by them, yet not the whole truth:

Gen 42:13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

Joseph repeated his accusation for a third time, but now he added a test (or trial):

Gen 42:14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
Gen 42:15 Hereby ye shall be proved [Hebrew: “bâchan” = test/trial]: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
Gen 42:16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved [Hebrew: “bâchan” = test/trial], whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

It is through testing or trials that our deceitful hearts and our deepest secrets are forced to be placed in a position where we are openly confronted with it. Joseph knew what they were hiding even as God knows our deceitful hearts more than we can acknowledge in times of darkness. However, God in His loving care for us needs to reveal it for our attention and salvation. This is what He did with physical Israel for our learning:

Deu 8:1 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.
Deu 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

Joseph placed his brothers in jail for three days, as ‘three days’ also points to us that this revelation of our evil hearts takes a process (the number three spiritually indicates the process of judgment):

Gen 42:17 And he put them all together into ward three days.
Gen 42:18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
Gen 42:19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:
Gen 42:20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

This deeper and more intensified level of this trial opened up their hearts further to give an account of what they did to Joseph back in Canaan. Our sin will find us out as our own evil will correct us (Num 32:23; Jer 2:19):

Gen 42:21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
Gen 42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

Joseph being still unknown to them was listening to them when they thought he could not understand:

Gen 42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

The elect of God can hear things when others are totally unaware of what their hearts and words reveal. The elect will never rejoice in the humiliation of others, but rather have deep love and true compassion on those who are judged to receive life (Job 31:28-30; Pro 24:17; Eze 18:23; Mat 6:12; Mat 18:21-22; Mat 5:21-24):

1Co 13:4 (CEV) Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude.
1Co 13:5 (CEV) Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do.
1Co 13:6 (CEV) Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.
1Co 13:7 (CEV) Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.

Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

This is what we see in the actions of Joseph:

Gen 42:24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept….

In our next discussion, God willing, we will continue with the other commands, journeys and also the occasions where the giving of an account was expected in the lives of the family of Joseph.

Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

Will Christ Ever Be Equal With God?
Numbers in Scripture
Will Christ Physically Rule This Earth?
The Lake of Fire in Genesis
Is Conversion Difficult for Those in The Lake of Fire?
The Kingdoms of This World Are Become the Kingdoms of Our Lord and of His Christ
Awesome Hands – Part 31, Dreamer of Dreams

(Sections from Genesis 37 – 41)

Within this theme of spiritual glorification, we are confronted with many aspects which God’s elect must endure within the process of being seated together with Christ in rulership over the earth and the heaven (Mat 20:28; Eph 2:6; 1Co 6:2-3; Rev 20:4-15). One of these aspects is physical confinement or imprisonment, even in terms of its spiritual application in this age. This concept of physical imprisonment first appears in the scriptures in the life of Joseph. Many people mentioned in the scriptures also experienced physical imprisonment – a few names that come to mind includes Samson and some of the prophets in the Old Testament like Jeremiah, Micaiah, Zacharias and Daniel. In the New Testament we read about physical imprisonment in the lives of John the Baptist, Peter, James, John, Silas, Paul, Epaphras, Aristarchus, Junia…even Jesus was physically laid hands on and incarcerated:

Mat 26:50 And Jesus said unto him [Judas], Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they [the “great crowd with swords and clubs, being sent from the chief priests and elders of the people”], and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

Prison life is characterized with much sighing, suffering, groaning and death (1Ki 22:27; Psa 66:10-12; Jer 52:11; Mat 14:3-10; Act 16:23-24; 2Ti 2:9):

Psa 79:11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die.

Psa 102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death.

The physical creation and all carnal spirit beings were created by God to be in a spiritual prison in which all these creations of God are appointed to a death experience (Gen 2:7-8; Job 4:18-19; Rom 7:24; Rom 8:5-6). Whenever we read about prisons in the scriptures, it is therefore a spiritual type which includes life in the flesh of all in the first Adam (Rom 1:20; 1Co 15:45-50). It is indeed an experience of evil and death which God is giving to the sons of man to humble them in it (Jer 52:11; Heb 13:3):

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity [Hebrew: “âdâm”] to humble them by it.

Death and the fear of death rule us in this time of our fleshly imprisonment, and it is only by the spirit of the Father that spiritual liberty and deliverance from this prison can come through Christ (Isa 61:1):

Psa 142:7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me [Christ], because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

Jesus Christ took part of the same prison-life in flesh to open the way to spirit-life for all in this prison through His resurrection from this death:

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Paul also describes this prison of flesh and its carnal mind as a law under which we must live before the law of the spirit in Christ Jesus will start to operate in us to set us free and give us rulership:

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

We also know that God does not despise His prisoners which He appointed to this death experience, especially those in this age who are given to see that they are indeed poor in spirit being in this fleshly existence and in desperate need of God’s spirit and His redemptive work through Jesus Christ:

Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Psa 69:33 For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

To be raised to the glorious spirit-life of the Father we need to be baptised with the death of Christ, which means we must carry His cross and die to our own flesh and to the spirit of the world with all its pride and lusts in us (1Jn 2:16). This also links to us being despised and rejected for His name’s sake as we drink this cup with Him (Mat 10:38-39; Mat 20:22-23; Gal 2:20; 1Co 15:31):

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

This death and resurrection was all pictured and typified in the global flood where the same spirit of Christ preached before the flood came to those people whose “spirits [were] in prison” and who were under the dominion of sin “in the days of Noah” (Gen 6:1-7). Even the ones who were supposed to be God’s messengers (“the sons of God”) through the generational line of Seth, sinned and were trapped in the “chains of darkness” through those in the generational line of Cain (Gen 4:16-24; Gen 4:25-26; Gen 5:1-32). Only Noah was kept perfect by God in that generation of Seth, and with his family they escaped the prison life of that “old world” as a type of how few in this age will be given first preference to escape this old flesh (Mat 22:14):

Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels [Greek: “aggelos” = messengers] that sinned, but cast them down to hell [Greek: “tartaroō” = death/spiritual incarceration], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

God’s elected few are called to bring the other spiritual prisoners from their prisons at the time appointed by the Father:

Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Isa 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Although all in the first Adam are “concluded under sin”, this resurrection from the prison of death of the flesh is firstly ordained for these few elected ones, even as they are experiencing this now in faith as a downpayment (Rom 8:22-30; Eph 1:13-14; Jas 1:18):

Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

It is through the life of Joseph that these different aspects of spiritual glorification through imprisonment are first brought to the fore in the scriptures. We first meet Joseph in the scriptures at the age of seventeen, and from this time until he was placed on the throne in Egypt a period of thirteen years transpired:

Gen 37:2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren…

Gen 41:46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

These thirteen years in Joseph’s life were always characterised by some type of prison or restrictive living conditions under which Joseph had to live. The number thirteen in the scriptures spiritually connects with our old man and its focus on self and its kingdoms which are in a natural rebellion against God while it depends on its own strength and abilities (Gen 14:1-4; Gen 17:25; Num 29:13; 1Ki 7:13).

These thirteen years in Joseph’s life also bring the positive application to this number thirteen in the sense that these years were very important, because these trials prepared Joseph for rulership. These trials in Joseph’s life started off when he was placed in physical confinement within a pit by his envious and hateful brothers:

Gen 37:23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
Gen 37:24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit [Hebrew: “bôr” = cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well]: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

The scriptures indeed confirm that the earthly life was created in the beginning as a spiritual pit filled with darkness, being void of the spirit life and light of God (Gen 1:2). The haughty strongholds in our carnal mind obstruct the light of the truth, and we cannot see God’s purposes with us and this creation. However, the day of judgment is the process in us where we see the demise of our earthly kingdoms and the establishing of God’s rulership in us:

Isa 24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
Isa 24:22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
Isa 24:23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

The apostle Peter describes this time of darkness when the spirit of God starts its work in our lives as follows (Joe 2:1-2; Joe 2:31; Eze 32:6-8; 1Pe 4:17):

Act 2:19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
Act 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

This is the time when the seals of our book are opened and the judgment is announced by the seven trumpets which will take us through to rulership as John also alluded to in these words:

Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

This is what is typified with this pit experience and the subsequent enslavement and prison experience of Joseph. This thirteen year-long journey for Joseph reveals to us the judgment which first comes on God’s elect which will also come later on the rest of humanity who do not obey the gospel in this age, as per God’s design (Rev 20:11-15). Joseph’s brothers will be taken through their time of judgment later:

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

We did not choose to be placed in this flesh, and we had no options in terms of our families and physical environment. We also do not even choose our enemies and the struggles we encounter in this life. God made those decisions for us, and we all struggle with these “wonderful works of God” at our own appointed times (Psa 107). After God brings His light, these obscurities and our silly contentions with His decisions start to lift, and we slowly learn that all things are fitting exactly into a perfectly ordained time period and purpose which are all worked after God’s glorious counsel and will (Eph 1:11):

Ecc 3:11 (CLV) He has made everything fitting in its season; However, He has put obscurity in their heart So that the man may not find out His work, That which the One, Elohim, does from the beginning to the terminus.”

It is exactly through all these works of God that we are being taught how to be humbled and how to submit to an awesome God and His glorious plan for us. This is part of the foundation of all wisdom in our lives when we can see the “fitting” purposes for these necessary evils in our lives:

Ecc 1:13 (CLV) I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it.

At this point in time, Joseph had no idea what was ahead of him as God also mercifully does not reveal “what shall be on the morrow” (Jas 4:14). We are also perplexed at times, but with patience we learn that all darkness of this earthly pit will be taken away when God’s revelation is given. Like Paul, we gain deeper understanding of God’s works as we grow through these perplexing trials:

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2Co 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

It never ceases to amaze how God’s elect are saved through these trials that sometimes seem to take the very life from us. In the case of Joseph, this is also written for our comfort that God will bring an outcome which our natural mind cannot work out:

Gen 37:25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
Gen 37:26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Gen 37:27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

Joseph’s brothers then took him from this pit in order to sell him to the slave traders who brought him to Egypt where he was working as a slave in the house of a man called Potiphar. This was again a type of prison as Joseph’s movements were restricted under the orders of his slave master in Egypt for many years (Gen 39:1-6).

The elect of God are not limited by their physical environment or fleshly restrictions because their service is to a God whose wisdom rules far above what the eye can see or the ear can hear (1Cor 2:6-10; Col 3:17). God’s elect will be diligent and industrious whatever is thrown at them:

Col 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men;
Col 3:24 knowing that from the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance. For you serve the Lord Christ.

In this sense Joseph could also not avoid being a prosperous man, as the Lord was with him. Even the world will have to acknowledge this witness in the lives of God’s elect, typified here by Joseph’s industrious attitude:

Gen 39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
Gen 39:3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
Gen 39:4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

Even when we do our best, we will be naive to think that deeper struggles will not come or that those opposing the truth will be kept away from us. The opposition to Joseph’s impact in the prosperity of his master came from a very powerful and influential source – it came in the form of a temptation from Potiphar’s own wife. This wife of Potiphar symbolizes the false church who seduces many with its false integrity and fleshly security. Spiritual Babylon is given this power of seduction by God, and she herself is a spiritual prison. Joseph was continuously under the watchful eye of this adulterous wife of Potiphar as she also spoke to him “day by day”:

Gen 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

Gen 39:10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

Jesus was also tempted like we are on a daily basis, but Jesus never succumbed to any temptation at any time during His time in this fleshly prison (Heb 2:17; Heb 4:15). This is what Joseph also typified as he never gave in to this woman’s daily temptations. When Joseph rejected her at all occasions, she eventually had him framed by giving a false report to her husband that Joseph wanted to sleep with her. Potiphar believed his wife, as he represents our carnal mind which cannot see through the lies and deceit of Babylon. These false reports and attacks on our integrity are all part of the plan in the lives of God’s elect, even as Joseph was thrown in yet another prison:

Gen 39:19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
Gen 39:20 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

This prison is where the Pharaoh’s prisoners were kept, also called “the king’s prisoners”. This prison will be used by God to be Joseph’s connecting point to be later placed in direct contact with the Pharaoh. God, who is the designer and keeper of all prisons of darkness and evil, will never forsake the righteous nor let go of His plan for His elect, even the prison of death (Isa 45:5-7; Act 2:31):

Psa 37:22 (ESV) for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
Psa 37:23 (ESV) The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;
Psa 37:24 (ESV) though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.
Psa 37:25 (ESV) I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.

We are the King’s prisoners, and we were purposefully chosen and elected by God to suffer for the sake of righteousness in this life (Psa 69:33). God’s elect knows this inner witness, and they rejoice in tribulation, even as they serve others now and much more in the future (Jas 1:2-5). This servant attitude is what the apostle Paul also alluded to when he wrote these words as a prisoner of King Jesus (2Co 11:23; 2Co 1:10; 2Co 12:10; 2Ti 1:7-12):

Eph 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
Eph 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Eph 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
Eph 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Eph 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Joseph’s visions of rulership never departed from him, even in the darkest trials. The diligent spirit of the Lord in Joseph made him to stand out from the rest of the prisoners:

Gen 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Gen 39:22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
Gen 39:23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

What a testimony to the work of the Lord through His elect wherever they may be! It was here in this prison where Joseph met the butler and the baker of the Pharaoh. Both had dreams by which Joseph was used by God to correctly interpret and clarify these dreams. The baker was eventually killed, and the butler was restored to Pharaoh’s service. It was through this butler that Joseph was called to interpret the two dreams of the Pharaoh, and by doing that Joseph was placed in rulership over Egypt under the Pharaoh (Gen 41:38-44). This is a type of Jesus who is given the rulership over all by the Father:

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

———————————————————————–

Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

Number 13
Spirits in Prison
Was Christ in Prison?
The King’s Prisoners – Part 1
The King’s Prisoners – Part 2
Are Angels Always Spirits?
Revelation 6:12-17 – Part 2

Mike,

This goes with an earlier question I had regarding dying under old and new covenant. This guy seems to always have a comeback refute. So I don’t know what to believe. Can you clear this up? Thanks, J____

“I understand that you can explain away whatever you wish by simply calling it “symbolism”. This is why you cannot accept the story of Lazarus at face value because you cannot accept the idea that souls do not sleep in the grave. Since that doctrine is the lens through which you see every passage of Scripture, it is no wonder you are where you are.

However, let me lay another passage on you.

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.” 1Pe 3:18-20″

Hi J___,

Your preacher friend, like all orthodox Christians, has no use for Christ’s words. Here are the words of Christ:

Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Listen to your preacher friend, and you will remain confused. Listen to Christ, and ignore the falsehoods of orthodoxy, the ‘Great Harlot,’ of Rev 17 and 18, and God’s Word will never contradict itself as your friend seems to believe.

Christ says “No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven…” Peter says not even David is in heaven. Paul tells us that if there is no resurrection, then the dead in Christ are perished. Your preacher friend and all orthodox Christian ministers say just the opposite. We must all decide who we will believe. It is not the few who are deceived. “Many shall come in my name… and shall deceive many.” Yet the greatest single religion in the world, the orthodox Christian church, tells us this is not talking about them. Who, pray tell, do they think the “many coming in My name” is talking about? Are we to believe that this statement of our Lord is a reference to the Muslim or Buddist religions? You decide that one for yourself.

Now as for the “spirits in prison” your preacher asks about, these were the spirits of the people of Noah’s time. That is why we are told that this took place “in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing.” With not one scripture to validate his claim, he boldly proclaims to you:

Well, look here! Jesus is preaching to those who died during the flood. Talk about your deadcongregations!

Does this man think that it was by some spirit other than Christ who preached through Noah for one hundred and twenty years? The people of Noah’s day were captives and prisoners to sin just as much as were the people of Christ’s day.

Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

This preacher, and all orthodox Christian preachers, deny that Christ died for us. This man is telling you that Christ was never dead. He is telling you that in reality no one has ever died for our sins. Christ, of all people, never died at all. The claim, with no scripture at all behind it, is that he was in hell preaching to fallen angels, and at the same time He was in paradise with the thief on the cross. These people must think that Paul was just confused when he made that statement about the dead in Christ being perished if there is no resurrection.

1Co 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ areperished.

Paul saw the Truth about the need for a resurrection. “If Christ be not risen… then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”

You can use the Google search engine on the web page by typing in ‘spirits in prison’ to pull up more articles on this subject.

I hope this helps you to find the answers to your questions. If you will do this first, it will help me to keep up with my e- mails, and it will also help you in your own personal studies. If you cannot find anything on the subject, then by all means let me know.

Mike

Hey Mike,

My husband and I have lots of questions. Hoping you can shed some light on this one.

What can you explain about “fallen angels?” Here are the scriptures:

• Jdg 1: 6, 9
• 2Pe 2: 4-10
• Job 4: 17-19
• Mat 25: 41

And most importantly, can you explain Rev. 12:1-9?

I know some of these verses just say that angels sin, but it all pretty much depends on the explanation of Rev. 12:1-9. We’re not very good at understanding the book of Revelation. It’s pretty confusing, if you ask me.

M____

Hi M____,

You ask about ‘fallen angels.’

The truth is that the word translated ‘angel’ is better translated messenger. And that is how it is used. It does not mean ‘a spirit being’ as it is commonly understood in today’s English.

Here is just one of many scriptures in the Bible that demonstrate this fact:

Num 20:14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:
Num 20:15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:
Num 20:16 And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:

The word translated ‘messenger’ in verse 14 is the exact same Hebrew word translated ‘angel’ in vs. 16. That word is “malak.” It is Strong’s Concordance number 4397.

Here are a few other places where it is translated ‘messenger:’

Num 21:21 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
Num 22:5 He [ Balak, king of Moab] sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
Jos 6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Jdg 7:24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

So while this word many times in scripture is speaking of spiritual messengers, ‘angel’ as understood as a spiritual messenger, is by no means the exclusive definition of the Hebrew word ‘malak.’

Now you quote:

Jdg 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jdg 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Jdg 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
Jdg 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Notice these pre- flood messengers “as Sodom and Gomorrha … IN LIKE MANNER gave themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh.”

2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels [ messengers] that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those [ flesh and blood humans] that after should live ungodly;

These two events have so much in common in that they are both said to be the result of “in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh.“

The ‘angels’ here in Jude and 2 Peter should definitely not be understood as spirit beings. Christ Himself tells us that the angels “do not marry.”

Mat 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

So who then are the “sons of God who chose for themselves the daughters of men?”

Gen 6:2 … The sons of God [ angels- messengers] saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

The word ‘men’ is used in scripture as a contrast to those who are supposed to be God’s people:

1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [ there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Mat 21:25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?

There are a couple of scriptures that reveal that God had called a people out for Himself before the flood just as He did with the descendants of Abraham after the flood. Who were those people? They are referred to in Gen 3.

Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust [ men] shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed [ the people of God before and after the flood]; it [ the seed of the woman] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Very few people ever notice that Eve was called Eve “because she was the mother of all living.”

Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

So “the woman” was the mother of both the “seed of the woman” and the “seed of the serpent.” This has great significance in understanding the signs and symbols of the book of Revelation. But more to the point, it explains for us who God’s “messengers” were before the flood. Abel was to be the type of the ‘second Adam,’ the seed of the woman. Cain was to be the type of the natural man, who is always ‘first’ and is always ‘rejected,’ even though he is annointed of God. Here is that principle as it is given to us:

1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural [ in type, Cain]; and afterward that which is spiritual [ in type, Abel, replaced by Seth].
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

The types are full of this principle. Cain is God’s firstborn of Adam, the rightful natural heir, but is rejected for the second, the type of the spiritual. Abraham’s first son, Ishmael, though his beloved son, is rejected for his second son, Isaac. Isaac’s first son, the rightful heir, is rejected for the type of the spiritual, that is, Jacob. Jacob’s first wife, Leah, is rejected for his second, Rachel. Israel’s first king, Saul, is rejected for the second, David, who is a type of Christ, as are all these second types. And finally, the first Israel “according to the flesh” is rejected for “the Israel of God,” which is based on this rule: In Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature (Gal 6:15).

Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

So Abel was to be ‘the seed of the woman.’ But Cain killed Abel. What would God do for a seed of the woman now? Someone would have to be put in Abel’s stead. So God gave Adam and Eve a son to replace Abel as ‘the seed of the woman.’ The name Seth means ‘in stead of.’ Seth and his descendants were now to keep themselves separated from the descendants of Cain. This was because they were to be God’s ‘messengers’ and His ‘sons’ on this earth for that dispensation. But just like Israel of later days, they did nothing of the kind. Except for a very “few,” they all intermarried with the daughters of men (Cain’s descendants), and forsook God and His precepts. Here in nine short verses is that story:

Gen 6:1 And it came to pass, when men [ the descendants of Cain] began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
Gen 6:2 That the sons of God [ Righteous Seth’s descendants] saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose [ forgetting that they were God’s separated people].
Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
Gen 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God [ God’s people, Seth’s children] came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown [ in this world].
Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Gen 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

There it is; Noah and his family were the only family who, by this time, had not married into the line of Cain. Noah was… perfect in his generations…

The messengers, “angels which kept not their first estate” as God’s chosen people, were the descendants of righteous Seth who had replaced “righteous Abel,” and was the father of “just [ righteous] Noah.”

Now is there a verse anywhere in the Bible that will give us a ‘second witness’ that carnal men are said to be, in the mind of God, “in prison?” Yes, there happens to be just such a scripture:

Isa 24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
Isa 24:22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

This is one of the earliest prophecies of a resurrection in the scriptures. “The pit” is always typical of the grave. Here we have the grave pictured as a “prison.” And we are told that God will visit them “after many days.” But these were “spirits in prison.”

What do the scriptures reveal “in prison” means? Let’s look at a few of the many verses which tell us what is meant by this phrase:

Psa 142:6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
Psa 142:7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
Ecc 4:13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
Ecc 4:14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Isa 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

It should be obvious by now that preaching to “spirits in prison” is witnessing to “them that sit in darkness [ and bringing them] out of the prison house” and “the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” In other words, the “spirits in prison… in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, were the spirits of those men who heard the witness of Noah and his family, during the 120 years the ark was “a preparing.” These were the descendants of both Cain and Seth, who were “in [ the] darkness” of rebellion against God, who were “bound” by the bondage of a life of sin.

And when does Peter tell us that this witnessing to “spirits in prison” occurred?

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noa h, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

The “spirits in prison” as shown above, are those who are separated by their deeds from the true people of God, Noah and his family. It was by and through the preaching of Noah and his family, inspired of God, that Christ “went and preached unto the spirits in prison.”

You ask about Job 4:17-19:

Job 4:17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Job 4:18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
Job 4:19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?

These angels, just as their leader, did not ‘become’ “charged with folly” as the result of some bad decision they made. As with Adam, and as with their leader, Satan, they made bad decisions because of how the Creator had made them. The word translated ‘charged with’ is the Hebrew word ‘sum‘ or ‘siym‘ (Strong’s #7760). It is generally translated ‘put,’ ‘place’ and ‘appoint.’ Here are a couple of typical examples of how this word is used in the Hebrew scriptures:

Gen 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put [sum, siym] the man whom he had formed.
Psa 78:5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed [ Heb.- sum, siym] a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

In other words, just as Adam was created of the corruptible dust and in a sinfully naked condition, so the Adversary was also created to do what he does, to serve as an adversary. The Adversary has his messengers who are “appointed” to do whatsoever Satan requests of them. They were “charged with folly” to be the messengers of the adversary. In this case it is obvious that these ‘messengers’ are spirits.

Now for Mat 25:41:

Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

This verse alone, if only believed, would prove that the “angels that left their first estate” are men and not spirit angels. Christ is here saying that those who are cast into the ‘everlasting [ eonian] fire’ are men who are ‘messengers’ of Satan.

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

What does this verse say about the ‘Satan was once an angel of light’ theory? What does it say about the theory of a ‘gap’ between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis chapter one? Christ said Satan was “a murderer and a liar from the beginning.” The meaning of “beginning” is given in the following verses:

Luk 11:50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Luk 11:51 From the blood of Abel [ This is the time of “the foundation of the world.” This is “the beginning.”] unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Now for Rev 12:

The ‘woman’ in this chapter is the church. But remember, scripturally ‘the woman’ is the mother of both the “seed of the woman” and “the seed of the serpent.” Such we find is true here in the book of Revelation. Christianity teaches that this woman is the opposite of the woman in chapters 17 and 18. Nothing could be further from the Truth. If that were the case, ‘the woman’ herself would be “caught up unto God and unto His throne.” Instead, where are we told she goes?

Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

This just happens to be the exact same period of time that ‘the two witnesses’ witness to a ‘woman.’ And where do we find that woman?

Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

This entire book is a letter to a ‘woman.’ It is a letter to ‘the seven churches.’ ‘The seven churches’ are supposed to be “a chaste virgin unto Christ.”

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

But what is the truth of the situation? Instead of being ‘a chaste virgin,’ we have the very ‘throne’ (seat) of Satan right in the church.

Rev 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat [ Greek – throne] is:
Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
Isa 1:3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: [ but] Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
Isa 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
Isa 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick and the whole heart faint.
Isa 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head [ there is] no soundness in it; [ but] wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
Isa 1:7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
Isa 1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
Isa 1:9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, [ and] we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
Isa 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Look at all of this. This is how God views those who profess to know Him yet have no regard for His Word. It is a perfect description of the Christian church. Some are literally ordaining homosexuals to be Bishops. And those who are objecting to that practice are just as guilty of spiritual fornication, with doctrines like eternal torment, a clergy- laity structure, once in grace always in grace, you must tithe regardless of your financial circumstances, the immortality of the soul, etc. Read the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation for the complete list.

So the ‘woman’ goes into the ‘wilderness’ for 3 1/2 years while her ‘manchild,’ who is to rule the nations,’ is caught up unto God and his throne.’

Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

And where are we told these “overcomers” are found at this very moment?

Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

You say this is a promise for the future? Well, it certainly is. But this is also a present truth in spirit:

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

So it is only “the manchild” who is “caught up unto God and unto his throne” while ‘the woman’ herself goes into the ‘wilderness’ to fight against homosexual ordinations, the removing of the 10 commandments, the aborting of millions of unborn babies, etc. while at the same time teaching that God Himself will not simply abort, but will keep alive for the sole purpose of eternally tormenting the vast majority of His own creation. And this is but one (the depth of Satan) of the many sins within ‘the woman.’

>Rev 2:24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak [ in their teachings]; I will put upon you none other burden.

Now for the next thought here in Rev 12:

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The character of scripture is not what we have been taught. The scriptures are Christ. I am not saying that Christ is a book with letters in ink on paper. I am saying that the thoughts conveyed by those words in ink on paper do indeed reveal for us who Christ is. Here is the scripture:

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Do you see that? “Words… are spirit and they are life.” Now who is “the Word?”

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Now what is the character of ‘the Word?’ Is ‘the Word’ something that was true yesterday, but now it is past? Is ‘the Word’ something that only has future application? Or is ‘the Word’ only to be applied in the present?

It is incredible the number of books that have been written espousing one or the other of these views to the exclusion of the others. Which is true? Were all the prophecies of Mat 24 fulfilled in 70 A. D. with no present application? Is the book of Revelation a prophecy for the future with no relevance for the day in which they were penned or for the present? Are all these prophecies neither past nor future, but only to be applied inwardly in the present? There is a school of thought for every one of these beliefs. Which one is right? WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURES? Let us set aside our ‘idols of the heart’ and believe the Word of the Word about Himself:

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Until you come to understand this completely Biblical and scriptural truth, you will never have a proper understanding of any “prophecy of the scriptures.”

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private [ Greek – idios- self] interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

No scripture is ever to be taken by it self. It is always to be understood in the light of all the rest of scripture.

Deu 19:15 One witness [ scripture] shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses [ scriptures], or at the mouth of three witnesses [ scriptures], shall the matter be established.

Yes, of course, the subject here is sin, but the principle of ‘two or more witnesses’ is established and applies especially to the Word of God, as Peter affirms.

But once a truth is established in the light of all the scriptures, it will ALWAYS have the character of Christ about it:

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty

Now when we read:

1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

How could John say that 2000 years ago? When we read:

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

“It is the last time,” “the time is at hand,” now makes sense for the first time because, “… your life… is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (Jas 4:14), and we all live in our ‘last time’ and ‘the time is at hand’ for every generation as it come and as it goes.

Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly [ to every life that “is as a vapor”]; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last[ and everything in between].

Talking to pagan Greeks Paul makes this statement:

Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Again he tells us:

Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

If you can only grasp the truth of those two verses and put that together with the “is, was and is to come” quality of the scriptures, you will have a handle on the scriptures that the entire clergy of Christianity is lacking.

I hope this is of some help to you in your efforts to come to know the mind of Christ better.

In His service,

Mike

Hey, Mike,

Do you believe the angels in 2Pe 2:4 are humans that sinned? Some teach that it refers to angels because the Scriptures never teach of mankind being in tartarus.

Thanks,
J____

Hi J____,

Yes, 2Pe 2:4 is speaking of humans that sinned, and the scriptures certainly do teach of mankind being in prison, which is all that the Greek word tartarus means. Speaking specifically of “the kings of the earth (verse 21), Isaiah tells us:

Isa 24:22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

That is exactly who Christ came to save:

Isa 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [ and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

‘Prison’ and ‘the pit’ are both types of death, and “the last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

I have already written on this subject so I hope you will not mind reading these links:

http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/ Fallen_ Angels_ Spirits_ in_ Prison_ Manchild. php
http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/2005031201. php
http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/ Will_ Satan_ And_ His_ Angels_ Be_ Saved. php
http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/ Fate_ of_ dead. php
Your brother in Christ,
Mike