Acts 14:19,20

PAUL'S MARTYRDOM

19, 20. Behold the fickle caprice of frail mortality, which has been verified in all ages and nations! Now they are all clamorous to worship the apostles for gods. In one short hour they are all clamorous for their blood, and actually stone Paul! Millions, besides Paul, have passed through this same ordeal. The very people who applaud you to the skies and worship you for a god, will cast you away and leave you to die without a friend to soothe your dying brow; yea, they will sign your death-warrant, and then will kill you. Vain is human patronage! You are a king to-day and a beggar to-morrow, without a friend beneath the skies. Take heed and fly to God, who never changes. He is your Friend, “the same yesterday, to-day, and forever!” While Paul's mangled and bleeding body lies under the rock-pile, his spirit enjoys a visit to Paradise (2 Corinthians 12), there seeing and hearing things too glorious for mortal utterance, not as E. V. says, “unlawful to tell,” but impossible. We need heavenly language to describe heavenly glories.