Acts 23:11-35

THE CONSPIRACY AND DELIVERANCE

11-35. That mighty vision was the secret of Paul's redoubtable courage and sanctified versatility. He knew he was to “see Rome.” God's heroes are immortal until the last battle is fought. What a formidable conspiracy! Forty stalwarts, oath-bound never to eat nor drink until they kill Paul. God quickens the acute ears of Paul's little nephew, unnoticed by the conspirators. Lysias here shows up a noble character, as well as true loyalty in the protection of a Roman citizen. When Martin Cozta, an Americanized Hungarian, was condemned by the Austrian General at Smyrna, on the Mediterranean, to die, Captain Ingram, with only one hundred men, in command of the United States warship St. Louis, delivered him out of the hands of one hundred thousand Austrian soldiers. Lysias sends two hundred infantry and seventy cavalry to take Paul, at nine o'clock that night, and carry him safe to Governor Felix, at Caesarea, with an explanatory letter stating how he had interposed and rescued Paul, regardless of expense and labor, because he was a Roman citizen. Here we see Paul's old Lictorian Pharisaical identity and his political rights are all laid under contribution to save his life. God works by means. Some things He can do through wicked, worldly people, like the Roman soldiers, and other things He can do through dead church members, like the Pharisees.

God help us to appreciate His providence as well as His grace. Herod had a palace at Caesarea and a judgment-hall in it, which, we find, becomes the comfortable quarters of Paul.