In a second trial under the leadership of Festus, the Jews propose that Paul be transported back to Jerusalem for trial. A plot was formed to kill Paul on the way to such a trial. During the trial Festus offered this opportunity to Paul. Paul refused requesting that his case be taken all the way to Caesar.
Then it came to me. Call it a divine moment when God opened my eyes to see something a little deeper. It would have been easy for Paul to go back to Jerusalem. He had friends there who could have served as character witnesses. Jerusalem was closer and more convenient. He adamantly chose to go to the Emperor. I almost missed it. I bet you did too.
Why did Paul want to take his trial to Caesar? Read it for yourself.
Acts 23:11 (NASB)
11 But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, "Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also."
It all hinged on a word from Jesus. Not the most significant event in the book of Acts. This one word from the Lord had profound implications. Let me explain.
Suppose Paul had opted to go back to Jerusalem. He most likely would have been murdered. I am sure Paul knew his life expectancy was short anyway. What would a little earlier matter. A great deal! Based on Jesus' word to testify, which also means to witness, for Jesus in ROME! Paul stood his ground with Festus. Jesus commanded Paul to go to Rome and tenaciously Paul hung onto that word. What are the implications?
The prison epistles. To be more precise, while in prison in Rome Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. We have 15 chapters of God breathed, infallible Biblical revelation all hinging on a word Jesus spoke to Paul about testifying in Rome.
So much history swings on the hinges of words from the Lord. Simple directions. Concise commands. Most people miss these things as they study history. Simple words that led William Carey to leave his homeland as a foreign missionary at a time when nobody did that. A word that led Hudson Taylor to devote his life to conversion of the Chinese people. A simple word that saved Charles Spurgeon on a snowy morning with fewer than a dozen present and the pastor did not even make it that day. A word from the Lord that called Moses to be a deliverer, called David to kill Goliath, that called the disciples to follow Jesus and Jesus to go to the cross.
Words from the Lord can change everything. What about in your life. Has God spoken something to you to believe Him for, persevere in, to devote your life to seeing come to pass? Jesus mandated Paul to go to Rome. There was kingdom work to do there. To write 15 chapters of scripture that have touched millions in history. All of that hinging from a little word Jesus gave Paul when he was incarcerated.
Whatever word God has given you, cling to it. Pray tenaciously. Believe fervently. Stay the course trusting God to bring about His best outcome. Your destiny and a part of history swings on such words.
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