The beloved physician Luke wrote how the Jews in Jerusalem told Paul, “We have four men which have a vow on them. Them take, and purify yourself 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 you, are nothing; but that you yourself also walk orderly, and keep the law. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse twenty-seven of the book of Acts Luke shared what happened, “when the seven days were almost ended” where we read:
And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
The verse begins, “And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when the seven days” which means “and at the time and moment the seven sunrises to sunsets” “were almost ended” or “were just about, intended and had in mind to be completed and finished”, “the Jews which were of Asia” which means “the people of the Jewish nation as respects to origin, birth or religion who were from Asia whose name means orient and was proconsular Asia embracing Mysia, Lydia, Phrygia, and Caria, corresponding closely to Turkey today”, “when they saw him in the temple” or “at the time and moment the Jewish people observed, noticed and discovered him, Paul, within the sacred worship place in Jerusalem” they did the following. Luke shared how the “seven days” of the “vow” were almost completed when the “Jewish people” noticed “Paul” inside the “temple” in Jerusalem.
The verse goes on to say, “... stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, ...” Luke continued with the words, “stirred up all the people” which means “disturbed, confounded and bewildered each, every, the whole and everyone of the human beings both male and female”, “and laid hands on him” or “and seized and grasped Paul”. Luke shared how the “Jewish people” “stirred up” the crowd who saw “Paul” in the “temple” and they “seized and accosted” him.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Paul” attempted to comply with the instruction of “James and the elders in Jerusalem”, however, while he was fulfilling the “vow of purification”, the Jewish people observed him in the “temple”. This upset them, and they rushed upon him and put him under arrest. Sometimes no matter what a person does to appease others, they cannot be satisfied. God knew these things would happen to “Paul”, and He would use them to fulfill His purpose and plan for spreading the gospel throughout the world. Anyone who yields themselves to Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God, and regardless of how others view their dedication and commitment to Him, He will use them in His Kingdom to give others the opportunity to know His Son Jesus as their “Savior and Lord”.
Next time Luke shares how the Jews were, “Crying out, Men of Israel, help”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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