The beloved physician Luke wrote how Paul's nephew told the chief captain, “The Jews have agreed to desire you that you would bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly. But do not you yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from you. So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See you tell no man that you have showed these things to me. And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night. And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse twenty-five of the book of Acts Luke shared how the chief captain, “wrote a letter after this manner” where we read:
And he wrote a letter after this manner:
The verse begins, “And he wrote a letter ...” Luke began with the words, “and he wrote” which means “and the chief captain delineated or formed in letters on a tablet, parchment, paper or other material” “a letter” or “an epistle or written message”. Luke shared how the “chief captain” also inscribed a “written message” to be carried with the military escort.
The verse goes on to say, “... after this manner:” Luke continued with the word, “after” which means “encompassing or containing” “this manner” or “the following contents”. Luke shared how the “letter” contained the message given in our next few verses.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “chief captain” also “wrote a message” to accompany the military guard he assembled to protect “Paul”. God's plan of preserving “Paul” was being carried out by this Roman commander. God loves people, and He wanted His gospel message of salvation through His Son Jesus to be spread throughout the world. “Paul” was to share it, and the “chief captain”, without his knowledge, was being used by God to continue His good news. Anyone who yields themselves to Jesus will be forgiven of their sins because He died on the cross in their place, and when they surrender to Him, they will be granted eternal life with God. Let all who read these words understand the importance of the “chief captain's” letter and submit themselves to Jesus who was the reason for it being sent.
Next time Luke shares how the letter was addressed from, “Claudius Lysias unto … Felix”, 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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