The beloved physician Luke wrote as Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke himself went, “to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.”, and in chapter sixteen and verse nineteen of the book of Acts Luke shared what happened, “when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone” where we read:
And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas,
and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
The verse begins, “And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when her masters” which means “and at the time and moment the owners, sovereigns and possessors of the damsel” “saw that the hope of their gains was gone” or “observed and beheld that the expectation and confidence pertaining to their business, profits, diligence and endeavors was expelled, forsaken and cast out”, “they caught Paul” which means “the masters of the damsel lay hold of, seized and overtook Paul whose name means small or little” “and Silas” whose name means “woody” and was “a Roman citizen, the companion of the apostle Paul on several of his missionary journeys”. Luke shared how the “owners” of the “damsel” who was delivered of the “evil spirit” knew their “profits” from her were no longer available, and they arrested “Paul and Silas” and did the following with them.
The verse continues, “... and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,” Luke added the words, “and drew them” or “and dragged, impelled and lead Paul and Silas” “into the marketplace” which means “to the assembly of people who were gathered to buy, sell and perform all kinds of business” “unto the rulers” or “to the commanders, leaders and magistrates”. Luke shared how the “masters” of the “damsel” lead “Paul and Silas” to the place of business where the “leaders and magistrates” were located.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we discover the repercussions to the deliverance of the “evil spirit” from the “damsel”. Afterward she was no longer able to provide future information to her “owners or masters”, and their “profits” from her divinations was gone They immediately arrested “Paul and Silas” for causing this to happen, took them to the “marketplace” where they knew the “magistrates” were located, and purposed to make them pay for their activities. God used “Paul and Silas” not only to share His “gospel”, but also to perform supernatural miracles. Because this miracle “cost” the owners of the “damsel” profits, they arrested “Paul and Silas”. Believing and trusting in Jesus as a personal “Savior and Lord” will gain the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. In addition, there may be occasions when “believers” face “arrest and persecution” for their belief. God knows these conditions, and those who yield to Him will not only be recognized by Jesus for their tribulations, but also be rewarded eternally for enduring them.
Next time Luke shares how the masters of the woman, “brought them to the magistrates”, 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".
No comments:
Post a Comment