The beloved physician Luke shared 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 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, and brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city. And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely”, and in chapter sixteen and verse twenty-four of the book of Acts Luke shared how the jailer, “thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks” where we read:
Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison,
and made their feet fast in the stocks.
The verse begins, “Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, ...” Luke began with the words, “who, having received such a charge” which means “the jailer, took hold of, claimed, procured, possessed and obtained this kind of charge, command or announcement”, “thrust them” or “cast and inserted Paul and Silas” “into the inner prison” which means “inside the space the was in the interior of the guarded place where captives are kept”. Luke shared how the “jailer” took the “order” of the magistrates seriously and put “Paul and Silas” in the interior part of the “prison”.
The verse goes on to say, “... and made their feet fast in the stocks.” Luke continued with the words, “and made their feet fast” or “and rendered secure and bonded the physical feet of Paul and Silas” “in the stocks” which means “in the wooden gibbet which was constructed of a log or timber with holes into which the feet, hands or neck of prisoners were inserted and fastened with thongs”. Luke shared how the jailer also secured the “feet” of “Paul and Silas” in a wooden shackle.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “jailer, warden or keeper of the prison” responded to the direct order of the magistrates. They commanded him to put “Paul and Silas” in “prison” after beating them, and they required that “Paul and Silas” be “securely held” and guarded. We can almost imagine the thoughts of “Paul and Silas” as they were thrown into the interior part of the “prison” and had their “feet” placed within a “wooden stockade”. God desires to have a personal loving relationship with every person, and when they yield themselves to His Son Jesus, they will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life. Afterward they become “witnesses” of God's grace and love toward them, however, not everyone receives that message gladly. Sometimes, as was the case with “Paul and Silas”, they are imprisoned for their beliefs, and many have suffered and died for believing in Jesus. God knows. God cares, and God is watching. Those who are wise will yield to Jesus and allow themselves to be “witnesses” of the “good news” of Jesus Christ regardless of the consequences on earth for doing so.
Next time Luke shares, “at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God”, 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". All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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