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 in chapter twenty-three and verse twenty-three of the book of Acts Luke shared how the chief captain, “called unto him two centurions” where we read:
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;
The verse begins, “And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, ...” Luke began with the words, “and he called unto him” which means “and the chief captain summoned, beckoned and bid unto his own self” “two centurions” or “two Roman officers who were in charge of one hundred men”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “Make ready two hundred soldiers” which means “prepare and provide two hundred military warriors” “to go to Caesarea” or “to travel and journey toward Caesarea whose name means severed and was of Palestine which was built near the Mediterranean by Herod the Great on the site of Strabo's Tower between Joppa and Dora”. Luke shared how the “chief captain” beckoned “two centurions” to prepare “two hundred” warriors to travel to the city of “Caesarea”.
The verse goes on to say, “... and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;” Luke continues with the words, “and horsemen threescore and ten” which means “and seventy equestrians who were members of a calvary”, “and spearmen two hundred” or “and two hundred light-armed soldiers or guardsmen”, “at the third hour of the night” which means “at the third hour, or nine o'clock, during the nighttime when work ceases and the weary give themselves to slumber”. Luke shared how the “chief captain” also wanted the “two centurions” to assemble “seventy equestrian soldiers” as well as “two hundred” light-armed soldiers to travel with them.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “chief captain” began to act as soon as “Paul's nephew” left him. He banded together “two centurions, two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred light-armed guards to travel to Caesarea” as a protective force for “Paul”. Needless to say, this entourage would be very difficult for the “over forty men” to overcome. God's protection of “Paul” was being implemented, and he would be preserved for the sharing of God's gospel of salvation. God loves everybody, and He is willing to forgive the sins of every person who yields themselves to His Son Jesus. Those who carefully examine this story concerning “Paul” will understand the importance of aligning themselves with God Almighty who is able to preserve and protect His servants in great and mighty ways.
Next time Luke shares how the chief captain says, “provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on”, 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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