Luke the beloved physician wrote how Paul told Festus, “I appeal unto Caesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Have you appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shall you go. And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix. About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him”, and in chapter twenty-five and verse seventeen of the book of Acts Luke shared how Festus told King Agrippa, “without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth” where we read:
Therefore, when they were come here, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat,
and commanded the man to be brought forth.
The verse begins, “Therefore, when they were come here, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, ...” Luke began with the words, “therefore, when they were come here” which means “then, wherefore, consequently and on this account, at the time and moment of the appearance of the Jewish people making accusations against Paul”, “without any delay” or “not having a putting off of time at all” “on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat” which means “upon the next day I, Festus, was seated, fixed and established upon the raise platform, tribune and throne used for a tribunal”. Luke shared how “Festus” told “king Agrippa” that the day following the accusations brought by the “chief priests and elders” against “Paul”, he sat upon the “judgment throne” to hold a tribunal against him.
The verse goes on to say, “... and commanded the man to be brought forth.” Luke continued with the words, “and commanded the man” which means “and ordered the male human being, Paul” “to be brought forth” or “to be led and carried to where Festus sat upon the throne”. Luke shared how “Festus” told “king Agrippa” that he “ordered” “Paul” to be led to where he was seated upon the “judgment seat”.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Festus” relayed to “king Agrippa” how he managed this case with “Paul” after he was accused by the “chief priests and elders”. He did not “delay”. He sat upon the “judgment seat”, and summoned “Paul” to be brought before him. No doubt this seemed to be just another case that he would listen to and judge, but he had no idea that God desired for he and those around him to hear about His saving grace through His Son Jesus. God loves everyone, and His desire is to reach them wherever they are to forgive them for their sins and grant them everlasting life. Those who are wise realize God's effort to save them comes in a variety of ways, and they yield themselves to Jesus.
Next time Luke shares how Festus tells King Agrippa, “when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed”, 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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