4/15/10 Acts 22 - Was exhausted when I got home from Louisville, Ky on 4/15/10
Not Allowed to Live
(Ac 22:22)22They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!”
When Paul does get to Jerusalem he reports to the church at Jerusalem all the things that had taken place in the Gentile lands. The church rejoiced greatly. Paul then makes his way to the Temple and with four others to complete the Nazarite vow that they had taken. Near the end of the final day of purification some Jews from Asia recognized him and began to stir up the crowd. The mention of the Jews who were from Asia gives us good reason to believe that this was the week of Pentecost. The result of the stirred up crowd was Paul being beaten and there was a mob and great confusion in the city. The Roman commander was made aware of what was going on and came with perhaps 200 soldiers to intervene in the situation. The commander ordered Paul to be taken to the barracks. Paul then asks the commander if he could address the people.
Chapter 22 begins with Paul addressing the people and gives a defense for what he has been doing and proclaiming. He begins with his nationality and where he grew up and the proceeds to tell them of his education and then his hatred of the very message that they are taking issue with now. He then tells them of his experience on the Damascus Road and the subsequent events. He then tells them when he returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the Temple when God spoke to him through a trance. God’s word to him was basically that people in Jerusalem and Jews in general would not accept his testimony and that he was to leave quickly and go to the Gentiles. The Jews who he was speaking to now made sure of that and in verse 22 it says they raised their voice and desired that he should not be allowed to live.
The reason that they had such a reaction to this was because Jews considered this blasphemy that a Gentile would be on the same ground as them. Jews believed that Gentiles first needed to become a proselyte and be subject to Jewish law and then the could be saved, but what Paul was teaching put Gentiles on the same ground as Jews.
Here the Jews desire that Paul would be killed, but it was not yet God’s time for Paul’s life to be over. No matter how hated you may by your enemies they are unable to take your life until God is finished with your work for His glory. Paul has several stops and much more work to be done before was going to allow life to receive no more breaths.
Prayer: Father I desire that I will hear you and obey your will even when those around me believe that I do not deserve life. I ask for obedience to your will in the small areas as well as the large areas of my life. When I am in prayer help give me ears to hear your voice through the Spirit. Teach me what you are doing that I may join you and faithfully serve you. Whatever threats may come my way give me faith to continue following your plan and purposes even if it means my life will be threatened, in Jesus name. Amen.