Loading... Acts 23:29 - NOTHING WORTHY OF BONDS
Acts 23:29 Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
The chief captain of the guard in Jerusalem is writing to Felix in Caesarea. The captain has just heard that there is a group of 40 men who desire to kill Paul the next day so the captain decides he is going to send Paul to Caesarea with 200 solders, 70 horsemen, and 200 spearmen.
In the captain’s letter to Felix, he states that he sees no charge worthy of death or bonds. However, the captain has not released Paul. If the captain really believed that there were no charges worthy of him holding Paul, why did he not simply let Paul go at night and let Paul fend for himself. The trip from Jerusalem to Caesarea was approximately 75 miles and would probably mean that his soldiers would be out of Jerusalem for over a week.
Paul had just heard from God and had the chief captain let him go, we can assume that Paul would have headed to Rome as quickly as possible. Paul of course would have made stops along the way encouraging the local churches.
Nonetheless, even though the chief captain thought that Paul was innocent, he did not let him go and sent him to Felix where Paul remained in custody for approximately two years. Paul then was placed on a ship which was shipwrecked resulting in Paul being delayed several more months before they were rescued.
God had shown Paul what was next in his life, but Paul had to be patient in waiting for the will of the Lord to be fulfilled. Just because the chief captain thought Paul was innocent, God did not allow the chief captain to let Paul go. Instead, Paul experienced bondage as he waited to see how God would arrange things so that he would end up in Rome.
Have you ever seen someone say one thing and do the exact opposite? I am sure we all have seen someone who was a huge hypocrite. We must understand that God does not make a mistake. God knows what is going on around us and nothing is too hard for God. God used a hypocrite like the chief captain to coordinate his perfect will for the life of Paul and God can use a hypocrite in our life to prepare us for HIS will for our life.
In Ecclesiastes, Solomon tells us that there are seasons in our lives and that there is a time and a purpose for everything. Solomon instructs that there is a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up. Solomon shares with us that there is time to weep and a time to laugh. In this passage, Solomon teaches us that everything that happens to us has a purpose by God and that God will take us through seasons as a part of that purpose. Even the season of love is directed by God according to HIS purpose.
What season of life are you in? Are you in a season of sowing or a season of reaping? Are you in a season of preparing the soil or are you in a season of waiting for winter to be over? God has many seasons in our lives and we need to be wise enough to understand what season we are in.
If God has you in a season of planting, then plant. If God has you in a season of reaping, then reap. If God has you in a season of preparing, then prepare. If God has you in a season of waiting, then patiently wait. If God has you in the season of reaping, do not be caught sitting on the sidelines waiting for Lord to drop the harvest in your life, take action according to the season.