March 18, 2023

Now it happened, when I [Paul] returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him [Jesus] saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’ Acts 22:17-18

Some time after Paul’s dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (for he had been on his way to continue his persecution of Christ’s followers at the time of his conversion), he found himself back in Jerusalem. The “city of peace” was still very much under pagan Roman rule. It is no secret that Pax Romana (the peace of Rome) was ensured through intimidation, coercion, and, if deemed necessary, sheer force—all of which foreshadows papal Roman rule in the last days.

Paul’s address to his Hebrew brethren was divinely precipitated by a mistaken identity: the Roman commander mistook him for an Egyptian rebel, saying, “Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?” But Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.” So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language . . . (Acts 21:38-40).

Paul considered this opportunity to speak with his Jewish brethren a privilege, as he deeply desired for them to be saved from error just as he had been (see Romans 9:3). But when he came to the part of his testimony where Jesus instructed him, “Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles” (22:21) his own brethren declared that he, Paul, was not fit to live! (22:22)

Earlier, Jesus plainly spoke of the testimony of the Holy Spirit through His faithful witnesses to prepare them for ever-intensifying pressure to conform to the world’s standard:

“They will put you out of the synagogues [places of religious assembly]; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.” John 16:2

…to be continued tomorrow