Expository Teachings Messiah Bible Church

Final Things Lesson 7: "The Tribulation & The Wrath of God"

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:12:05 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

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We are in the midst of a series called “Final Things.” And our series thus far has taken use from 1) the second coming of Christ to 2) the millennium to 3) the eternal state, and 4) the New Jerusalem. We’ve also looked more closely chronologically to us at 5) the church age and the intermediate state, 6) and the rapture. Today we bring all of this together.

What bridges the rapture and the second coming of Christ? What is the last thing that happens before Christ’s triumphant return to the earth to set up his millennial kingdom? The answer is the tribulation.

Here’s a description and definition—The tribulation is a divinely initiated, progressively intensifying period of judgment that exposes human rebellion, preserves a remnant, and prepares for Christ’s kingdom.

Let me just warn you ahead of time—today’s message is not going to be fun. I hope that it’ll be informative. As always, I want it to be Biblical. I’ve prayed that God would help me to be faithful to the Scriptures and my explanation of them. But this topic is tough. It’s emotional tough thinking about the tribulation.

It’s tough because I can’t play the part of a politician as a pastor. I can’t promise you that things will get better and better in our world… if you’ll only vote for me. No, the reality is that our world isn’t going to get better. It’ll get much, much worse. But then it’ll get better. So at least I can finish with that.

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Here’s what I want to cover in this lesson. I’ll give you four statements about this coming tribulation. And then after that, I’ll give you seven characteristics of this seven-year period of tribulation from Revelation 4–19. Write these down. First of all.

The Tribulation is a Future Time…

1) Of seven years—Daniel’s seventieth week

(Dan 9:24–27)

Turn with me to the book of Daniel in the OT. I know we’ve looked at this passage already. But we need to revisit it. Daniel 9:24–27 reads,

24 “Seventy weeks [or seventy sevens… the Hebrew [שָׁבֻעִים] can be translated “weeks” or “sevens”] are decreed about your people and your holy city [namely, Jerusalem and the Israelites] , to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.

I mentioned last week that these “seventy weeks” are seventy weeks of years, namely 490 years. And this is the total timeframe that God uses to atone for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, and to anoint a most holy place. These are references to both the first and the second coming of Christ. Christ atoned for sin in his first coming. Every thing else in this statement, as I understand it, awaits a second coming.

This is what’s referred to as a “telescoped prophecy.” It’s a prophecy that observes multiple events in the future as if they are closely connected. But in reality there may be periods of time that are between them. And they are all smushed together in the prophecy.

And that’s clearly the case here, because we even have a statement concerning 62 of the 70 weeks. And Then 69 of the 70 weeks. And then a final week in the text.

Look at verse 25.

25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. And for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. 26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.

Just by way of review, we looked at these 69 weeks of years which totaled 483 years. And this indicates the timeframe from the time of Nehemiah ( see Neh 2:1–8 ) to the time of Jesus’s death and resurrection. Daniel was given, years ahead of time, the exact time reference of Christ’s coming and death.

Christ Jesus is the anointed one “cut off” in Daniel 9:26 . In fact, “Christ” in Greek means “anointed.” It’s the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew “messiah” which means “anointed.” Christ was cut off. Satan as able to smash Christ’s heel, if you will—remember Genesis 3:15 . But that’s not the end of it.

After that followed the rise of a prince who destroyed the city of Jerusalem and its sanctuary, the temple. The Roman Empire and its emperor were the firstfruits of the coming antichrist who will rule and reign once the Restrainer is removed ( 2 Thess 2:6–7 ). These desolations were decreed ahead of time in the time of Daniel. We might even say, the desolations were decreed before the foundation of the world by God who knows the beginning from the end.

And then, there’s verse 27 , which I believe makes explicit reference to a seven-year period of tribulation still to come.

27 And he [this prince to come… i.e., the antichrist] shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

Now this is a bit cryptic. I admit it. But that’s the nature of prophecy, especially since we’re dealing with something predicted hundreds of years before it occurs. But Jesus picks up on this language. And John the Revelator in the book of Revelation picks up on it too. And John speaks about a 42-month period or a 1,260-day period that coincides with the half of the week in Daniel 9 .

Look at the chart here for a minute. Here we have multiple references to this seventieth week period, or more precisely, half of that seventieth week—three and a half years.Those time sequences match: 1,260 days = 42 months = three and a half years. The one nuance to that is Revelation 11:3 . That 1,260-day period is the same length of time as the others, but it cannot correspond to the other timeframes. And that’s because the two witnesses who prophesy are put to death by the beast. It’s actually the first reference to the beast (the antichrist) in Revelation. The antichrist kills these witnesses and the world celebrates. And this coincides with his great rise to power.

So when we piece this all together, we see two “three and a half year” periods. The seven-year period is broken up into two “three and a half year” segments. Both segments involve the outpouring of God’s wrath. The first three and a half years involve these two witnesses testifying to Christ. The second segment, after the killing of these witness and the abomination of desolation involves the rise and the reign of the antichrist.

Now one of the assumptions built into our eschatological understanding of Daniel 9:27 is that these things haven’t happened yet. Some think they have. Some, especially within the postmillennial camp, see here accomplished references to the Roman Empire and the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. I understand where those people are coming from. And I’m not so sure that there aren’t allusions to that here in Daniel but also in Jesus’s words later.

And certainly, there is agreement among most evangelical Christians that Christ has come, and he has made atonement for sinners. So the 69 weeks are in our rearview mirror.

But that final week (the final seven of Daniel 9 ), is, in my estimation, still to come . There’s a gap between the 69 weeks and the final week that we call “the church age” or the parenthesis. And the final seven years to come is the seven-year tribulational period that precedes the coming of Christ and the establishing of the millennial kingdom.

So that’s how we put this all together. Thank God for Daniel 9, and the wisdom that he gives us in this great book of the Bible.

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Write this down as #2 in your notes.

The Tribulation is a Future Time…

2) Of divine judgment on the Gentile nations

(Joel 3:1–2; Zeph 3:8; Zech 14:1–3; Rev 6:1–17; 11:18; 19:15)

Revelation 11:18 says, “The nations raged, but your wrath came.” In Revelation 19:15 , at the end of the tribulation, the sword coming out of Jesus’s mouth strikes down the nations. That’s the culmination of much divine judgment on Gentiles in the tribulational period.

Turn with me to the book of Revelation and let’s see what the NT says about this. One of the reasons that we hold to a pretribulational rapture is because of the way that the wrath of God poured out on our world, as described in the book of Revelation.

And in Revelation 6 , we have the beginning of this outpouring of God’s wrath with the opening of what are called the seven seals. And notice, if you will in 6:1 , it’s the Lamb of God who opens this seal and unleashes this wrath.

1 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!”

In chapter 5 of Revelation , there’s all this bemoaning the fact that nobody was worthy to open the seals. Nobody was righteous and worthy of pouring out the wrath of God on the world. John wept over that! Except for the fact that there is one who was worthy. Christ, the lamb of God, is worthy. And Christ is willing.

And there is something right and good about God’s wrath being poured out on the world. This is not displayed in the book of Revelation as a sorrowful thing. “Oh, it’s too bad God has to pour out his wrath.” No! This is displayed as necessary and good . People are clamoring for it!

And look down towards the end of chapter 6 of Revelation . Here’s where the wrath of the Lamb is intensified against the people with the sixth of these seven seals. Look at verse 12 .

12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

Something cataclysmic is happening here. This is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.

15 Then the kings of the earth [the Gentiles] and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

This is a description of the eschatological day of the Lord that was prophesied in the OT ( see Joel 2–3, Zech 14, et al ). I believe that Revelation 6 marks the beginning of this day of the Lord. And it marks the beginning of the seven-year tribulational period. This is the unleashing of God’s wrath that was alluded to in several places in the NT too ( 1 Thess 5:1–11; 2 Thess 1:5–12; Matt 24:15–28 ). This will be a terrifying ordeal for those Gentiles who are not raptured with the church.

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But it’s not just Gentiles. Write this down as a third statement about the tribulation.

The Tribulation is a Future Time…

3) Of divine discipline for Israel to bring her to repentance

(Jer 30:7; Dan 12:1; Zeph 1:16–18; Ezek 36:18–32; Mal 4:5–6; Zech 12:10–14; 13:8–9; Rom 11:25–27)

Jeremiah 30:7 speaks about a future time called “Jacob’s trouble.” Turn with me to the book of Jeremiah, and let’s take a look at this.

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. 3 For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.” 4 These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: 5 “Thus says the Lord: We have heard a cry of panic, of terror, and no peace. 6 Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale? 7 Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it.

Now Jeremiah’s prophecy here has both a near and a far fulfillment. This is another example of telescoped prophecy. Because the nation of Israel actually reconvened in the promise land after Jeremiah’s prophecy. They were taken into captivity in Babylon for seventy years. And then they returned albeit humbly in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.

But verse 7 alludes to something more cataclysmic than that.

7 Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it.

That’s a reference to something more than just Israel returning to the land 2,500 years ago. There is, I think, a far reference as well to the time of the end when the nation of Israel will be reconstituted in the Promised Land.

And they will eventually make a covenant with “the desolator.” Remember the language of Daniel 9 ? And they will be recipients of God’s wrath just like the Gentiles until they repent. And a remnant of those Jewish people will be saved out of the tribulation. In other words, they will be saved out of the outpouring of God’s wrath. Zechariah 12:10 says that they will finally look on him whom they have pierced—Jesus! In Romans 11 , Paul says that all Israel will be saved ( 11:26–27 ). Something in the tribulational period will bring about mass conversion among the Israelites! And this happens in spite of the wrath of God being poured out and the antichrist rising!

The clearest example of this “salvific work” in the book of Revelation is the 144,000 ( see 7:1–8; 14:1–5 ). These 144,000 will be converted to Christ. And they are sealed and protected in this tribulational period. Despite all the death that surrounds them, despite the pouring out of God’s wrath, and despite the execution of believers by the antichrist and the false prophet, there will be a preserved remnant of Israel. They will be a preserved remnant to enter into and populate the millennial kingdom.

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And they’ll need preserving. Because, write this down as a fourth statement about the tribulation.

It’ll be a future time…

4) Of unprecedented human suffering in the world

(Matt 24:15–28; 1 Thess 5:1–11; 2 Thess 1:5–2:12; Rev 4–19)

This is why some of the views out there in the Christian world don’t make sense to me. Yes, there have been terrible things that have happened in our world. The twentieth century was the bloodiest century of all! Yes, there have been atrocities and wars and tragedies that are absolutely horrific in our world. But when you read Revelation 4–19, that time period that precedes the second coming of Christ… we haven’t seen anything like that.

And it’s not just Revelation . Jesus speaks of the tribulational period too. Turn with me to Matthew 24 . The disciples asked Jesus in Matthew 24:3 , “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” “When’s the end going to come, Jesus?”

That question launches Jesus into his Olivet Discourse in the next two chapters ( Matt 24–25 ). And Jesus gives some amazing specifics concerning his return starting in verse 15 . And he links it to Daniel 9 .

Look at verse 15 with me. And let’s put this all together.

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

I can just see the disciples getting excited at this point, now that they realize that Jesus is going to give them signs for the end of the world. But then he says cryptically, “When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel,” that’s your signal. “What’s exactly is that, Jesus? Could you flesh that out for us a little more?”

This “abomination of desolation” (or “the abomination that makes desolate” ) is referenced by Daniel three times in his prophetic writings— Daniel 9:27; 11:31 and 12:11 . Now the reference in Daniel 11:31 is clearly a prophetic foretelling of an event that took place in 167 BC by a Syrian ruler named Antiochus IV or Antiochus Epiphanies.

After a humiliating defeat in Egypt, this Antiochus took his frustrations out on God’s people. He profaned the temple by sacrificing a pig on the temple altar. That’s horrifying for a kosher society. He also abolished burnt offerings and restricted Jewish practices like circumcision, Scripture-reading, and the celebration of Jewish feasts. Additionally, he erected an idol, a statue of Zeus, in the temple of the Lord. Each or all of these events Daniel prophesies as “an abomination that causes desolation.”

But the other two references in Daniel to an abomination of desolation, Daniel 9:27 and 12:11 , do not clearly coincide with the event involving Antiochus Epiphanies. This is another example of telescoping. Daniel’s prophecies combine “near-future events” with “distant-future events.” The near-future events are telescoped with the distant-future, so they look like the same event from Daniel’s vantage point.

I say all this because I believe that Jesus’s second coming will involve another “abomination of desolation,” a future abomination that will immediately precede the second coming of Christ. Jesus says as much in Matthew 24 .

Jesus never specifies in this passage what this future abomination will look like. It will probably resemble the abomination that took place in the time of Antiochus Epiphanies. Now many scholars think that Jesus was describing here the destruction of the temple in AD 70 in these verses. That’s possible, especially since the destruction of the temple was a catastrophic event involving the desecration of the temple. The Romans were excessively cruel towards the Jews and the people ran for their lives. Read Josephus on that. It’s horrific!

But I believe that Jesus is describing more than just the destruction of the temple in these verses. He’s describing a future, end times’ event, that correlates with Daniel’s end times’ prophecies. The abomination may resemble some of the events that took place in 167 BC with Antiochus Epiphanies and in AD 70 with the Roman Emperor Titus. But it will be even more devastating and traumatic for the Jewish people than those previous events. It may even involve a future temple in Jerusalem, as some have conjectured.

And Jesus tells his disciples, “When you see this unspecified abomination of desolation, head for the hills.” Look at verse 16 .

16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Get as far away from Jerusalem as you can!

17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.

In other words, “Don’t hesitate or look back! Don’t pull a Lot’s wife! Just take off running. Don’t go back for supplies. Don’t go back for a cloak. Just get going.”

The cloak was especially important to Jews for travel. It was an expensive outer garment that would keep a person warm during cold weather. It could also be used as a pillow for sleep at night. It was unthinkable to travel or take off running without your outer cloak.

19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.

Travel is especially difficult on women who are nursing or pregnant, obviously. Jesus encourages the disciples (the Jewish people, at large?) to pray (whether pregnant or not) that their travel would not be impeded by winter weather or Sabbath.

Now this statement about Sabbath has tripped up a lot of people. They have wondered how the Sabbath could be such an obstacle at the end of the Christian era when Sabbath regulations were not observed.

But what’s interesting is that a lot of “Sabbath regulations” have been enforced in Israel since it became a nation again in 1948. As a matter of fact the Israeli airline “El Al” does not land or take off from Israel on Saturdays. You can’t get a flight in and out of Tel Aviv with El Al on Saturdays. Also train and bus services are limited on Saturday. So you can imagine how difficult it would be to escape from Israel during a time of impending persecution.

You might ask, “Why will everyone be trying to get out of Judea? What’s the sense of urgency?” Well the answer to that is found in the following verses. Because this great abomination is followed by great tribulation .

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

Not just “a great tribulation” but “great tribulation.” This is that three and a half years that immediately precedes the second coming of Christ. God will allow, for a short time period, Satan to persecute and oppress his people.

And all of this is recorded in Revelation 4–19 . This world is going to get bad… really, really, bad. It’ll get worse before it gets better. That’s clear in Revelation.

But when it gets better ( Rev 20–22 ) it’s going to be fantastic. It’ll be seven years of absolute misery, the last three and a half being especially bad. But then it’ll be a thousand years of Christ reigning in peace followed by the new heavens, new earth, and New Jerusalem.

Look at verse 22 .

22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

These days are cut short so that the elect aren’t forced to suffer more than they can bear. After reading the extensive suffering that the people of God endure in the book of Revelation, you begin to wonder if anyone will survive it. Everyone is dying! There is judgment after judgment unleashed upon the earth. And the antichrist is killing people everywhere. The death and devastation are immense.

But thankfully God cuts it short. This “great tribulation” is a short and unrelenting season of suffering. Yet in the grand scheme of things, it’s only a speck of time—just 42 months.

Look at verse 22 .

23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

Wildernesses and inner rooms were notorious locations for false messiahs, even in the time of Jesus, in the first century world. Inner rooms are secret haunts where people gather to follow some clandestine messiah, like a cult. Jesus is warning the people to watch out for these kinds of charlatans, even if they are wonder-workers.

Let me say it this way—in the tribulational period, there will be Joseph Smiths and David Koreshes everywhere. And some of them (unlike David Koresh) will be able to do demonically-induced signs and wonders that blur the lines between the spiritual and the natural world. And these false messiahs will mesmerize the crowds. Jesus says, “watch out for that!”

This great deception will include, but will not be limited to, the activities of the antichrist. Jesus said there will be many false christs and false messiahs at this time, not just one. But eventually, one particular false messiah will emerge. The book of Revelation tells us that the second beast, the false prophet, will use “signs” to deceive people into worshipping the first beast, the antichrist ( Rev 13:13–14; 16:13–14; 19:20 ).

Jesus says in verse 25 , “See, I have told you beforehand.” “Pay attention. Be vigilant. Don’t be bamboozled by these guys. This is not the second coming of Christ.”

“Well, okay Jesus, what is, then?” What is your second coming?

27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Jesus’s second coming will be absolutely unmistakable. That’s what Jesus is saying here! It’ll be like lightning that lights up the sky from east to west. It’ll be visible and powerful and obvious to the entire world! It won’t be some guy cloistered in some secret location telling people, “Hey I’ve got a secret… I’m the Messiah!” It’s not going to be like that. It’ll be obvious . It’ll be conspicuous . It’ll be instantly recognizable , this coming of the Son of Man. Think Revelation 19 !

28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

It will be as public and obvious as the circling of vultures over a dead and putrefying carcass. The coming of the Son of man will be unambiguous .

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So, that’s the tribulation! This is what’s to come after the rapture and before the millennium.

Now before we conclude. Let’s take a closer look at this tribulation which is described in detail in Revelation 4–19. We don’t have time to go verse-by-verse through that section of the NT. I’ll have to save that for another time. But let’s fly over this section of Scripture in a helicopter and assess the main features of the text. I’ll give you seven.

And to that you might ask why just Revelation 4–19 ? What makes that section so special?

Well the book of Revelation is given a clear structure in the first chapter of the book. The angel tells John to “Write therefore [(1)] the things that you have seen, [(2)] those that are and [(3)] those that are to take place after this” ( 1:19 ).

(1) Chapter 1 records the things that John has “seen.”

(2) The statement concerning the church is the things “that are.” That involves chapters 2 and 3 with reference to the seven churches.

(3) And the things that “are to take place after this” are chapters 4 and following. That’s why in Revelation 4:1 , a voice tells John, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” After the church, if you will.

And as we’ve seen already, Revelation 20 is a description of the millennial kingdom. And Revelation 21–22 describe the eternal state. So you have statements about the church (or the churches) in Revelation 2–3. And you have the millennial kingdom in Revelation 20 . What’s in between the church and the millennial kingdom? The seven-year tribulation! Hence, Revelation 4–19 .

So, with that understanding in mind, write these down.
Seven Characteristics of the Seven-Year Tribulation (Rev 4–19):

1) God’s wrath will be poured out in waves

First, there are the seven seals ( Rev 6:1–8:1 ). Then there are the seven trumpets ( Rev 8:2–11:19 ). And then, there are the seven angels with seven plagues, also called the seven bowls ( Rev 16:1–21 ). God’s judgment will come upon the earth in wave after wave after wave. And these judgments will escalate. The world, as I understand it, will be sent back to the stone age by the time these seven years are completed. And just when it couldn’t get any worse for God’s enemies, Christ will return in glory in Revelation 19 .

As an example of this escalation throughout the tribulation. The worst of the seven seals is what we’ve seen already in chapter 6 when people run and hide in caves ( 6:15–17 ). That’s the sixth seal.

The worst of the seven trumpets is probably the sixth as well where in Revelation 9:15 , a third of mankind is killed. However the fifth trumpet, before that, which involves demonic torment that feels like scorpion stings, is no picnic either ( 9:3–11 ). It says that people will want to die because this torture is so bad, but they won’t be allowed to ( 9:6 ). That’s gruesome! And by the way, we’ve never seen anything like this. We’ve seen tribulation. But nothing like this. This is still to come.

The worst of the bowl judgments is probably the seventh which produces the worst earthquake in history ( 16:18 ). And as part of this, there will be great hailstones that weigh about a hundred pounds each falling from the sky at this time ( 16:21 ). If you thought the hail that fell on Egypt during the plagues was bad, you ain’t seen nothing yet. And this hailstorm is global. It’s not just localized in Egypt.

And that seventh bowl signals the completion of God’s wrath in Revelation 16. And it sets up the dramatic showdown between “the unholy trinity” (antichrist, false prophet, and Satan) in Babylon and Christ ( see Rev 17–19 ).

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Speaking of the antichrist, here’s a second characteristic of the tribulation.

2) The antichrist will rise and rule

Turn with me, if you would, to Revelation 13 . Let’s examine this text.

When you read Revelation 4–19 , there’s this wild juxtaposition. There is concurrently the pouring out of God’s wrath on our world and the rise of a wicked, God-defying ruler. And you might think to yourself, wouldn’t the pouring out of God’s wrath cause people to turn to God and repent? No, not really. Some do. Most don’t.

Which is not really that surprising if you are familiar with the rest of the Scriptures. And I think this is especially true in the tribulation because there is widespread deceit and delusion among humanity. And in the pretrib view, the church is gone! The church has been raptured. And the Spirit’s work through the church is gone. So that’s part of the reason that rebellion and deceit are so widespread.

I heard a political commentator say once that he just can’t wait till the church is less influential in our world. He can’t wait until the voice of Christians to be silenced in our world. Careful what you wish for!

Now in terms of the antichrist, this is something that’s been burgeoning for centuries. The spirit of the antichrist has been active since the beginning of the church age according to 1 and 2 John ( see 1 John 2:18; 4:3; 2 John 7 ). But as we saw last week, the removal of the Restrainer makes it possible for a human, antichrist figure to emerge. This is the man of lawlessness from 2 Thessalonians ( 2 Thess 2:3–7 ). This is the desolator from Daniel 9 (9:27) . This is the beast described in Revelation.

And the beast is differentiated from Satan. The beast is not Satan. But he is satanic. He’s a satanically induced and empowered world leader.

I was talking about this yesterday with Alastair. And he asked me, “Do you think the antichrist will be an A.I. bot that takes over the world?” It was an interesting question. But my answer to him was, “No. The antichrist will be a real human being, empowered by Satan.” Could he use A.I. technology and other technology as part of his rise to power? Sure. I don’t know why not. But I hesitate to speculate.

And by the way, let me get something off my chest. I get really annoyed by all these Christians running around saying, “That guy’s the antichrist!” Or “That lady’s the antichrist! I just know it!”

Look, my view is that we, as the church, are going to be long gone before the rise of the antichrist. So how would we know now who he is? So calm down, everybody! Let’s be more shrewd than that. Don’t give fuel to that fire, to people who are running around “chicken-little-ing other” Christians.

Here’s what Revelation 13 says. Remember now, this is in the seven-year period, and we, the church have been raptured. Look at verse 1 .

1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon [Satan] gave his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. 4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” 5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.

There’s that reference to 42 months or 1,260 days or three and a half years. Something happens at the halfway point of the seven years that propels this antichrist into a place of unrestrained power and authority. Daniel 9:27 said that “on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate.”

Some have suggested that the temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt and the antichrist makes an offering there to himself or maybe even to Satan. That doesn’t sound farfetched to me when you put these texts from Daniel, Revelation, and others together. And that’s not unlike what we see with Antiochus Epiphanes in the OT. That precursor to the antichrist sacrificed a pig on the altar in Jerusalem. He set up an idol to Zeus in the temple! That was called an abomination that causes desolation. That, in my mind, was a precursor to what the true and better Antiochus Ephiphaes, the antichrist, does in the tribulation.

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Here’s a third characteristic of the tribulation.

3) There will be global activity and distress

Now we’ve already talked about the global distress that comes about through the wrath of God poured out on the world. That’s clearly presented in Revelation. But part of that also involves the empowering of the antichrist. He, as you can imagine, makes our world worse than ever.

Look at Revelation 13:6 .

6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear: 10 If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

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Part of this “global activity and distress” is the work of the false prophet who is likewise empowered by Satan. Here’s a fourth characteristic of the tribulation.

4) There will be global deception through the false prophet

John calls this “false prophet” a second beast. Look at Revelation 13, verse 11 .

11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

So, in the tribulational period, whoever doesn’t receive this number on the right hand or the forehead will be unable to buy and sell. The Christians who turn to Christ during this time, both Jews and Gentiles (more on that in a second), are impoverished and excluded from the global economy. They have to survive in a time of great plight. And most of them die. That’s why we have actual martyrs of the tribulation mentioned in the book of Revelation (see 6:9–11; 7:13–14) .

As I understand it, these seven years of tribulation will be unpleasant from start to finish. But the last three and a half years, the 42 months at the end, will be especially unpleasant for Christians and non-Christians alike. This is what Jesus described as the “great tribulation” ( Matt 24:21 ).

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Here’s a fifth characteristic of the tribulation.

5) The midpoint will be the abomination of desolation

I’ll be quick with this one, because I’ve already alluded to it in Daniel 9 . This is the event that takes place in the middle of the seven years. Whatever that event was, it dramatically escalated the power of the antichrist in our world. And it was a great blasphemy against the Lord.

Now people see that clearly in Daniel 9 . But it’s harder to identify in Revelation. Probably the event in Revelation 13:15 is what correlates.

14 and by the signs that it [the false prophet] is allowed to work in the presence of the beast [the antichrist] it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

Now there have been extensive speculations as to what this is—the image of the beast being made to speak. I hesitate to speculate. But whatever this is, this is probably that which is described in Daniel 9:27 as the abomination that causes desolation in the middle of the seventieth week.

Notice too, that the antichrist is wounded. He’s wounded by a sword. Again, this is a human being! This is a demonically empowered human being, but he is still able to receive wounds. But that wound doesn’t kill him. Not yet! Jesus will take care of that at his second coming!

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Here’s a sixth characteristic of the tribulation.

6) Many people will be saved and martyred

Some will be saved and not martyred. They will go right on into the millennium. But many will be saved and martyred .

As God’s wrath is poured out in the tribulation, the majority of the people’s hearts will be hardened. Revelation 9:20 says that the people not killed by plagues will not repent. They will instead worship demons and idols. And as part of that, the outpouring of God’s wrath may give rise to the one-world leader we call the antichrist. The people will pursue him and embrace his deception rather than repent and submit to the Lord.

But there will also be salvations during this time. I mentioned already the two witnesses who will be miraculously preserved during the first three and a half years of the tribulation ( Rev 11:3–12 ). They testify to Christ, and they are put to death by the antichrist when he rises to power. Additionally the antichrist makes war with “the saints” to overcome them ( Rev 13:7 ). Who are those saints? Maybe these are people converted by the ministry of the two witnesses.

We also have reference to a number of people who trust Christ and become believers during this time. There are those who don’t take the mark of the beast, the infamous “666” ( Rev 13:16–17 ). There are those who are martyred during this time and cry out for vengeance ( Rev 6:9–11 ). Revelation 14:13 says “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord” during this time.

If you are a posttribber, you see this as those in the church who are killed during the tribulation. If you are a pretribber, these are those who are saved after the rapture of the church. Again, the two witnesses may figure prominently in these mass conversions.

You also have the mysterious 144,000 Jews who are protected during this time ( Rev 7:1–8; 14:1–5 ). These people are shielded from God’s wrath and they are shielded from antichrist and death. They are at least some of those who survive the tribulation and populate the millennium ( Rev 20:4–6 ).

As we’ve seen already, everyone who populates the millennium is a believer. Everyone else is dead. But in the millennium after centuries of procreation, some of the children of those who first populate the millennium join in Satan’s rebellion at the end of the millennium ( Rev 20:7–9 ).

Also, you have this interesting statement concerning “the ones coming out of the great tribulation” in Revelation 7:9–14 . This is worth quoting in full.

John says starting in chapter 7, verse 9 . I’m going to read all the way to verse 14 .

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

And notice if you will, this great multitude coming out of the great tribulation includes people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. So it’s not just Jews saved in the tribulation, it’s Gentiles too.

And these martyred saints aren’t brokenhearted about dying! They go right into the throne room of God and start worshipping the Lord. “Yeah, I died in the tribulation. Whatever! Let’s worship God!”

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So, many people will be saved and martyred in the tribulation, Jews and Gentiles both. And finally, here’s a seventh characteristic of the tribulation.

7) It culminates in the return of Christ

I know we’re examining Revelation 4–19 , but let’s finish by turning to Matthew 24 . Let’s let the Lord Jesus have the last word on this matter.

If you remember, we started this series in Revelation 19 weeks ago. We saw Jesus coming down from heaven riding on a white horse. He had a sword coming out of his mouth. He had King of Kings and Lord of Lords tattooed on his thighs. That’s definitively the end of the tribulation. From then on out it’s Christ reigning over the earth—reigning during the millennium ( Rev 20 ) and then reigning during the eternal state ( Rev 21–22 ).

Coincidently, that’s not the only time that Jesus’s return is described in the NT. Look at Matthew 24:29.

29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days

Interesting turn of phrase by Jesus here, right? “The tribulation of those days!” It’s almost like Jesus anticipated a future tribulational period!

29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

This is Jesus’s version in Matthew 24 of what John records in Revelation 19 . Jesus’s return is unmistakable, visible, and global!

When you read the Bible, one of the most hilarious statements in the Bible is 2 Thessalonians 2 where there were people going around saying that the Day of the Lord has already happened. It’s like chicken little got loose in Thessalonica and people are saying, “It’s already over. We missed it.” And Paul has to reassure them, “No, no, no. It hasn’t happened yet. Trust me. It’s going to get much worse before it gets better.”

And then there were these people in Ephesus that were saying that the resurrection of the dead has already happened, and the church missed it ( see 2 Tim 2:18 ). And Paul’s like, “No, no, no. You haven’t missed it. Trust me, no one has missed it. It’s still to come.”

And then are those who say in our day, “Christ has already come!” Are you sure? Cause I don’t remember this! I don’t remember Matthew 24 taking place!

Or “Christ isn’t coming again.” Or, this is especially popular, “Christ is coming back again in our hearts! It’s just in our hearts.” No. No. No. No! Christ is coming back again. It’s going to be cosmic. It’s going to be visible. It’s going to be bodily. It’s going to be unmistakable. Matthew 24. Revelation 19 . Nobody is going to miss it… especially not the enemies of Christ.

So make sure you are on the right side of that at his return. Make sure you are on his side at his return. Amen, pray with me.

John 3:1–15: “Lifted Up—Ye Must Be Born Again” (Easter 2026)

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:19:38 GMT

Dr. Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

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Numbers 21:1–9: "Lifted Up." || Good Friday 2026

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 18:49:28 GMT

Dr. Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

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Final Things Lesson 6 - The Rapture and First Resurrection.

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:53:05 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

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We are in the midst of a series called “Final Things.” We started with the second coming of Christ in Lesson 1. We moved forward from there to the millennium, the eternal state, and the New Jerusalem. Last time we went back in time to discuss the church age and the intermediate state. Today, we move forward to the end of the church age, at the rapture. Next week, we’ll discuss the tribulation, and then in our final lesson, the church and Israel.

Today we discuss one of the most exciting and dramatic aspects of what’s called eschatology (the study of end times). Tonight we discuss the rapture. There’s a lot of confusion about this issue. And there’s a lot of controversy concerning it. There’s controversy about its timing. Is it pretribulational, posttribulational, or midtribulational? There’s controversy too about whether its even in the Bible. Some people assume that Christians are just trying to escape this world, and that’s why they invented the rapture.

Let me start tonight by saying that many of our friends and our Christian brothers and sisters disagree about the rapture. That’s okay. We love them. They don’t have to agree with us on everything eschatological for us to love them. But I’m going to do my best to build a biblical case for the rapture and for the pretribulational understanding of it.

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Here’s your outline for today. I want to give you first three answers to the question:

What is the Rapture?

After that, I want to transition to a defense of a pretribulational rapture. As part of that, I’ll give you:

Seven Reasons for a Pretribulational Rapture

And then, we’re done. Write this down as a first answer to the question, “what is the rapture?”

1) The rapture removes the church to meet Christ in the air before his return to the earth (1 Thess 4:16–17)

I hope that you can tell that every word and every prepositional phrase in that first point is intentional and important. The rapture removes the church to meet Christ in the air … before his return … to the earth . Let’s return to 1 Thessalonians 4 to flesh this out.

Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 the following:

15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

So Paul says here that Christ will come and remove those who are alive. Look again at verse 17 ,

17 Then we who are alive, who are left,

That is Christians who haven’t died in Christ yet. Those are the “we who are alive.” Just to be clear Paul and the Thessalonians are no longer part of that category. They have died in Christ. They will receive their resurrection bodies just a few microseconds before those who are raptured.

17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Notice a couple things here. We will be “caught up.” This is the Greek word ἁρπάζω ( harpazō ) . This word could be translated “raptured” or “seized” or “snatched up.” This is the same word that is used of Philip in Acts 8:39 when Luke says that after he baptized the Ethiopian Eunuch “the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing” ( 8:39 ). The Holy Spirit harpazō-ed Philip. He snatched him away! This is not the same technical thing that takes places in 1 Thessalonians 4. Philip did not get raptured to receive a new resurrection body at this time. But the same word is used to convey a sudden and unexpected taking away.

So at the rapture, the saints that are still alive at Christ’s coming will be snatched away and receive resurrection bodies immediately. And notice too that they will meet the Lord in the air. Everyone see that in verse 17 ? What does that mean? Why in the air? Why not on the earth where Christ comes to set up his millennial kingdom?

If you remember from Revelation 19 , when Christ comes, with a sword coming out of his mouth and his thighs tattooed with “Lord of Lords,” we are part of the Lord’s entourage. We are on horses behind him. And Christ doesn’t come to take us up to the air (i.e., to heaven). He comes to take us back to earth!

So how do we reconcile 1 Thessalonians 4 with Revelation 19 ? The answer is simpler than people make it. The answer is that Jesus comes for us, the church first, in the rapture. We spend a period of time in the air, or in heaven while the seven-year tribulation takes place on earth. And then, after seven years, we return with Christ from heaven to earth to participate with his setting up of the millennial kingdom.

And you probably have two questions about that. 1) First of all, what do we do for that seven-year period? 2) And secondly you might ask, “why seven years?”

Well let’s answer those questions in turn. The first question (what do we do for that seven-year period?) is answered elsewhere in Scripture. But notice how Paul ends 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ,

we will always be with the Lord.

The short answer is we’ll be with the Lord. And that’s enough for me. To that you might say, “Yeah, but isn’t that true of saints who have died already in the faith?” Yes, that is true. But they are either disembodied or they have bodily rentals. They haven’t yet received their resurrection bodies. So to be more precise, during this seven-year period, we will be embodied with resurrection bodies! And we will be with the Lord!

I would add to that, that we will experience what’s called “the bema seat judgment.” I told you about this last week. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says that we must appear before the judgment seat (βῆμα [ bēma ] “tribunal” or “judicial bench”) of Christ. Every single thing that we have ever done will be exposed before us and before Christ at the bema seat judgment (see Rom 14:10–12; 1 Cor 3:12–15; 4:5). And we will be rewarded at that time (see Matt 5:11–12; 6:1–21; 10:41–42; 16:27; 25:21, 23; 1 Cor 15:58; 2 Tim 4:8; Jas 1:12; 1 Pet 5:4; Luke 14:14; Rev 22:12) . We will be judged; but not judged and condemned. There’s no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1) . Instead, we will be judged and rewarded accordingly.

Also, Revelation 19 alludes to the marriage supper of the Lamb that precedes Christ’s second coming. I think this will commence during this seven-year period. That’s the best way to make sense of the sequence of events in Revelation 19–22.

Now what about the seven years? Why seven years? Well, we’ll deal with this more thoroughly next week when we talk tribulation. But let’s dip our toes into Daniel 9 to understand why seven years. Turn with me to Daniel 9.

Daniel writes in Daniel 9:24,

24 “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.

The context of this passage suggests that these seventy weeks are actually weeks of years, meaning seven-year periods. So if you have seventy “weeks” or seventy “weeks of years” or seventy sevens, you have 490 years. And the language here is the language of a Messiah. There is atoning for iniquity. There is the bringing in of everlasting righteousness. Daniel, like other OT prophets, is prophesying the kingdom to come and the Messiah to come.

Look at verse 25.

25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks.

The decree to restore and build Jerusalem took place after Daniel in the days of Nehemiah (Neh 2:1–8). The Persian King Artaxerxes tells Nehemiah to go build up Jerusalem. And Nehemiah obeys. That took place in approximately 444 BC. Nehemiah built the walls around Jerusalem in 52 days (Neh 6:15). But it took more like 49 years (seven weeks of years) to restore the entire city of Jerusalem, namely its population, its infrastructure, and its civic life.

Look at the end of verse 25.

And for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.

The city of Jerusalem grew and expanded over the years under the Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires. But there was never lasting peace. There was always trouble, because of the oppression of those powerful nations. Persia was a bear in Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel 7. Greece was a four-winged leopard. And Rome was an indescribable beast. They were all beastly kingdoms, and trouble always surrounded Jerusalem.

Look at verse 26.

26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing.

When you take those sixty-two weeks and add seven weeks to them, you get sixty-nine weeks or sixty-nine weeks of years, namely 483 years. So the terminus a quo (starting point) of this prophecy is the command to rebuild Jerusalem in approximately 444 BC ( Neh 2:1-8 ).

The terminus ad quem (ending point) of the prophecy is the Messiah (the “anointed one” ) being cut off in approximately AD 33. Those 483 years are more like 476 years according to the Jewish calendar which is lunar not solar. So you have 360 days a year, not 365.

This is the time frame in between the call to rebuild the temple and the coming of the anointed one, Jesus Christ. He is “cut off,” in the sense that he is put to death. This would have been cryptic and hard to discern in Daniel’s day. But from our vantage point, the math (at least in terms of approximation) adds up. Daniel said himself that his own visions were confusing. But when you combine this prophecy with Isaiah 53 , and when you see what transpired with the anointed one, Jesus Christ, at his crucifixion, this all makes sense.

Now look at the middle of verse 26.

And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.

This is a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. That happened after Jesus’s death and resurrection. And the prince referenced here is the man of lawlessness who Paul mentions in 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 . This is the antichrist or “the spirit of the antichrist” (1 John 4:3) who is restrained by the Restrainer for a time (2 Thess 2:6–7) .

But, look at verse 27.

27 And he [the prince or the man of lawlessness] shall make a strong covenant with many for one week,

So you have 69 weeks leading up the coming of Christ. And then you have one week after that. You have one week or one seven of years, namely a seven-year period.

27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

I’m sure after receiving this Daniel was utterly perplexed and flabbergasted. In fact, Daniel says in Daniel 8:27 after a similar vision, “I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king’s business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.” Probably something similar happens here at the end of Daniel 9 too.

But what we do see is that there is a reference to a seven-year period. That seven-year period has to do with Israel and its anointed one. And that seven-year period is cut in half indicating something.

Look again at verse 27 : “and for half of the week.” That half-week corresponds roughly to the “time, times, and half a time” mentioned in Daniel 7:25 and 12:7 and echoed in Revelation 12:14 . It also aligns with the 1,260 days referenced in Daniel 12:11–12 and in Revelation 11:3 and 12:6 . Also it aligns with the 42 months noted in Revelation 11:2 and 13:5 .

Now here’s where we need to put our Bible together as good Bible students. How do we make sense of these different passages in the OT and the NT? Not all Christians agree, but many premillennialists, and especially pretribulational premillennialists, believe that the 483-year period of time is that time between Nehemiah and the first coming of Christ. After that, there is a parenthesis called the church, where God grafts Gentiles into his plan of redemption. We see a similar gap in other places in the OT (see e.g., Isa 61:1–2; Dan 2:40–45, 7:7–8; Zech 9:9–10) .

And then after that, there is a seven-year period of tribulation where the man of lawlessness or the antichrist or the desolator is unleashed on the world. And after that seven-year period, there is the second coming of Christ, the millennium, then the great white throne judgment, and then the eternal state. All the stuff we’ve studied the last five lessons.

“Tell me more about this tribulation, Pastor Tony. Tell me more about the antichrist and the removal of the church.” I can’t tell you more about that right now. Because I’ve got to save some material for next week, when we deal with the tribulation.

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So more on that next week, unless the Lord raptures us before then. Write this down as a second answer to the question, “what is the rapture?”

2) The rapture provides resurrection bodies for believers who have not died (1 Cor 15:51–52; 1 Thess 4:16–17)

Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15 . We looked at this passage last time, but let’s revisit it. Let’s look at verses 51 and 52 .

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Remember the context of this. This is Paul talking about our resurrection bodies. And he says that Jesus’s body is the firstfruits of our own resurrection bodies. But he adds this interesting statement about those who shall not sleep. What does that mean?

Well “sleep” is Paul’s beloved euphemism for the death of a Christian. Christ died, so that we just fall asleep in Christ Jesus. But some won’t sleep. Why not? Don’t we want to fall asleep in Christ Jesus? Yes, but some will instead be changed instantaneously.

Look at verse 52 .

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

We will be changed. It’ll be so fast! It will be incalculably fast—the twinkling of an eye! We will shed our old bodies and put on new bodies without ever having to die.

For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

So the dead will be raised imperishable. But we… Paul is referring to those who are still alive at Christ’s return… We are part of that “we” now, but Paul is no longer part of it.

we shall be changed.

We shall shed this skin like a snake! Like a lizard… except faster! And immediately, we will put on immortality. We shall shuffle off this mortal coil, and put on immortality. That’s the rapture.

Now let’s turn back to 1 Thessalonians again. And let’s see the correspondence of these ideas with 1 Corinthians . There’s the same flow of thought as 1 Corinthians , but Paul gives more precision in 1 Thessalonians about the sequence of the when the dead in Christ and the alive in Christ receive their resurrection bodies.

Look at 1 Thessalonians 4:16 .

16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.

Notice “the trumpet of God” here. Same audible signal as 1 Corinthians . Will we hear a trumpet at this time? Yes, we will. Will the rest of the world hear this trumpet when the church is raptured? I don’t know. Maybe so. Will they hear the cry of the command of the Lord and the voice of an archangel? I don’t know. Paul doesn’t specify.

But Paul does specify this. Look at the end of verse 16 .

And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

So again, the rapture provides resurrection bodies for believers who have not died. And technically speaking, both believers who have died and those who are still alive will receive resurrection bodies when Christ gathers us up in the air. We talked about this last week. Those believers who have died already are in a disembodied state in the intermediate heaven, in the intermediate state. If they do have bodies, they are temporary bodies. Because they, like us, are waiting for Jesus to gather up the church in the air to receive their bodies.

But I prefer to reserve the term “rapture” for only those who are still alive at that future time. It might be us, if we live till that event. We don’t know. And for those who are alive at this time of Christ’s gathering, we are privileged to receive our resurrection bodies immediately after those who have died in Christ. And we receive our resurrection bodies without dying .

I know I’ve said lots of times, “Born once; die twice. Born twice; die once.” And that’s a great statement. I don’t know who made that statement first, but I’ve been plagiarizing that person for twenty plus years. But there is one exception to that expression. Those who are raptured are born twice. They are born to their parents, and they are born again in Christ. But they don’t die once. And they don’t die twice. They never die. Bully for them! Like Enoch in the OT, they skip death ( see Gen 5:24 ).

And the way Paul frames it in 1 Thessalonians is kind of like a father telling his children that each of them is special in their own way. But they are all his children. Those who die before the rapture. They get raised first. That’s awesome. They get a head start on being with the Lord. That’s fantastic.

But then there are those who get raptured without dying! That’s awesome too! You don’t have to die. Each opportunity is special, but the end result is the same. We will be embodied with the Lord Jesus, all of his saints in the air awaiting (for seven years) his victorious return.

So I kind of imagine us gathered around Jesus after the rapture. And we’re all swapping stories and admiring each other’s new resurrected state.

“Check out my resurrection body! Don’t I look fabulous?”

“Yes you do! Check out my new resurrection body!”

“Did you get raptured? No, I’ve been with Jesus for 500 years waiting for this day.”

“Really, that’s awesome! What’d you do during that time?”

“We were cheering on the saints like you to finish well! Did you get raptured?”

“Why, yes, I did!”

“How was that?”

“It was awesome. I didn’t have to die. It was just as amazing as Paul said it would be in 1 Thessalonians .”

And we’ll swap stories. And we’ll celebrate. And we will visit with those who died before us. then we’ll experience the bema seat judgment. And then we’ll begin the marriage supper of the Lamb. And we will wait seven years until it’s time to return to earth with Jesus as part of his victorious entourage.

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Write this down as a third answer to the question, “what is the rapture”? Thirdly…

3) The rapture precedes the pouring out of God’s wrath upon the earth (1 Thess 5:9)

Let’s look together now at 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 . Now sequentially, 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 follows 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 . Let me just tell you, that is not an accident. In other words, Paul talks about how we will be raptured and taken up to be with the Lord in the sky in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 . And then he talks about the cataclysmic Day of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 . Those events are sequential—one follows the other.

And Paul writes in 5:1 ,

1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.

Paul must have shared something about the end time with them. Maybe Paul didn’t get into the particulars of how Christ was going to raise the dead when he returned, and how Christ was going to rapture believers… that’s why he wrote 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 . But the Thessalonians did know something about Jesus’s return. Paul taught them something.

Look at verse 2 .

2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

The language here is similar to Jesus’s language during what’s called the Olivet Discourse ( Matt 24–25 ). Jesus took his disciples aside and told them what to expect before his second coming. And one of the things that Jesus told his disciples is that people will be surprised (even shocked!) at his coming. Jesus even compared his second coming to the days of Noah. Jesus said, “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” ( Matt 24:37–39 ).

People will be having a good time. People will be assuming that they are good with God. People will be saying, “there is peace and security,” even though there isn’t on earth or in their hearts. They are not at peace with God. And in that season of obliviousness and apathy towards God, Christ will return. And the wrath of God will be poured out on the earth.

I’m really thankful for that “Noah analogy” that Jesus uses, because that’s how I see the church at the time of Christ’s return. We will escape God’s judgment and the pouring out of God’s wrath just like Noah and his family escaped God’s judgment at the flood. But instead of a boat, we will escape through rapture and the receiving of our new bodies.

Jesus also compared the timing of his coming to the labor pains that come upon a pregnant woman. Let me read another section from the Olivet Discourse. This is Matthew 24:3–8 . “As [Jesus] sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ And Jesus answered them, ‘See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.’”

So, as I understand it, there will be “signs of the end of the age” including these birth pains: war, rumors of war, false messiahs, famines, earthquakes, etc. It’ll seem like the earth is groaning and heaving like a woman about to give birth. And this will signal that the time is near.

Keep in mind, though, that in that same Olivet Discourse, Jesus said, “No one knows the hour or the day” ( Matt 24:36 ). So, we will have a sense that the coming is near, but we won’t have specificity.

Some of you might come and ask me after the service, “Pastor Tony, do you think the rapture will happen this year, or next year, or the next few years?” And if you do, I will tell you, “Maybe!” Maybe, because I can see an increase in catastrophes worldwide and wars and rumors of wars. I even see evidence of false Christs out there who try to compete with Jesus.

But I’m not going to stake my reputation as a Bible teacher on the rapture taking place this year or next year or any time soon. But I do believe in what’s called the “imminent return of Christ.” I believe that his return for the church can happen at any time. And that’s why we need to be ready for it. More on that later.

Now, back to 1 Thessalonians 5 . Look again at verse 3 .

3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them … and they will not escape.

Concerning that, you might say, “What does that destruction look like?” Well, I believe that this is the wrath of God detailed in the Book of Revelation ( see especially Rev 6 –19 ). This includes the seven seal judgments, the seven bowl judgments, and the seven trumpet judgments. There are descriptions of this in the OT as well. All of this “ destruction,” as Paul calls it, will take place in a seven-year period of tribulation involving an antichrist, a false prophet, and Satan producing a massive upheaval in our world.

Some believe that the church will live through that seven-year period of tribulation and be a witness for Christ in the midst of that chaos, namely those in the midtribulation camp and the posttribulation camp.

But I’m a pretribber. I believe that the church will be raptured out of the world during that period and escape God’s wrath, just like Noah and his family in the ark.

But for the unbelievers who live through that period, they will experience God’s wrath and judgment. And verse 3 says clearly,

they will not escape.

But that’s unbelievers. Paul says in verse 4 concerning believers:

4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

The “you” there is emphatic in the Greek. It’s a hard contrast from those who won’t escape judgment in verse 3. “But you (You, brothers!) are not in darkness!” It’s emphatic, but it’s also plural. It refers to all the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica. And it applies to you as well, church. If you truly are in Christ, then you are not in darkness, and you have nothing to fear.

Look again at verse 5 .

5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

Jesus said himself, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” ( John 8:12 ). Do you follow Jesus, church? Are you one of his disciples? If so, you do not walk in darkness. You have the light of life.

In light of that, look at verse 6 .

6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.

Now let me explain something here, because this is a little confusing in English. It’s clearer in Greek. Last week we talked about those who sleep as a euphemism for death. And Paul used the word κοιμάω in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 . “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep [κοιμάω meaning “those who are dead”], that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” ( 4:13 ).

But here Paul changes the vocabulary of sleep from κοιμάω to another word for sleep, καθεύδω . Sorry to be so technical here, but this is important. This is a different kind of sleep and a different kind of sleeping. Paul isn’t talking about those who are asleep in the Lord, those who are “dead in Christ” ( 4:16 ). He’s talking about those who are asleep spiritually . They are not “awake” to the things of the Lord. They are slumbering spiritually . You talk about the Lord, and they yawn. You mention Christ’s imminent return, and they rub their eyes and nod off.

But Paul says, “We are not like that! We are not children of the night ; we are children of the light !” Look at verse 8 .

8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

Notice the threefold armor of the Christian in that verse: faith, hope, love. Paul uses that trifecta elsewhere ( see 1 Cor 13:13 ).

9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep [not asleep spiritually like we saw in verse 6, but asleep physically meaning “dead in Christ”] we might live with him.

Paul says here clearly that we are saved from God’s wrath! How? Through the death of Christ. It’s right here in 1 Thessalonians 5 among other places. We are not objects of God’s wrath!

11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

The important thing to note in 1 Thessalonians 5 , among other things, is that “God has not destined us for wrath.” The cataclysmic day of the Lord which is prophesied repeatedly in the OT is an outpouring of God’s wrath on our world. But we are not objects of that wrath.

How are we going to escape it on the day of the Lord? The answer, of course, is that we will be raptured. And we will be with the Lord in that day. And that’s why I say, The rapture precedes the pouring out of God’s wrath upon the earth . The sequence of events recorded in Paul’s prophecy in 1 Thessalonians 4–5 substantiate that statement.

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Now, stay with me here. Let me get technical with you on the different views of the rapture, before I come back to the pretribulational view and defend it. There are three reputable views on the timing of the rapture.

1) Here’s the first—posttribulationism. Some of our good friends in the evangelical Christian community who share our premillennial viewpoint think that the rapture will take place at the end of this seven-year tribulation, not the beginning. They think that we, the church, will go through that period of tribulation. And we will be raptured basically right before Christ returns on horseback, á la Revelation 19. That view is called posttribulationism.

It’s a good view. It’s a reputable view. Some of my favorite people and Bible scholars in the world hold to this: Wayne Grudem, John Piper, Doug Moo, Millard Erickson, D.A. Carson, Al Mohler, Jim Hamilton, etc. Many refer to this position as historical premillennialism, because this view dates back to the early days of the church. It’s a good view. It’s not my view.

2) Now other premillennialists hold to what’s called midtribulationism. They advocate for a midtribulation rapture, or a variation of this view is what’s called a pre-wrath rapture. And this view maintains that the church will be raptured halfway through the tribulation, around that time in which Daniel speaks of the three-and-a-half-year mark when the antichrist is let loose.

Midtribulationists believe that this is the time that God’s wrath is unleashed, and because of that, the church is removed. Again, this is a good view. It has merits. There are people I respect that hold to it. It’s a smaller camp then the other views. But it’s not my view.

3) I hold to what’s called pretribulationism or a pretribulational rapture. I’m a “pretribber” like John Walvoord, Tim LaHaye, Charles Ryrie, John MacArthur, David Jeremiah, John Feinberg, Paul Feinberg, Robert Thomas, Michael Vlach, Chuck Swindoll, Arnold Fruchtenbaum and many others. It’s the stated position of the Moody Bible Institute where I teach. It’s the historic position of Dallas Theological Seminary and other likeminded institutions. That’s my camp. That’s my tribe. I’m comfortable there.

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But let’s keep in mind what I said at the beginning of this series—eschatology is that realm of Christian theology where we need the most generosity and grace toward one another. Because there are lots of disagreements. And this issue is difficult when you try to put together all the texts of Scripture, like we’ve done today. And this isn’t the deity of Christ.

Nevertheless, let me give you seven reasons why I hold to a pretribulation rapture. Write these down. I’ll try to be quick.

Seven Reasons for a Pretribulational Rapture. Here’s the first.

1) It could take place at any time— imminence

Let me read for you, if I could, our doctrinal statement on this at Messiah: “We eagerly await Christ’s imminent return for the Church, when believers will receive a new body at the resurrection. We believe the church will return to Earth with Jesus at His promised Second Coming, when He will establish and rule over His 1,000-year Kingdom centered in Jerusalem. At the conclusion of the Kingdom, the world will experience a final judgment, after which the Father, Son and Spirit will dwell eternally among God’s people in the coming New Heavens and Earth called the New Jerusalem.”

You’ll notice there the statement about Jesus’s millennial kingdom. You should notice too the statement concerning the new heavens and new earth and the New Jerusalem. You should notice too that we eagerly await Christ’s imminent return.

Now we don’t spell out there a pretribulational rapture. And we don’t require members to hold to that. But the logic of imminence is better understood with a pretrib rapture than with a midtrib or posttrib rapture. Here’s why I say that. Imminence means nearness or suddenness. And one of the things that the NT speaks about repeatedly is the imminent return of Christ, and our need to be ready for it (see Luke 12:36; 21:36; Rom 8:23, 25; Phil 4:5; Titus 2:13; Jas 5:8–9; 1 Pet 4:7) . In other words, Paul and the other apostles thought it could happen at any time.

But if the logic of everything that I’ve presented tonight holds, then a midtrib or posttrib rapture can’t really be said to be immanent. And that’s because the clock on the seven years will have already started with the church in the tribulation. So the church would know that they are in that seven-year window. So there’s no shock or surprise. They know the approximate timing of the rapture.

This is not an irrefutable, definitive, nail-in-the-coffin argument for the pretrib rapture. I don’t know if there is a nail-in-the-coffin argument for any of these views. But, this is persuasive to me. Immanence means unexpected. And that makes sense in a pretrib scheme.

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Here’s a second reason for a pretrib rapture.

2) God pours out his wrath during the tribulation

As I argued earlier, the tribulation is tied to the cataclysmic Day of the Lord. And Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3 , “The day of the Lord will come like a thief… then sudden destruction will come upon them.” Just to be clear, we are not the “them” in that verse. We don’t experience that wrath. That’s for unbelievers.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:9 , Paul writes, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation.” In 1 Thessalonians 1:10 , Paul writes, “Jesus… delivers us from the wrath to come.”

Similarly, in the passages in Revelation that speak of the tribulation period, there are repeated references to God’s wrath being poured out on the world. In Revelation 6:16–17 , the people cry out, “hide us… from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come.” In Revelation 15:1 , it says, “with them the wrath of God is finished.” In Revelation 16:1 , it says, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” Why would the church be present during this time if we are “not destined for the wrath to come” ( 1 Thess 5:9 )?

Again, this is not indisputably definitive. This is not a nail-in-the-coffin. But it’s a piece of evidence that persuades me towards the pretribulational rapture view.

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Here’s a third reason.

3) The removal of the Restrainer

I won’t belabor this one, because we talked about it last week. In 2 Thessalonians 2:6 , there is a Restrainer that is removed before the son of lawlessness is unleashed. What is that Restrainer? I don’t know what else it could be other than the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit’s influence through the church in our world. That work that began at Pentecost is completed at the rapture.

Now a midtribber might say that the Holy Spirit and the church has influence all the way until the halfway point of the tribulation. And then the man of lawlessness is let loose. That’s a possibility. But if this happens at the end of the tribulation, then there’s no time left in the seven years for the man of lawlessness to be let loose.

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Here’s a fourth reason for a pretribulational rapture.

4) God redirects his attention toward Israel

Now this is a position that is not shared by all premillennialists. But it is shared by most pretribulational premillennialists. And that position is that God has a future plan for Israel. There will be a time in the future where he will fulfill OT promises. Many of those promises are fulfilled in the millennial kingdom.

But that redirection towards Israel doesn’t begin at the millennial kingdom. It actually begins when the church is raptured. That’s why Revelation 6–19 says nothing specific about the church. The word “church” (ἐκκλησία) largely disappears after chapter 3 . Instead John talks about the 144,000 of the tribes of Israel.

This is a huge topic. And I don’t have time to get into all of it tonight. Thankfully, two weeks from today we will discuss the church and Israel. Come back for that. But be aware, this is one of the persuasive reasons to hold to a pretrib rapture.

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And a corollary to that issue is this fifth reason.

5) Who populates Jesus’s millennial kingdom ?

This is more an argument against posttribulationism than against midtribulationism. I was introduced to this matter years ago by Paul Feinberg, who argued that if the church is raptured right before Jesus returns… and if Jesus comes to earth and destroys all his enemies… then who is left to populate the millennial kingdom?

As we’ve seen already, the millennial kingdom is full of both resurrected believers in their new bodies, and people who will live and procreate in the kingdom. There will be millions of people on the earth during this kingdom, some of which will rebel against the Lord and be part of Satan’s final rebellion. But if you hold to a posttrib rapture, then who is left to populate the millennial kingdom? Everyone is either dead or raptured!

As of yet, I have not heard a good answer to this question from the posttrib camp. And it remains for me a persuasive reason to hold to a pretrib rapture.

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And the same issue is in place for these last two questions. #6.

6) When does the bema seat judgment take place?

If we are raptured just before Christ’s return to earth, then there’s no time for judgment. We go up and then right back down!

When do we experience our judgment? We know it can’t be at the great white throne judgment, because that’s for unbelievers only, and that leads to the eternal death in the lake of fire. So when does the bema seat judgment happen?

A pretribber says during the seven years of tribulation. A midtribber might say during the three and a half years of the end of the tribulation, what they call the great tribulation . A posttribber has to find another time for this judgment.

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And this seventh statement is even more persuasive for the pretrib position, because the posttrib view breaks the sequence of Revelation 19 .

7) When does the marriage supper of the Lamb take place?

In Revelation 19, we have the marriage supper of the Lamb after Babylon’s destruction. And after that, we have Christ descending on horseback with his army, the church, behind him. But if we are raptured at the end of the tribulation, and then immediately on horseback with the Lord coming to the earth, when does the marriage supper of the Lamb take place?

Some might say, “later.” And that’s fine. But you break the sequence of events in Revelation . Again, this is not indisputably definitive. It’s not a nail-in-the-coffin argument. But it’s another reason why I think a pretrib view is better.

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And to all this, you might say, “Why does it matter? Why does it even matter? Jesus will come when he comes. What’s happens will happen. Wake me up when it’s time.” Well, regardless of your eschatological position, that is the exact opposite of what the NT teaches us to do.

We don’t say, “Wake me up when it happens?” We’re alert. We’re vigilant. Neither do we quit our jobs, move to Israel, twiddle our thumbs, and wait for Jesus to come back. Both of those responses are disobedient.

You know what we do? We wait anticipatingly. We watch. We’re ready. We run the earth and watch the sky. We walk and chew gum at the same time. We can do this. We serve Christ. We serve the church. We tell people about Jesus. We raise our kids. We work hard to provide for ourselves. We gather as the church to worship Christ on Sunday. We run the earth as long as we have to. And we wait anticipatingly for Jesus to come for us return.

You know if someone asked me, “What would you do if you know this day would be your last?” To be honest, I would do the same things I do every day. I would love my wife, love my son, love my church, study the Scriptures, pray to God, and tell people about Jesus. I might eat something really, really unhealthy too! But everything else would (hopefully) be the same.

There’s an old German proverb that goes like this, “If I knew that tomorrow the world would end, I would still plant an apple tree today.”

So let me land this plane. We don’t obsess about the timing of Christ’s coming. We are not Chicken Little. “It’s now! No it’s now! No it’s five minutes from now! Now!” No. That’s ridiculous. We don’t need Christians running around every time something cataclysmic happens in our world saying, “The end of the world is near! The end of the world is near!” Of course the end of the world is near. We believe in imminence. But we don’t know with exactitude when God will initiate his plans for the end.

So what do we do? So let’s run the earth and watch the sky. Be observant, Christian, but not obsessed. Be prepared, but not paranoid. Be ready, but not ridiculous. And let’s say together with our brothers and sisters in Christ who disagree with us on eschatology, “Maranatha, come Lord Jesus.”

Exodus 19:1–25: “Meeting a Holy God | Be Holy, for I am Holy.”

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 20:35:07 GMT

Mitchell Palermo

Pastoral Intern

Messiah Bible Church

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Application Questions

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Single Teachings | Old Testament

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:19:05 GMT

Single Teachings | New Testament

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:17:45 GMT

Final Things Lesson 5: “The Church Age & The Intermediate State”

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:01:56 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

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We are in the midst of a series called “Final Things.” So far, in the last four chapters of Revelation, we have covered 1) the second coming, 2) the millennium, 3) the eternal state, and 4) the New Jerusalem. Today we wind the clock back in time and discuss two present realities: 5) the church age and the intermediate state.

If either of those terms are unfamiliar to you, they won’t be by the time that we are done today.

Today, we are going to examine a number of different passages from the Bible. So keep your Bible ready at your side. We’ll look at a few different places in the NT.

But let’s start where we left off last time in Revelation. And let’s close the loop on the ending of this great book. We left off last time in Revelation 22:5. And so far, we’ve seen the New Jerusalem. We’ve seen the new heavens and new earth. We’ve seen the eternal state of believers and unbelievers (i.e., the lake of fire). All of this takes place after Jesus’s return, after the millennium, and after the final judgment. John shows us how it’s all going to end. And he shows us where we will be for ten thousand years and then forevermore.

Revelation 22:5 even ends with a statement: “forever and ever.” Sounds like Handel’s Messiah. And you might think to yourself, “That’s a great place to close out this book.”

But wait, there’s more. John has some final comments at the end of the book that describe a different era. He says in Revelation 22:6 :

6 And he said to me,

That’s the angel speaking to John who has revealed all these awesome things about eternity including the New Jerusalem where we will live forever.

The angel says,

“These words are trustworthy and true.

Someone might say, “The book of Revelation is just a bunch of confusing signs and symbols that no one can understand.” No, these words are trustworthy and true. I’ll admit that the book of Revelation is a difficult book, but it’s not unintelligible. I hope you’ve seen in the past few lessons, that we can make sense of this book. These words are trustworthy and true, and there is even a blessing that accompanies the person who heeds these words.

And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” 7 “And behold, I am coming soon.

“When? When, Jesus? I’ve got to know.” Well you’re not going to know when. Jesus says concerning the day and the hour of his return, “no one knows” (Matt 24:36). So if someone ever tells you that they know they exact time of Christ’s return, you can happily dismiss that person as a crackpot.

… behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

Look at verse 8 .

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

John’s made that mistake a couple times in this book. Come on, John! Get it together! But this actually becomes a great object lesson for us twice in this book. Don’t worship or bow down to anything or anyone other than God. And don’t let anyone else bow down to you.

Look at verse 10 .

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.

What Jesus is describing here is what’s called the imminence of Christ’s return… “Imminence” meaning nearness and suddenness. What Christ is saying here is that his coming for us could happen at any moment. And when it happens, it’ll happen quickly without warning. This is something that Christians have believed from the very beginning of the church, namely that Jesus’s return could happen at any moment. A thousand years are like a day for the Lord ( 2 Pet 3:8 ).

So when Christ says “I am coming soon,” that could mean 5 years, 10 years, 100 years, or 2000 years. His appearing can happen at any moment, and so that’s why we need to be ready. Look at verse 11.

11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

In other words, evil will be present all the way to the end. Don’t be surprised by that.

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Jesus says, “I am coming soon, and I’m not coming as a babe born in a manger. That’s done. I’m coming this time as Alpha/Omega. I’m coming as the first and the last, the beginning and the end. I’m coming with all the adornments and the accoutrements of a Sovereign, Almighty Deity.”

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

You might have thought, “all dogs go to heaven.” Nope, it’s the opposite. Actually this reference to dogs is a reference to unregenerate unbelievers. Dogs were more like curs and mongrels in the first century world than domesticated pets. They weren’t “man’s best friend.”

So these “dogs” ( Rev 22:15 – “unrepentant unbelievers” ) don’t go to heaven.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches.

Notice the time reference here. This is “for the churches.” Log that away. I’ll come back to that.

I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

The Spirit and the Bride, the church, are testifying concerning Christ. This is evangelism. This is the great commission given to the church. “Come and get saved. Because final things are coming.”

Look at verse 18.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

In other words, don’t add to this book! Don’t take away from it! Don’t you dare do that! Don’t you dare “Joseph Smith” this book or anything recorded in the Scriptures. Don’t you dare “Mormonize” or “Islamize” this book or anything recorded in the Scriptures. Message received, Lord. We will not. And we will not listen to those who do.

Look at verse 20 .

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Thus ends the words of the Holy Bible.

Now, John alludes to the second coming and the New Jerusalem in this final section of Scripture. Jesus even alludes to his coming in 22:12, he says, “I am coming soon.” That’s either the angel speaking on behalf of Jesus, or Jesus took over the speaking role for the angel at the end. But the primary time reference in this section is not the eternal hereafter. It’s the now of John’s day. It’s the people that John is writing to in his day. It’s the church.

And that church includes us . To be precise, John wrote to the early church in the first century. John was the last of the apostles still alive. This is the last of the 66 books of Scripture written and inspired by the Holy Spirit. And John’s original audience was the early church, much of whom were suffering greatly under the yoke of the Roman Empire.

That church, John’s original audience, began at Pentecost (see Acts 2 ). And it continues today two-thousand years later. And it will continue until the church is raptured and taken home to glory.

And we as the church are just one slice, one segment of God’s longer and broader plan of redemption. In other words, the world doesn’t begin or end with the church age (although the church does go on into eternity).

It’s kind of like world history in that way. I know we as Americans like to think that world history began in 1776. I appreciate that notion as an American. But that’s just not the case.

Even American history dates back farther than that. You’ve got to explore the movements of European nations that led to the settlement of the American colonies in the 1600s and 1700s. And you can go back even farther than that to explore the Greek and Roman empires and their philosophers and leaders who influenced greatly our founding fathers, our constitution, and our rule of law.

We don’t have time for that tonight. All I want to say is that world history didn’t begin in 1776. And God’s plan of redemption in our world didn’t begin or end with the church. We are a part of God’s greater plan.

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So, with that introduction, here’s where we’re going today. I want to give you three statements from Scripture concerning the Church Age which we live in. And then I’ll give you three additional statements about “the intermediate state.” Not the eternal state! The intermediate state!

Where do believers go when they die? They don’t go to pearly gates and streets of gold in the New Jerusalem. That’s coming later in the New Jerusalem. They don’t even get new bodies yet when they die. That’s later at Christ’s return. So what’s happens to them now? We’ll look at that too before we are done. And we’ll talk briefly as well about how we as Christians deal with death in this world.

Let’s get started. Write this down as #1 in your notes concerning the church age.

1) The church age is the sixth of seven dispensations

There are two great epochs in human history. There is Old Testament and New Testament. There is B.C. and A.D. But beyond that simplicity, there are seven different dispensations in human history. These are seven distinct periods of time in human history where God is interacting with humankind.

Several weeks ago, I told you that I am a pretribulational, premillennial, dispensationalist. We’ve dealt with the premillennial issue. Now we get to discuss dispensationalism.

And here are those seven dispensations:

1) The Age of Innocence (Gen 1–3) – Obviously, that’s Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, before the fall.

2) The Age of Conscience (Gen 3–8) – This is when man’s conscience was awakened after the fall. And God dealt with man through his conscience prior to the law in light of what happened in the garden.

3) The Age of Government (Gen 9–11) – This involves features of the Noahic covenant: animals’ fear of man, promise of no more floods, and protection of human life through the institution of capital punishment and human government that God has delegated to.

4) The Age of Patriarchs/Promise (Gen 12–Exod 19) – This covers the period of the patriarchs, in which God ordained that they should respond by faith to His revelation to them. This is before the Law. This is before Moses went up Mt. Sinai.

5) The Age of Mosaic Law (Exod 19–Acts 1) – The law was given at Sinai. The law was in force until the resurrection of Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit. And those canonized Scriptures that Moses wrote were authoritative all the way to Pentecost.

6) The Church Age (Acts 2–Rev 19) – This is sometimes called The Age of Grace. But I prefer the Church Age, because grace is part of every age. Paul Enns writes, “Although grace is evident in every age, it is uniquely so in the coming of Christ. Through the advent of Christ God made His grace known to all mankind.”

7) The Age of Kingdom (Rev 20ff.) – This involves the Millennial kingdom and beyond.

And so, here’s the question for us—where are we in that chronology? Where is the church? We are sixth of seven. We are in the church age right now. And we have been for 2,000 years.

An even simpler chronology can be established when you think about God’s working with his people Israel. God made specific promises to Abraham and others in the OT. God’s people still have promises awaiting future fulfillment in the millennial kingdom.

And so, some have spoken of the church age as a parenthesis in God’s working with Israel. For a period of 2,000+ plus years, God is working with his church to graft in believers, like limbs grafted on a tree ( see Rom 11:11–24 ). And at the same time, he is making Israel jealous ( Rom 11:11, 14; Deut 32:21 ). So that at the removal of the church, in the time of tribulation, he will redirect his attention to the nation of Israel, and Israel will turn ultimately to Christ ( Rom 11:25–27 ). Right now, we are living now in that parenthesis.

Here’s a second statement regarding the church age.

2) The church age began at Pentecost

We don’t call OT Israelites, the church. And we don’t call the NT church, Israel. They are both collectively part of the people of God, or more generally “believers.” But in dispensational theology (love our brothers who disagree with us on this issue), the Lord distinguishes between the church and Israel. And I think that’s a helpful distinction for interpretation.

If you remember from the book of Acts , Jesus ascends, and tells his disciples to wait for the outpouring of the Spirit. That happened at Pentecost. And it happened among Jews like Paul and the first disciples. But those Jews were tasked with the important duty of becoming witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth. And that’s the story of Acts. It’s the story of how the “church universal” spread to those regions and incorporated Jews, Judeans, Samaritans, and Gentiles.

And that work continues until today. We have more in common with those believers in the NT book of Acts than we do with OT Israelites. Because we operate in the same age as them, the church age.

Here’s a third statement regarding the church age.

3) The Church Age ends at the rapture

We’ll talk more about this next week, and I don’t want to steal next week’s thunder. But at the risk of that, turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 4.

This is so important. Paul says there the following in verse 15 :

Interestingly the church in Thessalonica wasn’t worried about being alive when Jesus comes for them. They must have been told by Paul that they will be raptured. The language used here in verse 17 is “caught up” or “translated.” The Greek word is ἁρπάζω ( harpazō ) means “seized” or “grabbed” or “taken away” even forcefully, like a thief who steals loot in the night. Jesus said he will come like a “thief in the night” ( Rev 16:15, Matt 24:43, 1 Thess 5:2 ).

These Thessalonian believers knew that when Christ came for them, they would immediately lose their old bodies and receive new bodies. But they were more worried about those who had died or fallen asleep already. They were mortified at the idea that those who died already would miss out on Christ’s return.

Paul says, “Don’t you worry, my Thessalonian friends! Those who died before you will precede you who are still alive by mere milliseconds. And you will meet them in the clouds, in the air.” And the Thessalonian believers breathed a sigh of relief when they heard this.

And just to be clear, the rapture signals the end of the church age. It’s not the end of the church. The church goes right on into eternity. We are the bride of Christ as we’ve seen already in Revelation. We come back with Christ to establish to this world to establish the millennial kingdom ( Rev 19:11–21 ). The marriage supper of the Lamb takes place in eternity and last forever.

But the “church age” ends at the rapture. This is when the church will be removed from the world and God will redirect his attention towards Israel during the time of tribulation and then also the millennium.

Flip with me over to 2 Thessalonians 2 . It’s there that Paul says to the same church a few months later… look at verse 6 .

6 And you know what is restraining him now

The “him” there is a reference to the man of lawlessness or the antichrist who is called to do Satan’s bidding. The restrainer is holding back the full manifestation of Satan’s end-times agenda.

6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.

This is a bit cryptic, but I believe that the “restrainer” here is the Holy Spirit, and his activity in the life of the church. We see that implemented at Pentecost. In the future, that’ll be removed. That restrainer will be restrained.

I think this is a reference to the rapture and the removal of the church in our world. And once the church is removed at the rapture, Satan and antichrist will get busy spreading lawlessness in the world, unimpeded by the Holy Spirit’s influence through the church.

If you want more on this, you can see my sermon series on 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians at Messiahbible.org. But just to summarize, the church age begins at Pentecost. And it ends at the rapture. If you hold to a posttribulation rapture or a midtribulation rapture, then that’s where you pinpoint the end of the church age. I told you already that I’m a pretribulationalist, so I see the rapture and the end of the church age taking place at the start of the tribulation, thus pretrib. Again, God brings the church home, and redirects his attention to Israel.

Who’s right on that issue? Prettribbers? Midtribbers? Posttribbers? I think I am, but I don’t know. We’ll find out soon enough.

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Now here’s the question that lingers, even after this discussion about the church age. Still people will ask, understandably… inquiring minds want to know… what happens to believers after they die? If they don’t go to the New Jerusalem yet… if they don’t receive resurrection bodies until the rapture… where are they now? What are they now? And what are they doing right now? Are they floating around in the netherworld? Are they angels? Are they asleep in the ground waiting to be awakened?

Also what about unbelievers who have died?

Let’s explore that. Let me give you…

Three Facts About the Intermediate State:

And let me say this about this matter. There is less explicit information about this then there is about the eternal state. We have all this content about the new heaven and the new earth and the New Jerusalem in Revelation 20–22. We even have a ton of content on Jesus’s millennial kingdom in the OT. But we have less on this issue—the intermediate state.

But we don’t have nothing! We do have some statements in the Bible. Let me give you a few statements from Scripture. Here’s #1.

1) When believers “fall asleep,” they go home to be with the Lord

Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 5 . Paul says in verse 1 .

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

This is not a reference to the new heavens and the new earth or the New Jerusalem. This is a reference to what we have now in God’s presence. Whatever heaven is now, it’s not just a mystical place. It’s not just a state of mind. It’s a real place with real structure… Paul calls it a “building.” And all of our friends and family who have died before us are there…including the Apostle Paul! It’s a metaphysical reality, I get that, but it still has time and space associated with it.

Look at verse 2 .

2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.

In other words, if we be found without faith in Christ. In that case, we have no heavenly home.

4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Yes, we long for that time. We long for the time when death and these mortal bodies are no longer hanging over us.

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,

Now we need to qualify that statement a bit. The Lord said that he will be always with us and never forsake us (Matt 28:20; Heb 13:5). So how are we away from him? The answer is that his literal body is away from us in the current heaven (i.e., the intermediate heaven), while we are in earth.

Jesus Christ is embodied forever as a human. He is the God-man forever. He sits in heaven at the right hand of God the Father. And so, in that way, he is away from us. We’re on earth. He’s in heaven. But he has given us his Spirit to be with us always. We see that statement in 2 Corinthians 5:5 . He’s given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

And here’s the point that Paul is making. Look again at verse 6.

6 … We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

To be dead as a Christian, to “fall asleep” as Paul says it in 1 Thessalonians , is to be with the Lord. It’s to be at home with the Lord. And Paul says that’s better. We’d rather be there.

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

That reference to judgment, by the way, is a reference to the “Bema Seat Judgment” that believers will go through. It’s not the “White Throne Judgment” for unbelievers (Rev 20:11–14). We won’t be part of that. We’ll be judged well before that. Everything that we have ever done or said will be laid out before us and we will be rewarded (not punished or purged… this isn’t purgatory… there’s no such thing as purgatory). And we will receive our eternal rewards at that time.

But back to the intermediate state. Paul makes clear here that to be away from the body is to be present with the Lord. Whatever death is and whatever that looks like in heaven, we will be in the Lord’s presence. And as far as I’m concerned, that’s enough. That’s all we need to know.

Christian believers, as soon as they draw their last breath, are whisked away into the presence of God after they die. In fact, they are more particularly whisked away into the presence of Christ . The reference to the Lord in 2 Corinthians 5 is a reference to Christ. Paul says in Philippians 1:23 , “I am hard pressed between the two [i.e., life and death]. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” Amen! Jesus told the criminal crucified next to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” ( Luke 23:43 ).

Also the martyred Stephen in the book of Acts said as he died, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God” ( 7:56 ). Then when he was dying, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” ( 7:59 ). Immediately after Stephen’s death, he ( 2 Cor 5:8 ) entered the presence of the Lord.

The Bible says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord” ( Rev 14:13 ). The Bible says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” ( Ps. 116:15 ). For the Christian believer, death is not finality, and neither is it terror-inducing uncertainty. Death is passage to a better reality. We go home to be with the Lord.

Now let’s go back to 1 Thessalonians for a second. In 1 Thessalonians 4:14 , Paul writes,

14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

Notice here that Paul says that Jesus died, but Christians just fall asleep. That word for “asleep” is the Greek word κοιμάω . We actually derive our English word “cemetery” from this Greek Word, κοιμάω . A koimētērion was a sleeping place.

“Those who have fallen asleep” is a euphemism for death, but it also conveys a waiting period for resurrection. That’s why historically Christians and Jews didn’t burn dead bodies or float corpses down a river. They buried them. They buried them in hope of the coming resurrection.

Notice too that Paul doesn’t refer to Jesus’s death as sleep in verse 14.

14 For since we believe that Jesus died

Why “fallen asleep” for Christians who die, but “died” for Jesus? Didn’t Jesus just fall asleep too? Actually no. Probably Paul differentiates because unlike us Jesus actually endured separation from God at his death. He cried out “ Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani ” ( Mark 15:34 ). Jesus endured actual separation from God at death, so that when we die, we don’t have to. We just go to sleep in Jesus.

Donald Grey Barnhouse, the great Presbyterian minister in Philadelphia, was trying to explain this to his kids after their mother had died. And of course, the kids were distraught and grief-stricken over their mother’s death. And their father, Dr. Barnhouse was trying to help them, and trying to help them process their grief in the light of the gospel.

And at one point, he looked up, and he said to them,

“Do you see that truck?”

“Yes.”

“Do you see the shadow of that truck?”

“Yes.”

“Would you rather be hit by the truck or by the shadow?”

The youngest kid said, “By the shadow.”

Barnhouse said, “Because Jesus was hit by the truck of death, your mother only had to go through the shadow of it.”

Those of you who are savvy Bible readers will recognize the reference to Psalm 23 in that story. Jesus was hit by the truck of death so that we only have to go through the shadow of it.

Again, remember the context. These Thessalonians were terrified about death. They thought that those Christians who died would miss Christ’s return and their bodily resurrection.

And it’s understandable why they were confused. Paul had been chased out of Thessalonica before he was able to relay to them all the essentials about life, death, and the afterlife. And so, Paul reassures them here, “Those who die in Christ will be just fine. Relax! They will fall asleep in Christ. They will go home to be with the Lord. And they will await their future resurrection bodies just like you are awaiting your future resurrection bodies.”

Here’s a second fact about the intermediate state.

2) Believers who die, live in a disembodied state, awaiting resurrection

Now, I’m going to put an asterisk on this second point, because again, there is some mystery regarding this. And God doesn’t give us a lot of explicit detail concerning the intermediate state. Some theologians do think that we’ll have some kind of body in this state. In other word, when we get to heaven we’ll have temporary bodies again. They would have to be temporary, because according to 1 Thessalonians 4 , the resurrection bodies of believers in heaven and on earth are still to come.

Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15 . Let’s learn more about these resurrection bodies to come. We can’t cover this whole chapter, which is fantastic by the way. But let’s hit the highlights. Look at verse 20 .

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

This is the famous “Christ as firstfruits” statement in the Bible. If you know anything about farming, you know that the firstfruits, the first ripened fruit of the harvest season is a sign of what everything else will look like. That’s Jesus’s resurrection for us. His resurrection body is like what our future resurrection body will be. So Jesus walking around and talking with his disciples after the resurrection, eating fish, and looking similar to what he looked like in his previous body, that’ll be us.

What Paul is doing in this passage is twofold. 1) He’s defending Christ’s resurrection. Some people must have been skeptical about that. That’s not surprising in the Roman context of the Corinthians. Paul even goes so far as to say that if Christ wasn’t raised from the dead then our faith is meaningless. You might as well eat, drink, and be merry in this life, because there’s nothing after death.

So Paul is defending Christ’s resurrection. 2) But Paul is also defending our future resurrection. Christ’s resurrection is the firstfruits of our own resurrection.

Let’s skip down to verse 35 .

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.

Yes, we have to die. And that’s unfortunate, but necessary. Like a kernel of grain, we are buried in the ground. The good news is, though, that after death, death can no longer hold us down. We are raised to immortality. Born once; die twice. Born twice; die once.

Skip down to verse 42 . Let’s keep going.

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

Skip down to verse 50 .

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Paul is mocking death with these last two statement! This is the closest thing to “nanny-nanny-boo-boo” in the Bible that you’ll find!

Now here’s where we need a little bit of clarity here. Turn back with me to 1 Thessalonians 4 and let’s put these passages together. The question is the following—when will this happen? When will we receive these resurrection bodies? When we die? Or at the rapture?

Again, Paul says this in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 .

So let’s put this altogether— 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 . When you die, you will be with the Lord. No question. And you will be either in a disembodied state (my view), or you will receive a temporary body while you await your permanent resurrection body.

I say temporary body, because that’s presumably what Moses and Elijah had on the Mount of Transfiguration when they appeared to Peter, James, and John (Matt 17:1-8). Did they have their permanent resurrection bodies? I don’t think so. That doesn’t happen until the rapture. They just had a rental.

So similar to Moses and Elijah, and everyone else who died before you, when you die, you will enter into a temporary state awaiting Christ’s return. This is the intermediate state.

And you might ask, “What do people do in the intermediate state?” Well they do the same thing that we do here on earth—they wait for resurrection. They wait for their new bodies just like we do, except they get to wait in the presence of the Lord without any concern for death or sin. Lucky them!

And possibly, according to Hebrews 12 , they cheer on the believers who are still alive on earth. They become part of that “great cloud of witnesses” that surrounds believers on earth who are running their race ( Heb 12:1–2 ).

And speaking of disembodied, here’s a third fact about the intermediate state.

3) Unbelievers who die, enter into Hades

We talked already about the eternal state of believers and unbelievers. Everyone will live forever, believer and unbeliever alike. It just depends on where you will spend your forever. Because human beings are made in the image of God, they are created to be eternal creatures.

The technical term for this is eternality. “God has put eternity in the hearts of men” ( Ecc 3:11 ). We have eternity in our souls. We will live in eternity future, even though we didn’t live in eternity past like God did.

And just like there is an intermediate state for believers in the presence of the Lord, there is an intermediate state for unbelievers outside the presence of the Lord. This place is referred to frequently as Hades.

This is the NT equivalent to the OT Sheol , although it’s not entirely the same. Sheol was a location for both OT believers and unbelievers. Hades is only a location for unbelievers in the NT (especially in Revelation). We translate this word often as “hell.” That’s not entirely precise, unless you differentiate hell from the lake of fire. Hell or Hades is the holding place for unbelievers until the time that they are resurrected, judged, and dumped into the lake of fire. And Hades is a place of conscious tormen t just like the lake of fire ( see Matt 11:23; Luke 10:15; 16:23 ).

There are other names for Hades or hell that are found in the NT. Jesus uses the term Gehenna for the same place as Hades ( Matt 23:15, 33; 25:41, 46 ). There are a few different terms for “abyss” that probably refer to the same place, although those locations are used for demons as well as unbelievers.

So unbelievers who die, enter into Hades and await resurrection. Not resurrection to life, but resurrection to eternal death ( Dan 12:2; John 5:28–29; Acts 24:15 ). John calls this the second death in Revelation. They are raised to judgment and sentenced to eternal death. We don’t want to be part of this judgment, and we won’t be, if we are believers.

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One of the things that we have to deal with in the church age is the reality of death that is all around us. And there are a lot of perspectives on this in the world and throughout human history. Some perspectives are better than others. And one of the great comforts that we have as believers is the truth about life after death and hope after death in this world.

Benjamin Franklin said once, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Thankfully, those of us who are Christians, only have to die once. But we’ve got to pay taxes every year! Franklin’s sentiment has been repeated often in this world. Interestingly, Franklin grew up in an orthodox Presbyterian household. But he rejected many of the tenets of his Christian upbringing. His view on death and the afterlife are… let’s just say… unsatisfying.

Similarly another famous American, Mark Twain said, “Death is the only immortal who treats us all alike… the soiled and the pure, the rich and the poor, the loved and the unloved.” In other words, the grim reaper is an equal opportunity reaper . The prince and the pauper both get buried six feet underground! There’s a measure of truth in what Twain is saying there. But the Bible does differentiate the deaths and the eternities of the believer and the unbeliever. We’ve seen that in the intermediate state and the eternal state.

And in light of what the Bible teaches, let me give you four improper, but all to common, responses to death in our world. I’m calling these.

Four Improper Responses to Death for Believers in the Church :

Here’s the first.

1) Stoicism

Here’s something to never tell your kids at a funeral. “Buck up, soldier! Keep a stiff upper lip!” Don’t ever say that.

“Don’t cry, son. You need to be strong!” Don’t ever say that. Don’t believe that. You’re not required to cry at a funeral. But we should grieve. Death is sad. We’re human. We feel the loss of those we love. We’re not robots or Stoics who view emotion as evil or pathetic or contemptible.

Stoicism is actually a very pagan approach to life and death. That’s not the way Jesus lived or dealt with death. And neither should we. Here’s a great verse to remember. When Jesus found out that his friend Lazarus died, you know what he did? He cried ( see John 11:35 ).

Here’s another wrong approach to death.

2) Naturalism

This is also a very pagan approach to life and death. “Oh, it’s natural. Death is just natural.” No, it’s not! Death is an intruder on God’s good world.

In the movie, “The Lion King,” Mufasa gives Simba a lecture about the “Circle of Life.” It goes like this—the lions eat the antelope, but then they die and become fertilizer and the antelope eat the lions. And then Elton John starts singing, “It’s the Circle of Life.” Some people think that way about humans and the death of humans. “It’s just natural. People become fertilizer.”

No! We are made in the image of God. And we were made to live forever. And there is eternity as part of our being. And death is an intruder on that.

So forget naturalism. And forget Stoicism. Here’s another wrong approach to death.

3) Nihilism

Nihilism is a stream of philosophy that concludes that all life is meaningless and pointless. Life, death, religion, morals, etc. … It’s all utterly meaningless. You live. You die. Whatever!

Bertrand Russell , the twentieth century atheist and author wrote once that the universe as he understood it is purposeless and void of meaning. He said that the entire sum of human endeavors is “destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system.”

Richard Dawkins , the famous atheist and apologist for atheism expressed much the same view: “The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.” With beliefs like that, why grieve at death? Death sounds like an escape with a philosophical system like that! Just like that Guns N Roses song, “Live and Let Die.” There’s a certain nihilistic quality to that song.

And finally, there’s an approach to death and life called…

4) Hedonism

Hedonism is the belief that the pursuit of pleasure is the chief goal in life. “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Actually, this approach to life is given some credibility by the Apostle Paul… more credibility than these other approaches to death. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:32 , “If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

In other words, if death is final and there’s no hope for anything after that, then yeah, “Live it up!” What does it matter? If we have no hope for anything better, why not live a life of self-indulgence while we can?

But we do have hope for something better. Don’t we? And there are rewards from this life that we will receive in the afterlife! So yes, we grieve when death gets the best of us, when death rears its ugly head. We grieve, and we even weep, like Jesus wept. But we don’t grieve like those who have no hope.

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And that leaves us with one final question. What is the proper response to death among Christians? Write this down as a final statement for this lesson.

The One Proper Response to Death for Believers in the Church:

1) Grief with hope

Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 that we should grieve, but we don’t grieve like those who have no hope. We grieve, but we also hope.

To hope and not grieve is a mistake. We should grieve. Death is sad. Death is an intruder! Death robbed us of God’s great world in the Garden of Eden.

When Stephen died in the book of Acts , the men around him were sad. “Devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him” ( Acts 8:2 ). Paul said in Philippians that if Epaphroditus had died, he would have been filled with “sorrow upon sorrow” ( Phil. 2:27 ).

We don’t hope without grief. But also, grief without hope is a mistake too. In fact, it’s an untruth.

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Let me close with this. I want to say something at first that may sound a little discouraging, but then will hopefully ultimately be encouraging. We live in a world where death is not as ever-present as it was in the first century. I’m middle-aged. I told Alastair the other day that his father is middle-aged, and he said, “middle-aged?” Maybe that’s too generous? But I realize that most people throughout human history would be entering the latter stage of their lives at my age.

And what’s amazing is that we live on the safest soil on the planet. For the last 100+ years, America has been a place of incredible, unprecedented safety. And we’ve had relatively good health and long-life expectancy too. Which throughout the world and throughout human history, is a massive anomaly!

But even in our safe country, I am assured of this—my future will be filled with death. I’ve done a lot of funerals in my time as a pastor. There’s more to come. Unless the Lord comes back soon, I will deal with death again and again and again and again, including my own death. I hate to be morbid but it’s true. We will deal increasingly with death as we age.

Death is in our future, church. Death and taxes. The two great certainties in our world! Thanks a lot, Benjamin Franklin. How are we going to deal with it?

Here’s how we’re going to deal with it—we’re going to grieve! We are going to grieve, because death is an intruder on God’s good world! We brought it here with our sin! So we are going to grieve.

But we are not going to grieve like those who have no hope. Because we have hope. Christ is coming back for us. And whether dead or alive, we will be with him. We will be with him. Bow with me in a word of prayer!

Acts 28:17-31: "With all Boldness and Without Hindrance"

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 20:13:39 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

Let’s take our Bibles together and turn one last time to the book of Acts, as part of our series, “No Other Name.” We’re going to do something exciting this morning—we’re going to finish our verse-by-verse study of the book of Acts.

Our journey through this book began a little over a year ago in January of 2025. And today we are going to look at the final words that Luke records for us, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in this great book of the Bible, which describes the world being turned upside down by the gospel.

And as I look back on the book of Acts, there are so many themes that emerge in this writing of Scripture: 1) The work of the Holy Spirit, 2) The spread of the gospel throughout the world, 3) The sovereignty of God, 4) The role of the church, 5) The fellowship shared by believers, 6) Endurance through suffering (that’s been a major theme especially in the last few chapters of the book).

But today our book ends on one of the themes that, if not the most prevalent throughout the book, it’s at least one of the most prevalent themes in the book. And here it is… Boldness. Bold proclamation of the gospel! In fact this book ends with the statement, this is the title of our message today: “With All Boldness and Without Hindrance.”

What we’re going to see today is another example in the book of Acts of God’s faithful messenger preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness. The book of Acts began with this kind of preaching. Peter stood up before a crowd of Jews in Jerusalem and told them, “This Jesus, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” ( 2:23 ). And then he told them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” ( 2:38 ).

That same boldness was demonstrated by John and the other Apostles, and by Stephen, and by Philip, and by Paul, and by Barnabas, and by Lydia, and by Priscilla and Aquila and Apollos and Silas and Timothy. And this book ends with a remarkable display of boldness by the Apostle Paul as he is incarcerated in Rome and witnesses to the Jews of that city.

And this is what’s important for us. That same boldness should be evidenced by us, the followers of Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century, who are called to testify about him to the watching world. When Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth” ( Acts 1:8 ), he wasn’t just talking to first century disciples. He was talking to us too. So today’s message is about getting your boldness on. Turn to your neighbor right now and say, “You need to get your boldness on.” We need to get our boldness on.

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So without further ado, let’s look at Acts 28 . Our passage today is Acts 28:17–31 . But before we dive in there, let’s quickly get up to speed with what led up to these final verses.

When Paul was imprisoned in Jerusalem, Jesus appeared to him and said, “You will testify about me in the city of Rome” ( Acts 23:11 ). That was a promise to Paul from the Lord. And like all promises from the Lord, there is absolute certainty that this promise will be fulfilled.

And sure enough the promise was fulfilled. But it was fulfilled in a circuitous way. The Lord took his time fulfilling this promise. Paul was imprisoned for two years in Caesarea awaiting sentencing. Paul boarded an ill-fated ship as a prisoner that was lost at sea on the way to Rome. Paul had to endure a storm, a shipwreck, a snakebite, and a handful of unsavory sailors and soldiers on his way to Rome. It wasn’t a pleasure cruise that Paul was on, going to Rome. They weren’t sipping Mai-Tais and sunbathing on the deck of the ship all the way to Rome. It was an ordeal.

But God used it. And who knows how many people came to Christ through this little excursion. Maybe some of the soldiers came to Christ. Maybe some of the sailors came to Christ. Certainly some of the people of Malta came to Christ because of Paul’s miracles on that island. And God was using this circuitous journey to Rome to accomplish his greater purposes.

Now when we last saw Paul, the soldiers had finally secured another ship and Luke details explicitly their journey up to the port of Puteoli. And after a hike of about 150 miles from Puteoli to Rome, they finally entered the gates of Rome.

Let’s take a look at one final map as part of our series through Acts. This is Paul’s final leg of his journey from the island of Malta to Rome.

Paul’s Final Leg to Rome: From Malta to Rome - Click to view Map

Altogether it took Paul almost a year to get from Caesarea to Rome. He probably left in the fall of AD 59, arriving in Rome in the spring of AD 60. I heard a preacher say once that it’s a good thing that there were no children on this trip to Rome, because if there were, they would have incessantly asked the question, “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” Yes, we’re there. Finally!

And verse 15 tells us that the Christians in Rome were so excited about seeing Paul that they actually travelled a good distance to meet him before he entered into the city. And verse 16 states:

16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

Now here’s how this would work. Paul comes to Rome, but he’s still a prisoner. He’s still awaiting trial before Caesar. And Luke tells us that Paul was allowed to live by himself outside of prison walls, but a soldier would have to be chained to him throughout the day. Actually a group of soldiers would, one at a time, take turns being chained to Paul as he awaited trial in Rome.

How’s that for an occupation? That’s a pretty interesting gig for a soldier!

“Hey soldier so-and-so! What are you doing today?”

“Well I’m chained to that guy Paul again! All day! And that guy won’t stop talking about Jesus.”

Actually were going to see in a moment, that Paul really didn’t stop talking about Jesus. And the people who had a front row seat in every message that Paul gave while he was in Rome were these soldiers chained to his wrist. How many of you think that was a pretty good place to be?

R.C. Sproul says that, “There were no more blessed prison guards in the history of the world, than those [men] who had the privilege of being cuffed to the wrist of the world’s greatest preacher, greatest theologian, greatest missionary, and greatest teacher.”

Now why would Sproul say that? Why was this such a great privilege? Well it’s because Paul’s not the kind of guy that just sits around moping all day because his life had fallen on hard times. “Woe is me! I’m a prisoner again. God must not love me!”

No. Neither does Paul say, “When in Rome, do like the Romans… Let’s just live like pagans do!” That’s not Paul. Come hell or high-water, Paul’s the kind of guy that’s going to joyfully and boldly go after the things that God has called him to do.

Here’s an apt statement about Paul, “He never lets grass grow under his feet.” Look at verse 17.

17 After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews,

Now take note of his methodology here. Paul targets the Jewish leaders first. Does everyone see that in the text? He did the same thing in other cities that he visited for the first time. In this case, he doesn’t have the freedom to travel to the synagogue, so he asks the synagogue leaders to come to him.

And this is Paul’s method. This is Paul’s strategy for reaching people. And it’s a reflection of his great heart for his own brethren, about whom he said in Romans 9:3 , “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

Paul loves the Jews, and he targets them first in this great city. I know that some people have surmised based on Paul’s modus operandi that all Christians should go to the Jew first and then to the Gentile. I disagree with that. I think Paul’s actions are descriptive not prescriptive. But I wouldn’t fault anyone, Gentile or especially Jew, who adopts Paul’s practice of going to Jews first.

By the way, the population of Rome at this time was approximately a million people. And there were an estimated 50,000 Jews at this time in Rome. They were expelled out of the city some ten years earlier by Emperor Claudius. If you remember, Priscilla and Aquila were Roman Jews who had fled the city. But after some time, the Jews started trickling back into Rome. And the “local leaders” here that Paul assembled are probably the presidents of the ten to fifteen synagogues that existed around the city.

So, verse 17 says,

and when [the local leaders of the Jews] had gathered, [Paul] said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. 19 But because the Jews objected,

We already know all this, right? Because of the trials that have transpired recently, we know that Paul was falsely accused and is being persecuted by Jewish leaders in Jerusalem.

19 But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation.

In other words, “I’m not after them; they are after me.” Look at verse 20 .

20 For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”

Can you see Paul lifting up the chain at this point? Can you see Paul showing this group of Jewish leaders the literal chain that is attached to a Roman guard? When I think of Paul in this setting, I just marvel at the absurdity of Paul talking to these men while simultaneously being chained to a Roman soldier. And who knows what that Roman soldier was thinking!

Now what is Paul doing here? He’s doing two things: 1) He’s trying to neutralize any false accusations against him that might have circulated to Rome already. He’s not talking to the church here. Paul doesn’t have to prove himself to the church. They already love him. He’s speaking to unbelievers. He’s speaking to Jews who have not yet embraced Christ as their Savior. So he’s defending himself, so that he can gain an audience with these Jews and deliver the gospel.

2) And that’s the second thing he’s doing—He’s prepping them for the great unveiling of the message concerning the messiah! He’s whetting their appetite for the good news of Jesus Christ.

Look again at what he says in verse 20 :

20 For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”

What’s the hope of Israel? What longing in the hearts of this people is he addressing here? The Messiah. “The Messiah has come. Salvation is here. And I’m here to tell you about it.” Paul wants to let them know that the Christ who they’ve been anticipating for thousands of years is finally here. The hope of Israel has come! And Paul says, “I’m going to tell you about it.”

Go ahead and write this down as the first point from our message. The key word today is boldness. And I want to give you three statements about boldness… three answers to the question:

What does boldness in sharing the gospel look like?

Here’s the first answer:

1) Boldness means not letting grass grow under your feet (28:17–21)

That means for you, church, that when you get a chance to speak about Christ, you take it. That means when you are asked what you believe, you don’t say, “Uh, all roads lead to heaven?” We don’t give mealy-mouthed, politically correct answers about salvation. We don’t tell people that there are many roads that lead to heaven, because there aren’t many roads that lead to heaven.

Listen, there is only one hope. There is only one Messiah. There is one way. Jesus said himself, “I am the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but by me” ( John 14:6 ). We read it earlier in Acts 4:12 , “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which you must be saved.” That’s it! That’s the way. And when you get a chance, you tell people that. Boldness does not allow for any equivocation on this issue.

So boldness means that when you get a chance, you take it. And it also means that you don’t just sit on your hands and wait for the opportunities to come to you. Paul didn’t do that. Paul went after the Jewish leaders in Rome. Paul wasn’t in Rome for more than three days and already he’s making headway for the gospel.

By the way, Paul probably would have gone to the synagogues if he could. That is typically what he would do when he entered a new city. But remember, he’s chained to a soldier. He’s under house arrest until his trial.

Paul could have very easily said, “O I guess I can’t go anywhere, might as well just sit this one out and wait until my trial is over. Maybe I’ll catch up on my reading!” No, he says, “I can’t come to you, so you come to me. This news is too good. You got to hear about this.” Boldness means not letting grass grow under your feet.

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Now watch how this group of Jews responds. Their initial response is surprising. Their ultimate response is not. In fact it’s quite typical. At first they respond to him:

21 And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you.

This is pretty surprising in light of the ruckus that Paul has caused in Jerusalem. There was some serious enmity towards Paul that was displayed in Jerusalem. And it’s surprising that that enmity hasn’t spread to Rome.

But if you stop and think about, this makes sense because Paul probably boarded the last ship out of Caesarea. And he travelled late in the shipping season. So even with the shipwreck and all the delays that he experienced, he’s probably the first ship to arrive in Rome after the winter months. So it’s probable that word hasn’t yet reached the Jews in Rome about Paul.

Another possibility is that the Jews just abandoned their case against Paul. They know they don’t have a case against him. They don’t want to look like fools in front of Caesar. So they are just content to get Paul out of Judea. “Glad to be rid of that guy. Let’s hope he never comes back this way again.” And then they just let the case go. Whatever the case, these Jews in Rome don’t know anything about the accusations against Paul.

Now Christianity on the other hand… they know all about that. Look at verse 22 .

22 But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect

They’re talking about “the Way” here ( Acts 9:2; 19:9; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14; 24:22 ). They’re talking about Christianity.

we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”

In other words, they are like, “We need to hear from you Paul about this sect called Christianity.”

Paul’s like, “I thought you’d never ask! I’d love to tell you about this ‘sect’ which in actuality is ‘The hope of Israel.’ I’m about to tell you the greatest news that you will ever hear in your entire life!”

“Hey Roman soldier guy! Are you listening? This is for you too.”

23 When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers.

So this wasn’t the Jewish leaders or the synagogue presidents. This is a large number of very curious Jews who want to hear about the hope of Israel that has caused Paul to be chained and brought to Rome.

From morning till evening [Paul] expounded to them,

You might think to yourself, “Pastor Tony preaches some lengthy sermons.” Yeah, well you ain’t seen nothing. Paul could preach all day. Paul would preach so long that people fell asleep and fell out of a third story window ( Acts 20:7–12 ).

From morning till evening [Paul] expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

If you remember, when Paul was in Athens, he didn’t use the OT to reason with those pagan philosophers ( Acts 17:22–31 ). They had no background in that. He had to contextualize the gospel for his audience.

Well, that’s not a problem for these Jews. They had studied and memorized the OT from their youth. And so Paul uses that knowledge of theirs to show them that the OT points to Christ. “This is that!” “ This OT Scripture is fulfilled in that aspect of Jesus’s coming.” Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.

What are some things that Paul probably taught during this time? Well let me give you a quick list of possibilities.

How about the OT sacrifices? Paul could have shown them that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away a person’s sin. Those sacrifices pointed forward to the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
How about the Law? Paul could have shown them that the Law pointed out their sinfulness… And how Jesus the spotless sinless Lamb of God, came to accomplish something that the Law could not, namely the removal of their sins.
How about the bronze serpent in the wilderness? Paul could have shown them how that serpent foreshadowed the death of Jesus Christ. John 3:14-15, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
Paul could have shown them Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 53, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and [by his wounds] we are healed” (53:5).
Probably Paul talked about Psalm 2 to describe Christ’s deity and his identity as the “Son of God.” “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (2:12).
Probably he used Psalm 16 to explain Christ’s resurrection. “You will not let your Holy One see corruption” (16:10). Paul and Peter both have spoken in the book of Acts about how it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead (Acts 2:25–31; 13:34–37; 17:3; 26:22–23).
Perhaps Paul quoted Jeremiah 11:19 in reference to Christ, “But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter.”
Perhaps Paul quoted Zechariah 12:19, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” Or Zechariah 13:7, “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.”
How about the Virgin Birth prophesied in Isaiah 7:14.
Or Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem, prophesied in Micah 5:2.
Or Jesus’s betrayal by a close friend, Judas, which was prophesied in Psalm 41:9.

And on and on and on Paul went…

23 … From morning till evening [Paul] expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

And so Paul takes his time to build an irrefutable defense of Jesus’s identity as the “hope of Israel,” the Messiah that would save his people from their sins. Who could deny this? Who could walk away after hearing this good news? This is the greatest message, the greatest news-flash, that the world has ever known.

And praise God, look what happens in verse 24 :

24 And some were convinced by what he said,

Hallelujah, they get it. They believe. Salvation is here! The angels on high are rejoicing at the salvation of these new believers.

But… But… and this is the story of the book of Acts. This is the story of the church for 2,000 years. This is our story at Messiah Bible Church in San Antonio, Texas.

but others disbelieved.

What’s interesting is that Simeon, the old man who saw Jesus after his birth in the temple, he was so happy when he saw Jesus the Messiah ( Luke 2:22–34 ). He echoed Isaiah’s prophecies that Jesus would be a light to the Gentiles and glory to the people of Israel ( Luke 2:28–32 ). But he also prophesied in that moment that Jesus would bring division into Israel. He said to Mary, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel” ( Luke 2:34 ). And that was true. Some in Israel rejected Christ to their destruction, and some embraced him for their own salvation. And that pattern still continues today.

That’s not just true in Israel, it’s true in all of humanity. Some believe and some reject. Some Jews believe; some Jews reject. Some Gentiles believe; some Gentiles reject.

Remember Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians : “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance of death to death, to the other the fragrance from life to life” ( 2:15–16 ).

Listen up people, to some your bold, gospel testimony will be the most wonderful aroma that has ever wafted past their nostrils. It is the fragrance of life. To others your testimony and your boldness stink like death. The same sun that melts wax hardens clay. Paul gets that. He gets it.

And so he’s not surprised when in verse 24:

24 And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved.

Write this down as a second point in your notes. Boldness means not letting grass grow under your feet. Also,

2) Boldness means not fearing rejection from your listeners (28:22–27)

Let me just emphasize this a little bit. There is nothing more discouraging for a messenger of the gospel than to have his or her message rejected. It’s painful. And I’ve been preaching now as a Senior Pastor for about eighteen years, so I know a little bit about this. It’s painful. It’s painful to preach your heart out and have people reject you.

But if you are going to be faithful to what God has called you to… if you are going to be a witness for him before the watching world… you’re going to have to push past your fear of rejection. You have to be bold . Boldness means not fearing rejection from your listeners.

Now watch in verse 25 how rejection takes shape in Paul’s meeting with these Jews. What’s interesting is that even in their rejection… even in their disbelief, Paul sees the fulfillment of Scripture. So if Paul is discouraged by their rejection, he at least has perspective.

Paul takes all this time to explain how Christ fulfills Scripture. He preached all day. Some believe and some disbelieve. Yet even in their disbelief, Paul says that Scripture is fulfilled.

Look at verse 25 .

25 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

Notice, if you will, how the Holy Spirit speaks through the prophet. Everyone see that? Dual-authorship of Scripture emphasized right here. That’s as true of the OT as it is for Paul’s letter in the NT.

And what did the Holy Spirit say through the prophet Isaiah? Look at verse 26 .

26 “ ‘Go to this people, and say, You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. 27 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

Paul is being pretty insulting of these Jews that came to hear him teach. More insulting than you realize! He’s saying you are just like them. You are just like the people that Isaiah spoke against. I’m like Isaiah and you are like Isaiah’s hardhearted listeners. That’ll get your dander up if you are a Jew in Paul’s day!

What Paul is describing here is the universal condition of hardheartedness. The passage that Paul quotes, Isaiah 6:9–10 , is the go-to passage when a NT preacher wants to describe a hardhearted condition. Jesus used it ( Matt 13:14–15 ). John used it ( John 12:39–20 ). Paul alludes to it on another occasion in the book of Romans ( see Rom 11:8 ). It’s a description of hardheartedness.

“You hear it. But you won’t listen. You see it. But you can’t perceive what’s going on. You receive the information. You’ve taken down the facts, but you won’t exercise your faith and step out and believe the Word of God!”

You come to church, because you know there’s something different going on here. You know you should be here. You listen to the words. You entertain the possibilities. But that’s where it ends, you don’t cry out to the Lord in desperation. You won’t turn and repent and receive the healing that God offers. It’s hardheartedness. It’s quite common in our world.

And by the way, one of the implications of this verse is that willful blindness can often lead to sovereign blindness. Willful disobedience and hardheartedness can often lead to a sovereign hardening of the heart. Do you remember Pharaoh in the OT? Pharaoh hardened his heart, and then later God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

John MacArthur says the following about Acts 28 , “Willful unbelief is turned into sovereign unbelief. What began as willful blindness turned into sovereign blindness; frightening… He who will not believe may find some day that he cannot believe.”

You might say, “That is frightening, Pastor Tony. What do I do about that? How do I prevent that?” Here’s what you do. Hebrews 3:7 says, “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” Today if you hear his Word, don’t you harden your heart! You believe!

If you’re not a Christian this morning, don’t harden your heart! Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. If you are a Christian this morning, and the Holy Spirit is bringing conviction in an area of your life, don’t you harden your heart! Receive that conviction. Repent. Change. Not because you need to change in order to stay saved, but because change is what saved people do. When you feel the Holy Spirit’s conviction, then receive it, turn from sin, and walk in newness of life.

R.C. Sproul says that “It’s impossible to hear the word of God and remain neutral. You’re either moved in the direction of your sanctification, or you’re moved in the direction of the hardness of your heart.” That’s your choice every Sunday morning.

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Now after quoting Isaiah 6:9–10 , Paul makes a fundamental statement in verse 28 .

28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”

This is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies as well. Isaiah prophesied that the salvation that was made particular for the Jews would eventually be expanded to the world. Even in the book of Genesis, God told Abraham, “through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed” ( Gen 22:18, NIV ).

In Romans , Paul wrote that the gospel is the power of God for salvation … to the Jew first and then the Gentile ( 1:16 ). Paul has done his part to reach the Jew first, and now he is broadening his message, as God intended, to the Gentiles.

And speaking of that broadening message, look at verse 30 .

30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him,

It didn’t matter if it was a Jew or a Greek. It didn’t matter if they were male or female. It didn’t matter if they were the lowliest of slaves in Rome or Emperor Nero himself. God is not a respecter of persons, and neither is Paul. “You want to get saved. You want hear the gospel. Come on in, I’ll tell you all about it.”

31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

Do you remember how the book of Acts began? Do you remember in Acts 1:6, where the disciples asked Jesus, “When’s the kingdom going to come?” Paul’s right here proclaiming the kingdom! It has come in part, but not fully. It still awaits full culmination with Jesus’s return. But we can start talking about it now. We can proclaim it now.

Paul was in the Roman capital, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness. And as an extra measure of God’s grace, he did it “without hindrance” in Rome.

Write this down as #3 in your notes. Boldness means not letting grass grow under your feet. Boldness means not fearing rejection from your listeners. And thirdly,

3) Boldness means not hesitating to share with any who will listen (28:28–31)

That last statement in Acts 28:31 is informative. God allowed Paul to preach “without hindrance.” We know, because we’ve seen it repeatedly in the book of Acts, that Paul has not always preached “without hindrance.” Oftentimes there were lots of hindrances.

But for whatever reason, under the rubric of God’s sovereignty, God allows Paul to have two years of reprieve in Rome to preach the gospel, “without hindrance.” What never changes with Paul is his boldness. Paul was bold with hindrance. Paul was bold without hindrance. That’s clearly evident in Acts.

And here’s what I can say about us and our situation. Sometimes we have hindrances and sometimes we don’t as Christians. Either way, we need to be bold. Praise God we live in a country that allows for religious freedom. That has not been the norm throughout human history. And to the extent that we’ve been allowed to preach Christ and share Christ and live for Christ boldly without hindrance, we should take that! But even if the hindrances come… even if persecution and opposition tick up in the years ahead, we cannot dial down the boldness. May God give us boldness no matter what in our proclamation of the gospel and the coming kingdom.

Now some of you after I read that last verse were thinking to yourself, “That’s it! That’s how the book of Acts ends! What happens to Paul? What happens with his trial? What about Caesar? When does he die?”

Also you might ask, “What happens with Peter and the other disciples? They just kind of disappeared in this book? What happens with the churches? How can you just end the book with Paul preaching the gospel while incarcerated in Rome? That’s so anti-climactic!” Is anyone feeling that way right now?

I heard one pastor say that if this was a modern novel, and it ended like this, then most of us would write a letter to the publisher and say, “What gives? How could you finish a book like that? I invested all this time and energy reading this book and it just ends so unceremoniously! Where’s the climax? Where’s the resolution? It feels so unfinished .”

And you know what, here’s my answer to that. It is, in a sense, unfinished . The Scriptures are complete, but the story of the church goes on. The story of the Holy Spirit’s work in this world continues, and it’s still going on 2,000 years later in a place called San Antonio, Texas.

Charles Spurgeon said this about the end of the book of Acts, “What was begun with so much heroism ought to be continued with ardent zeal, since we are assured that the same Lord is mighty still to carry on His heavenly designs.”

Some might wonder what happened to Paul. When did he die? And what else did he do during those two years in prison? Well, he wrote Scripture from prison—the so-called prison letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians , and Philemon . But after that, he was released and traveled around the Roman Empire again before eventually being imprisoned again by Emperor Nero and beheaded. That took place probably in AD 67 or thereabouts.

But Luke doesn’t record that in Acts. Luke ends this book with Paul, in prison, testifying about the kingdom to the people in Rome—Jews and Gentiles both. And I think that there’s a definite theological reason that the Holy Spirit didn’t inspire Luke to finish this book with a statement about Paul’s death. Here’s the reason—this book is ultimately about Jesus Christ, and maybe secondarily about Christ’s Spirit that he gave to the church.

This book of the Bible is ultimately about salvation through “No Other Name.” His death and his resurrection are preeminently significant, not Paul’s. And not Peter’s either, or any of the other disciples. This book is about Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church. And so, I think an in-depth description of Paul’s death and final days would have taken away from that emphasis on Christ.

And so, the book ends with a statement about Jesus… and with a statement about the gospel.

30 [Paul] lived there two whole years at his own expense… proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

And the story goes on. And the proclamation of the kingdom continues. And the teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness carries on into the twenty-first century. And the gospel of Jesus Christ prevails in our world. It prevails. And the beat goes on.

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Now let me close with this. I assume that there are two kinds of people in this room right now. There are some who need to hear the gospel proclaimed boldly, so that you can respond in faith and believe. If that’s you right now, let me just say as boldly and as unobnoxiously as I can that you need Jesus Christ. You need to turn from sin, admit your sinfulness before a righteous God, believe in Christ’s work upon the cross, and confess him as your Lord and Savior. You need to do that right now.

There is no other way to have peace with God other than through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. So believe on him. Accept the free gift of salvation that he gives. Tell him, “I’m a sinner. I need your grace, Lord. I believe that Jesus is the Messiah. I believe that he died on the cross for my sins. And from this point forward I will live, to the best of my ability, in obedience to King Jesus.”

Others in this room, need an exhortation to be more bold in your witness for Christ. If that’s you… Don’t let the grass grow under your feet. Don’t wait for people to come to you, you go to them. Don’t let a fear of rejection keep you from speaking the truth. And don’t hesitate to share the gospel with any who will listen to you.

Jesus said in the beginning of the book of Acts , “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth” ( Acts 1:8 ). That’s us. That’s not just for first century disciples. That’s for us. We, as disciples of Jesus Christ, should be his witnesses in this city of San Antonio. In southern and central Texas, and wherever else God gives us opportunities. Amen?. Let’s go do that, church. Let’s be his witnesses.

Acts 27:39–28:16: "Paul’s Promise: This Road Leads to Rome"

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 20:34:02 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

Go ahead, church, and take your Bibles and turn with me to Acts 28. Actually our passage today begins in Acts 27:39 and we will work our way today to the middle of Acts 28 and verse 16.

We are nearing the end of our journey through the book of Acts. The last thing that God does in this great book of the Bible is promise the Apostle Paul that he will get to the city of Rome, which was the center of the ancient world in Paul’s day. Paul had planned to visit Rome for some time. In fact, the apostle first announced his intention to go to Rome in Acts 19:21 , “After I have been [to Jerusalem], I must also see Rome.”

This desire of Paul’s was recorded in the book of Romans where years before he came to Rome he wrote, “I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you... I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented)... So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” ( 1:11–15 ).

Now as you know, Paul’s journey to Rome wasn’t just wistful wish-fulfillment. When Paul was in prison in Jerusalem, Jesus promised Paul, “You will testify about me also in Rome” ( Acts 23:11 ). So this wasn’t just a dream of Paul’s; it was a promise of God. And here’s the question I want to ask you today: Does God fulfill his promises?

The message today is entitled “Paul’s Promise: This Road Leads to Rome” and this message is about a God who always, always fulfills his promises. And applicationally for us, this message is about trusting God through every conceivable trial, fear, and uncertainty in our lives. This message is about holding on and not giving up, and believing the promises of God even when everything in this world is conspiring to convince you that God’s promises will not come true.

This message today is analogous to Abraham in the OT who despite all odds believed God and his faith was credited to him as righteousness ( Gen 15:6 ).

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Now as I look at our passage today, Acts 27:39–28:16 , I see this passage unfolding in three scenes: Acts 27:39–44, Acts 28:1–10 , and Acts 28:11–16 . You can see that breakdown of this passage in your notes. And I want to give you a description of each of those scenes as it relates to Jesus’s promise that Paul will reach Rome.

And here’s the description of that first scene. Let’s call this…

1) A Promise Under Pressure (27:39–44)

When we left the Apostle Paul last week, it was a cliffhanger. He and the rest of his party were in pretty bad shape. Paul and the 276 people that were on a ship with him had barely survived a terrifying ordeal at sea. They were on a ship headed for Rome, and their ship had been blown off course. And they had struggled for at least fourteen days through a terrifying, a typhoon-esque storm called a “northeaster,” that had just about ended them at sea.

But the ship survives the storm. Paul had encouraged the men repeatedly and had displayed great leadership on the boat to keep the men from slipping into hopelessness.

And Paul had even thwarted an attempt by the sailors to abandon ship. When we find them in verse 39, three important things have just taken place: 1) They had taken a sounding and found that they the ocean floor was 15 fathoms (90 feet), so they knew they were approaching land fast. 2) They had dropped anchor and waited for day to come. In fact verse 29 says they had prayed for day to come. Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus prayed to the God of the universe. The rest of the ship prayed to whatever gods they believed in. And they all hoped that the storm would finally relent.

And thirdly, Luke tells us, 3) Paul encouraged the passengers to take some food and promised them that not a hair on their head would perish. “Everything’s going to be okay. God has promised me that all of you will survive.” And then Paul prayed for the food, and they ate together. That’s how our passage from last time ended.

Well in verse 39, day finally dawns.

39 Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land,

In other words, they saw land, but it wasn’t a location that any of these men were familiar with. So, that’s a little disconcerting…

but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore.

You might say, “Yeah! They’re saved!” Well, not so fast. They are still some distance from the land. And they can’t just jump out and swim to shore. There could be sharks in the water. There could be currents that easily take you out to sea again.

If the waves were heavy enough, the swimmers could be dashed against the rocks. That’s not better than dying or drowning at sea. And, as we’ll find out in a minute, not everyone on the ship can swim. In fact, there’s a good chance that the majority of the soldiers and the prisoners on the boat can’t swim. The ability to swim wasn’t as prevalent then, as it is in our day.

So here’s the plan. Look at verse 40.

40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach.

So they saw a beach in the distance. They decide to run the ship aground. They untie the rudders (or the oars) at the bottom of the boat. They hoist the foresail, which is the “jib” or the front-sail of the ship that gives them a little control.

Here’s a picture of a typical boat in this Roman era and you can see here the foresail, the rudders, and the mainsail.

Click to view picture

Now remember they’ve already thrown their mainsail and their other tackle and equipment overboard. So they don’t have the ability to maneuver like they normally would. But at this point, they don’t have a choice. This is their last chance to survive.

This plan of theirs is essentially a last-ditch effort to save themselves. The anchors are gone, the rudders are loose, the foresail is up, the mainsail is gone. And if this doesn’t work, then they are finished.

So they make for the beach! They get a little closer to shore. But then they encounter another obstacle. Look at verse 41.

41 But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck

The bow is the front of the boat, and the stern is the back.

and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf.

I’m sure at this point the soldiers were like, “Can we please get off this ship! We can’t catch a break on this thing. Just get me out of here already!”

What was happening here is that the ship’s bow was stuck in the reef or a sandbar some distance from the shore, and the stern of the ship was being destroyed by the surf. Probably what was happening was that the back of the boat was being lifted by the waves and then crashing down on the sandbar. Remember this is not a steel ship, right? This is not the USS Lexington out there. This is a wooden ship.

And this ship that has already taken a beating in the storm for the last fourteen days. So in a short amount of time, this wooden ship would have been splintered and broken apart by the surf. That’s a dangerous situation for the people on board.

And since the ship is still some distance from the beach, the soldiers start to panic. And here’s what they want to do. Look at verse 42.

42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape.

You might say, “Wow, these guys really don’t have faith in Paul or in Paul’s God, do they?” No, they don’t. Paul said that everyone will survive, but these guys aren’t taking any chances.

And you have to remember, that if these prisoners escape, then the soldiers that guarded them will have to serve their sentence. And for some that would mean capital punishment. So here’s the solution: “Let’s just kill ‘em all. That’s the only way to get out of this predicament.”

Look at verse 43.

43 But the centurion, wishing to save Paul,

That’s Julius, right? The man who allowed Paul to go visit friends in Sidon. He trusts Paul. And throughout this whole ordeal, Paul was the one encouraging the men and leading with confidence. They might not have even gotten this far without Paul. So Julius doesn’t want Paul to be executed.

And remember, Paul is one of the prisoners.

43 But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept [the soldiers] from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land,

“You guys go. Swim to shore, if you can. Secure a place to apprehend the prisoners when they come to land.”

44 and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship.

It’s amazing how much this ship is being pounded at this point. There are pieces of it floating everywhere! That’s probably what saved the lives of some of these men, the ones that couldn’t swim anyway. So they were able to float all the way to the beach.

44 …And so it was that all were brought safely to land.

Did God fulfill his promise? God told Paul that everyone on the ship would survive, all 276 men. Did God come through for them? Can God be trusted with his promises? God even promised, through the angel, that the ship would be destroyed. But all the people will survive ( Acts 27:22 ). How was that going to happen? Luke tells us here. God’s word can always be trusted! God always follows through with his promises.

You might say, “Yeah I get that, Tony. But couldn’t God have done this without all the life-threatening drama? Couldn’t he have sent a chariot of fire like Elijah that would carry them safely to land? That would have been awesome!”

Yeah, he could’ve. But you know what I think. God left enough precariousness… God left enough uncertainty and fear in this scenario to test Paul and to test these men including Luke and Aristarchus. Luke’s got to write this down later!

You know, I’ve noticed that God does that in my life. He allows precarious and fear-inducing situations in order to test me. “Do you really trust me, Tony? Will you hold fast to my promises even when everything in your life is going against you?” God does that. And his endgame is more than just fulfilling his promises; it’s making us better people along the way. It’s making us men and women of faith. It’s making us men and women of integrity, who demonstrate the character of God even in the storms of life.

Some of you might say, “Tony, I feel like those people in the boat right now. I feel like those sailors who tried to abandon ship. I feel like those soldiers who wanted to kill the prisoners. I feel more like them the Apostle Paul.”

Some of you might say, “Tony, I feel more like that ship that was getting smashed to pieces by the surf. BAM!!! BAM!!! BAM!!! That’s me! That’s my life.” Here’s my encouragement for you. Hold fast to the Lord, your anchor. Hold fast to the God of the universe. Hold fast to the God who has promised, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Here’s great passage on endurance in faith. Put this in your mental rolodex for times of suffering: 1 Peter 5:10 , “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Endurance by faith! That’s what God is after.

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Now back to our text here. At this point, one of God’s promises has been fulfilled. That’s the promise that Paul received on the boat that all 276 men will make it to shore safely (Acts 27:23–26). But there’s another promise that still awaits fulfillment. And that’s God’s promise to Paul that he will testify in Rome ( Acts 23:11; 27:24 ).

And unless Paul just shipwrecked off the coast of Rome (which is highly unlikely), God still has some work to do to fulfill that promise.

Write this down as the second scene in this passage. I’ll just call this…

2) A Promise on Pause (28:1–10)

God’s promise was threatened in Acts 27. No problem. God got them through that. But now they are shipwrecked somewhere in the middle of the Mediterranean, in the middle of the winter (by the way), and they still have a few obstacles to overcome.

Acts 28:1 says,

1 After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta.

If you look on the map you can see the island of Malta just below the “boot” of Italy.

Paul’s Journey to Rome with “Syrtis” Added - Click to View

This island is about 150 miles south of Italy; It’s about 450 miles south of Rome. On the map you can see just how far this ship was blown westward by the storm. The distance from Crete to Malta is roughly 550 miles. So this ship was blown 550 miles westward in two weeks.

And they landed on an island, Malta, that is incredibly small. In fact it’s only about 120 square miles (approximately 17 miles long and 9 miles wide). Hitting this island in the middle of the Mediterranean is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. And astonishingly they are basically still on route to Rome. That just goes to show how God was superintending this voyage. And God has a reason for them landing on this island. Watch this!

2 The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold.

Remember it’s winter. They were cold. And the natives were kind to them.

The Greek word for “ native people ” here is βάρβαρος , which we derive the English word “barbarian” from. It’s an onomatopoeia, meaning it sounds like what it is. People who spoke Greek would make fun of people who didn’t speak Greek with the sound, “bar-bar-bar.” And that later gave birth to the word “barbarian,” for those who didn’t speak Greek. But these “barbarians” are not “barbarian-like” in their treatment of these visitors.

When I was a kid, my mom used to always tell us, “Don’t eat like a barbarian.” And that’s because I grew up in a household where he who eats fastest, eats most. So we would often make my mom crazy with our barbarian ways. She tried to “de-barbarianize” me, but some habits are harder to break then others.

But in our passage here, the barbarians, or the “ natives ” of the island, did something good. They did something worthy of our imitation. They showed Paul and Luke and these sailors and soldiers and prisons unusual kindness. They didn’t try to kill them and eat them like some barbarians would. That’s a real possibility on some remote island. But instead of eating them, they showed them hospitality, and they even kindled a fire for 276 people because they were cold. That’s pretty hospitable.

Now just so you know “ barbarian ” in Paul’s day essentially means non-Greek or non-Greek-speaking. So these weren’t barbarians by our standards. In fact the Maltese people were quite civilized at this point in history. But they were non-Greek. They were isolated in many ways from Greek, and then later Roman, culture. And!.... here’s the important point… they were unevangelized. Up to this point, when Paul shipwrecked on their island, they hadn’t heard the gospel. So here’s the question—could God have used all of these events (a ship, a storm, a shipwreck) to bring the gospel to these unbelievers in Malta?

You might say, “Why did Paul have to go all this? Why didn’t God just give his smooth-sailing all the way to Rome? Why not a chariot of fire taking Paul to Rome?” Well maybe this is the reason. Maybe God wanted Paul to evangelize some “barbarians” on the way.

Look, here’s the point. I don’t know why God makes us suffer in the ways that he does. There’s not always an easy answer for it. But God’s ways are higher than ours. And God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.

And there’s enough evidence in Scripture to assume that God is working a good and perfect plan in spite of our suffering. And God is even using our suffering for his greater purposes. Even if we don’t understand that.

Our job is not to discern why God is making us suffer. Our job is to suffer well with faith. Our job is to endure, and trust God.

And speaking of endurance, look at verse 3. Paul’s not done suffering just yet.

3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks

That’s great right there. Paul’s not too high and mighty to pick up sticks and throw them into the fire.

3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.

I’m sure Luke was like, “What’s the deal with you, man? Everywhere we go stuff like this happens to you.” Paul’s just minding his business… Paul’s just trying to help out and build a fire for all the cold and wet people… and wouldn’t you know it… Paul the do-gooder… gets bitten by a viper.

I mean sure this guy is going to die. He’s destined to die. He’s not making it to Rome. This guy is snakebit! Paul is snakebit. Some kind of weird juju magic has been unleashed on Paul, and this guy can’t catch a break. He’s cursed.

You’ll notice, that’s exactly what the Maltese people think when they see this. They think this happened because Paul’s got bad karma.

Look at verse 4.

4 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand,

Just imagine Paul standing in front of them with this snake hanging from his hand. It’s actually kind of comical. This snake could have been a vipera ammodytes , otherwise known as a nose-horned viper. Or it could have been a vipera aspis , an asp viper. Those are two of the most venomous snakes in Europe.

Here’s a picture of an asp viper.

Click to view picture

It was probably a snake like this that fastened itself to Paul. Isn’t that a beautiful creature, right there? Wouldn’t you want to take that home with you as a pet?

Coincidently venomous snakes are no longer found on the island of Malta. The increased population and development of the island pushed out those snakes. But poisonous snakes used to be found there. And this snake that bit Paul, whatever specific species it was, had a reputation.

Because look what happens when the Maltese natives saw this. Look at verse 4.

they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice

You can see “ Justice ” with a capital letter there. This is probably a deity of theirs.

Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 [Paul], however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.

Paul is the terminator! Paul is the apostolic terminator in the book of Acts.

Jesus had actually given his disciples authority to tread on serpents and scorpions in Luke 10:19, so it shouldn’t surprise us that Paul suffered no harm here. For the record, I don’t believe that this is a promise that is available to all of us as Christians, so that would be my response to those who think snake-handling should be normal part of Christian practice.

This was a miracle. This was a display of Paul’s authority as an apostle. This was a miracle that God used to propagate the gospel message and authenticate the gospel messenger, just like he’s done before in the book of Acts.

Because watch how these native people respond. Look at verse 6.

6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead.

They had seen snakebites like this in the past. They knew that a quick and gruesome death followed

But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to [Paul], they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

“He’s a god. He survives storms and shipwrecks and snakebites. He must be divine!”

You might remember that they did the same thing to Paul and Barnabas in Lystra ( Acts 18:8–28 ). At first they thought Paul and Barnabas were Zeus and Hermes. But when they pleaded with them to turn to the real God of the universe, the disillusioned crowd stoned them and left them for dead. It just goes to show you how fickle human nature is, and how powerful superstition can influence a people’s belief system.

And here’s another point—only God can rescue a person from those things. Only God can free a person from the powers of ignorance and superstition. And maybe God wants to do this with these Maltese.

Now that’s not all that happens. Watch what Paul does next in verse 7.

7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days.

Notice how there more hospitality demonstrated on this little island. More common grace elements displayed in this culture. These aren’t believers. They don’t know Christ… not yet. But they are men and women made in the image of God. And they show that through their actions here.

Look at verse 8.

8 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him. 9 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.

“This guy Paul can heal you. Let’s go see him! This guy Paul is sent from God, let’s go see him. This guy survives shipwrecks and snakebites, and he can heal you.”

What’s God doing on this island? What’s God replicating here? God is essentially doing the same thing that he did in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria years before. God is using miracles and healing to blaze new paths for the gospel. God is propagating the gospel message and authenticating the gospel messenger by these miracles.

And you might say, “I’ve never seen God do things like this in my lifetime.” Well I’m not so sure that God intended this to be something normative in every lifetime.

You might be surprised to hear that some of the church fathers made that same observation just a few centuries after Paul. They tried to figure out why miracles were so commonplace in Paul’s day (during this apostolic era), whereas in their day they were less frequent.

And here’s what they concluded. They surmised that God will often use a surge of miracles in a pagan context to spread the gospel quickly, whereas in a culture that is already evangelized, miracles are less prevalent. And you know what I think there’s something to that. I don’t know if I’d take a bullet for that theory. I’m not sure that their observation is true in every circumstance. But in general, I think they are right.

And once again, as always, God moves in mysterious ways his wonders too perform. Who can know the mind of God ( Isa 40:13; Rom 11:34 )?

I say this, because as a pastor, I’ve seen God do amazing things in the lives of his people. I’ve seen phenomenal answers to prayer throughout my time in ministry. But I’ve also done a lot of funerals. I’ve seen unanswered prayers that led to death.

Several years ago, when Sanja and I were in Croatia, we went to visit with Sanja’s dear friend named Ana. Ana was one of Sanja’s few Christian friends in Croatia. And they had been friends since high school. And Ana had been battling cancer for years. And she was young. She was married, with two small kids. And we (Sanja, her brother, her mom and me) prayed for her so fervently. We prayed and we pleaded with God to spare her life and free her body from cancer.

And we knew, without a doubt, that God could, if he chose to, heal her. But he didn’t. She passed away. Her battle with cancer didn’t end the way that we wanted. But we praise God that it’s over, and that Ana never has to deal with that again.

Now why do I tell you that story? I tell you because “healing” is a very important thing to understand in the Christian life. And we need to be able to discern what’s descriptive and prescriptive in Scripture. When Paul went to Malta, God did incredible miracles through him. It was like the ministry of Jesus all over again. It was like the early chapters of Acts all over again… People getting healed… Paul gets bit by a viper and survives. HALLELUJAH!!! IT’S AWESOME. And we should celebrate how awesome this is.

But does that mean that God has prescribed in his Word that every person we pray for in this world will get healed? No, it doesn’t! Is God promising in this text that we will survive every snakebite and heal every person we pray for, just like Paul did in Malta? I don’t think so. This passage is descriptive . It happened. Not prescriptive .

You know what helps me with this issue, is reading Paul’s letters. Because there were times when Paul couldn’t heal. The Apostle Paul! I think we like to think of Paul as this guy who could heal on demand. But he told Timothy once to take a little wine to help his stomach issue (1 Tim 5:23). “Why don’t you just heal him, Paul? Come on, man!”

According to Philippians 2:19–30 , Paul’s friend, Epaphroditus, was sick, and Paul didn’t heal him. Paul even had his own “thorn in the flesh” that he couldn’t heal. “Just heal, yourself, Paul, come on.” It doesn’t work that way.

The reason is this—God’s endgame is not our physical healing or our own personal comfort. That’s not God’s highest goal on planet earth. His highest goal is his own glory. And he’ll use physical healing to attain that goal, especially (it would seem) when that goal involves the salvation of an unsaved people group.

But God is not obligated to heal. In fact, there are times when a “lack of healing” is used to bring glory to God and to bring his saints closer to him. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord ( Job 1:21 ).

Now should we pray for healing? Absolutely! And there’s even a provision for that in Scripture. James 5:14 says, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” But we don’t present requests for healing to the Lord as ultimatums. We believe that God can heal; we call on him to do that in light of his Word, and then we pray not my will be done but yours, Lord ( Luke 22:42 ).

Now let’s get back to the narrative and talk about what happens here with Paul. And as we do that, let me ask the question, “Why would God do so many incredible things through Paul in Malta?” And here’s my answer. Even though the text doesn’t say for sure, my guess is that God used these miracles on this island-nation to save the souls of these natives. These barbarians!

I mean, these islanders thought Paul was a god! They probably rejoiced every day that this guy shipwrecked on their island. And it gave Paul the perfect opportunity to say, “No, I’m not a god. I’m a human being just like you. I’m a sinner just like you. But I know the true God of the universe. He has forgiven my sins. And you know what? You can know him too. You can have your sins forgiven too.”

Church history would tell us that this guy Publius from Malta may have become the first pastor of the church in Malta. Church history would also tell us that the whole island of Malta eventually converted to Christianity after Paul’s visit. In fact, they still call the bay where Paul probably shipwrecked “St. Paul’s Bay.” You can go and visit this place in Malta today.

St. Paul’s Bay, Malta - Click to view

In fact, I’ve heard that all the venomous snakes are now extinct on the island. So you don’t even have to worry about venomous snakebites if you travel there. Pretty sweet, eh!

So that’s what God did in Malta while his promise to Paul was on pause . And verse 10 says:

10 They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.

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And finally, here’s the last scene of this passage.

3) A Promise on Arrival (28:11–16)

11 After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods as a figurehead.

So Paul stayed on the island for three months healing people and witnessing. Finally they decided to start heading for Rome. So they board an Alexandrian ship and they take off.

12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.

You can see on the map where Syracuse is on the southeast corner of Sicily. Here’s Paul’s journey from Malta all the way north to Rome.

Paul’s Final Leg to Rome: From Malta to Rome - Click to view

This final leg of Paul’s journey to Rome had less drama than the previous leg.

Look at verse 13.

13 And from [Syracuse] we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli.

Sounds very Italian, doesn’t it?

14 There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us.

“Hey Paul. Good to see you. How was your trip, man? Did you have any trouble getting here?”

“Yeah, storms, shipwrecks, and snakebites. No biggie!”

These destinations (“ the Forum of Appius ” and “ Three Taverns ”) were about 40 miles south of Rome. Rome didn’t have a harbor, so Paul had to walk with his entourage about 150 miles from Puteoli to Rome. But these “ brothers ” from Rome, these Christians who are anxiously anticipating Paul’s visit travel down 40 miles, a two days’ journey at least, to meet him near Three Taverns. That’s quite a journey! But as you know, Paul was quite a man! And he was beloved by these churches, even though they had never met him before!

And the end of verse 15 sums up all of the emotion and all of the exhilaration that Paul would have felt after finally getting to Rome after all these years.

On seeing them [the brothers who came down from Rome] , Paul thanked God and took courage.

Paul’s been trying to get to Rome for years. Paul wrote the book of Romans at least three years before this event. And three years is nothing compared to Abraham. Abraham and Sarah had to wait twenty-five years for the birth of Isaac (see Gen 12:4; 21:5 )!

But now, it’s finally happening for Paul. And Paul thanked God and took courage.

16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul’s journeys in the book of Acts finally come to an end. He’s been on the move since his conversion in Damascus. And even before that when he was persecution Christians! But now, at long last, he’s reached his final destination in this book. He’s finally made it to Rome.

A promise threatened, a promise delayed, and finally a promised realized. God gets it done. It may have been more difficult and delayed than Paul would have liked. But God gets it done. God always gets it done!

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Is God faithful with his promises, church? Does God follow through on his promises? The whole world may pass away. Every single thing in your life may seem like it’s conspiring against God and his promises. Every single person in your life may cast aspersion on the God whom you serve. But God will get done what he has promised to get done.

John Macarthur said this once: “Governments make promises and break them. Nations make promises and break them. Advertisers make promises and break them. Politicians make promises and break them. Preachers make promises and break them… husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, moms, dads, uncles, aunts, friends, enemies, everybody.” Let’s face it. You and me, we’ve all made promises ourselves and didn’t keep them. Right? But there is One who makes promises and never, never breaks them. And he is the Lord.

You might say, “Well what are some of his promises, Tony?” Well I shared a few of them with you last time, but let me add a few more to that list:

1) Comfort in the midst of affliction (2 Cor 1:3–4; Ps 34:18)

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Psalm 34:19 says also, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.”

2) Salvation by faith (Rom 10:9)

Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

3) Our completion and sanctification (Phil 1:6)

God promises that he will complete the work he started in us (namely our sanctification). Philippians 1:6 says, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

4) The daily forgiveness of our sins (1 John 1:9)

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

5) To hears our prayers (Heb 4:14–16; 1 John 5:14–15)

The Apostle John writes in 1 John 5:14–15 , “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

The author of Hebrews writes that since Jesus is our great high priest, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

6) Rest for weary souls

Matthew 11:28–29 says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

And one more. I could on, but I’ll stop here. You guys add to this list on your own.

7) Imperishable bodies to come

1 Corinthians 15:50–55 says, “I tell you this, brothers… We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye… For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

‘Death is swallowed up in victory.”

‘O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?’”

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You might say, “That’s great Tony. I can’t wait for that day. But what do I do in the meantime?” “What do I do right now while I’m waiting on those promises to be fulfilled?” Listen! Hear me on this. You just hold on. You just endure. You claim the promises of God and serve him and wait on him. And you trust him. Just like Paul did all the way to Rome.

There’s an old proverbial chestnut that goes like this: “The next mile is the only one a person really has to make.” Don’t worry about the whole voyage… just get through the next mile. Don’t worry about next week, just make it through this week.

By the way, my goal in preaching, by the way, isn’t for you to get enough to last the next year or two. My goal is really more modest than that. I’m just hoping to encourage you through God’s Word for the next week. And then we’ll come back here together next Sunday and we’ll get fed and well get fired up for the next week. That’s what endurance looks like. That’s it.

So, church, you just go this week and trust God and hold fast to his promises. Serve him faithfully. And I’ll see you here next week and we’ll do this again. Amen? Alright, let’s pray together.

Revelation 21:9–22:5 “The New Jerusalem, Our Eternal Home.”

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:52:55 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

We are in the midst of a series called “Final Things.” And we have been looking for the last few weeks at the book of Revelation. We’ve seen already the second coming, the millennium, and the eternal state. Today we will explore “The New Jerusalem” in Revelation 21–22 .

In the late eighteenth century, the French monarchy in Paris reached a place of unprecedented wealth and ostentation. The best example of this is the great “Palace of Versailles” where the king and queen of France resided. The palace was filled with ornate fixtures of gold and silver, fine cuisine, and opulent wealth. This extravagance reached its peak with King Louis XVI and his Austrian Bride Marie Antoinette. They both enjoyed the best that France had to offer in their palatial dwelling and in their grandiose lifestyle.

But the life that they enjoyed came to a tragic end, because their wealth had actually been made possible by the poverty of the people around them. And also this dangerous little thing called “taxation.” Ever heard of that?

And as often happens, the people revolted against their king and his unfortunate bride, the queen. And they were both sentenced to the guillotine which ushered in the French Revolution and eventually the reign of Napoleon. It also ushered in a number of different philosophies that were antichristian at its core, but I’ll have to save that for another time.

The bottom line is that the French king was responsible for exhausting his country’s resources and the kingdom felt the pinch of his lavish and self-indulgent lifestyle. And so the people revolted. You see in a world like ours, kings are mere mortals and kingdoms are really pretty fragile things. They come and go, and no matter how great and powerful they are, they eventually can be decimated by social and economic ruin.

But what if you had a King who had unlimited resources at his disposal? What if you had a King who didn’t depend on the taxation of the people for his wealth, glory, and riches? What if you had a people who instead of working by the sweat of their brow to support the ostentation of a king, they dwelt in the presence of the King and they reveled in the glory of the King, and they were freed up to worship the King forever and ever and bask in his greatness? That’s what we have in Revelation 21 and 22. And amazingly, we don’t live and work apart from this king. We live with him! In the same city! Millions of people! In what’s called, the New Jerusalem.

But before we look at Revelation, I want you to first turn with me to the book of Hebrews, just a few books before Revelation. Now the book of Hebrews is anonymous, so we don’t know who wrote this book. But whoever wrote this book, that person gave us a wonderful glimpse of what eternity would look like for people of faith.

For instance, look at Hebrews 11 with me. This is what’s referred to often as the “Hall of Faith” where the author of Hebrews describes men and women of the OT who demonstrated saving faith.

And in 11:8 it says, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” ( Heb 11:8 –11 ).

In other words, Abraham was looking beyond the Promised Land to something eternal, a city built by God. And you might say to that, “what city has foundations that were designed and built by God?” Well skip down with me to verse 13, where it says, “These all died [that’s Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob] in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” ( Heb 11:13–16 ).

What city is he talking about? Now quickly turn over with me to Hebrews 12, where we see this idea of a “heavenly city” reiterated. And this time the author of Hebrews has NT believers like you and me in mind. In verse 22, it says, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering…” ( Heb 12:22 ).

The author of Hebrews here is drawing on extensive OT imagery of a new heavenly Zion/Jerusalem to say that Christian believers will one day participate in worship with innumerable angels and a great assemble of saints in this city, this New Jerusalem. And to reinforce that idea, let me just show you one more passage in Hebrews.

Look at 13:14. This is the end of the book and in verse 14, the author writes: “For here [speaking of this present age that is hostile to followers of Christ] we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” ( Heb 13:14 ).

Now this prompts the question, what city is the author of Hebrews talking about? And why does he keep mentioning it in this letter to the churches? Well I would suggest to you that the city that he’s referring to is the same one that Jesus described to his disciples when he said in John 14, “Behold I go to prepare a place for you.” “In my Father’s house [there] are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” ( John 14:2–3 ).

So if I understand Jesus correctly, from our vantage point in the twenty-first century, Jesus has been preparing this place for us for the last 2,000 years. And he still has at least another 1,000 years (during his millennial reign) to continue building this place. So when it’s all said and done, Jesus will have at least 3,000 years to prepare an eternal home for us!

How many of you think this city is going to be pretty special? I mean, God created the world in six days, and our world is pretty spectacular, right? The place that Jesus is building now is going to be beyond spectacular. That place is going to be stunning and glorious beyond our wildest imagination.

And God gives us a wonderful little snapshot of that eternal dwelling place in Revelation 21. And it is breathtakingly spectacular. It is stunning in beauty and grandeur and splendor. And the name of city that the book of Hebrews alluded to is called in Revelation, “The New Jerusalem.”

So church, would you want to take a look at your future home? Do you want to see the place where we will live forever and ever and ever in the presence of God? I’ll be honest with you, my hope for you today is that you would be gobsmacked by how awesomely beautiful our eternal dwelling will be. That’s my goal for today. It’s for you to be utterly astonished by what God is preparing for you, even right now.

Sanja and I, when we moved to San Antonio, we kept looking for homes on one of the real estate websites that lets you take a virtual tour of homes for sale. That’s kind of what Revelation 21 is like. John gives us a virtual tour of our future home. And this home is not like anything else you have ever seen on a real estate website. It’s beyond human comprehension. I’ll prove it to you.

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Write this down as #1 in your notes. Here’s what makes this New Jerusalem so spectacular. I’ll give you four things from the text. First of all, The New Jerusalem will be…

1) filled with the glory of God (21:9–14)

John writes in Revelation 21, verse 9,

9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

Remember this is the end of the end. This is after the tribulation, after Jesus’s second coming, after Armageddon, after Jesus’s millennial reign, after Satan’s final rebellion, after the Great White Throne Judgment, and after all of God’s enemies are cast into the lake of fire. After all that, then God creates a new heaven and a new earth. We looked at that last week. And part of that new heaven and new earth is this bride, the wife of the Lamb.

Now who’s this bride? Well interestingly the bride is described as the holy city, Jerusalem. Look at verse 10.

10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,

Just to reinforce this idea that the bride is the New Jerusalem, look back at verse 2, where John said, “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” ( 21:2 ). So a particular part of the new heaven and the new earth is this new city that is the bride of Christ. Why is “the city” called “a bride?” Well because it draws its character from its occupants. And its occupants (that’s us, folks) are the eternal bride of Christ. This is our eternal home, the New Jerusalem. This is where we’ll live forever in eternity.

Like I said last week, we won’t be floating around on clouds living in isolation from each other. That’s boring! We’ll be living in perfect community and perfect fellowship with one another and with God forever. The church father, Augustine, who wrote that massive book The City of God, said, “Heaven is the perfectly ordered and harmonious enjoyment of God and of one another in God [forever].” We, the bride, will live with him, the Lamb, Jesus Christ, our groom, forever.

You know what my favorite part of a wedding is? Can you guess? It’s when the bride and groom exchange the vows. I love that part. And I love hearing the commitments that bride and groom make to each other. “Till death do us part”… or some variation of that. “I’ll love you till I’m dead.” That’s basically what they’re saying.

And during a wedding, I always reach of and take hold of Sanja’s hand in that moment and reassure her that those vows are my vows. And the vows that I made 25 years ago are still applicable today. And I’m committed to them just as much now, as I was 25 years ago. “I’ll love you till I’m dead, Sanja.” “Till death do us part.”

Here’s the other reason I love vows. Because they are a reminder of Christ’s promise to us, his church. He’ll love us forever and there is no death. There’s no “till death do us part” with Jesus. Marriage on earth is temporary. The eternal marriage between Christ and his church is forever. And there is no dying. And there is no death. There’s just love and fellowship together forever. And that’s what’s being pictured right here in Revelation 21, the eternal love between Christ and his redeemed bride.

Now here’s what’s key about this city, the New Jerusalem, in verse 11. The city manifests …

11 … the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

The city, in other words, radiates the glory of God. Our future home radiates God’s glory. The city is luminous and resplendent like a jasper, clear as crystal.

Here’s a picture of jasper:

Jasper - Click to view

Jasper in our day typically has a reddish hue and it’s opaque. But the description here is a picture of jasper that is “clear as crystal.” In other words, it’s not opaque, it’s translucent and maybe still has that reddish hue like a jasper stone.

The reason that I say it is translucent is because the glory of God is radiating throughout the city. So the light of God’s glory must be able to shine through the city, and that light is refracted everywhere giving it a certain glow.

Look at verse 12.

12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

So, there are twelve gates in this city. And we find out later that these gates were made of pearl. And the twelve tribes of Israel were inscribed: Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim and Manasseh. Three on each gate.

Now why are the sons of Israel (or Jacob) inscribed on these gates? Well it’s not going to be NT Christians only in the New Jerusalem. OT saints will be there too. And I love here how eternity will reflect forever the continuity between the NT and the OT saints. Their inheritance is our inheritance ! We’ll live together in the New Jerusalem.

Also John says, “there are angels guarding these twelve gates” ( 21:12 ). And the angels guarding the gates are really just there for dramatic effect. There’s nothing to guard against! All God’s enemies are gone. They are there just as figureheads possibly to greet us as we come and go out of the gates. This is kind of like bellhops in a fancy hotel. This is kind of like the Royal Guard outside of Buckingham Palace that everyone takes pictures with and tries to get him to smile. He has a gun, but he’s not really going to shoot anyone. He’s just there as a decorative piece.

J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of the Lord of the Rings, said once that fairy tales continue to be popular because they give you stories in which characters: 1) escape time, 2) escape death, 3) hold communion with non-human beings, 4) find perfect love, and 5) triumph over evil. What’s going to happen in the New Jerusalem. We will 1) escape time, 2) escape death, 3) hold communion with non-human beings, 4) find perfect love, and 5) triumph over evil. It’s a fairy tale come true—our relationship with Jesus.

And look at verse 14.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

So the twelve tribes of Israel are written on the gates. And the twelve names of the twelve apostles are written on the foundations: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Nathaniel, Philip, etc. Why are their names there?

Well these are the men who first established the church. These are the men that first preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. So the two great epochs of human history (BC and AD; OT and NT) are reflected in this eternal city. OT saints fellowshipping with NT saints for eternity—that’s what’s pictured here. And the glory of the Lord illuminates this city.

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It gets better. Write this down #2. The New Jerusalem will be…

2) vast and beautiful beyond description (21:15–21)

Now watch this. Watch how epic the dimensions of this city are described by John.

15 And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width [So the city is perfectly square]. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.

So not only is it a perfect square, it’s actually a perfect cube. Some have suggested a pyramid that is high in the middle and sloped down to the sides. Maybe shaped like a hill instead of a pyramid. In that case the city on a hill actually becomes a city as a hill. Or maybe a city as mountain. That possibility is fascinating to me.

Other suggest a perfect cube, like what is described in the holy place in the tabernacle and in Solomon’s temple. In fact the Holy of Holies within the tabernacle is expressly described as a cube—20 cubits in length, 20 cubits in width, and 20 cubits in height (1 Kgs 6:20). Why is that significant? Well the Holy of Holies was that place, a cube, where God’s presence was manifested before the people of Israel. And it was so holy, that only the high priest could go in there, once a year on the Day of Atonement (see Lev 16; Heb 9:7).

Well the New Jerusalem, the eternal abode of the believers, is also a perfect cube. And that’s where God will manifest his presence forever. And instead of one person going in there once a year, we’ll all enjoy the presence of God forever unhindered by our former taintedness and unimpeded by that barrier of holiness.

Now let me just give you an idea of just how vast this city will be. The city was measured at 12,000 stadia. That’s roughly 1,400 miles. And if this measurement means 1,400 miles per side of the city, which many scholars believe, that’s roughly 2 million square miles.

That city by today’s standards would stretch from Maine to Florida, and Florida to Texas, and Texas to Minnesota, and Minnesota back to Maine. That’s a big city, folks. That’s roughly half of the United States. The land mass of the United States is 3.8 million square miles, so 2 million square miles would be more than half of our country.

You might ask, “Is that big enough to hold all of the saints throughout the centuries?” Yes, it is! Because not only is it 1,400 miles long; it’s 1,400 miles high. That’s way beyond our current atmosphere. Trust me when I say this, there will be plenty of room for everybody. Maybe someone hearing this needs to claim his or her spot in the New Jerusalem by trusting Christ. Only saved believers will be part of this New Jerusalem. And trust me, it’ll be plenty big for all of us. The city of God will be 1,400 miles wide and 1,400 miles long and 1,400 miles high. There’s plenty of room for everyone.

Look at verse 17.

17 He also measured its wall [it’s thickness] , 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement.

A cubit is the length of a man’s arm from his elbow to the tip of his middle finger. It’s roughly 18 inches. So the thickness of these walls is something like 72 yards or 216 feet. Some people have said that a building that tall with walls that thick would be structurally unsound. How many of you think God can figure that out? I don’t know how the laws of physics will work in the afterlife, but I know that laws of physics don’t apply to God as master builder. God created those laws and he can change them if he wants to.

Look at verse 18.

18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

Here’s a picture with all those gemstones.

Gemstones of Revelation 21:19–20 - Click to view

And hopefully you can get an idea of just how brilliant and how colorful the foundations of this city will be. It’ll have all these different hues of yellow, blue, green and red bedazzling and bejeweling this city.

I wonder if these jewels are actually built into the different levels of the city. Maybe there will be twelve levels built into the city. And that’ll be part of our address in heaven. “Where do you live, Tony? Well I live on Topaz Level, five millionth apartment on the left.” “Just jump on your hover board and head that way.”

I actually wonder how we’ll get around in this huge city. Will we beam from one place to another? Will we materialize and dematerialize like Jesus did in the upper room ( John 20:19, 26 )? Will we fly? I know some of you want to fly! I don’t know if that’s going to be possible, but we’ll get around.

And the magnificence of this city continues. Look at verse 21.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl,

Some commentators believe that pearls were the most valuable substance in the ancient world, even more valuable than gems and diamonds. And if I understand this correctly, these gates will be the same height as the city. So these will be 1400-mile-high gates made of a single pearl! That’s some oyster that produced a pearl like that!

And verse 25 says that these gates will never be shut. They’ll always be open. We have the freedom to come and go as we please, and there’s no need to lock the gates at night to keep out the dangers. Because there are no dangers.

and the street of the city

Notice, not the “streets,” but the “street,” which probably is the “street” that leads from the throne room of God. More on the throne room in just a minute.

and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Like what I said earlier with the jasper stone, gold is an opaque substance. But this gold is translucent. So I assume this gold will give off a golden hue, so this street will reflect the light of the glory of God and fill the city with a golden, effulgent glow. And we will bask in the glory of God forever. And we will bask in the beauty of God forever.

And like I said last week, we’ll never have a bad day in eternity. We’ll never be depressed or under the weather. We’ll never be discouraged. God will make all things new and things will get better and better and better. And this New Jerusalem will be bigger and more beautiful than anything we’ve ever imagined. And we’ll never get bored enjoying the splendor of God’s presence.

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Here’s a third aspect of the New Jerusalem. Write this down. The New Jerusalem will be…

3) a Holy Place, radiating the light of God’s presence (21:22–27)

Look at verse 22.

22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

If you remember from verse 3 last week, a loud voice came from the throne saying, “Behold the dwelling place [literally: tabernacle] of God is with man. He will dwell [literally: tabernacle] with them, and they will be his people” ( 21:3 ). But there’s no longer any OT tabernacle. And there’s no longer any temple. There’s no longer any Holy of Holies, because everything in the New Jerusalem is the Holy of Holies. There’s no longer any Sunday morning worship service, because everything is a Sunday morning worship service. God’s manifest presence is everywhere, and everything is his temple.

Look at verse 23.

23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Remember Jesus’s word, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” ( John 8:12 ). Obviously there was something metaphorical about that statement, with reference to salvation. But there’s a literal fulfillment of that in eternity. Jesus is the lamp for eternity. The Lamb illuminates the New Jerusalem.

Look at verse 24.

24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it,

That word for “nations” there is the Greek word ἔθνος. And in this verse, it’s better translated “peoples” not “nations.” And what’s being stated here is that all the “peoples” of the earth will be represented in heaven. Just like what is stated earlier in Revelation, that every tribe and tongue will be there (Rev 7:9)… Chinese, Russian, African, Australian, North American, South American, Central American, Caribbean. Representatives of every tribe and tongue will be there in heaven worshipping together as one voice.

And the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In other words, the kings of the earth will no longer derive glory for themselves; they will lay down their glory before the Lord. Perhaps this is a reference to the “kings” and “rulers” who reign in the millennial kingdom ( Rev 20:4–6 ).

25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.

Gates would shut in ancient cities to keep the dangers out. At night the city gates would close, because bad things come out at night: thieves, murderers, troublemakers, etc. Like your mama told you, nothing good ever happens after midnight. That was true then. It’s true today.

But there’s no midnight in eternity. There’s no night at all. Every single hour is bright and shiny and pure. There’s no darkness. There’s no evil. There’s no evil sneaking in at night, so the gates stay open.

And this is our home, but it’s not a prison. We can come and go as we please through the gates, travel around, see the new heavens and the new earth. And then, when we’re ready, we can come back home to our home the New Jerusalem.

Look at verse 26.

26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations [i.e., the peoples] .

That’s a reiteration of verse 24. All the glory of the peoples gravitates towards God. There’s no glory that’s not his glory. And whatever glory existed before is turned over to God completely… And

27… nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Is your name written in the Lamb’s book of life? Have you repented of your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ as your savior? If you have, then this is your inheritance. This is what awaits you. And God is even now preparing it for you.

And my guess is that it will be even more awesome than what John is describing here. John just gives us a glimpse of this New Jerusalem. He just gives us a taste, so that we know what we’re fighting for here on earth. So that we will stay motivated in faith and in service to our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Let’s continue in chapter 22. So far, this New Jerusalem has been observed from the outside. Its pearly gates! It’s cubical shape! Its massive size! Its foundations of jasper, sapphire, emerald, topaz, amethyst, etc.! And as John describes this city, he describes it from the outside in, meaning he starts on the outside and then he enters the city and describes what’s inside.

At first it’s like a John is riding around in a helicopter on the outside and describes all the intricacies of the city from the outside vantage point: the walls, the gates, the foundations. But then he lands the helicopter and comes inside.

And he sees more marvels. He sees streets of gold. He sees rooms built for millions and billions of OT and NT believers. And when John peeks inside the city walls in Revelation 22, he sees the most marvelous thing about this city, which is the throne room of God. And this throne room is… gorgeous.

Write this down as a fourth point for today. The New Jerusalem is…

4) centered on God’s throne (22:1–5)

Look at chapter 22, verse 1.

1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city;

Remember now the throne is a dual-throne. God the Father is enthroned there and at his right hand is the Son. And the Son, Jesus, is celebrated throughout the book of Revelation as “the Lamb.” He’s the Lamb that was slain – slain is a past tense verb. And the Lamb sacrificially gave himself, so that we might spend eternity with him. And we’ll worship him forever because of that.

Now as I envision this throne room, here’s what I see. There’s a massive city that is 1,400 miles wide and 1,400 miles long and 1,400 miles high. It’s a perfect cube. And smack dab in the middle of that cube is this massive room that is large enough to hold all the believers throughout all the centuries.

And some manifestation of God the Father is seated on the throne. Jesus is also seated there. And this river flows from the throne down through the middle of the throne room, through the middle of the street of the city. And possibly this river breaks off into four sections (north, south, east, and west) and goes out to water the entirety of the new earth… not unlike, by the way, the Garden of Eden that had a source and four tributaries flowing out of it.

In fact, a lot of what we are seeing here in Revelation is the re-creation of the Garden of Eden. It’s the Garden of Eden 2.0. This is paradise regained! Grant Osborne writes, “Here in Revelation… Eden has not only been restored but has been elevated and expanded for the people of God in eternity.”

Now the water that flows from the throne is described as the “water of life.” And it is “bright as crystal,” meaning it’s pure and clean. In the ancient world, clean water was a big deal. Still is, by the way. Everyone in our present world is constantly searching for pure and clean and unpolluted water. But in the New Jerusalem, there is no such thing as polluted water. In fact there is no such thing as salt water either, because as we saw last time there is no sea. There is only the pure and clean water that flows from the throne of God.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” ( John 4:14 ). Obviously there’s the metaphor of faith there, but in eternity that metaphor will become literal. And we can drink from this stream, not because we need it to live, but because it symbolizes the pure, clean life that God has brought about in us through the suffering of the Lamb. That’s this “water of life.”

And I believe we’ll drink from this river. And we’ll say to each other “Cheers! The water of life!” Or instead of “cheers” we’ll say, “L’chai-im.” “To life.” “Pastor Tony, I’m an American. I can’t learn a second language in heaven.” Don’t worry. God will help you with that.

Look at verse 2.

also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Look at that. Don’t call it a comeback—the tree of life makes its reappearance in the Garden of Eden 2.0. Where’s that thing been all this time? And why is it here now?

Well the tree of life is the symbol of immortality. It is featured in the throne room because it demonstrates our eternality. And remember, it was taken away from us in the Garden of Eden. I’m sure you remember the story. Adam and Eve sinned. They disobeyed God and thus introduced sin, depravity, and fallenness into our world. It didn’t take long for sin to take effect. Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the serpent. They both implicitly blamed God. Cain murdered Abel. Lamech murdered as well. Things got so bad in the days of Noah that the minds of men were constantly on evil and God had to wipe them out. Evil just spread like wildfire in our world.

And because of that, God yanked Adam and Eve out of the Garden, and put security around the tree of life. Why? Well God says in Genesis 3, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden” ( Gen 3:22–23 ). But in Revelation 22, life comes full circle. Because of Christ’s work on the cross, access to the tree of life is reinstituted for eternity. Now that sin has been permanently eradicated, we may partake of its fruit.

Now watch this, John says on either side of the river, the tree of life was there. How does that work? Either 1) that’s an optical illusion where somehow the tree is bending the laws of nature, or 2) The tree of life is so huge it grows on both sides of the river, or 3) there is more than one tree of life in the New Jerusalem. In fact, some scholars have concluded that the word “tree” here is used in its collective sense, so it’s not describing one or two isolated trees but a number of trees on both sides of the river. Can you imagine that? A whole orchard of “trees of life.” A whole forest of trees just like the one in the Garden of Eden, and it’s yielding a different kind of fruit every month. This month is banana-month. Awesome. This month is apricot-month. This month is pomegranate-month. Awesome!

My wife loves fresh fruit, so I know she can’t wait for this. This month is mango-month. Maybe it’ll be fruit that we’ve never seen or tasted before. And it’ll be all the beauty and the wonder and the pleasure of the Garden of Eden without the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And there’s no serpent to deceive us. And there’s no danger lurking. And there’s no potential for sin. And it’s going to be wonderful.

Now before we continue, notice that John says “the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” What does that mean? There’s no sickness in heaven, so why do we need healing? Well I think the best explanation for that is that these leaves symbolize the healing that God has brought about for the “peoples” of the world. All the peoples of the world will be represented in the new heaven and the new earth, and we’ll be at peace with each other and we’ll be at peace with God. And that peace is symbolized in these leaves.

Now here’s another possibility. The word for healing in Greek is the word θεραπεία ( therapeia ) which we get our English word “therapy” from. And this word could imply something “life-giving” or “energizing” instead of “healing.” So instead of viewing these leaves as healing us from sickness, we can view them as giving us an energy boost to worship God more fervently. It’s like coffee in the eternal state, without all the side effects. So we eat these leaves or rub them on our resurrection bodies or whatever, and it’s like vitamins, they give us a boost. I don’t know if that’s what we’ll do with them. But whatever the case, The New Jerusalem will be a place of infinite glory, purity, and immortality.

Look at verse 3.

3 No longer will there be anything accursed,

Here’s another linkup with Genesis 3 and the Garden of Eden. The curse is reversed. The consequences of Adam’s sin in the Garden are forever removed.

3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.

I don’t think anyone here is going to say, “What? Really?” “I didn’t think we were going to worship God in heaven.” No, you know we will, because you know your Bible. And because you prioritize worship as an important part of your life now. So it shouldn’t surprise you that worship will be an eternal activity for us. And heaven will not be just an outworking of our present self-indulgent and narcissistic fantasies.

I remember that movie “What Dreams May Come” with Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr. And after Robin Williams dies and goes to heaven he asks Cuba Gooding Jr. “Where’s God?” And he says, “O, he’s up there.” And I remember saying to myself, “up where?” Isn’t heaven in the presence of God forever? Who wants to go to a heaven where God is somewhere else?

No John says we will live in the New Jerusalem and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in it. We will be his servants, and we will worship him forever.

I’ll just say that I love our worship team here at our church. We have great instrumentalists. We have great vocalists. We have great musicians. We have great worshippers in our congregation. Sunday morning is my favorite day of the week, in large measure because we gather here to worship the Lord together.

On Sunday mornings, I’m like, “Let’s do this. Let’s get our praise on!” And in the sweetness of those times of worship, I sense something wonderful. I sense the peace of God. I sense the presence of God. I experience something transcendent that nothing in this world can match.

But I’ll just tell you. When we get to the New Jerusalem and when we experience the thickness of God’s presence in his throne room and when we drink from the fire hydrant of God’s glory, it’ll be a million times better than anything we’ve ever experienced on earth, even the most fervent worship service.

Some might say, “That sounds kind of boring. I’d rather be doing my own thing.” Careful now. A.W. Tozer said this, “Any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.” If this doesn’t fire you up, church, then maybe you’re fired up about the wrong things. Maybe you are fixated on the trifles of earth instead of anticipating the glories of heaven.

Some of you might be saying, “Pastor Tony, I want get fired up about worshipping God forever, but I’m having a hard time doing that. I try to get fired up about worship on Sunday mornings but I’m having a hard time doing that!” “My life is distracted constantly with babies and burping and dirty diapers.” “My life is distracted constantly with work and mowing the lawn and taking out the trash and trying to retain a paycheck that big enough to feed my family. And with doctor visits!” Trust me, I get that. The problem with life on earth is that it’s full of distractions.

Now here’s how life will be different. Are you ready? Don’t skip past this verse too quickly. Look at verse 4.

4 They will see his face,

That’s it. No more “Looking through a glass dimly” (1 Cor 13:12). No more partial knowledge of the consuming glory of God. No more searching for the invisible God. We shall see his face. We shall see his face. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” ( 1 Cor 13:12 ).

God told Moses in the wilderness, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (Exod 33:20). Moses said, “Show me your glory,” so God said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen” ( Exod 33:21–23 ). When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai his face shone from the countenance of God’s glory, and they had to put a veil over it ( Exod 34:29–35 ). That’s the closest that any human has come to seeing the face of God, yet we are constantly seeking the face of God. We are constantly longing for God’s presence.

Actually that’s not true. Let me take that back. Adam walked with God in the cool of the day, right. He was in daily fellowship with God in the Garden of Eden. And all that came to an end when Adam sinned. But in the new heaven and the new earth, Paradise is restored and we shall see the face of God.

Now obviously there’s some anthropomorphism here that John is using. God is spirit, and he doesn’t have a face. God is spirit and he doesn’t have a back. Jesus will remain in human form forever, so we will see his face and we will worship him. But I believe that verse 4 is speaking about more than just the face of Jesus. I think this is a reference to the face of God the Father, whatever that looks like.

We will see a new unveiling of God’s glory and God’s presence and we will be so awestruck by it—not in fearful cowering, but in glorious reverence. We’ll be awestruck. And we’ll see his face. And all the little trifles of this present world, all the numerous distractions of our present life will melt away. And it’ll take our breath away. And we’ll fall down and worship.

And John says,

his name will be on their foreheads.

J-E-S-U-S. Everyone good with having that on your forehead? That’s a sign of ownership. The 6-6-6 was a sign of ownership in the tribulation ( Rev 13:16–18 ). We don’t have that written on our foreheads. We have J-E-S-U-S. Or maybe yod-heh-waw-heh , the four Hebrew letters for Yahweh, the Tetragrammaton. Or maybe we’ll have that name for Jesus from Revelation 20 that no one knows but him.

Whatever the case, the point is this. We belong to God forever. We are his servants. We worship him. We serve him. And we live infinitely in relationship with him and with each other by the way. There’s no individuality described in the New Jerusalem. We are a corporate entity worshiping God in a corporate setting and living in community forever.

And in verse 5, John writes:

5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

God will be the King and we will reign with him. You might say, “reign over what?” Reign over the universe. We are servants, we are slaves. But we are servant-kings. We are co-regents with God just like Adam was a co-regent with God in the Garden of Eden. God said be fruitful and multiply and rule over the earth. We’re not going to populate in heaven, so it’s not a perfect parallel with the Garden of Eden, but we will rule over the earth. We’ll reign with God as servant-kings.

And there will be no need of the light of a lamp or the sun. The Lord God will be their light. In Genesis 1, God said, “let there be light.” In Revelation 22 God says, “let me be light.” And he illuminates eternity for us forever and ever.

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I’ll close with this. I want to give you one final exhortation as it relates to the New Jerusalem. And it has to do with why this picture of the eternal state was even revealed to us. Why did God give us such a vivid and descriptive picture of eternity? I know that there’s a lot about eternity that God left out, but nevertheless there’s a lot that he explicitly told us through John’s writing here. Why did he do that? Why not just surprise us?

Well I think the reason is because God wanted you to have a little extra incentive, a little added umph, to help you press on through the struggles of this world and finish life well. As if we didn’t have enough motivation to do this already, in light of what Christ has done on the cross, God gives us this wonderful and glorious picture of what eternity will look like in the presence of God… streets of gold, pearly gates, a city of incomprehensible beauty and grandeur thick with the presence and the glory of God, full of every good thing and absent of any negative thing. Why did God give us this picture?

Well here’s the refrain I want to leave you with this tonight. Remember the New Jerusalem that God is preparing for those who love him.

When you are sick, hurt, or injured emotionally… when life is hard and you want to give up… Remember the New Jerusalem that God is preparing for those who love him.

When Satan tempts you to despair… when anxieties in this world stack up… when your worship of Christ is compromised by the increasing demands upon your time and your energy… Remember the New Jerusalem that God is preparing for those who love him.

When your family, co-workers, or even your government opposes your faith in Christ… when your spiritual vitality is lacking and when your resolve to follow Christ is being tested and when following Christ becomes more and more difficult in this increasingly hostile world… Remember the New Jerusalem that God is preparing for those who love him.

When your friends and family members mock your faithfulness to Christ… when you feel like a fish swimming upstream constantly fighting countercultural battles in our city, our state, our country… when people call you intolerant, narrow-minded, or a fool for your faith in Christ… Remember the New Jerusalem that God is preparing for those who love him.

When the sinfulness of this world grieves you deeply (e.g., murder, perversion, animosity)… when temptations in this world bring you to a breaking point … Remember the New Jerusalem that God is preparing for those who love him.

And finally. This is where it’s most important. When your physical, mental, and emotional strength start to wane in this life… when your time to die is near and the youthfulness of life is a distant memory… when cancer catches up with you… when your heart starts to fail you… when life on this earth is a matter of months or days or minutes not years… in the final moments of life… Remember the New Jerusalem that God is preparing for you. For those who love him, for those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. For those who have been purchased by Christ’s blood . Bow with me in a word of prayer.

Acts 27:1-28: "Paul in Peril Leading through a Crisis"

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:52:38 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 27. And let’s continue our series “No Other Name,” verse by verse through the book of Acts. Our study of the book of Acts is drawing to an end. Let’s finish strong these last three weeks.

A little over 25 years ago, Sanja and I got married in Longview, Texas. And after our wedding, we did something that a lot of married folks do after they get married—we went on a honeymoon cruise. And it was supposed to be a fun and exciting time for the two of us. We envisioned laying out on the deck of the boat, swimming in the ocean, eating exotic foods, etc. We were going to have the time of our lives.

And for the first 24 hours or so, that was the case. It was fantastic. But then on the second day of our voyage, our boat hit a massive squall in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. And it seemed like that storm just came out of nowhere. We were, in an instant, pounded with wind, rain, waves, and rough seas. And at one point it felt like our boat deck went from parallel to the surface of the water to perpendicular to the surface of the water. Sanja and I were terrified. We thought to ourselves, “We just got married a few days ago and now we’re going to die.”

We weren’t the only ones. All of the people on this massive ship started to panic, and everyone ran downstairs to the lower floors of the boat. For the next two days our boat went up and down and up and down. It was maddening. Everyone on the boat was seasick. We had this massive buffet on the boat that was wasted because everyone was too sick to eat. The idea of food made you nauseous. And every one of the passengers on the boat couldn’t wait until we got back to land. And we couldn’t wait to put this miserable event behind us.

If you’ve ever had an experience like that, you know how terrifying a storm at sea can be. And you know how miserable seasickness can be. I heard one person say that there are two kinds of seasickness in a storm. The first seasickness makes you feel so bad that you think you might die. The second kind of seasickness makes you feel so bad that you wish you could die. And if you’re looking for a true test of a person’s mettle… if you want to find out what a person is really made of, then there’s no better place to find that than on a boat in the middle of the sea in the middle of a terrifying storm.

Well today we’re going to see a boat in the middle of the sea in the middle of a terrifying storm. And we’re also going to see a man who had the guts to displays great courage and leadership and love for people in this midst of that terrifying storm. We’re going to see a man who trusts God, leads people, and gives hope when everyone else assumes that hope is lost.

The man who does that is none other than the Apostle Paul, who has already earned our respect as a man of faith and courage under fire in the book of Acts. And the principles that we glean from him in this passage today have to do with leadership in the midst of a crisis.

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I’ve entitled this message “Paul in Peril: Leading through a Crisis.” And I want to list for you today five principles for biblical leadership, based on Acts 27. Go ahead take your notes and write these down as we go. This is “Biblical Leadership in Action.” These are five things that leaders do in the midst of a crisis. Here’s #1.

1) Leaders earn the trust of those around them (27:1–3)

Paul, if you remember from last time, had been examined by the Governor Festus. He had been examined by King Agrippa as well. Both of these men found no wrongdoing in Paul. And after Paul preached his heart out to these two men—he gave his testimony as a “defense” against the accusations against him, but it was really more of a evangelistic sermon preaching Christ—and all these men could say could say afterwards was, “this man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar” (26:32). No conversion. No repentance and faith. They missed it. They missed the most important message they would ever hear in their lives. And instead of examining their soul in light of Paul’s message, they casually discuss Paul’s appeal Caesar. They have a nice safe, sanitized discussion about the wrong things.

Well anyways, after all of that, in Acts 27, verse 1, Paul finally gets his wish. And Festus ships him off to Rome. Look at verse 1.

1 And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius.

Paul boards this ship with a bunch of prisoners. Maybe some who have appealed to Caesar like him. Maybe some of them are headed for the Roman Coliseum to die as gladiators.

And Luke tells us that the person leading this group is a high-ranking Roman centurion named Julius. He was part of an exclusive cohort of Caesar protectors called the “Augustan Cohort.”

Look at verse 2.

2 And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica.

Now let me just point out a few things here. Paul’s not traveling alone. Paul has two companions on this voyage. The first is Doctor Luke. If you’ll notice in verses 1 and 2, the “we” language picks up again. The author, Luke, accompanies Paul on this journey, perhaps to assist the ailing Paul as his personal physician. Maybe Luke was a prisoner as well. We don’t know.

But it’s not only Luke. Luke mentions another guy, Aristarchus, who is also traveling with Paul. Aristarchus is another friend of Paul’s. He was with Paul during the riot of Ephesus. If you remember that was when the mob of people cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” They screamed that stupid chant for two hours.

And Aristarchus, as part of that free-for-all, got dragged off by the mob instead of Paul. Thankfully he survived that ordeal. But he’s off on another adventure with Paul. Life is never safe with the Apostle Paul, but it’s also never boring.

Later in Colossians and Philemon, Paul describes Aristarchus as his fellow prisoner. Basically Aristarchus’s lot in life seems to be to suffer alongside of Paul. That’s what he does. And that’s what good friends do. They willingly suffer alongside of you like Luke and Aristarchus do with Paul. They are good friends convoying with Paul all the way to Rome.

Look at verse 3.

3 The next day we put in at Sidon. And [now watch this] Julius [the Roman soldier in charge of this who voyage] treated Paul kindly

The Greek word here for “kindly” is φιλανθρώπως ( philanthrōpōs ) . This isn’t brotherly love or brotherly kindness. Julius isn’t a believer. This is kindness more generally from one human being to another. And you can’t help but think that Paul earned this treatment by his upstanding conduct.

And watch this. Look at the end of verse 3. This is why I say leaders earn the trust of those around them.

and [Julius] gave [Paul] leave to go to his friends and be cared for.

Here’s why this is so remarkable. Sidon was about 70 miles north of Caesarea. Here’s a map of Paul’s entire journey to Rome which, in good weather, would have taken about month.

Paul’s Journey from Caesarea to Rome - Click for Map

The entire journey is about 1,400 miles as the crow flies. This was not a small undertaking.

And just by way of preview, three islands are going to figure prominently on Paul’s journey. Let me show you those now.

Caesarea to Rome with the Three Islands of Cyprus, Crete, and Malta - Click for map

These are important locals in the Mediterranean even today: Cyprus, Crete, and Malta. Paul has been to Cyprus already. He went there with Barnabas to preach the gospel and plant churches. Crete becomes important later in Paul’s life when he writes the book of Titus. He sends Titus there to help the churches. And Malta, the third island… well, we’ll get to Malta in a little bit.

But if we zoom in on the first leg of this journey you can see Sidon, a city just north of Caesarea. That was the first stop on their voyage. They’ve only travelled 70 miles so far, and they’ve got hundreds of miles still to travel.

The First Leg of Paul’s Journey to Rome - Click for map

And there was probably a church in Sidon where Paul went to visit and be cared for. Luke says in verse 3, that Paul went to “his friends.”

But here’s what’s remarkable about this. Julius gave Paul, his prisoner , leave to go visit this church while they were docked in Sidon. If Paul escapes, if Paul says, “ adios muchacho ” and flees from the ship, then Julius loses his life. If your prisoner escapes in ancient Rome, then you get their punishment. We saw that earlier in the book of Acts, when the soldiers who guarded Peter got executed after he escaped ( 12:19; see also 16:27; 27:42 ).

So this centurion, Julius, takes his life in his hands and says to Paul, “Sure, you go visit your friends in Sidon so that you can be cared for. I trust you.” That’s how much regard he had for Paul. Probably he knew Paul was innocent. Certainly he knew Paul could be trusted. And in the short voyage from Caesarea to Sidon, he had already acquired enough confidence in Paul’s integrity that he gave him leave to visit his friends.

And you know what? That’s what leaders do. They earn the trust of those around them. Sometimes they establish that trust quickly, like Paul does here. Sometimes it takes time to earn trust, especially when previous “leaders” have failed people. But leaders earn the trust of those around them.

And by the way, let me say this—trust is a fragile thing. It can be developed quickly or slowly depending on your context. But it can be destroyed in an instant. And so, let me just say this, church. With the leadership responsibilities that God has given you, church, you be faithful. Faithful with your children. Faithful with your volunteer roles at church. Faithful with your small group. Elders and Deacons, we need to be faithful with our leadership roles in the church. Let’s not ever make someone regret putting

their trust in us. Leaders earn the trust of those around them.

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Here’s a second thing Biblical leaders do.

2) Leaders take initiative and know when to defer (27:4–12)

Let’s look at the text and I’ll show you what I mean by that. Look at verse 4:

4 And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.

If you look the map again, you can follow their journey as the sail past Cyprus.

The First Leg of Paul’s Journey to Rome - Click for Map

To sail “under the lee” is a nautical term which means that they would use the island as a windbreak. So sailors would hug close to the island using the currents to propel them forward and also tacking back and forth to adjust for bad wind conditions. This would have considerably slowed their voyage. And they were in a “ship of Adramyttium” according to verse 2. This was a smaller ship that required slower travel.

And that statement at the end of verse 4 is ominous: “because the winds were against us.” This is the first moment of portentous foreboding. Even as early as verse 4, you get the sense that dangers are stalking this boat headed for Rome. If this were a movie, then the soundtrack would let you know that danger is looming. The suspenseful score would let you know something bad’s about to happen.

Look at verse 5.

5 And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board.

A ship of Alexandria is a larger and faster ship than a ship of Adramyttium. And we know from later in the passage that this was a ship carrying grain for Rome. Keep that in mind as the story unfolds.

Look at verse 7.

7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus

There it is again! More portentous foreboding— “with difficulty.” Cue the fear-inducing soundtrack.

and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone.

Now let me show you a map of the second leg of this voyage. You can see here the city of Myra. They would have hugged the coastline of Cilicia and Pamphylia on their way to Myra. Then they would have traversed through this islands above Crete.

The Second Leg of Paul’s Journey to Rome: Crete - Click for map

You can see on this map the large island of Crete. It’s impossible to miss that island. It’s one of the largest in the Med. And Luke tells us that they sailed “under the lee of Crete off Salmone.” Again, they are fighting the adverse wind conditions. Salmone was a cape on the far eastern end of that island. And again, they hug the coastline of Crete in order to move forward.

Look at verse 8.

8 Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. 9 Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”

So just to summarize, they are now in the middle of the Mediterranean. They are near the center of the island of Crete. And it’s very late in the year. It’s taken them too long to get to this leg of the journey.

The reference to “the Fast” in verse 9 is a reference to the Day of Atonement, a time of fasting for Jews at this time. So it’s probably sometime in October or thereabouts. And ancient documents have shown us that vessels rarely went out into the Mediterranean from late October to early March. This was a dangerous time of year to be at sea. The storms were volatile that time of year. Fog, rain, and storms made sea voyages extremely dangerous in the winter. And as we’ve seen in this passage, this ship is already having an extremely difficult time sailing because of the adverse wind conditions.

So Paul stands up and says, “Guys, I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Paul says, “I perceive that there will be much injury and loss if we continue.”

And by the way, Paul’s not just some Christian holy-man who has a premonition. Paul was an experienced sea traveler. He’s traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean by sea. And according to 2 Corinthians11:25, he has already survived a few shipwrecks. So Paul knows what he’s talking about. And these men would be wise to heed his counsel.

11 But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. 12 And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

Phoenix in Crete was about 40 miles away from Fair Havens. So the centurion basically says, “Thank you, Paul, for the warning, but we’re going to trust the experienced sailors here. And besides, we’re just going to go 40 miles up the coast to a more suitable harbor for us to spend the winter. They have better food in Phoenix. They have better accommodations.”

Actually there was a safer harbor in Phoenix. Fair Havens was a shallow harbor. And during the winter, if a storm occurred, ships in the shallows could run aground and be destroyed. And plus, this captain and the owner of the ship are on a timetable. Time is money. So they’ve got to get as far as they can before they bed down for the winter.

And based upon what happens next, who can blame them. Look at verse 13.

13 Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore.

“You see that, Paul. You feel that breeze. It’s a good omen. Everything’s fine. Quit worrying!” Where’s that theme music?

Here’s the principle for leaders. In the midst of a crisis, leaders need to be bold. Leaders need to be outspoken. Leaders need to be assertive. Leaders need to take initiative and speak up when wisdom prompts you to speak. But then also, you need to be ready to defer.

Maybe Paul could have gotten them to stay at Fair Havens if he had thrown a little hissy-fit. “I’m telling you, we’re all going to die unless we stay here! You’ve got to listen to me.” If Paul went bonkers on them, he might have gotten them to change their mind.

But here’s the thing. Paul has two things that cause him to defer. (1) He has an unflappable faith in God, the God who promised him that he would get to Rome. Remember Jesus told Paul that he’ll get to Rome ( Acts 23:11 ). So Paul has that in his back pocket this whole time. Paul might be the only one that gets to Rome alive, but he’ll get there.

(2) And secondly Paul realizes, like all good leaders realize, that sometimes people have to learn the hard way. You can’t lead people who refuse to be led. You can’t influence people who refuse to be influenced. It just doesn’t work.

I remember reading once in a Douglas MacArthur biography that MacArthur refused to give his soldiers an order that he knew they wouldn’t obey. He wouldn’t do it. In his mind, all that did was undermine his authority over his men.

And so, Paul does the right thing here. He defers. He spoke his mind. He shared his concerns with the captain, the shipowner, and the centurion. And he deferred to their leadership until a later time.

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And watch what happens. Look at verse 13.

13 Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore.

“You see, Paul. Everything’s fine. What were you worried about?”

14 But soon a tempestuous wind [The Greek word for tempestuous there is the word τυφωνικὸς which we derive our English word “typhoon” from. This was not a run-of-the-mill sea-storm. This was a storm that was typhoon-esque… and it was…] called the northeaster, struck down from the land. 15 And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.

So much for the 40 miles up the shore to Phoenix. So much for we’re trying to find a better harbor for our boat. Now these guys are going to have to fight for their lives.

And by the way, these northeasters came from the northeast and blew southwest. So if you look at that map I showed you earlier, the winds are blowing north to south and east to west.

The Second Leg of Paul’s Journey to Rome: Crete - Click for map

And the mountains in Crete are upwards of 7,000 feet above sea level. So probably what happened is that the ship eased out away from the land, and all of a sudden one of these gusts of wind blew over the mountains and grabbed hold of their sails and blew them out to sea.

If you’ve ever been in a sailboat without a motor or any gas propulsion, you know how helpless you are in a situation like this. You are at the mercy of the winds and the waves. And that is terrifying.

My dad had a small sailboat, a dual-pontoon catamaran, when we were kids. And we flipped that thing over twice in the middle of Lake Travis. I thought it was awesome! My dad didn’t think so. One time we had to attach our boat to some random guy’s motor boat to get our sailboat flipped back over. That was a tiny little catamaran in the middle of a small lake. These guys are out in the middle of the ocean with a ship of Alexandria, the largest sail boat in the world at that time.

Look at verse 16. Let’s see if they can turn this thing around.

16 Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the ship’s boat.

This is the dinghy or “lifeboat” that was dragged behind the larger ship.

17 After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship.

This is a practice called frapping where you tie rope around the boat to keep the planks from breaking apart. This gives you an idea of how badly the boat was being beaten up by the raging sea.

And this boat is also full of grain. What happens when grain gets wet? It swells and tears up the ship. So there’s not a lot of margin for error here.

Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along.

Now let me go back to the map and show you something. Let me zoom out on the large map I had at the beginning.

Paul’s Journey to Rome with “Syrtis” Added - Click for map

The Syrtis is a section of sea on the shores of north Africa called the “Sailor’s Graveyard,” because so many ships were lost there. If you look on your map you can see the Syrtis just southwest of Crete on the north part of Africa which is now modern-day Libya. This was a section of sea that was infamous for shallows and sandbars and shoals and shipwrecks.

And the sailors were so afraid of this part of the Mediterranean, that they dropped their gear, they tilted their sail, and tried to drive the ship westward. They gave up on Phoenix and Crete. Now they’ve got to avoid disaster is the open sea.

And verse 18 says,

18 Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. 19 And on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.

The tackle includes the mainsail and other heavy equipment for sailing. The boat was probably taking on more water than it could handle, and so the sailors had to make the boat lighter fast. And they gave up on trying to steer the ship.

Look at verse 20.

20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days,

Remember these are the days before GPS navigation. The only way these sailors knew where they were going is by navigation through sun and the stars. And they hadn’t seen anything for days.

But that’s not the worst of it.

and no small tempest lay on us,

They threw all of their equipment overboard. They gave into the drift of the sea. And the storm just keeps raging! And Luke writes,

all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.

“We’re all going to die!” Should have listened to Paul, right?

Now just imagine yourself on that ship right now. Imagine yourself as Luke or Aristarchus. Or imagine yourself as the centurion or the captain of the ship. You’ve been drifting in a storm for days. You’re seasick. You’re homesick. You feel hopeless and helpless. You’re going through all things that you’ve done in your life, and you’re grieving all of the things that you won’t be able to do.

And then you start contemplating how you are going to die. “Am I going to fall of the ship and drown? Am I going to be eaten by sharks? Am I going to starve to death? Are we going to run out of water and I’ll die of thirst? Am I going to be battered by the sea against the rocks?” According to Luke, you’ve lost all hope of being saved.

I bet Aristarchus turned to Paul at this point and said, “Every time I go somewhere with you, this happens! Can we please just go somewhere without our life being threatened? It’s tough being your friend, Paul.”

Now what’s Paul going to do? What does a good leader do in a crisis situation like this?

Let’s see. Look at verse 21.

21 Since they had been without food for a long time

Who can eat when you’re just trying to stay alive? Who can eat when you are so seasick you just going to vomit it out anyway? I’ve been seasick before. And the last thing you are thinking about at a time like that is food.

Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me

That’s a not-so-subtle “I told you so!” right there. “You should have listened to me,” Paul says. “If you had listened to me we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. 22 Yet now I urge you to

“give up!” Is that what your Bible says? “Now I urge you to … cry like babies, because you’re all going to die.” Is that what he says?

22 Yet now I urge you to take heart

Remember Jesus and his disciples in the sea of Galilee? “Where’s your faith?” Jesus said ( Matt 8:26 ). Well, Paul’s got faith .

I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship,

What a testimony right there! “I belong to God and I worship God! And this very night an angel of God stood before me!” What a statement before all these pagan sailors, soldiers, and prisoners!

24 and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must run aground on some island.”

That right there, men and women, is bold, God-trusting, God-honoring leadership in the midst of a crisis. As other men are cowering before the storm… as other men have lost all hope… Paul stands up and says, “Be courageous, men. Take heart! We’re going to trust God. We’re going to believe his promises and we’re going to get through this.”

Here’s a third principle on Biblical leadership in the midst of a crisis.

3) Leaders speak with authority about God’s promises (27:13–26)

Let me put it this way. Leaders stand upon the promises of God. Leaders lead other people to stand upon the promises of God

Tell me if you’ve heard this before.

(1) Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

(2) Standing on the promises that cannot fail,

When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

By the living Word of God I shall prevail,

Standing on the promises of God.

Here’s the correlation between Paul in Acts 27 and us. God spoke to Paul and gave him these promises on that boat. In the same way, God speaks to us and gives us the promises of his Word. And he asks us to hear his Word and believe.

This is an essential principle of interpretation that I hope all of us take away from the book of Acts. God has not promised to save us from every storm of life. We can’t apply God’s promises to Paul as promises to ourselves. That’s a violation of hermeneutical principles. But in the same way that Paul heard and believed God’s promise to him, we need to hear and receive, with faith, God’s promises to us. Everybody understand what I’m saying?

Here’s why this is important. I can’t promise that God is going to rescue you from every storm. I can’t promise you that God is going to protect you from every fear-inducing hardship that you will encounter in this world. In fact, I can promise you the opposite. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.” But Jesus also said, “in the trouble, I’ll leave you my peace.” Jesus also said, “I’ll never leave you or forsake you.” Jesus also said, “I will be with you always even to the end of the age.” Those are the promises that God has given us in his Word.

And God has also promised that “he won’t let us be tempted beyond what we can handle.” Also God has promised that “he will supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” And God has also promised that, “All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” And also God has promised that there will come a day when all the sorrow, fear, pain, hardship and storms in this life will fade away for eternity. I’m standing on those promises. Are you?

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Leaders speak with authority concerning God’s promises. They cling to God’s promises and they encourage other people to do the same. Here’s another thing that leaders do. Write this down as a fourth point from our message:

4) Leaders take a stand against compromise (27:27–32)

Paul was inspiring with his message, but not everyone was inspired by his confidence. Watch this in verse 27.

27 When the fourteenth night had come,

Can you imagine that? Two whole weeks without sun or stars and being tossed by the storm! That’s half a month of seasickness and hopelessness. That’s a long time.

27 When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. 28 So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms.

A measurement of 20 fathoms is roughly 120 feet. A fathom is roughly 6 feet, or the distance of a person’s reach from hand to hand.

A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms.

That’s 90 feet. So they are coming up on land quickly. And remember they don’t have any tackle! They don’t have any way to control their ship. So they start to panic.

Look at verse 29.

29 And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come.

Luke says “they,” so I don’t think this is Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus praying to the God of the Universe. This is pagans praying to their deities like Odysseus and his men in the Odyssey.

30 And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship’s boat [that’s the dinghy or the “lifeboat” that was pulled onboard of the ship] into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”

So here’s an example of bad leadership and good leadership right here! These guys decide to make a run for it. So they pretend that they are going to put the anchors out from the bow of the ship. And they try to take make a run for it in the life boat.

And Paul says, “Oh no you don’t. Your fate is our fate. If we go down you go down. Nobody’s leaving the boat.”

Remember now, Paul is a prisoner on this ship. Paul is supposed to be a passive, quiescent passenger on the ship. It’s like he’s the captain of the ship now. He’s giving out orders and telling people what to do.

Well the soldiers have had about enough of these sailors. Watch what they do.

32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go.

“We live together or we die together. Our fates are sealed.” This was actually kind of an impulsive move. They might be able to use that boat later to row people ashore. Too late for that now.

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Look at verse 33.

33 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.”

How’s that for leadership? Is that fantastic or what?

35 And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat.

Now I don’t know what you think about that right there, but I think that is tremendous. Paul tells them to eat, and then before he eats he thanks God in their presence.

Most of these men are pagan polytheists. They worship Roman gods or they worship Caesar. And now they are gently being directed to the true God of the Universe, Paul’s God.

And Paul’s letting them know, as well, that he doesn’t serve an uncaring God. God cares about them. He cares about their health. He cares about their wellbeing. He cares about their lives. And, as we know from what we’ve already seen from Paul in the book of Acts, he cares about their souls.

36 Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.) 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

Write this down as a fifth and final point from our message today:

5) Leaders strengthen others in times of crisis (27:33–38)

Again, here are five demonstrations of Biblical leadership in action.

1) Leaders earn the trust of those around them (27:1–3)

2) Leaders take initiative and know when to defer (27:4–12)

3) Leaders speak with authority about God’s promises (27:13–26)

4) Leaders take a stand against compromise (27:27–32)

5) Leaders strengthen others in times of crisis (27:33–38)

Now I’ll stop here and pick up this story next time. You might say, “No, no, I got to know what happens with Paul and the ship.” We’ll come back next time, and we’ll find out.

But really, the tension has already been relieved in this narrative. Because God promised Paul that he’s going to protect everyone on-board. So you know what’s going to happen. But there’s more to this story than just shipwrecks and saving sailors. So come back next time and we’ll finish this story.

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But before we’re done today, let me just say one more thing in closing. I imagine there are probably a handful of people in this room right now who are saying to themselves, “Leadership, who cares about leadership! I’m just trying to survive. I’m just trying to figure out how to navigate the difficult waters of life. Who’s got time to think about leadership?”

And maybe there’s someone out there who feels more like the prisoners and the soldiers on the ship than they do Paul. Or maybe you feel like the sailors who tried to trick everyone by jumping on the lifeboat and heading for shore. I don’t know.

If that’s you, let me just address you as we close. In the midst of this great storm, in the midst of this fear-inducing hopeless situation, Paul had an anchor that he held onto. And no matter what storm he went through, literal or figurative, he was okay, because his anchor holds.

Here’s my question for you, “What’s your anchor in this life? What’s your anchor?” I sure hope it’s not the economy. I sure hope it’s not your job security. I sure hope it’s not your family. I sure hope it’s not trust in yourself or a “can-do” attitude. What’s your anchor? And can your anchor hold through even the most devastating vicissitudes of life?

In 1882, Priscilla Jane Owens wrote the following lyrics for a hymn called “We Have an Anchor.” These lyrics are amazing. Here’s the question she asks:

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,

when the clouds unfold their wings of strife?

When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,

will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

(2) Will your anchor hold in the straits of fear,

when the breakers roar and the reef is near?

While the surges rave, and the wild winds blow

shall the angry waves then your bark o'erflow?

(3) Will your anchor hold in the floods of death,

when the waters cold, chill your last breath?

On the rising tide you can never fail,

while your anchor holds within the veil.

(4)Will your eyes behold through the morning light

The city of gold and the harbor bright

Will you anchor safe by the heavenly shore

when life's storms are past for evermore?

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

steadfast and sure while the billows roll;

fastened to the Rock which cannot move,

grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love

Hebrews 6:19 says as follows: “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul,” and that anchor is Jesus Christ, our high priest. And that high priest offered himself on the cross as a payment for our sin. He offers us a new hope and a new life that is only possible through faith in him. Is Jesus Christ the anchor for your soul?

There is no greater power, there is no greater Rock, there is no greater resource through the storms of this life than Jesus Christ.

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

steadfast and sure while the billows roll;

You might say, “Tony I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I know he died for my sins. But for whatever reason I don’t run ‘to him’ in times of crisis, I run ‘from him.’” “I run from him.” Well if that’s you, can I give you some advice? Stop that!

You shouldn’t run from him in a time of crisis, that’s the time when you need to run to him. I say that because I’m your pastor, and I love you. But I also say that as a person who has done that myself in times of crisis. And I don’t want to do that anymore.

I’m inspired by what I see Paul doing here, and I hope you are as well. Jesus is the anchor, right? And the anchor holds! The anchor holds.

Revelation 20:11–21:8: "The Eternal State" - The End of the End

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 20:18:03 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Revelation 20. We are in the midst of a series called “Final Things.” And we have been looking for the last few weeks at the book of Revelation. And we’re seeing in advance how it’s all going to end. In other words, we’re going to see how God is going to bring this world to a close and set up eternity.

The first week of our study we saw Christ’s second coming in Revelation 19. Last week we saw the millennium in Revelation 20. Today we will explore “The Eternal State.”

Today in Revelation 20 and 21, we are going to see the end of the end. In other words, this is after the tribulation. This is after Jesus’s second coming. This is after Jesus’s millennial kingdom. This is after Satan’s final rebellion, when he gets obliterated and thrown into the lake of fire forever and ever. This is the last of the final things.

And the question we want to ask today is what happens at the end of the end? In the eternal state? What happens to the souls of those who have rejected Christ and by default have allied themselves with Satan? And what happens to our earth after Jesus reigns on it for a thousand years? And what do heaven and earth look like in eternity? Is it the same as what we see today or will it be different?

Well, our passage today will answer, at least in part, those questions. And before we get too far down the road, let’s stand together for the reading of God’s Word.

Church I’m going to read for you, today, Revelation 20:11–21:8. Church of God, this is the Word of God.

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

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What is interesting when you look at the book of Revelation is that the heaven and the earth that God creates at the end of the end is a new heaven and a new earth. God makes all things new. And the word for “make” in verse 5 is in the present tense in Greek, so some have suggested that God will continually make all things new. Nothing will ever wear out. Nothing will ever age or deteriorate. There will be no “depreciation” category on our tax forms. Won’t that be awesome? And there won’t be any tax forms. Won’t that be awesome? God will create all things new, and nothing (not even our bodies) will ever wear out.

Now I like “new stuff.” How many of you like new stuff? I just got a new lawn mower for my house several years ago. And I was afraid that I would be a little sentimental for my old lawn mower. But I wasn’t. I told Sanja, “I should have done this a long time ago.” I was euphoric about my new lawn mower. The only thing that made me sad was that in a few years, my new lawn mower won’t be new. And I’ll have to get a new one.

We all like new stuff, don’t we? Now here’s the rub. What does Jesus say about stuff on earth compared to stuff of heaven? Do you remember? Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” ( Matt 6:19–20 ). This is one of the most practical things that Jesus ever said. Jesus wasn’t being abstract or philosophical here. No, he was being practical… “ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ( Matt 6:19–20 ).

Now if all we had was Jesus’s statement to keep our minds on the stuff of heaven vs. the stuff of earth, that should be enough. But God in his grace has also given us these closing chapters of Revelation, where the stuff of heaven is presented as fantastic beyond description. As you read the last few chapters of Revelation, you get the sense that John runs out of words to describe how beautiful everything is. You get the sense that the new heaven and the new earth is going to be beyond our wildest dreams.

Everything is always new. We dwell forever in the presence of Almighty God. Holiness is the air we breathe. And we experience unlimited peace, love, joy, and happiness like we’ve never experienced before for 10,000 years and then forevermore. How does that sound, church?

Now that’s the good news. Here’s the bad news. Before God can create all things new… before God can create a new heaven and a new earth that is devoid of all sin, stain, and rebellion, he’s got to first remove evil from the universe permanently. And that’s what we see at the end of Chapter 20.

Go ahead and write this down as a first point from our message:

1) At the end of the end, the lake of fire will be populated (20:11–15)

John MacArthur writes of Revelation 20:11–15, “This passage describes the final sentencing of the lost and is the most serious, sobering, and tragic passage in the entire Bible. Commonly known as the Great White Throne judgment, it is the last courtroom scene that will ever take place. After this there will never again be a trial, and God will never again need to act as judge. The accused, all the unsaved who have ever lived, will be resurrected to experience a trial like no other that has ever been. There will be no debate over their guilt or innocence. There will be a prosecutor, but no defender; an accuser, but no advocate. There will be an indictment, but no defense mounted by the accused; the convicting evidence will be presented with no rebuttal or cross-examination. There will be an utterly unsympathetic Judge and no jury, and there will be no appeal of the sentence He pronounces. The guilty will be punished eternally with no possibility of parole in a prison from which there is no escape.”

If you remember last time we saw Satan cast into the lake of fire forever. At the end of Jesus’s 1000-year reign, Satan gathers an army of millennial insurrectionists, and John says, “their number was like the sand of the sea” ( 20:8 ).

This, army by the way, will be made up of humans that live in Christ’s perfect kingdom. There is no injustice in this kingdom. Christ will be a perfectly just and perfectly righteous ruler, yet still the people rebel. It just goes to show you, whether it’s in the Garden of Eden or whether it’s in Jesus’s millennial reign or whether it’s in San Antonio, Texas—human beings have an innate desire to usurp the authority of God. God will destroy that army with fire from heaven, and then Satan will be cast into the lake of fire that is already populated with the antichrist and the false prophet ( 20:10 ).

Now after all that is accomplished, what follows is what’s called the Great White Throne Judgment. This is that moment in time when every knee will bow before a sovereign God ( see Phil 2:10–1 1). This is that moment in time when every human being (other than those who have been saved by Christ’s blood) will be judged. And John gets a glimpse of this future judgment in verse 11.

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.

The person seated here must be some manifestation of God the Father. Obviously God is spirit and God is omnipresent, so it’s difficult to imagine him seated on the throne. So I would assume that this is similar to God’s presence in the tabernacle in the wilderness. Some manifestation of God the Father is present. And Christ is here as well seated at his right hand of God the Father, or enthroned at his right hand.

I say that because the Bible makes clear that Jesus will be the ultimate judge of humanity. Jesus said in John 5:22 , “For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son.” Jesus said, “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man” ( John 5:26–27 ).

Jesus did say in John 3:17 , “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Jesus also said in John 12:47 , “If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” Those statements, of course, in context, deal with Christ’s first coming. They are not relevant to his second coming or the Great White Throne Judgment where Jesus will indeed judge the world and all who are in it.

Just to give additional support to this, in Acts 10:42 , Peter says, “And he [Jesus] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.” The Apostle Paul warned the pagan philosophers of Athens that God “has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” ( Acts 17:31 ). Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom” ( 2 Tim 4:1 ). And that which is not explicitly stated here by John is implicit in light of other passages of Scripture.

And as God the Father and Jesus Christ are mounting this throne, look at the end of verse 11.

[and] From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

The entire universe will vanish at this moment. 2 Peter describes it this way, “... the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” ( 3:10–13 ). So before God can create the new heaven and the new earth, he’s got to eliminate the old heaven and the old earth, and also judge all of humanity.

Look at verse 12.

12 And I saw the dead, great and small,

Both significant and insignificant. Both mostly good (by human standards) and mostly evil. Hitler will be there. Julius Caesar will be there. Alexander the Great will be there. Osama Bin Laden will be there. But so will your neighbor, Jim, who’s an Atheist, who volunteers at the homeless shelter. So will your uncle Pete, who lives a seemingly moral life but thinks Christianity is a crutch for weak people. So will that little old lady who goes to church every Sunday, yet never made a decision to follow Christ. It was all a sham. She was just going through the motions. They will all be there, both great and small.

By the way, there does seem to be some suggestion by Jesus in the NT that there will be varying degrees of punishment in the lake of fire. Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town [i.e., the town that rejects his disciples]” ( Matt 10:15 ). Jesus said, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you” (Matt 11:21–22). Does that imply that there will be varying degrees of punishment for unbelievers in the lake of fire? Not sure I’d take a bullet for that, but I think so.

Nevertheless, John writes in verse 12.

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.

“Their standing posture implies they have risen from the dead, a feature that becomes more evident in v. 13. By implication this is the second resurrection (cf. 20:5).”

Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.

So there’s the book of life, otherwise referred to as the “Lamb’s Book of Life.” If you’ve repented of your sins and embraced Jesus Christ as your Savior, your name is written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life.” And that pardons you from this judgment.

But these individuals, in Revelation 20, don’t have their names written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life,” so they are judged according to their deeds. And all their deeds are recorded. God knows everything. God has recorded everything, from genocide to every little white lie, from the holocaust to every little instance of gossip and slander.

Listen, the Bible says clearly that we are saved by faith, but we are judged by our works. Saving faith absolves us of judgment, but not these individuals. They get judged by their works.

By the way, Christians won’t be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment. We will be judged before that at the time that we receive our eternal bodies. It’s what’s referred to as the “Bema seat” judgment, where God will judge our every deed and reward us accordingly. The Great White Throne Judgment is for unbelievers and unbelievers only.

Look at verse 13.

13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.

It might seem odd to you that John would mention the sea with Death and Hades. Hades is the holding cell for unbelievers. All the dead throughout the centuries are held captive in Hades. It is a place of fire and torment, but it’s not their final destination. The final destination is the lake of fire.

The sea is symbolic in the Israelite worldview for chaos and destruction. That may be hard for some of us to understand, those of us who love the sea. But you have to understand this from the perspective of a landlocked people. For Israelites, the sea was a vast wasteland worse than the desert. There was no fresh water. There was no food, unless you fished it out of the ocean. And it was worse than the desert because there were creatures in the sea that could eat you or destroy your ship.

And the storms on the sea were worse and more frightening than anything on land. Some Israelites even believed that Sheol was located in the sea. If you remember, Jonah after he was thrown off the boat said, “out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice” ( Jon 2:2 ). And God rescued him with a large aquatic sea creature.

In Revelation 13, Satan comes out of the sea. In the OT Leviathan and other monsters came from the sea. So this reference to the sea is either a reference to demonic spirits that reside in the pit or Sheol, or those who die at sea and their bodies were never found.

God is making clear that everyone who ever died on earth will be resurrected. And every angel that rebelled against him, as well, will stand before him.

14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

This is the second death. “Born once, die twice!” This is the second death. “Born twice, die once!” For those who have been born again there is no second death. We go on to eternity with the Lord and are spared this judgment.

Some people like to envision Satan in hell right now. That’s pretty popular in art and movies and cartoons. That dates back to medieval art and literature like Dante’s Inferno . And sometimes Satan is depicted in hell right now torturing people. But that’s not true. That’s not how the Bible depicts it. Satan is on the earth right now roaming around seeking someone to devour ( 1 Pet 5:8 ).

And Satan doesn’t get thrown into the lake of fire until after the millennium. And he’s not the one torturing people for eternity. He’s being tortured right there alongside everyone else after death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire with him.

The famous cynic, Mark Twain, said once, “Go to heaven for the climate and hell for the company.” Well the company in hell is Satan. The company in hell is the antichrist. And, let me be absolutely clear on this, every person who rejects Christ, and every person who refuses to bow the knee to King Jesus in this lifetime will be cast into the lake of fire with Satan forever.

And there will be no partying in hell. And there will be no celebration . Hell is a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, where sinners “will be tormented day and night forever and ever” ( 20:10 ). By the way “tormented” there is a divine passive in Revelation 20:10 . God does the tormenting. Not the Devil!

This is what the Bible teaches. This is what the Bible says. And you can’t pick and choose what you want out of the Bible and ignore the rest.

How many of you have heard the song, “My Way” by Frank Sinatra? I did a Google search once for the most popular funeral songs of all time. Guess which song was #1? It wasn’t “Amazing Grace.” It was “My Way.”

For what is a man, what has he got?

If not himself, then he has naught

To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels

The record shows I took the blows and did it my way!

Do you know what that is, church? That’s the theme song of hell. “I don’t care about you, God. I don’t care about your Son, Jesus. I don’t care about your cross. There’s only one person in this world that matters, and it’s me. I don’t kneel to anybody. I do things, ‘My Way.’”

And you know what God says to that, “Okay. You can have yourself forever. And you will be removed from my presence forever ( 2 Thess 1:9 ). And you will not be inconvenienced by me ever again.” And you know what eternity without God is like. No more beauty. No more relationships. No more joy. No more peace. No more communication, because that’s a gift from God. No more caring, no more rejoicing, no more pleasure, no more creativity, no more reciprocity, no more life, no more light, no more love. Just you and your God-forsaking friends.

C.S. Lewis said once, “[The lost] enjoy forever the horrible freedom they have demanded.” He says, “the doors of hell are locked on the inside.” That’s hell, right there, folks. No God. It’s just you. It’s all about you forever and ever and ever stuck in a pattern of eternal conscious torment. And there are no second chances. And there is no annihilationism. And there is no purgatory.

You might say, “Jesus would never do that. Not sweet little baby Jesus.”

Look, Jesus is the one who talked about hell more than any other person (see for example Matt 5:29; 8:12; 10:28; 13:39–43; 13:50; 25:41–46; Luke 16:16–19, etc.). He warned you. And now the choice is yours: eternal life or eternal death. An eternity with you doing it your way. Or an eternity with God doing it God’s way.

Remember Jesus’s parable of the “wheat and the weeds.” The farmer sows seed in the field. His enemy comes and sows weeds. And the servants ask the farmer, “Should we go gather the weeds out of the field?” The master says, “No let them grow both together. Then at the time of harvest we’ll gather the wheat into the barn, and we’ll gather the weeds into bundles for burning” ( Matt 13:24–30 ).

So what does Jesus’s parable mean? Well Jesus explained it to us. He said, “The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear” ( Matt 13:39–43 ). This judgment in Revelation 20 , The Great White Throne Judgment, is what Jesus was alluding to with the parable of the wheat and the weeds.

You might say, “There’s got to be something better than that. There’s got to be something else. There’s got to be some way to have my sins atoned for. There’s got to be some way for me to assuage God’s wrath and receive salvation.” There is. There is a way. But we don’t deserve it.

There is a way. But you’re not going to get there by doing it, “My Way.” You’re only going to get there by doing it God’s way.

What is God’s way? It’s by faith. Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” You will be saved not just from this rotten life, if you’ve had a rotten life. You will be saved not just from an unhappy existence. You will be saved not just from yourself, but saved from eternal death . And saved from the lake of fire which goes on forever and forever and forever and forever.

This is why I’m preaching this topic. This is part of the reason I want to cover this topic. I don’t want anyone to experience eternal death. I believe what God says about hell. And even though this isn’t my favorite topic—I’d much rather preach on something else—this is what the Bible says, and I believe it. And I want you to be a part of something better than the lake of fire. And God has prepared something for you infinitely better than that.

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So what has God prepared for those who have been saved by faith? Well let’s look at that in chapter 21.

But first, write this down as a second point from our message:

2) At the end of the end, all former things will pass away (21:1–4)

Here’s what God says awaits those who embrace him by faith. Once God has removed permanently those who have opposed him, now he can set up a new heaven and a new earth.

John writes this in chapter 22, verse 1.

21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Remember what I just said about the sea. No more chaos. No more fear. No more abode of the dead. No more holding place for demonic beings. There will be water on the new earth, but it won’t be seawater. And there will be nothing fearful or inaccessible in the new heaven and new earth.

2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

In John 14:2–3 , Jesus said I go to prepare a place for you. In John 14:2–3 , Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms.” As I understand it, this is what Jesus has been preparing for centuries—A New Jerusalem. And this new Jerusalem is described as the holy city. There will be nothing unholy in her. And she is described as a “bride adorned for her husband.”

Now we’ve already seen the marriage supper of the Lamb that included the bride adorned for Christ. Here the image changes to the New Jerusalem as the bride. And I think this means that the holy city, new Jerusalem, will be the habitat for believers forever. We’ll live in this city in community with each other and with the Lord.

Some people think that when we get to heaven we’ll all be living on clouds playing harps in isolation from each other. Where do those images come from? That sounds boring, by the way. I don’t want to play a harp in isolation from other people. Boring!

The Bible says we’ll be living in community with each other not in isolation from each other, so you better get to know and love your fellow Christians now, because you’ll be living with them for eternity.

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place [literally the tabernacle] of God is with man. He will [literally tabernacle] with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

We won’t be gods like God. That’s ridiculous. There’s only one God. And he’ll be our God, and we’ll worship him. And we’ll be in his presence forever.

Remember God dwelt with the Israelites in the wilderness in a tabernacle. That was an imperfect situation. And only the high priest could come into the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement.

But when the new heaven and the new earth are created God will dwell openly with his people. And holiness will be the air we breathe. And there are no temple sacrifices to atone for sin. There is no sin. God is our God, and nothing separates us from his holiness.

And watch this. This is precious. Look at verse 4.

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

At the end of the end, all former things will pass away. No more tears. No more heartache. No more emotional pain. No more physical pain. No more anxiety. No more fretfulness. No more murder. No more deceit. No more 6 o’clock news full of violent crime.

No more “I’m sorry I hurt you.” No more conflict. No more apologies. No more messy breakups. No more interventions with a family member. No more alcoholism. No more addiction. No more sexual perversion. No more killing of innocent people.

No more cancer. No more surgery. No more heart disease. No more doctors. No more dentists. No more root canals. No more hardships. No more unemployment. No more financial stress. No more temptation. No more “my kids are driving me crazy.” No more lying. No more adultery. No more idolatry. No more infidelity.

No more competing interests with the God of the Universe. All the former things have passed away and we will dwell in the presence of a holy God forever! And we will be holy. And we will no longer see as “in a mirror dimly, but … face to face” and we shall “know fully, even as we are fully known” ( 1 Cor 13:12 ). Hallelujah.

And every day when I see you up there and I say, “How’s it going?” You will never ever, ever, say again, “I’m having a rough day.” “I’m struggling.” “I’m not doing too well.” Never again!

And I’ll ask you how you’re doing and you’ll say, “Everything is awesome all the time. It’s better than I ever imagined. Every day just gets better and better and I couldn’t be more happy.” And you’ll ask me in eternity, “How are you doing, Tony?” And I’ll say, “It’s awesome! I couldn’t be more happy.”

James Hamilton writes, “I have heard stories of wicked things people have done to missionaries such as people forced to ingest human excrement or women being violated. The unassailable purity of the new heaven and new earth can provide hope to sustain you through such horrors, and believing that God will do this can heal you from whatever you may experience.” Will we have memory of the terrible things that have taken place in this world in eternity? Some people say no. I think so. But if we do, it’ll be a faint recollection of the past, overwhelmed by our experiences of joy and elation in the presence of God continually.

And there will be no more crying. No more dying. No more mourning. No more suffering. No more anything negative ever again. Can I interest you in that?

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Now there’s two ways that the new heaven and the new earth are described in Revelation. First, there is the negation of every negative thing. And if that was it, that’d be enough. No pain. No death. No mourning. No crying. Sign me up for that right now! All those former things have passed away.

But John also describes it by what is present not just what is absent. And that’s what we have starting in chapter 21, verse 5.

Go ahead and write this down as a third point from the message:

3) At the end of the end, God will eternally make all things new (21:5–8)

Look at verse 5.

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Remember I said earlier, that this is probably God the Father speaking. More precisely this is some combination of God the Father and God the Son on the throne. And if these words are coming directly from God the Father, then these may be the first words that come from the first person of the Trinity in the entire book of Revelation.

Usually God uses an angel to speak for him. But not this time. God has something to say. And he says, “I am making all things new.”

Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

“Put this down on paper, John. These are the truest words you will ever hear.” Remember now, this is John the Apostle writing two-thousand years ago, about our future events. John had a vision and was shown these amazing things on the island of Patmos. Thankfully, as part of God’s perfect plan, God had John write them down for our benefit and for the benefit of Christians throughout the centuries of church history.

And God says, “Put these words down on paper, John.” Why? “Because the church in your day needs to hear it. There are Christians out there who are getting their heads chopped off because they are faithful to me. There are Christians who are being eaten alive by wild animals in the coliseums because they won’t bow their knee to Caesar. And I want those Christians to know, and I want the other Christians who suffer likewise in my name to know, that their suffering is not in vain. And I want them to know that their reward in eternity will dwarf anything they suffered in the present age.”

“Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done!

What does that sound like? That sounds like τετέλεσται (tetelestai) in John 19:30 ! ” It is finished! But this is a little different. This is done/done at the end of the end!

“It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

There will be water in the afterlife, as I understand it. But we won’t have to drink it for our survival.

Nevertheless, I don’t think that’s what God is referring to here. He’s speaking of metaphorical drinking and a metaphorical spring not unlike what Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4. He told her, “whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” ( John 4:14 ). This is water that slakes spiritual not physical thirst. And we will have access to that for eternity.

And look at verse 7.

7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly,

Those who were too chicken to acknowledge me… those who cared more about what their friends thought about them then what God thought about them…

8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars,

This is a description here of unrepentant sinners. There will be people who committed murder in heaven, but they won’t be unrepentant murderers. Their sin will be covered by the blood of Jesus. And that’s true of all sins no matter how big or small.

There will be people who lied in heaven. But they won’t be unrepentant liars. Their lies will be covered by the blood of Jesus. But for unrepentant liars and murderers and sorcerers and idolaters…

their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

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But that won’t be the eternal abode of Christ’s followers. There is no second death for us. There is instead, eternal life. What will that look like?

Well, write this down as a fourth and final point from this message:

4) At the end of the end, we will indwell the New Jerusalem (21:9–22:5)

“That’s awesome, Pastor Tony. Tell me more about that. I want to know about the New Jerusalem. I want to know about my home for eternity.” I will tell you about that. I promise. Next week. Unless Jesus calls us home before that.

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But let me close with this. I know there are Christians in our world, and even theologians out there, that say things like the following: “Eschatology isn’t that important. It’s not that relevant. Let’s not be divisive over it.” And I think I understand what they mean by that. They mean don’t be divisive over secondary or tertiary issues.

But that statement is inaccurate. Eschatology is important. What we are looking at here today is extremely important. This is the eternal state of all human beings. Either you will be in the New Jerusalem with God forever or you will be in the lake of fire. And there is no third option.

No, I would say that eschatology is incredibly important. We need to talk about this subject. And we need to do more than just get our understanding about eschatology right. We need to warn other people about what awaits us in the afterlife.

Charles Spurgeon said once, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”

I know some pastors have advocated that it’s best to preach only about heaven and to skip hell as an eternal destiny for some. They say, “Just tell them how good heaven’s going to be, and that’ll be enough to win them to Christ.”

Others seem to preach only about hell, and they skip the part about heaven as if to say, “Just tell them how unbearable hell’s going to be and that’ll be enough to win them to Christ.” I find it interesting how when the Scriptures talk about eternity usually it talks about both the eternity of the saved and the eternity of the unsaved. Eternal life and eternal death are juxtaposed in the pages of Scripture, so that we are perfectly clear about the destination of both (e.g., Dan 12:2; Matt 7:13–14; 13:36–43; 25:31–46; Luke 16:19–31; John 3:16–17, 36; 5:28–29; Acts 24:15; Gal 6:7–8; 2 Thess 1:5–12; Rev 20–22 ).

Let me ask you the following, church: “Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and are you prepared for eternity?” If yes, then here’s a second question: “If you do know Christ, are you prepared to let others go to hell unwarned and unprayed for?” May God give us a heart for the lost!

Let’s bow together in a word of prayer.

Acts 25:13–26:32: "Things Aren’t Always What They Seem"

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 20:24:39 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 25. We are studying the life of Paul at the end of the Book of Acts. Let’s continue that starting in Acts 25:13.

And in these final chapters of the book of Acts, we are seeing Paul’s stalwart commitment to God and to the gospel despite great opposition. And we are seeing the gospel and the power of God prevail despite many evidences to the contrary. And the key phrase that I want to stick in your head as we begin this message is the following: “Things Aren’t Always What They Seem.”

“Why do you say that, Pastor Tony?” Well, if you didn’t have the right perspective on what God is doing in Paul’s life, you might mistakenly think, “Paul’s life is being wasted. Paul’s talent is being wasted. Paul is being bested by these Jewish and Roman leaders.”

“Paul has been stuck in prison for two years! He’s persecuted everywhere he goes. He’s unable to defend himself! People think he’s a criminal. Paul is losing this battle for the gospel.”

“And also these Roman officials (Festus and Felix) and these Jewish leaders with all of their power and prestige and lavish lifestyles… these guys are winning against Paul. These guys are getting the best of Paul. They are inhibiting the proliferation of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit.”

Well, “Things Aren’t Always What They Seem.” And even though the people around Paul might seem to be the important ones… history would tell us otherwise. And God’s Word likewise, if we look below the surface, is telling another story.

Paul may seem like he is losing this battle. But God is using his pain and struggles to accomplish a greater purpose. And what the world often portrays as powerful and successful and meaningful is really more worthy of our pity and scorn than imitation. And often what the world dismisses as weakness and foolishness, is instead quite profound.

And by the way, let me give you one piece of evidence that God is controlling these events and bringing about his ultimate purposes. Jesus prophesied concerning his followers that they would be “dragged before governors and kings for [Jesus’s] sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles” ( Matt 10:18 ). Also in Luke’s gospel, Jesus said, “They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake” ( Luke 21:12 ).

That prophecy was true of Peter and John and the other twelve. But it was especially true of the Apostle Paul at the end of the book of Acts. In the last few chapters of this book, Paul appears before high-ranking Jews in the Sanhedrin. He appears before high-ranking Roman officials including Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa. Paul even gets sent to Rome to appear before Caesar!

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But before that, he testifies about Christ before King Agrippa. Let’s look at that now.

If you remember from last time, Paul had to defend himself again in front of the new governor Festus. Paul had been left in prison for two years. Festus came to town as the new governor, and his first order of business was to settle the matter of Paul.

The Jews were clamoring for a judgment against Paul. And after reviewing the case, Festus can’t find any wrongdoing in him. But, according to verse 9, wanting to do the Jews a favor, Festus suggests to Paul that he be sent to Jerusalem for trial. Well Paul wants none of that! He knows that the Jewish leaders won’t be happy until he’s six-feet-under, so he invokes the Roman provocatio. He appeals to Caesar. And in verse 12 Festus happily obliges Paul and says, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”

But here’s the problem with that. Festus has agreed to send Paul to Rome. Festus wants to send Paul to Rome, because then he can wash his hands of this whole troublesome matter. But he’s got nothing to charge Paul with. He knows Paul is innocent, and so if he sends an innocent man to Rome without charges, then he’ll look like a fool in front of all the Roman higher-ups.

And so here’s how Festus tries to remedy this difficult situation. Look at verse 13.

13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.

Now this guy Agrippa, who was a fellow ruler with Festus in Judea, was part of the infamous Herod family. He was the great-grandson of King Herod the Great. Druscilla, the wife of Felix, who we saw earlier in Acts 24 was his sister.

And if you remember, King Herod, killed all the babies in Bethlehem when Jesus was born in order to eliminate the future King of the Jews (Matt 2:1–23). King Herod’s son, Antipas, beheaded John the Baptist. King Herod’s grandson, Agrippa I, executed the Apostle James, but was later eaten by worms according to Acts 12. These Herods were essentially the archenemies of Christ and all of his followers in the NT. And now King Herod Agrippa II has a chance to do some more damage to the followers of Christ, because Festus is going to look to him to help him render judgment against Paul.

Now this is even more sordid than that, because Bernice, the woman that is with Agrippa is not Agrippa’s wife. She is in fact his sister. And they are living out an incestuous relationship with one another in front of the whole world.

This woman Bernice had actually been married twice before her incestuous relationship with her brother, and later she became the mistress of Titus, the future emperor of Rome. And the Roman people actually forced Titus to dismiss her because her morals were so appalling to the pagan people of Rome. This is like something you would see on daytime TV. In other words, Agrippa and Bernice were sick, sin-infested people.

And if that’s not crazy enough, Agrippa, despite his incestuous relationship, was considered an expert in Jewish affairs. And he was given authority to appoint the high priest of the temple. And he even had authority over the temple treasury! And that’s why Festus is going to turn to him to help him figure out what to do with this troublesome character named Paul.

Look at verse 14.

14 And as they [that’s Agrippa and Bernice] stayed [in Caesarea] many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him.

17 So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.

20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.”

Festus is basically telling Agrippa, “I’ve got this real doozy of a problem… this guy named Paul. And I don’t know what to do with him. He appealed to the emperor, and so now I’ve got to figure something out for this guy. Can you help me, Agrippa? You know something about Jewish law.”

22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.”

Agrippa is intrigued by this fascinating character, Paul. Paul is fascinating! And he says, “I want to hear this guy. I want to hear straight from the horse’s mouth what all this controversy is about.” Maybe there’s a little bit of interest here in this “Jesus” who Paul said was alive.

So Festus says in verse 22.

“Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”

23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp,

With great “pomp.” Can you see them now? With great… here’s another translation of this Greek word… “pageantry.” Like the king and queen of England, they came. And everyone was “Oh, so impressed by them.”

And Luke writes in verse 23.

and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city.

So just picture this with me here. Agrippa and Bernice come in wearing their purple robes of royalty along with golden crowns on their heads. Festus would have been wearing the scarlet robe that was customary for the governor on such formal occasions.

And all of the military tribunes were there. All of the prominent men of the city were there. All of the socialites and dignitaries and public figures would be there bowing before this incestuous king who by human standards was accorded these great honors. And Paul is going to have to defend himself again in front of one of these ridiculously corrupt and self-aggrandizing Roman leaders.

Speaking of Paul, look at the end of verse 23.

Then at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

Now let’s imagine this together. Here’s Paul in total contrast to Agrippa and Bernice. Paul would have been clothed in humble garments. He was shackled (see Acts 26:29). He had been imprisoned for over two years. He had scars all over his body. One ancient description of Paul depicts him this way: “Paul was a man little of stature, thin-haired upon the head, crooked in the legs, of good state of body, with eyebrows joining, and nose somewhat hooked.” Even in 2 Corinthians 10:10, the Corinthian church described Paul as weak in bodily presence.

So here’s Paul, this tiny, bald, humble and shackled man, who is brought before this audience hall with all these “respectable” and “dignified” and even “pompous” individuals, who for some reason are given the moral authority to determine Paul’s fate. [Of course we know, that these dignitaries are nothing but pawns in the hands of a sovereign God.]

And even though they look like the honorable ones in this little scene, I would subscribe to you today that “Things Aren’t Always What They Seem.”

Write this down as a first point in your notes. “Things Aren’t Always What They Seem.”

1) Sometimes the prisoner is more honorable than the rulers (25:13–27)

Let me just say for the record that godliness isn’t determined by prominence, power, or prestige. Truth isn’t determined by prominence, power, or prestige. Wisdom isn’t determined by prominence, power, or prestige. And neither is honor.

Honor isn’t determined by popularity . Honor isn’t determined by prosperity . Honor isn’t determined by pomp and circumstance . Things Aren’t Always What They Seem.

The contrast here between Paul and Agrippa could not be starker. Here’s this noble regal great-grandson of Herod the Great, dressed to the nines in his formal apparel. All of the Caesarean bigwigs are bowing before him. All of the female socialites are swooning in his presence. He is the epitome of power and success and respectability.

And then there’s Paul, the criminal. The rebel-rouser! The man clothed in humble dress, his body bent over by the weight of the shackles, humbled before these godless men. Which one of these men is truly honorable in the eyes of the Lord?

By the way, church, let me make just one quick point of application. Don’t be fooled into thinking that honor in the eyes of men is the same as honor in the eyes of God. It’s not. Those are not the same things.

So Paul is brought in. He stands before this “prestigious” crowd. And in verse 24, Festus gives the reason for this gathering.

24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”

Festus basically says, “I got nothing on this guy… and I can’t send him to Rome, as he has requested, without something tangible to attach to him. So you guys got to help me come up with something or I’m going to play the fool in front of the emperor.”

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So after Festus gives his little plea, now it’s time for Paul to speak. And Chapter 26:1 says,

1 So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand [Just imagine Paul stretching out his hand, trying to make this motion as his hands were chained] and made his defense:

Now some of us in this situation might be tempted to just give up. Especially since Paul has done this before already, what’s the point of defending yourself again. But the Bible says this, “Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked” (Prov 25:26). Paul is a righteous man and he is not going to back down even if Caesar himself stands before him. He’s going to give a defense.

Now I will say this. Paul’s “defense” here is really not all that “defensive.” In fact, he barely defends himself at all. Instead of getting “defensive” here, Paul gets “offensive.” He goes for the hearts of his listeners. Paul’s going to preach the gospel. And his utmost desire with this audience isn’t to plead his case. It’s not to vindicate himself. He wants them to get saved. And with King Agrippa in particular, he doesn’t give a rip if he’s the king of whatever region or the great-grandson of King Herod... He wants Agrippa to get saved. He wants Bernice and Festus and all these dignitaries to give their lives to Christ.

I get the sense with Paul here that he just doesn’t care anymore about anything. He doesn’t care. All he cares about is the gospel. All he cares about is telling people about Christ. Festus and Agrippa have the authority to decide Paul’s fate! So what! All Paul cares about is preaching the gospel.

Paul writes about this mentality later in the NT book of Philippians. He says, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” ( 3:8 ). Paul says in that same book, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” ( Phil 1:21 ).

Paul just doesn’t care anymore. He doesn’t care about anything accept knowing Christ and preaching Christ and someday soon being resurrected with Christ. That is everything to him.

So here’s Paul’s preaching of the gospel starting in verse 2. Let’s listen up. And we might have some King Agrippas in this room right now. Maybe we have some Bernices or some Festuses in this room right now who are lost and desperately need to hear about Christ. If that’s you today, listen up now. Here’s how a person gets saved.

Here’s what Paul says.

2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. 4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!

In other words, Paul is saying “I’m a Jew. I’m a real Jew. I grew up as a Jew. I was a Pharisee of Pharisees. And I have believed in the Messiah that our people have been anticipating for centuries. And unlike others who rejected that Messiah, I’ve embraced him.”

And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!

Look at verse 8.

8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

Paul’s got some insider information here. He knows that they are intrigued by the fact that he believes Jesus was raised from the dead. So he goes right after that.

And he says,

8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

“God created the world, didn’t he? God has performed incredible miracles throughout human history, hasn’t he? Can’t God raise Jesus from the dead?”

The reason this is so important, by the way, is because if Christ wasn’t raised from the dead than our faith is meaningless. Paul said as much earlier when he wrote 1 Corinthians.

And also Paul knew that this “resurrection idea” would be offensive to both Jews and Romans. But it’s an essential element of the gospel. It was essential back then; and it’s essential right now.

If Christ wasn’t raised from the dead, we might as well just go home right now. You don’t need to come back here next Sunday. You don’t need to sing songs of worship and study this Bible. That would be meaningless. Everything hinges on whether or not Christ was raised from the dead.

But of course we know, like Paul knows, that Christ was raised from the dead. He was raised on a Sunday, and that’s why we gather and worship on Sunday.

And Paul goes right after that here. He goes right for the jugular talking about the resurrection. Look at verse 9.

9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Paul is saying here, “I’m the least likely person to get saved. I not only opposed Christ and his followers; I participated in murdering Christians. When my colleagues stoned Stephen I was there giving approval. I was there to hold their coats so that they could throw rocks harder at Stephen and kill him faster. And that’s when everything changed. That’s when my life took a radical turn in a different direction.”

12 “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

By the way, goads are ancient cattle prods. They are pointy sticks that shepherds would use to poke their herds and move them forward. And sometimes the animals get angry and kick the goads. But that does no good, right? It just makes the situation worse. Jesus says to Paul, “Why do you keep kicking against the goads. Why do you keep trying to resist the sovereign God of the universe?”

By the way did you notice that Jesus spoke to Paul in Hebrew? Does everyone see that in verse 14? Jesus had just come from heaven and was speaking Hebrew to Paul, and so I think that we’ll all be speaking Hebrew in heaven someday. What do you think about that?

I told a Croatian friend of mine that we will speak Hebrew in heaven someday. And he said, “O no we won’t, we’re going to speak English.” And I said, “English? Why would we speak English?” And he said, “Because all the Americans in heaven can’t learn a second language. So everyone will just speak English.”

So Jesus, after coming to Paul from heaven, spoke to Paul in Hebrew. And here’s what he says:

16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.

Verse 21 is about the closest thing you’ll find to a “defense” in Paul’s speech. Instead of trying to defend himself against false charges, Paul just says, “forget about a defense, let’s try to get these people saved!”

Look at verse 22.

22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

Here’s the essence of Paul’s testimony. Let me summarize what Paul says here: “I was a sinner far from God. I murdered Christ’s followers. I persecuted the church. I was full of hate and fury and rage. And I did everything in my power to stamp out those who followed Christ.”

“But in my sinful state, when I was as far from God as humanly possible, God reached down and saved my life. Jesus came and revealed himself to me, and now I’m not just a follower of Jesus, I’m a proclaimer of the gospel. And my mission in life is to tell people that by repenting and turning to God they, like me, can have their sins forgiven and have new life in Christ.”

That’s Paul’s testimony. And that’s the gospel! Are there any sinners in this room who, like Paul, have been saved by grace through the blood of Jesus? And what Paul is saying here is that even the most hardhearted enemy of the gospel can come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Write this down as a second point from our message. Things Aren’t Always What They Seem!

2) Sometimes the enemy of the gospel gets saved (26:1–23)

“That guy’s too far gone. There’s no hope for him.”

“She’ll never turn to Christ. She’ll never repent. She’ll never relinquish control of her life to the Lord.”

“He’ll never get saved. He’s the worst sinner I’ve ever known. He hates Christians.” Yeah, don’t be so sure. Things Aren’t Always What They Seem!

I read a biography several years ago about Brother Andrew, the well-known Bible-smuggler who smuggled Bibles into communist countries during the Cold War. And I was surprised to find out that this humble, godly man who had done so much for the Kingdom of God throughout his life was actually a bit of a “hell-raiser” before he gave his life to Christ. He even went to a revival meeting once drunk and heckled the preacher through the duration of his message. He’s one of those people that we could have written off as too far gone to come to Christ. And yet God, through a remarkable set of circumstances, brought him to saving faith and then sent him out to do incredible things for the Kingdom of God.

Let me just say this as clearly as I can… no person is too far gone! No person is too lost to have their sins forgiven! And if you are here this morning saying to yourself, “I’m too far gone. I cannot be forgiven! I’ve done too much!” Let me tell you that that is a lie from the pit of hell. It’s a lie that Satan has used again and again to keep people in a state of unbelief and unrepentance.

It doesn’t have to be that way. And I’m here to tell you that today—this day—you can have your sins forgiven. You can have new life in Christ, no matter what you’ve done. No matter where you’ve come from.

You might say, “How do I do that, Tony?” Well, all you need to do is obey what Jesus told Paul in verse 18. Look what it says:

turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that [you] may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

Also verse 20 says,

repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with … repentance.

Repent of your sins. Believe on the name of Jesus Christ who died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead and you shall be saved. That’s the gospel. God isn’t reluctant to convert even the most hard-hearted enemy of the gospel.

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Now why is Paul telling us these things? Why is he giving his testimony before Festus and Agrippa and all these dignitaries in Caesarea? He’s not doing it just to tell them a great story. He’s not doing it either, to simply defend himself against false accusations. He wants them to get saved. He wants Agrippa to get saved. He wants Bernice to get saved. He wants every person in that room from the lowliest servant in the room to King Agrippa himself (the great-grandson of the King who tried to kill baby Jesus) to get saved.

And that’s what makes Festus’s words in verse 24 so discouraging. Here’s how Festus responds to Paul’s plea:

24 And as [Paul] was saying these things in his defense, [As Paul was pouring out his heart and pleading with this audience to turn to Christ] Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”

This is every pastor’s worst nightmare. You pour out your heart and try to deliver passionately the thing that you are most passionate about, and the audience says, “He’s crazy.” “He’s read one-too-many books and they’ve scrambled his brain.”

But watch how Paul responds. Notice he doesn’t fire right back with, “O yeah, well you’re insane!”

25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Paul is still pleading. Paul is still hoping. He is still persuading. And if he can’t get through to Festus, he’s going to go for Agrippa, who at least has some background with Jewish thinking. “Maybe he, like me, will become a true Jew, and accept the Messiah that we’ve been waiting centuries for, Jesus Christ.”

Look at verse 27.

27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

This little dialogue between Paul and Agrippa really prompts the question, who is the crazy person in the room? Who really is out of their mind? Is it the humble lowly Paul who pleads with those who are more powerful than him to give their life to Christ? Or is it this incestuous King who would rather bow to peer-pressure and political posturing than to heed Paul’s message of saving faith?

Look at verse 30.

30 Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31 And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Who cares about that stuff? Who cares about Paul’s sentencing? Paul doesn’t even care about that stuff! What about your soul, Agrippa? What about your soul, Festus? Do you have any concern for the most important message that you’ve ever heard in your entire life? All these guys care to talk about is “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” Who cares? What about your soul?

This brings to mind people who leave church on Sunday and say to themselves, “That was such a nice service. The music was so nice, and the pastor used such nice words? And everyone dressed so nicely ?” Who gives a rip about that stuff! Did you meet with the Living God of the Universe or not? Was your life changed by a radical encounter with God’s Word? That’s the conversation you should be having.

Sometimes the conversations are even worse as Christians would rather talk about sports or the weather than anything spiritual. That’s safer. That’s more dignified. Just like Agrippa: “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” Who cares! Did you even hear what he was saying to you?

It makes you wonder, doesn’t it, who’s really crazy in this passage. Is it Paul? Or is it these people who would ignore the most important message they’ve ever heard in their life? Again, Things Aren’t Always What They Seem.

Write this down as a third point from the message. Things Aren’t Always What They Seem.

1) Sometimes the prisoner is more honorable than the rulers (25:13–27)

2) Sometimes the enemy of the gospel gets saved (26:1–23)

3) Sometimes the one called “crazy” is actually sanely speaking truth (26:24–32)

I read recently about a famous man named Milton Wright (1828–1917) who said publicly that it was impossible for man to fly. In fact he said, “Flight is reserved for the angels.” But his son, Wilbur Wright, felt differently. And on December 17, 1903, Wilbur took his airplane for a twelve second flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. People thought he was crazy for trying to fly. Now Wilbur Wright is considered a hero, especially those of us who have had the privilege of jumping into a plane and flying to foreign destinations that we could never have traveled to elsewhere.

Another great pioneer in human history, a man named Robert Fulton was though crazy when he developed the steamboat. Once while he was demonstrating the steamboat, a group of bystanders started chanting “It’ll never start, never start, never start!” And when it started that began shouting, “It’ll never stop, never stop, never stop.” It makes you wonder in hindsight - who were the real crazies in those scenarios? Once again we see that Things Aren’t Always What They Seem.

“Paul you’re out of your mind! You’re preaching is sheer madness.” Is it? Is it? If Paul’s preaching is madness, then I’d much prefer his madness to the madness of King Agrippa. I’d much prefer the foolishness of following Christ to the foolishness of rejecting him. I’d much rather live a life that imitated the humble, confident Paul than the sinful, self-aggrandizing, self-indulgent King Agrippa. Where does the real madness lie? Who’s really crazy in this story?

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:25 that “the foolishness of God is wiser than men.” He says in 1:27, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”

He says in 1 Corinthians 1:18 , “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Can I just say that we live in a crazy world right now! We live a world where people can’t define what is a man and what is a woman. We live in a world where illicit sex is celebrated, and babies are commoditized, and many American families are a dysfunctional mess. And yet, the idea of Christian purity and monogamy and abstinence are ridiculed. Who’s crazy in that scenario?

We live in a world where easy divorce and infidelity are encouraged because whatever makes you happy, do it! We live in a world of shameless self-indulgence where people are promised that more stuff will make them happy, and yet those same people are shocked when more stuff just makes them more and more unhappy. It makes you wonder, who’s really crazy in this world? Is it the Christ-followers?

We live in a world where it is perfectly normal and even encouraged to be passionate about sports, passionate about politics, passionate about sex, passionate about education, passionate about temporal stuff of this world. But if you show any passion about Jesus Christ, then people say… “easy now you’re starting to sound a little crazy!” Charles Finney once said, “If you have much of the Spirit of God, it is not unlikely you will be thought deranged by many.”

There’s actually a long list of people throughout church history who have been consider crazy because of their love for Jesus Christ. In his commentary on Acts, Kent Hughes writes about a man named William Borden who in 1913 at the age of 26, left his large home near Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive, gave away over $500,000 to become a missionary to the Muslim world. People thought he was nuts for doing this. Six months later he died from cerebral meningitis amidst the flies and heat of a Cairo hospital. At that point people were sure he was mentally unbalanced, but God did not share their opinion.

Similarly in 1885 a man named C.T. Studd, England’s most famous athlete, with six other promising young students (later referred to as the Cambridge Seven) left for China to help Hudson Taylor spread the gospel in that nation. These men were ridiculed for their “enthusiasm.” People thought they were crazy. People thought they were nuts. Why would anyone leave the comforts of home to preach the gospel in a hostile foreign context? They must be crazy.

Hughes refers to this mentality of Paul’s as a “blessed madness.” And I don’t know about you, but I think for myself, I could use a little bit more of Paul’s “blessed madness.” My hope for myself and for our church is that we would be a little more gung-ho… a little more all-in… a little more sold-out… and little more crazy… by the world’s standards… for our Savior, Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:18 again says, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

We’re going to take communion now. But before we do that, I’m going to pray. And I’m going to pray specifically that God would stir up “blessed madness” in this church. May God give us the kind of passion that Paul had in the book of Acts that these Roman leaders called crazy. Pray with me.

Revelation 20:1-10: "The Millennium" - Christ's 1000-Year Reign

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:07:13 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

To begin, I’m going to read for you Revelation 20:1–10 on the millennium. Church of God, this is the Word of God.

20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Let’s turn together to Revelation 20 in our Bibles.

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The millennium. The millennium. The millennium. That’s the subject we want to cover today. Not Millennials. That’s a different topic. Today we discuss Jesus’s 1000-year reign on earth in “The Millennium.”

If you look at the graphic below, you can see not the sequence of topics in our series, “Final Things.” Last time, we dealt with The Second Coming. Today we cover, the second topic—“The Millennium.”

Click to view timeline.

And as you can see in your Bibles, we are just following the sequence of the last four chapters of the Bible. Revelation 19 sequentially spills into Revelation 20; in other words, the millennium follows Christ’s second coming.

And after this, we’re going to follow this all the way to the end of the Bible with the eternal state and the New Jerusalem. Then, we will transition back to the church age and the intermediate state, the time in which we live right now. Then we will work up to the rapture, the tribulation, and the church and Israel.

And just by way of full disclosure. We don’t get a ton of detail here about what life in the millennium will look like. We just get a taste.

How many of you out there have ever been to a movie? How many of you have ever seen a movie trailer? Well Revelation 20:1–10 is more like a movie trailer than a movie. The Apostle John squeezes a description of Jesus’s 1000-year reign of glory and perfection on our earth into ten verses. And it’s not a lot of detail. But it’s enough to get your mouth watering with anticipation.

And I guarantee you when we finally see Christ set up this kingdom, it won’t be a let-down… like some movies are after you see the trailer. It won’t be an anticlimax. It’s going to be awesome for us and for those who are part of Christ’s entourage.

Now for the devil… it’s not going to be awesome. And for those who ally themselves with the devil, it’s going to be awful not awesome . In fact it’s going to be horrifying. Actually there is something of an anticlimax in this passage. It’s when Satan gathers a new army of millennial insurrectionists in verses 8–9. And they gather to oppose Christ. And they march up to Jerusalem for battle and then… all of a sudden… whoosh! … they are consumed by fire from heaven. There’s no fighting. There’s no combat. There’s just obliteration. We’ll get to that in a second.

But for the rest of us, those who get to enjoy the rule and reign of Christ for 1000 years, our minds can’t even conceive of how great this will be. And I’m so glad that God has given us this sneak peek of that future reality, even though it’s just a little glimpse. By the way, there’s some content on Jesus’s millennial kingdom in the OT that we’ll look at today, that gives a little more detail for us. And all of this will encourage us in this day when the things in our world are less than awesome.

Now here’s how I would structure the presentation of this millennial kingdom in Revelation 20. First John tells us what happens at the beginning of the millennium (20:1–3). Then John tells us what happens during the millennium (20:4–6). Then John tells us what happens at the end of the millennium (20:7–10). That’s how this passage is structured. Very simple. Very informative. And you can see I’ve followed this outline in your notes.

So if you would, go ahead and take your notes and write this in as the first point for this message.

The Three Main Events of the Millennium:

1) At the start of the millennium, Satan will be bound (20:1–3)

Now if you remember last time, we saw Christ’s dramatic return to earth. Heaven opened up. Christ descended on a white horse with 1) eyes like flames of fire, with 2) diadems on his head, with 3) a blood-soaked robe on his back, with 4) a sword proceeding from his mouth, and with 5) King of Kings and Lord of Lords tattooed on his quadriceps. It’s an electrifying and terrifying image, as Christ comes to make war on his enemies.

And the Bible says that there is an army behind Jesus riding their own white horses. And like I said last time, that’s the church and possibly also Jesus’s angel army. So we won’t just see the second coming of Christ. We will be part of the second coming of Christ. We will have a front row seat as Christ destroys his enemies.

Well at the end of that battle, it says that Christ subdued the antichrist and the false prophet and threw them in to the lake of fire that burns with sulfur (19:19–20). They are the down payment, you might say, of all of Christ’s enemies that will eventually be thrown into the lake of fire. They are the firstfruits of the coming judgment. The rest of the enemies that Christ destroyed at Armageddon, their bodies were consumed by birds that gorged on their flesh. And their souls will be cast into Hades to await the final judgment with all the other dead unbelievers throughout the centuries.

So that’s the context of what follows in Chapter 20. And the question that didn’t get answered in Chapter 19 is the following: what happened to Satan? The antichrist gets punished at Christ’s coming: thrown into the lake of fire. The false prophet gets punished likewise. But those two individuals were empowered by the great fallen angel, Satan. They were two members of what we called the unholy trinity. What about the third member? What about Satan?

Well Satan’s reckoning comes in Chapter 20, and as I just read for you Satan has one more part to play on planet earth before he reaches his final destination.

Look at chapter 20, verse 1.

20:1 Then I saw an angel [possibly Michael, God’s angel of war] coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit [this is the Greek word ἄβυσσος, which we get our English word “abyss” from] and a great chain. 2 And he [that’s the angel… again possibly the archangel Michael or an angel like him] seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years

Satan has a lot of names, doesn’t he? And as John describes him here, he mentions four of them. And coincidently these are the four ways that the devil is described in the book of Revelation. 1)

He’s “the dragon” from Revelation 12 who swept a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. Many scholars believe this describes Satan’s fall from heaven where he led one-third of the angelic hosts to revolt against God. Satan and these fallen angels or demons have been warring against God and against humanity ever since.
Satan is also the “ancient serpent,” who deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan embodied one of God’s creatures, a serpent, and beguiled Eve. And because of that sin an avalanche of sinfulness and fallenness and wickedness collapsed down on our world. We know that from Genesis 3. And we still feel that in our day.
Satan is the devil, which is the Greek word διάβολος, meaning “slanderer” or “accuser.” Christ is our advocate; Satan is our accuser. 4) And the last term used for his is “Satan” which is a Hebrew word שָׂטָן that means “adversary.” Satan is God’s adversary. And Satan is our adversary. He hates everyone and everything. He hates those who hate him. He hates those who love him. He is filled with an insatiable desire to thwart God and his goodness and all those who are affiliate with him.

Now here’s an interesting exegetical point. There are four names that are given for Satan in Revelation 20:2. If you remember from last week, there were four names given for Jesus as well. Jesus is “the Word of God” (19:13). Jesus is called “Faithful and True (19:11).” Jesus is called King of kings and Lord of lords (19:16). But also, there was another name for Jesus emblazoned on his diadems or emblazoned on his horse… John never specifies. It was a name that John did not know. In fact John says, “no one knows [that name] but [Jesus] himself (19:12).

Why is that significant? Because we know Satan’s names… all of them. And Jesus knows Satan’s names… all of them. But we don’t know all of Jesus’s names. And Satan doesn’t know all of Jesus’s names. There is a name that is written of Jesus in the book of Revelation, that no one knows but himself, meaning Christ is infinitely powerful and Satan is not. Do you feel me? Christ is inscrutable and omnipotent. Satan is not.

And that has applicational significance, folks. The devil is not Christ’s equal. In fact, Christ is not even in the same league with Satan. Satan is not Christ’s brother, as the Mormons teach. Satan is Christ’s lackey. So who are you going to side with? The lackey or the Lord?

You might say, “I don’t want to take a side, Pastor Tony.” You don’t have that choice. The default position is siding with the devil. If you haven’t settled where your allegiance lies, you better settle that today.

Now back to Satan, the devil, the ancient serpent, the dragon. Look at verse 3.

3 and [he] [the angel] threw him [the devil] into the pit [the abyss] , and shut it and sealed it over him,

I don’t know what this looks like with metaphysical creatures in a metaphysical world, but I assume that some kind of metaphysical chain and pit and binding were utilized here.

3 [he] threw him into the pit… so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

What’s insinuated in this passage is that Satan is a deceiver of not just people, but the nations. And anyone who has read their Bible from cover to cover isn’t surprised by that. As Psalm 2 states, “Why do the nations rage? Why do they plot and scheme? Against the Messiah, the Anointed One!” The nations have been deceived for centuries into raging and fighting against God and his holy people. That’s clear from the OT and the nation of Israel that was constantly attacked by outside powers. That’s true of the church in our day where Satan has been successful in deceiving nations and rulers.

That’s true in the tribulation where Satan, the antichrist, and the false prophet worked in concert to build an antisemitic empire that destroyed believing Jews including the two witnesses (see Rev 11:7; 13:7). They would have destroyed the 144,000 if they could have, but God preserved them (see Rev 7:3–4; 14:1–5).

Now we need to talk about this reference to “the thousand years” here, because this is a subject that is hotly debated among Christians. Revelation 20 is the first and only mention of a 1000-year reign of Christ on earth before the new heavens and new earth and the New Jerusalem.

And this mention comes as something of a surprise. Instead of Christ just throwing Satan into the lake of fire, judging the dead, and setting up the eternal state, there is a 1000-year period when Christ reigns on earth. And that 1000-year reign is mentioned six times in Revelation 20.

Just look at this with me:

1. 20:2 – “he bound Satan for a thousand years”

2. 20:3 – “until the thousand years were ended”

3. 20:4 – “They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years”

4. 20:5 – “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended”

5. 20:6 – “they will reign with him for a thousand years”

6. 20:7 – “And when the thousand years are ended”

In almost every verse in this chapter, a “thousand years” is mentioned. John obviously wanted to emphasize this. And not only is there emphasis, there is sequence. There’s before the thousand years and during the thousand years and then after the thousand years.

And before we talk about why God is allowing this 1000-year reign instead of just bringing the end of the end, let’s talk first about some of the different views of this millennium. There are three main views that good Christians debate and disagree on.

I’ve put a handy-dandy little chart of these positions in your notes, so that you can distinguish between the different views.

Click to view “Three Views Graphic”

I’m going to start at the bottom of that chart and work up.

Click to view “Amillennialism graphic”

1 ) There are some godly, Christian interpreters who view this 1000-year reign as non-literal. And their view is called amillennialism. The “a” in front of “millennialism” is what’s called an “ a privative.” For example, “ a -theism” is a belief that objects to theism. They don’t believe God exists. If something is “ a -typical” it means that it is not typical. That’s how the “ a privative” works. Amillennialists believe that Christ’s 1000-year reign is symbolic of the end of the end, and therefore a literal 1000-year reign doesn’t exist.

In fact, amillennialists believe that Revelation 20 is a recapitulation of Christ’s coming in Revelation 19. Therefore this passage is not describing a literal 1000-year reign, but a second symbolic portrayal of Christ’s Second Coming. That’s a short summary of that position, but I hope that gives you the gist of it. Some great Christian interpreters throughout the ages have been amillennialists including Calvin, Luther, Augustine, many of the Puritans, and many today who are part of the Reformed tradition. I love Calvin, Luther, and Augustine. But this is not my view.

2 ) A less popular view, but I would say growing in popularity is what’s referred to as postmillennialism.

Click to view “Post-millennialism graphic”

This is a newer position that was popularized by Jonathan Edwards and other great thinkers in the seventeenth and eighteenth century. George Whitefield and Charles Finney were both postmillennial. Many Americans during the first and second great awakening were postmillennial. Many abolitionists in America and abroad were postmillennial. So I don’t denounce that view as heretical or heterodox. That would be a mistake. But again, this is not my view.

The idea behind postmillennialism is that Christians will systematically set up Christ’s kingdom on earth and they would slowly bring the kingdom into our world, until everyone in our world was Christianized. And Christians should influence the government, the educational system, the economic system, etc., etc. And then Christ would come back and reign.

And this period of restoration by the church would be roughly equivalent to the “millennium” described in Revelation 20, and so Christ would return “postmillenially,” that is after we have set up the millennial kingdom as the church.

Honestly postmillennialism has flourished in the United States where many have sought to create something of a “Kingdom of heaven on earth.” Pat Robertson, who ran for president many years ago, is an example of this. Robertson believed that “God had called him to usher in the second coming of Jesus Christ.” His mentality was something like this: “If I’m elected President, we'll be well on way to offering the Kingdom to Christ.”

Jonathan Edwards, likewise, the great American theologian wanted to bring the kingdom as part of the American experiment and experience in “The New World.” Many puritans like Edwards called New England the Promised Land and called the Indians Canaanites. So they viewed the building of the New World as a kind of New Jerusalem created on earth.

Now here’s the problem with postmillennialism. The problem is that it assumes that the world will grow increasingly better and better and become Christianized. And then Christ will return to a Christianized earth and reign. The reason that’s a problem is that the world isn’t getting better and better. Christianity is growing around the world, but so is opposition to Christianity. And, as I see it, that’s going to lead to a worldwide cataclysmic conflict that is described in the book of Revelation and alluded to elsewhere in the Scriptures.

In my opinion, our world isn’t getting better. In fact if you look historically, postmillennialism has been popular in periods of peace in our country and around the world. It was really popular at the turn of the twentieth century. Everyone thought the world was improving and we were headed for worldwide peace. The industrial revolution was amazing.

But what blew up that optimism? After that, we had two cataclysmic world wars where the worst of humanity was demonstrated in our world. And some of the worst human atrocities ever were committed… much of it against Jews which is not surprising if you understand the mindset of God’s enemies in the Bible.

And then we had a Cold War. And then we had nuclear proliferation and mutually assured destruction. And then more recently we’ve seen the increase of Islamic radicalization. We had Covid-19 in 2020. We had a worldwide pandemic. We had governments overact to all of that. We’ve seen a dramatic increase in stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide, especially among young people. We’ve seen more and more technology that makes our world different… but doesn’t necessarily make it better? I don’t think so. And because of all that, postmillennialism is a hard-sell today. I don’t see our world improving and growing more peaceable as time goes on. Although some of our beloved brothers and sisters have made that case. God bless them! Not my view!

3 ) Now the third position… I’m just going to call it the biblical position. This is what’s called premillennialism.

Click to view “Pre-millennialism graphic”

And that means that Christ will return “premillenially” and set up his 1000-year kingdom on earth before the new heavens and new earth are created. In this view, the world will grow increasingly hostile to Christianity. The antichrist will come and set up a seven-year period of tribulation on earth. Then Christ will return, like we saw last time. He will set up his kingdom for 1000 years. And then, Satan will be released, he will revolt, and he will be destroyed.

After that, the new heavens and new earth and new Jerusalem will be created. That’s how premillennialists see the end of the world unfolding. And as I hope to show you, that the most natural way to read the last four chapters of the Bible. Just follow the sequence.

Coincidently this was the predominant position of the early church including church fathers like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and others. Charles Spurgeon was premillennial. Francis Schaeffer was premillennial. Modern church leaders like John MacArthur, John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Tim LeHaye, Al Mohler, and many others are premillennial. And although I want to be gracious to others who have disagreed with this position throughout the centuries (including some of my heroes like Calvin, Luther, and Augustine), I really have to say, I don’t know how to read Revelation in any other way.

In other words, the sequence of Revelation 19–22 is best taken with a premillennial scheme. First there’s the tribulation, then Christ’s second coming, then Christ’s millennial kingdom, then Satan’s rebellion, the final judgment, and the new heavens and the new earth. That’s the sequence. And it makes sense. If you just read the last four chapters of Revelation, it is most naturally understood that way.

And I think the best evidence of this is in verses 2 and 3.

2 And [the angel] seized the dragon… and bound him for a thousand years

An amillennialist or a postmillennialist would read that and say, “that describes the church age right now. Satan is right now bound in some way.” I’m sorry, but I just don’t see that. Satan is quite active in our world. And he’s described as active throughout the NT. Peter describes him as prowling around like “a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” ( 1 Pet 5:8 ).

And here’s the thing. When Christ returns and sets up his kingdom, Satan will be bound. And he won’t just be diminished as an influencer in our world; he will be totally incapacitated. He will be thrown into the pit, and the pit will be shut and sealed over him. And he won’t be able to do diddly-squat in our world. Okay? That’s the millennium.

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So #1. At the start of the millennium, Satan will be bound. Write this down as #2.

2) During the millennium, Christ and his cohort will reign (20:4–6)

Look at verse 4.

4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.

Now who are these people seated on the thrones given the authority to judge? John doesn’t tell us explicitly, but I think the best answer to that is that these are those who rode with Jesus into Armageddon. In other words, these are the resurrected saints and the raptured church who will return with Christ. And then they will sit on thrones and rule with Christ.

That might seem a bit speculative to you, but I think you have to ask the question—what did we come back to earth with Christ to do, if it wasn’t for this? Why would we return with Christ and then just go back to heaven while he reigns for a thousand years? That doesn’t make sense.

So we have this scenario. Let me try to be clear here. When Christ returns, he will destroy the antichrist and his followers, all of those who came to power during the tribulation. And all the Christ-followers on the earth who weren’t martyred and who stayed faithful to Christ will enter into the millennium and will be ruled by Christ. And we will be there as well with our resurrection bodies and will rule with Christ. And those who enter the millennium under Christ’s rule will continue to live and populate the planet and serve Christ without the influence of Satan as deceiver.

The OT makes reference to these days when Christ will rule the earth from Jerusalem. There will be peace in our land as Christ rules with an iron fist. Isaiah says, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” ( Isa 11:6–9 ).

And speaking of Christ’s reign Isaiah writes, “the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord… He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked ( Isa 11:2–5 ).

In other words, it’ll be a time of peace and tranquility. It will be a time of perfectly executed justice. It’ll be that time on earth that we have longed for… for centuries… ever since our mother Eve first ate the forbidden fruit. And if we could vote for Jesus and make it happen today, we would. But that’s not going to happen. Not till Christ comes back.

Look at verse 4. Here’s some more about the millennial kingdom.

Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

These are the martyred saints during the tribulation. These are those who rejected antichrist and rejected the 666 mark on their foreheads, and they paid for their faithfulness to God with their lives. But God is no man’s debtor. He knows how to reward faithfulness to him. And after Christ returns and sets up his reign these martyrs will receive special commendation as they are raised to reign with us during this 1000-year period.

What’s interesting to me is how maybe 50 year ago you might have said “beheaded?” “That must be symbolic for any kind of martyrdom. Who cuts off people’s heads anymore? That’s so primitive.” But then we saw a resurgence of primitive people about a decade ago (groups like ISIS and other Jihadists out there) who are using this grisly form of execution for Christians in the Middle East. They weren’t using lethal injection. They weren’t using a firing squad. They weren’t using cyanide or gas chambers. They were using one of the most primitive and one of the most humiliating forms of execution that can be used. And they did it to draw attention to themselves. They did it to sensationalize their killing of innocent people.

Now 50 years ago, I might have said that this reference in verse 4 to, “the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God” was metaphorical for all who are martyred in the tribulation. Now I’m not so sure. Now I think that the preferred method of execution by antichrist and his armies will be the humiliating act of decapitation.

And it’s possible too that the tribulational period will involve an economic and technological collapse, and people will revert back to primitive means and primitive ways. I think that’s quite likely. And part of that involves a more primitive means of execution.

But God, who sees the humiliation and suffering of his faithful saints, will be generous in rewarding them in his kingdom to come.

Let’s continue. Verse 5 says,

5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.

This is a reference to unbelievers here. In other words, all unbelievers are kept in Hades until the final judgment at the end of Christ’s 1000-year reign. The dead in Christ will rise first.

This is the first resurrection.

The first resurrection, as I understand it, involves both the raptured church and the resurrected saints that return with Christ as his second coming. The first resurrection also involves OT saints who probably will be resurrected at that time or shortly thereafter. But it also involves this resurrection of beheaded saints during the millennium. So there will be phases of resurrections all under the umbrella of “the first resurrection.”

The second resurrection, on the other hand, you don’t want to be part of. That will take place at the end of Revelation 20 at what’s called “The Great White Throne Judgment.” We’ll deal more with that next time.

The second resurrection is the resurrection of unbelievers when they will receive eternal bodies just before they are thrown into the lake of fire forever and ever. Daniel 12:2 says that “some shall awake to everlasting life and some to shame in everlasting contempt.” Paul said to Felix when he was on trial for his life in Acts 24 that there will be “a resurrection of both the just and the unjust” ( 24:15 ).

Everyone is going to live somewhere forever. Every human being and every angel will live somewhere forever. The question is where will you spend your forever? The antichrist and the false prophet are “resurrected” before the millennium and placed into the lake of fire. They were the downpayment of these future resurrected unbelievers who are damned in the lake of fire forever. If you are not with Jesus, you will join them.

Again, the question is as follows: will you be part of the first resurrection, those who reign with Christ during the millennium and then enters into eternity with him? Or will you be part of the second resurrection and the second death? Those who are damned and thrown into the lake of fire forever!

Verse 6 says,

6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second [resurrection… the second] death has no power,

There’s an old aphorism that is often attributed to Charles Spurgeon and it goes like this, “Born once; die twice! Born twice; die once!” Anyone ever heard that before? If you’ve been born again as Jesus told us, “ye must be born again” ( John 3:7, KJV ), then the second death has no power over you! Hallelujah!

And if that wasn’t enough… that should be enough for all of us to unite ourselves with Christ… But if that’s not enough, the end of verse 6 says,

[and] they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

That’s the raptured church. Also that includes the martyred saints of the Tribulation; those who were beheaded. That’s OT believers and NT believers. That’s everyone who has, by faith, embraced God’s plan of redemption. We’ll reign with him for a thousand years. We’ll be priests of God and of Christ in the millennium.

Do I know what that’s going to look like? Not really. Like I said this is just a trailer. This is just a sneak peek. But I know enough to know that I want to be there ruling with Christ when he comes back. I know enough to know that I don’t want to be one of Christ’s enemies when he comes back.

Now I could spend a lot of time speculating with you more on what the millennium is going to look like. In fact, there’s occasional glimpses of it in the OT. There are descriptions of Christ’s reign in the OT that weren’t fully realized in his first coming that obviously await his second coming. I think the balance of those promises will be fulfilled in the millennium.

For example, Isaiah 2:1–4 says, “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

Similarly Zechariah 14:5 says, “Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.” I think that’s a clear reference to the second coming, and the saints coming with the Messiah. And then Zechariah writes in 14:8–11 , “On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter. And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one. The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses. And it shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction. Jerusalem shall dwell in security.”

Similarly Daniel 7:13–14 says, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

We could spend a lot of time right now going through passages like this. I made a list of passages in the OT that I think reference some aspect of the millennial kingdom. Those are in the sermon application questions in your notes. You can work through those on your own.

And we could spend some time speculating what our role as judges will look like. And what our role as priests will look like. And how will we with resurrection bodies will interact with people on earth who have non-resurrected bodies? But the reality is there’s a lot of mystery about this future millennium. All we have is a quick glimpse in Revelation 20. And we have a smattering of passages in the OT that hazily prefigure it.

We could also speculate on how much sin will still be present in the millennium. We won’t sin, those of us who have resurrected bodies, because our consciences will be sealed. And sin will be impossible for us in our resurrected state. But it’ll still be possible for humans on earth, who haven’t experienced resurrection yet. They are still born with a sin nature. And even with Satan removed from the equation, people will still sin and rebel against God. We’ll see evidence of that in just a second.

But unlike in today’s world, Christ will rule with an iron rod. All sin will be immediately punished. All evil will be squelched. All rebellion will be stymied. Depravity will be held in check until the end of the millennium, when God sees fit to loose Satan upon the earth one final time.

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Write this down as a third point from our message.

3) At the end of the millennium, Satan will be loosed, defeated, and eternally punished (20:7–10)

Look at verse 7.

Gog and Magog are mentioned in Ezekiel 38–40. These are general terms that are used in the Bible to refer to the enemies of Israel. My understanding of this is that Satan will rally people from all over the world, from the four corners of the earth, to fight against Christ in Jerusalem at the end of the millennium.

The precise details of what is prophesied in Ezekiel 38–40 will not take place here. That’ll happen earlier during the tribulation. But there will be a revivification of Gog and Magog, so to speak. There will be another rebellion like what happened at the end of the tribulation, this time not involving the antichrist, because he’s already in the lake of fire. But it will involve Satan. And it will involve Satan’s demonic forces. And it will involve an incalculable number of human beings from the four corners of the earth.

Because it says at the end of verse 8.

their number is like the sand of the sea.

Can you imagine that? Millions and millions of people who have lived for centuries in peace under the righteous rule of Christ will revolt. Why are they revolting? What could they possibly be upset with Christ about? There’s no food shortage. There’s no instability or injustice in the government! Nobody is treated with unfairness or inequity. It’s a perfect kingdom. Christ is a perfect ruler.

The situation is not unlike what we saw in the Garden of Eden (Gen 1– 3). That’s not a perfect parallel, but it’s close. And Satan was able to deceive Eve in that perfect place. Likewise Satan deceives this army of people who have lived in peace and security in Christ’s millennial reign.

And according to verse 9,

9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city [that’s Jerusalem] , but fire came down from heaven and consumed them,

The end! Some people have facetiously called this “Satan’s second coming.” Christ’s second coming was pretty impressive. Satan’s second coming… not so impressive. He gathered lots of people. That was impressive. But his battle with Jesus was an absolute annihilation. He marches towards Jerusalem and fire comes down from heaven, and they’re toast.

And here’s the end result. Verse 10.

10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were,

The unholy trinity is reunited in the lake of fire. They’re all in there together. And we will not shed a tear for them.

and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

You might say, “Well good. That’s what Satan deserves. But what about unbelievers? What about OT unbelievers? What about NT unbelievers? What about the souls of the people who revolted against Christ at his coming? What about the souls of the people who revolted against Christ at the end of the millennium? Their bodies were scorched by fire that came down from heaven, but what about their souls?”

“What about my uncle Carl who keeps rejecting Christ? What about my Buddhist neighbor? What about my coworkers? What about my son or daughter or parents who refuse to give their lives to the Lord?” Well John mentions all of them at the end of Revelation 20 in what’s called the Great White Throne Judgment. And sadly the Bible says their destiny is not any different than Satan or antichrist or the false prophet forever and ever and ever. But we’ll have to wait till next time to cover that passage. But that’s what the Bible teaches.

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Let me close with this. I’ll be quick, but I won’t be hurried. I want to give you two applicational takeaways in response to this message.

Two Applicational Takeaways from Revelation 20:1–10:

1) Don’t underestimate the extent of human depravity

Don’t underestimate human depravity. And at the same time don’t overestimate the human capacity for goodness. We are made in God’s image. I get that. We are capable of incredible acts of mercy and kindness as humans, mercy that animals in the animal kingdom would never demonstrate. But don’t underestimate how much evil human beings are capable of, and how easily we can be swayed to rebel against God.

The reality is that humanity has been marred by sin, and as a result sinfulness and rebellion is our default mode. We naturally gravitate towards that.

And you might think, “O yeah at the tribulation, people will rebel against God because the antichrist rewards the people with 666 on their foreheads.” But you know what, what incentive do humans in the millennium have for rebelling against God? They will have everything. They will be living in a utopian society with Jesus on his throne and no semblance of injustice left in this world. And they will still rebel.

What possible reason will they have for attacking Jesus? Because Jesus is cramping their style? Because Jesus was a little more totalitarian in his rule and reign than they’re comfortable with? I don’t know how Satan will deceive them, but he will. And his rebel army, which is squashed like a bug by God, will number in the millions and will be like the sand of the sea.

The reality is, folks, that human beings outside of faith in Christ are irreversibly depraved. That’s why I don’t think postmillennialism works. How can our world be getting better when we have evidence that, not once, but twice, Satan will mount a counteroffensive against Christ at the end of days?

So don’t underestimate human depravity. May God have mercy on us, and maranatha … may Christ come back soon.

Secondly,

2) Don’t sit on the fence in your allegiance to Christ

Historically in our country, it has been somewhat culturally mandated that we were a Christian nation. We were expected to go to church. We were expected to do “biblical” things, even though we may or may not have believed the Bible.

That’s not the case as much anymore, but there are still examples of people in our country who are just culturally conditioned as followers of Christ. There’s no real faith in their hearts. And there’s no real following of Christ. They’ve got one foot in the world and one foot in the church. They’re fence-sitters. They compartmentalize their lives so that some part of them is “Christian-like,” but the rest of them is doing their own thing.

Just so you know, the Bible doesn’t have a category for fence-sitters. The Bible doesn’t have a category for cultural Christians. The Bible calls fence-sitters goats and weeds and lukewarm. The Bible calls fence-sitters unbelievers. So get off the fence in your allegiance to Christ.

Have you, by faith, embraced Jesus and made him the Lord of your life? If you have, then your future is looking good. Resurrected with a new body. Coming back with Jesus. Riding in with him on a white horse. Ruling with him during the millennium. No second death. No eternal judgment. Is that you? Are you part of Christ’s cohort? If you’re not, then make that decision today to embrace him as your Lord and Savior. Let’s pray together.

Philippians 3:3-11: “The Makings of a Monster” - Self-Worship

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 20:39:44 GMT

Adam Casalino

Pastoral Intern

Messiah Bible Church

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Revelation 19:1–21: "Hallelujah! Christ Finally Returns!"

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 22:53:58 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

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Welcome to Messiah Bible Church. Today we are beginning a new series entitled “Final Things.” For the next eight weeks we will be exploring eight topics in the discipline of eschatology. Those eight topics are mentioned on the screen now: (1) The Second Coming, (2) The Millennium, (3) The Eternal State, (4) The New Jerusalem, (5) The Church Age and the Intermediate State, (6) The Rapture, (7) The Tribulation, and (8) The Church and Israel. Tonight we are going to begin with Christ’s Second Coming. So if you would, go ahead and turn with me in your Bibles to Revelation 19 .

And as you are turning there, let me explain the plan for the next eight weeks and then also give you some disclaimers. The sequence of this series is as follows. Let me display that for you with the image on the screen. We will start our series at Christ’s Second Coming and then move forward to the end of time. That will essentially take us from Revelation 19–22. After that, we will backtrack all the way to the church age, the time that we are living in right now and work forwards to the Rapture and the Great Tribulation and then Christ’s Return.

The reason I’m doing it this way will become clear as I present the material. The main reason I’m doing it this way is because I want to start with and emphasize those things that are most clearly presented in the Scriptures. And Christ’s Return, the Millennium, the Eternal State, and the New Jerusalem are explicitly what God presents to us in the final four chapters of the Bible. So we will start at Christ’s Second Coming and work to the end. And then in week 5, we will come to our current time in history and work up to Christ’s Second Coming.

And allow me a few disclaimers for our series on “Final Things” as well. First of all, I am unapologetically a pretribulational, premillennial, dispensationalist. I want to state that at the outset of our series. If you don’t know what those terms mean, you will by the time that we are done with this series. The view that I hold to is the view that I was, for the most part, taught growing up. That was my pastor’s view when I was a kid. I had a Ryrie Study Bible in college. I attended the Moody Bible Institute for seminary which is a flagship school for the pretrib, dispensational view. And I have explored all the other views. I have tried to give a fair shake to all the other views out there. But like a lost puppy dog who explores the neighborhood for a while, I have always come back home. And I like my home. I’m not embarrassed by my home.

Now allow me another disclaimer. Eschatology is tough. There are many, many views out there. And eschatology (the study of end times) is the Christian discipline that we need to be the most gracious to one another concerning. I have lots of friends that disagree with my view. And many of my theological and pastoral heroes in the Christian tradition would disagree with what I’m going to teach over the next eight weeks. They disagree with me. And I disagree with them. And that’s okay.

If there is a line in the sand to draw, I would draw it in the place where eschatology is described in the Apostles’ Creed. From the earliest days of the early church, Christians held to the truth that “Christ ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.” Notice the future tense language: “He will come to judge the living and the dead.” That’s the only future tense language in the Apostles’ Creed. And all Christians everyone should agree on that. Christ is coming back again.

Now how that transpires, Christ’s second coming, that is… good, godly Christian interpreters will disagree. But what follows is my attempt to make sense of the second coming. In fact, I think Revelation 19 spells it out pretty clearly. You be the judge of that tonight.

Today we’re going to see two things in Revelation 19. In Revelation 19:1–10, we’re going to see a picture of what awaits us in heaven right before Christ returns to earth. And then we will see the actual return of Christ in Revelation 19:11–21. The Apostle John got a sneak peek at that coming event two-thousand years ago. This is what transpires in the last few moments at the end of what we call the Great Tribulation before Christ’s comes to set up his Millennial Reign on earth.

Now if you peruse Revelation 19 with me for just a moment, one of the things that you will notice quickly is that the key refrain in this passage is “Hallelujah.” The operative word for today’s message is this… Hallelujah! That word is stated four times in Revelation 19.

Coincidently, that word is pretty much universally recognized all over the world. If you get on a plane tomorrow morning and go to a Bible-believing, gospel-preaching church in Argentina… you may not know a lick of Spanish, but I guarantee you that if you say “Hallelujah,” they will know what you mean. If you get on a plane tomorrow morning and go to Cameroon, and meet with French-speaking Cameroonians… you might not be able to speak French, but if you say, “Hallelujah,” they will understand you. That word “Hallelujah” is a globally recognized statement in Christian circles meaning “Praise the Lord.” And it’s interesting to me that in heaven, that word is uttered four times just before Christ’s second coming.

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Why is “Hallelujah” being shouted from heaven in Revelation 19? And what does that word signify? Let’s look at this together.

The message today is entitled, “ Hallelujah! Christ Finally Returns. ” And here’s what I want to detail for you from the text. I want to give you Four Reasons We’ll Shout “Hallelujah!” Shortly Before the Second Coming and then Four Reasons We’ll Shout “Hallelujah!” at the Second Coming.

Here’s the first reason we’ll shout Hallelujah just before Christ’s Return.

1) The harlot Babylon is destroyed (19:1–3)

The Apostle John writes in verse 1,

1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah!

Now this great multitude in heaven will include us. It’ll include the raptured church. It’ll include the saints who have died and entered into the presence of God. It’ll include the heavenly angels as well. Basically everyone who is part of God’s posse in heaven will shout “Hallelujah.” Why are we shouting Hallelujah?

crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute

Wow, okay. Who is the great prostitute? Who is this harlot? It’s Babylon. And God has judged her.

for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” 3 Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah!

Wow, this is worthy of two Hallelujahs. This must be an amazing event!

“Hallelujah! The smoke from her [Babylon] goes up forever and ever.”

Now here’s an important question—“Who is the harlot Babylon?” Well, the harlot Babylon represents the end-times government of the Beast (a.k.a. the Antichrist). And just before Christ’s second coming, God allows the Antichrist to rule the earth for seven years. This is what’s called by scholars “The Tribulation.” We’ll discuss that more in an upcoming lecture.

The first three and half years of Antichrist’s reign was pretty much unopposed. God allows evil forces to have rule and reign over our world. And God stores up judgment for their wickedness. And what happens is that in the last three and a half years of Antichrist’s reign is that God’s wrath is systematically poured out on our world as an act of judgment and vengeance.

First the seven seals of judgment are unleashed (Rev 6). Then the seven trumpets of judgment are unleashed (Rev 8–9).Then the seven bowls of judgment are poured out (Rev 16:1–21). And all of these judgments culminate in Revelation 17–18 when Babylon, described as “the great prostitute,” is destroyed by God, and as Revelation 19:3 says, “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

In other words, her judgment is an everlasting judgment, and the plumes of smoke from her burning will be eternal. So I take that to mean that there will be a lasting remnant of Babylon’s destruction ostensibly in hell as a reminder of her judgment.

Now it may seem odd to you that people in Heaven would shout “Hallelujah” to celebrate destruction, but that’s because you may be unfamiliar with the way that “Hallelujah” is used in the OT.

That word “Hallelujah” means very simply “Praise the LORD.” It’s built on the Hebrew verb הָלַל which means “praise,” and then the word יָהּ which is an abbreviation of “Yahweh.” So it means, “Praise the Lord” or “Praise Yahweh.” And in Hebrew the word הַֽלְלוּ is an imperative. It’s a command. “Praise Yahweh!” “Do it! Praise him!”

And when it shows up in the OT, exclusively in the book of Psalms by the way, it shows up to celebrate this two-fold victory of the Lord, as he vindicates his saints and vanquishes his foes. For instance the first time הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ shows up in the Bible, it’s at the end of Psalm 104, where the Psalmist writes, “Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! [הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ!]” (104:35). Nobody writes worships songs like that in our day!

Part of the reason we shout הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ as the people of God is because, as the Psalmist says, The Lord “comes to judge the earth, He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity” ( Ps 98:9 ). Our Lord is a judge. And at the end of days, when the Great Tribulation comes to an end, the Lord is going to terrify the world with his judgments. Don’t read the bowl judgments of Revelation late at night when you’re home alone. It’s terrifying.

And what we see here in Revelation 19 is that the false religion of the Antichrist is crushed. And the city of Babylon is burned to the ground. And the Great Prostitute is no more. And as John moves from the devastation of the earth to the throne-room in heaven, Jesus is about to come in victory and establish his 1000-year reign on earth. And in this intervening time between the end of the Great Tribulation and Christ’s return, the heavenly throngs are shouting, “Praise the LORD, הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ.” Babylon is defeated and Christ reigns supreme.

The ESV Study Bible says it this way, “The heavenly praise of God (Hallelujah!) for this judgment can be understood only in light of the pervasive evil of “the great prostitute” (19:2) and the infinite worthiness of the God whom she repeatedly blasphemed.” And in this moment of triumph, we won’t mourn the dead. We won’t bemoan the loss of Babylon. Instead we will celebrate God’s victory over evil.

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Now write this down as a second reason we’ll shout “Hallelujah” just before Christ’s return:

2) God reigns from his throne (19:4–5)

Look at verse 4.

4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne

Now there’s debate about who these elders are. My belief is that these elders are “official representatives” of the church, possibly including the twelve apostles. Some would say that the 24 elders represent the 12 apostles and the 12 tribes of Jacob from the OT, hence both OT saints and NT saints are represented here. I think that’s right, or some variation of that.

And these 24 elders will lead the rest of us. They’ll tell us when to sing. They’ll tell us when to shout. They’ll tell us when to bow and when to worship. They’ll be like worship leaders in heaven. Sorry, Derek Flowers, you won’t have that job in heaven. We’ll just follow the lead of these 24 elders.

And likewise the four living creatures are probably the angelic creatures that guard the glory of the Lord. Probably cherubim, those sphinx-like creatures that are represented on the cover Ark of the Covenant. The Bible says that God is enthroned between the cherubim (2 Kgs 19:15; Ps 99:1). I think these four creatures are probably cherubim who like the 24 elders lead us to worship God. And here they are leading out in a Hallelujah chorus.

4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.”

I don’t know whose voice this is in verse 5. I get the sense that this is single solitary voice here unlike the other voices in this chapter. Maybe it was a solitary angel. Maybe it was Christ, the Lamb, who is ascribing praise to God the Father. It’s hard to say.

But there’s this kind of antiphonal quality to the worship in heaven. These people over here shout “Amen. Hallelujah.” And then these people over here shout, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great!” I think we will be totally awestruck in heaven when we get there when we see all these awesome cosmic things taking place, and when we get a chance to join the Hallelujah chorus before God.

Now I want to say this, because this is important. The second point from our message is “God reigns from his throne.” And this is a reason we will shout Hallelujah in heaven just before Christ’s Return. And I want to be clear about this. There’s a sense in which this is already the case. In other words, God is always seated on his throne. The Bible often describes God as “seated on his throne” ( Ps 47:8; 103:19 , etc.). And this is a symbol of his sovereignty. This is a symbol of his power and authority. God is the Almighty King of Heaven and Earth. And Jesus after his resurrection is said to be seated at the right hand of God the Father.

But there’s a sense in which the kingdom of God is in flux. There’s a sense in which God has allowed some aspect of his kingdom to be ruled by demonic forces. That’s why Satan is describe as the “god of this world” ( 2 Cor 4:4 ) and “ruler of this world” in its fallen sinful state ( Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 1 Jn 5:19 ). During the seven-year Tribulation period, Satan will be given maximum authority over our world. But what God signifies here in Revelation 19 is that Satan’s reign of terror is now over. God is taking his rightful place as ruler of heaven and earth.

What’s the Lord’s Prayer that we recite often? We say, “may your kingdom come, may your will be done, in earth as it is in heaven” ( Matt 6:10 ). That finally comes to fruition in Revelation 19. That prayer is finally answered perfectly in this chapter, as God’s sovereign reign is restored over both earth and heaven.

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Here’s a third reason we’ll shout “Hallelujah” in heaven just before Christ’s return.

3) The Bride is prepared for the Lamb (19:6–9)

Hallelujah! The Harlot Babylon is destroyed! Hallelujah! God is seated on his throne. And Hallelujah! The Bride is clothed in righteousness and prepared for the Lamb!

John writes in verse 6.

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty [“El-Shaddai” in Hebrew; παντοκράτωρ in Greek] reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;

The great foil for Christ in the book of Revelation is the Antichrist. Christ is symbolized as the Lamb. Antichrist is symbolized as the Beast. And the Beast is pictured in Revelation 17 as married to the Great Prostitute, Babylon. I say married, even though there’s no wedding. And their relationship is described as an orgy of sexual immorality, drunkenness, and blasphemy. When you read Revelation 17–18 and hear about all the despicable things done in Babylon with the Beast as the controlling factor in all that happens, it just makes you sick. You don’t feel that bad about the destruction of Babylon after you read Revelation 17–18.

And there’s even a depiction of the Beast devouring the prostitute at the end of Revelation 17 , “And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled” ( 17:16–17 ).

So in other words, the city Babylon is consumed by her bridegroom, the Beast. And that image shouldn’t surprise us because that’s what typically happens in godless relationships. The individuals devour one another because of their profound selfishness, and this is a cosmic, idealized conception of that during the Great Tribulation.

Now here’s the question. If the Antichrist is the foil for Christ… If the beast is the foil for the Lamb… and if the beast is married to the Great Prostitute, Babylon, then who is married to Christ? In other words, who is the Great Prostitute a foil for? The answer is the Bride of Christ. The answer is the Bride of the Lamb. The answer (if you are familiar with other descriptions of Christ and his bride in the NT) is the church. The church (that’s you and me, folks) is the bride of Christ.

And this juxtaposition of Prostitute and Bride in Revelation 19 is not an accident. This description of Harlot and Heavenly Bride of Christ is intentional. God destroys this enemy city, and then the marriage supper of the Lamb is announced in heaven.

And the heavenly hosts shout in verse 7, “Let’s rejoice. Let’s exult. Let’s give God the glory!” “Let’s party like it’s 1999! Because Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead! And now it’s time for Jesus, the greatest bridegroom who ever lived, to marry his bride, the church.

You might say, “I don’t know if I like thinking of myself as Jesus’ bride.” Some of you men, might feel like that’s too effeminate an image for you. But that’s because you don’t know how manly Christ is. That’s because you don’t know how awesome and how powerful Jesus is. God describes all of his children, men and women, as his sons. And here he describes his entire family as the bride. And just before Christ returns, there will be a marriage in heaven between Christ and his church. This is what we’ve been waiting for.

By the way, just a little background here. In a Jewish wedding, it wasn’t the Bride that got all the attention. I know that’s how we do it in our day. I’ve done a few weddings as a Pastor, so I know how it goes. The men are dressed in their tuxedos or whatever and they look pretty non-descript. It’s just black whatever with this instrument of torture tied around their necks. But the bride is dazzling. The bride is the star of the show. The bride is dressed to impress everyone in the room. And when the Bride comes, that’s the moment everyone’s waiting for. She comes down the aisle and everyone “oohs” and “ahhs” over her. And the man, the groom, just kind of stands there waiting for her to come to him.

But in a Jewish wedding, the groom was the center of attention. He would come down the aisle and claim his bride. Everyone would wait for him to show up. Remember Jesus’ parable of the “five wise virgins.” Five of the virgins had their oil ready to go when the groom showed up, but the other five weren’t ready. The coming of the groom was the climactic moment in a Jewish wedding.

Now here’s how the symbolism works in Revelation. Jesus, the Lamb, has conquered his foes. Jesus, the Lamb, was the only one worthy to unleash God’s wrath upon God’s enemies. “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ( Rev 5:2 ) a voice from heaven cried out. And John started weeping because no one was worthy. But then the Lamb that had been slain appears and he’s the one who is worthy to break the seals (Rev 5:6). And after the Lamb had released God’s vengeance upon the earth, then the Lamb comes to claim his Bride. And God the Father, The father of the groom, looks on with approval as the Wedding Feast commences.

Look at verse 8.

8 it was granted her [that’s the bride, that’s the church] to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”

The finest garments of the ancient world were made of linen. Silk was inaccessible to most people. So if you wanted to wear your best, you’d wear linen. And John tells us what this linen represents:

— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

The bride is clothed in the righteous deeds of the saints. Is this the imputed righteousness of Christ, or the righteousness that proceeds from Christ’s imputed righteousness? I personally think it’s both. The bride cannot generate any righteousness herself, not in her fallen pre-conversion state. But after conversion with the help of the Holy Spirit, there are righteous deeds that are produced by the saints. In fact there have to be righteous deeds produced by the saints. Because James would say, “faith without works is dead.” In other words, real faith in Christ and real justification will inevitably produce righteous deeds. And these deeds are the church’s royal wedding garb. And she looks fabulous before her wedding.

And then in verse 9, after this epic presentation of what happens at the end of the Tribulation… after this stupendous and fantastical vision of the throne-room of heaven, the angel says to John… look at verse 9.

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this

John’s been writing all this down since chapter 1. Since this vision started on the Island of Patmos where he was sentenced to live out his days and die as an old apostle. John probably thought he was finally going to die in his old age. But God had different plans for John. God had one final task for him before he went home to eternity. And it was this vision given by an angel, a messenger of God, that became known as The Book of Revelation in our Bibles.

John says in chapter 1 of this book “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy.” We are blessed by John’s writing of this book. And now, nineteen chapters later, John is still writing.

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Who are the guests invited to the wedding? Maybe OT saints who are technically not the Bride of Christ, the church. But I’m not opposed to the idea either that we are the bride of the wedding and also the guests of the wedding. Just like Jesus is the Lamb, but he’s also the conquering warrior on the horse.

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And here’s a fourth reason we’ll shout Hallelujah just before Christ’s return!

4) Worship belongs to God alone (19:10)

Hallelu… Jah! Praise Yahweh. Only he is worthy of worship when we enter into eternity.

John makes a big mistake here, and as one commentator put it he surely knew better. I guess because he was so overwhelmed by all he saw and the angel who was revealing all these secrets to him in a vision, verse 10 says,

10 Then I fell down at his feet [that’s the feet of the angel who was with him] to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.”

That word for “worship” is the Greek προσκυνέω which means “to fall down and worship, do obeisance to, prostrate oneself before.”

For the record, we don’t bow down and worship any human figure. We don’t bow down and kiss the rings of any pope. We don’t bow down and worship any rock star or movie start or any other mortal human being. And we don’t even bow down and worship any angelic creatures, which quite honestly can be pretty impressive when they show themselves in bodily form.

The angel says, “Worship God!” and then there’s one final statement in verse 10. I actually believe this is part of the angel’s statement to John, but the ESV isn’t so sure so it takes it out of the quotation marks. The angel says,

For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

In other words, the angel is saying, “You testify about Jesus. I testify about Jesus. All our fellow coworkers both angels and humans testify about Jesus. Don’t worship me or make too much about me. It’s all about Jesus.” John Walvoord says it this way, “Prophecy at its very heart is designed to unfold the beauty and loveliness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” So don’t make much of the prophet or the prophecy. It’s all about God. It’s all about Jesus.

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And speaking of Jesus, let’s transition now to his second coming. And before we unveil that coming, let me just preempt that with a few thoughts.

For whatever reasons, people in our culture seem to think about Jesus as an emasculated and effeminized male leader. When you talk to people about Christ, they will often describe for you a kind of hipster-Jesus who goes around teaching parables about peace, love, and harmony. And if you ask an unbeliever about Jesus, or in some cases uninformed Christians, that’s usually the only picture that they will paint for you.

And I would say that the best way to counteract that false view of our Messiah is to lead them to Revelation 19:11–21. The best way to counter-balance that false caricature of Christ is to state on no uncertain terms, that the Lord Jesus is a warrior.

Because look at this. Look at Revelation 19:11. Now it’s time for Jesus to return. When the Apostles’ Creed says, “He will return to judge the quick and the dead,” This is the image in my mind.

Look at verse 11:

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse!

Now let me just stop right here and remind you what we saw just before this. We saw before this remarkable event in heaven known as “The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.” That was the climactic union of Christ and the church. And the scene in heaven is joyful. The scene is tranquil. The scene is wonderful, as the Bride of the Lamb is clothed in “fine linen, bright and pure” ( 19:8 ). And the multitudes in heaven rejoice as “the marriage of the Lamb” commences ( 19:7 ).

Now lambs are docile creatures. And Christ came as a docile sacrifice for us at his First Coming. And the image of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is one of peace and tranquility and rejoicing and festivities. But what follows that marriage supper is anything but peaceful and tranquil.

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! [And] The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

Go ahead and write this down. Here are four additional reasons that we’ll shout “Hallelujah!” at the Second Coming:

1) Christ comes as a conquering warrior (19:11–12)

You might say, “How do you know this is Christ, Pastor Tony?” Well John says later in verse 13, that the person riding this horse is called “The Word of God.” And that’s an obvious reference to John’s Gospel where in John 1, Jesus is called “The Word of God,” the Divine LOGOS.

Also we know that it’s Jesus, because who else could this be? As John continues to describe this Rider on a White Horse, it becomes more and more obvious to the reader that this is the God-man, Jesus Christ.

And John says in verse 11 he is called, “Faithful and True.” The only man who is faithful and true all the way to the end is Jesus. The only man who never sinned and fulfills every promise that he ever made is Jesus. And he’s coming back at this moment in Revelation 19… not to claim his own. He’s already done that. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb has already started, and we are with him. He’s not coming to claim his own, he’s coming to judge and make war.

Let’s keep going. Look at verse 12.

12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems,

Diadems are crowns that were used to symbolize royalty and kingship. One diadem would typically suffice for one kingdom, but Christ has “many diadems.” In other words, Christ rules all the kingdoms and reigns over all the earth, so he has many diadems.

If you remember, the last time we saw Jesus “crowned” he was crowned with a crown of thorns. But this ain’t Golgotha! That work is done. This is a new work.

and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.

This is fascinating to me. “Christ has a name written that no one knows but himself.” Now John doesn’t say where this name is written, but I assume it’s written across the diadems somewhere, or maybe it’s emblazoned on the side of the horse. And no one knows this name for Jesus. So obviously this can’t be “Yahweh” or “Emmanuel” or “El-Shaddai” or any of those other names, because we know those names.

So there must be something written on Jesus’s crown or on Jesus’s steed in Hebrew or Aramaic or whatever, and John can see it, but he doesn’t know what it means. And no one else does either. The armies of heaven don’t even know. The raptured saints don’t know. The angels guarding the glory of God don’t know.

I think this “name that no one knows” but Jesus signifies two things:

1 ) It signifies that there are things about God that we don’t know, and we won’t even know in heaven. Deuteronomy 29:29 says “The secret things belong to the LORD.” There are some things that are only known and can only be known by God, because God is inscrutable. And by the way, when we get to heaven we will still be learning and growing in knowledge of God. I think some people get confused about that. If we knew everything in heaven, if we were omniscient, we’d be God. And we aren’t God. So I believe that the learning process will continue in eternity, and there will still be things that we don’t know in a glorified state. And that will be part of the fun of being in heaven is learning new things about God every day for billions and billions of years. Jesus Christ is inscrutable today and he will be inscrutable in eternity.

2 ) Also a second thing this signifies is that no one has power or authority over Jesus. In the ancient world, you would try to ascertain a person’s name or a spirit’s name or an angel’s name, and many conjurers believed that that gave you power of the spirit. We’ll no conjurer knows this Name of Jesus. And no conjurer whether Satan or Antichrist or the False Prophet will have authority over Jesus in any way. He is the unknowable one. And “he has a name written that no one knows but himself.”

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Write this down as a second reason we’ll shout “Hallelujah!” at the second coming:

2) Christ brings his army of the redeemed (19:13–14)

Look at verse 13.

13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

The text says literally that Jesus’a robe will be “baptized” in blood. So this isn’t a little smattering of blood. This isn’t a just a little dabble of blood on his robe. It has been baptized, fully immersed in blood.

And there’s some debate here about whose blood it is that the robe is dipped in. Is it Christ’s blood? Is it a symbol of his salvific work? Or is his enemies’ blood? I could go either way on this, but I’m more inclined at this point to view it as Christ’s blood and a symbol of his salvation.

And that’s because of the immediate context of this passage. At the end of verse 13, Christ is called “The Word of God.” And as I said already that’s a reference to John 1, and the LOGOS that became flesh and lived among us. Why did Jesus become flesh? So that he might shed his blood! Why did he shed his blood? So that we might be redeemed! And so his blood-drenched robe is a symbol of his saving work.

And just to reinforce that in context, look at verse 14.

14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on [their own] white horses.

That’s us, folks. That’s you and me and the rest of the church. You might say, “How do you know that, Pastor Tony?” Because “the fine linen, white and pure” was just used to describe the Bride of the Lamb, the church. These are the wedding garments of the church. And these are the battle garments of the church too.

A person asked a pastor once if he was going to see the Second Coming of Christ. And that pastor responded, “You’re not just going to see the Second Coming; you’re going to be the Second Coming.” You’ll be part of the armies of heaven. I think that’s right. We’ll be there with Jesus when he returns.

Now just to clarify, I don’t think that Jesus’s army will be limited to just the church. I believe that the armies of heaven will consist of OT saints, NT saints, Tribulation saints (those who were martyred during the tribulation by Satan and the Antichrist). The angels of heaven will probably be included in this army. But we will be there as well.

And in fact, I think we will be more prominent than the angels because we are the ones who were redeemed by Jesus as symbolized by the bloody robe that Jesus is wearing on his white horse. You might say, “Are these real horses that we are riding or are they horse-like creatures?” I don’t know. I assume that if John meant “like a horse” he would have said “like a horse.” He didn’t say “like a horse.” He said “white horses.”

How do they fly then? I don’t know. But I guarantee that’ll be that last thing that I’ll ask Jesus at this moment. Hey Jesus, how are you making these horses fly? I’m just going to mount my steed and follow Jesus’s lead.

And you might ask if these horses are flying to earth from heaven, how did they get there? Well the text just simply states that “heaven opened up” in verse 11, so I assume that some portal will open between heaven and earth and we will enter the portal and advance towards earth. But to be honest, I don’t know how that’s going to work either. There’s some mystery to this text. But there’s enough clarity, and there’s enough by way of description of these events that John gives us for us to know that something awesome will happen in that moment. And we want to make sure that we are on the right side of this battle, when the battle commences.

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Now watch this. The picture of Jesus gets even more terrifying for his enemies, and more electrifying for us. Look at verse 15.

15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations,

You might say, “When I get on my horse, I’m going to head down towards Antichrist, and I’m going to let him have it. I’m going to slice and dice my way through all of Jesus’s enemies. I’m going to barrel roll my horse on my horse, and I’m going to let them have it.” No! Here’s the problem with that. I hate to disappoint you. But you don’t have any weapons at Jesus’s return. And even if you did, this battle is going to be over so quick that you’re not even going to get a shot off.

The only weapon that is even mentioned in this whole section is a sword that proceeds from Christ’s mouth. And the picture here is not one of Christ dueling in hand-to-hand combat (or hand-to-mouth combat) with Antichrist… It’s Christ with one fell swoop effortlessly downing his enemies.

Some people have said that the “sword” isn’t a literal sword coming from his mouth, instead this is a figurative reference to his word. And with one word he fells his enemies. I actually take this a little more literally than that. I think there will be an actual sword that extends out of Jesus’s mouth. And that grotesque image is part of the terror that he evokes from his enemies.

And in my mind, this is what happens. That sword emits some kind of pulse or some kind of sound wave or heat wave that in one motion destroys the armies. Or maybe there will be multiple pulses and multiple waves that systematically destroy all of his enemies. Whatever the case, Christ will be the only one fighting, and we will just be there as decorative pieces on the battle field. We will be symbolic non-combatants as Christ does all the work himself.

And look at the end of verse 15.

and he will rule them with a rod of iron.

Literally he will “shepherd them with a crook (a shepherd’s staff) of iron.” This is a foreshadowing of Christ’s 1000-year reign on earth. He will rule/shepherd with strength and with power and with absolute authority… iron being one of the strongest known substances in the ancient world.

[And] He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh [that’s a place of strength in a man. The quadriceps are the strongest muscles in a man’s body] he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Write this down as a third reason we’ll shout “Hallelujah!” at the second coming:

3) Christ rules with a rod of iron (19:14–16)

When Christ reigns, it won’t be a democracy. Everyone with me? Christ will bring back absolute monarchy. And we will be absolutely thrilled to submit fully to him. We’ve been waiting for centuries for a king like this.

They say that “absolute authority corrupts absolutely.” Well that’s because they’ve never lived under the authority of an absolute Jesus Christ. I think that absolutely authority does corrupt absolutely in a fallen world with fallen human beings. But Jesus Christ isn’t a fallen human being. Jesus Christ is a perfect, sinless ruler. And when comes to reign over the world during his 1000-year reign, he will judge with perfect righteousness.

You might say, “Well isn’t everyone sinless in the Millennial Kingdom, Tony? Doesn’t everyone have incorruptible bodies?” Actually, no. Some will. Some won’t. The evidence from Revelation 20 suggests that the earth will still be populated with humans that will still need ruling. And we will be part of Christ’s ruling kingdom. More on that next week.

All I want to say about that now is that Christ will rule with a rod of iron. Christ will rule with perfect authority, justice, and equity, and will be intolerant of any deviation from that. He’ll rule with a rod of iron.

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Finally, here’s a fourth reason we’ll shout “Hallelujah!” at the second coming:

4) Christ defeats the Antichrist and his followers (19:17–21)

Now what I’m about to read to you is going to get pretty gruesome, so brace yourself. And it’s meant to be gruesome. I’m not going to apologize for it. It’s purposely descriptive of all the carnage that Jesus will bring about on planet earth when he returns. It’s meant to prepare you for what will ultimately happen to the enemies of God. And it’s meant to scare you straight if you’re off course.

So I’m just going to let God’s Word do its work here. Lok at verse 17.

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army [that’s Jesus, of course, and all of his army behind him] . 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

There are actually two feasts in Revelation 19. There is the marriage supper of the Lamb. And then there’s the bird feast. The question, as Grant Osborne puts it in his commentary, is “will you be the eater or will you be the eaten?” The question that I would ask you now is this—are you part of the posse of Christ, or are you part of the posse of Satan and Antichrist? Because a worse fate than this awaits those who follow Satan! A worse fate than just being eaten by birds, as humiliating as that is! And likewise a greater joy awaits those who follow Jesus than just being a part of this battle of Armageddon, on a horse riding behind Jesus, as exciting as that will be!

Now let me just explain a few things in this section, and then we’ll conclude and be done. First of all, who is the Beast? The Beast is the Antichrist, and he will harness the power of Satan to rule a one-world kingdom from Babylon for seven years during the Tribulation. And as the wrath of God is unleashed on the Antichrist, and on his followers, and on the harlot Babylon in Revelation 16–18, the Antichrist will mount a counteroffensive to meet Christ and the armies of Christ at his Second Coming. This is what’s referred to as the “The Battle of Armageddon” (Rev 16:16). This goes all the way back to Revelation 16 when the Antichrist gathered his armies to defeat Christ at his return.

Look again at verse 19.

19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth [this is Antichrist and his followers; They have rejected Christ and sided with the Great Imitator, the Beast] with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army.

They might as well have been coming against Christ with Nerf guns and water pistols. They don’t stand a chance against Christ. But they are so deceived by Antichrist that they think they can mount an offensive. It’s ridiculous, but so is all resistance to Christ.

And you can see the result in verse 20.

20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image.

The false prophet is mentioned earlier in Revelation 16. The beast and the false prophet are described as coming out of the dragon, which is Satan. That’s why I say that they harnessed the power of Satan to create their one-world kingdom.

The false prophet, as I understand it, is a literal man, not a spirit or a fallen angel, who uses the power that Satan has given him to deceive the nations. And that’s probably why these kings of the earth so ridiculously think they can take on Christ and his army. They’ve been bamboozled by this false prophet.

And the false prophet works in concert with the Antichrist. In fact many scholars refer to the false prophet, the Antichrist, and Satan as the unholy trinity. These three individuals (two men, and one fallen angel) make up a “the great imitation” of the Holy Trinity. And two of these three individuals get judged here at Armageddon. Satan’s judgment, by the way, comes later. We’ll talk more about that next week.

So here’s what happens at the end of Revelation 19. Christ comes to earth with his all of his army behind him. And Antichrist comes out to meet him with all of his army including the false prophet. And according to verse 20, all of Antichrist’s army has the mark of the beast, which in Revelation 13 is described as the number 666 stamped (or possibly even branded) on their forehead.

And these guys gather to make war against “him who was sitting on the horse.” What are they going to do? Shoot him? Stab him? Out-duel him with their swords? They don’t stand a chance against Christ.

And here’s the result in verse 20.

These two [that’s the Antichrist and the False Prophet] were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

The Lake of is Fire is the eternal dwelling place of the enemies of God. Satan will be thrown into the Lake of Fire too, but that won’t happen till after the Millennium. Other unbelievers are also sent to the Lake of Fire after the Millennium and after what’s called “The Great White Throne Judgment,” when Death and Hades give up their dead. We’ll look at that, when we cover Revelation 20 next time.

So at this point, the only people who populate The Lake of Fire are the Antichrist and the false prophet. They are the down payment, you might say, on those who will be deposited after Jesus’s thousand-year reign on earth. And their suffering in the Lake of Fire will be an everlasting torment. It will be a place, as Jesus said earlier, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:42, et al.).

You might say, “Well what about the army of the Antichrist? What about the kings, the captains, the mighty men, and all the other people, both free and slave, small and great?” Well they will be destroyed instantaneously by the Warrior, Jesus. And their souls will go into Hades and await final judgment with all the other unbelievers.

And their bodies will picked apart by scavenging birds… birds that will gorge themselves on the flesh of these “666-branded” enemies of God and followers of the Antichrist. They receive the most embarrassing and the most humiliating form of death imaginable to an ancient Roman or ancient Jew. They are killed and left unburied or unburned. And their flesh is picked to pieces by stupid and mangy birds that gorge on their flesh. Let me just state the obvious here. It is not a good thing to be an enemy of Jesus.

You know when these people first got the “666” branded on their forehead or branded on their right arm. That was a good thing during the Great Tribulation. You couldn’t buy or sell anything without that mark. And those who didn’t get the mark, those converts to Christ during the Tribulation, they were persecuted for not having the mark. But it’s like a lot of things. What seems great at first, doesn’t always end up great. Those saints who reject the mark of the beast in the Great Tribulation and were martyred for their faith in Jesus are later seen feasting with Jesus in heaven. Those who take the mark and follow the Antichrist are part of a feast as well. After Christ destroys them, the birds start feasting on their flesh.

So let me reiterate the question I asked earlier. “Will you be the eater or will you be the eaten, when Christ returns?” “Which feast will you be a part of?” Will you be part of Christ’s conquering army, eternal recipient of God’s grace and mercy and a participant in Christ’s Kingdom forever? Or will you be vulture food?

Final Things | A comprehensive study of end times events

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 22:32:23 GMT

Acts 25:1-12: “How Christians Should Respond to Injustice.”

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 21:23:09 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

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Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 25 . And let me start today by making an obvious statement: “We live in a fallen world that is full of injustice!” Do you agree with that statement? And dealing with injustice is a tricky thing as a Christian. I know in my life I’ve often struggled with whether or not to battle against it. When should I speak? When should I be silent? When should I fight? When should I just accept it and persevere through it?

There’s also the added confusion of “Social Justice Warriors” out there fighting against misperceived and misidentified “injustices” in our world. That’s made the issue more complicated. So what’s a Christian to do?

Several years ago while I was on vacation, I read a book entitled Tortured for Christ, which was written by Richard Wurmbrand the founder of “The Voice of the Martyrs.” It wasn’t the cheeriest book to read while on vacation. But it was meaningful and sobering. And it gave me a needed perspective on the nature of suffering and injustice in our world.

Wurmbrand was a Romanian Jew who lived through the atrocities of the Nazi invasion of Romania. And then he lived through the even worse atrocities of the Soviet Communist regime. He was imprisoned for nearly fourteen years, three of those years in solitary confinement.

What Wurmbrand went through in prison is almost unreadable. Wurmbrand’s wife Sabina went through just as many trials as her husband. And she is someone who I consider equally admirable for her faith and godliness.

At one point in the book she and her husband were at this “communist convention” where the name of Jesus was being blasphemed. And she told her husband to stand up and speak up for Christ. He said, “If I do so, you lose your husband.” And she replied, “I don't wish to have a coward as a husband.”

Well as we come to the book of Acts, we realize that nineteen hundred years before Richard Wurmbrand suffered in a Communist prison, Paul suffered in a Roman prison. And his suffering is instructive for you and me. As we’ve seen already in the book of Acts, Paul was wrongfully accused of a crime in Jerusalem. He was beaten and imprisoned. A group of Jewish vigilantes took a vow to exterminate him. He was rushed out of Jerusalem to stand trial in Caesarea. And while in Caesarea, he defended himself and preached the gospel before Felix, the governor, while the Jewish leaders hired a big-shot attorney, Tertullus, to prosecute him.

And at the end of chapter 24 we saw heartbreakingly how Felix rejected the gospel, and then left Paul to languish in prison for two years, just because Felix wanted to placate the Jewish leaders in Judea. And Acts 24:26 says that Felix kept calling Paul to speak to him, not because he wanted to respond to the gospel, but because he was hoping for a bribe from Paul. And so Paul had to sit in prison for two years because this guy was playing fast and loose with the Roman judicial system. Injustice. Injustice. Injustice.

By the way, the Romans prided themselves in the first century world for being this great bastion of judicial process and justice in the ancient world. But, as we see in the book of Acts, not so much.

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What happens next for the Apostle Paul? Well, let’s see. And before we get to chapter 25 , look at the end of chapter 24 , because these historical details are instructive. Luke writes in verse 27 .

When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

Felix was a terrible governor. Eventually he gets fired, because he was absolutely incompetent as a ruler. In fact, during his reign in Judea, the tension between Jews and Romans had reached fever pitch. Revolt was imminent. So when word got back to Emperor Nero, he fired Felix, and put this guy Festus in charge instead.

And Festus, unlike Felix, was a competent ruler. But still, the situation in Judea is a volatile one. It’s approximately AD 59. The Jews in the region are escalating revolt. Festus has to assuage the powers-that-be.

So, Acts 25:1 tells us:

1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

That’s an odd thing to do for a new governor in the province. Why’s he in such a hurry to get to Jerusalem? Caesarea is a much more comfortable place for a Roman ruler like Festus. So why would he want to go to uncomfortable Jerusalem so fast?

Well, the Jews are threatening revolt. There are significant tensions between them and the Romans. Festus, as a wise ruler, does what a wise ruler should do. He goes to the principal city in his region where all the tensions reside, and he tries to make peace.

Look at verse 2 .

2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul

Now, hold that thought for a moment. It’s been two years since Paul was in Jerusalem. He’s been languishing in prison without causing any problems for them. Even when he was in Jerusalem two years before this, he was only there for about a week. And yet, when the new governor of the region comes to visit these leaders, what’s the first thing that these chief priests and leaders want to talk about? What’s the first thing they want done? They lay out their case against Paul.

and they urged him [Festus] , 3 asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—

We know historically that Ananias was no longer the high priest in Jerusalem at this time. Things have changed in Jerusalem over the last two years, but not that much. Paul’s been in prison for two years. He’s been a non-factor as an evangelist and “agitator” for that time. And there are literally hundreds of issues that these Jewish leaders could be discussing with Festus right now. There are problems everywhere. But all they want to talk about is this washed-up Christian convert, Paul, stuck in prison fifty miles away in Caesarea. What’s wrong with these guys? They really hate Paul!

Now when a new ruler comes to power, it’s not uncommon for the people under that ruler’s authority to ask for a favor. And you can really only cash in one or two favors like this. These guys want to use their “favor” to get Paul transported back to Jerusalem for a new trial.

This is after they failed to get a conviction in Caesarea. This is after they tried to kill him already while he was imprisoned in Jerusalem. This is after two years of inactivity.

And the asking of this favor is even worse than you think. Because they really don’t want him prosecuted in Jerusalem. They know they don’t have a case against him. They just want Festus to transport him to Jerusalem according to verse 3 :

because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

So here’s the situation. This guy Festus is trying to ingratiate himself with the Jewish population, so he’s willing to meet with them and talk with them. The Jewish leaders try to leverage a favor with this new ruler by getting Paul transported to Jerusalem. And they plan to kill him on the way.

Now if this actually happened, how do you think this little conspiracy is going to go over with the new ruler? When Festus finds out about this, he’s going to respond with shock and awe. He’s going to unleash Roman vengeance on Jerusalem, and a civil war will erupt, and thousands of innocent people will be killed. Actually that’s exactly what happens a few years later in AD 66–70, when the Romans invade Jerusalem killing tens of thousands of Jews and destroying the temple.

These Jews are willing to risk Roman retribution, and the betrayal of the trust of this new governor, Festus, all so that they can put an end to this guy Paul. Can I just make an obvious observation? These guys really don’t like Paul.

Now I want you to put yourself in Festus’s shoes for just a moment. What would you do if you were in his situation? He’s a new ruler. He’s impressionable. He’s trying to make peace in a volatile situation. He’s trying to ingratiate himself with these new subjects of his. I’m sure they painted a picture of Paul like he was the devil in disguise. “He’s a rebel-rouser. He causes riots everywhere he goes. He profaned our temple. He worships this man Jesus, so he’s a threat to Ceasar and the Empire.” I’m sure they laid it on pretty thick when they presented their case against Paul. I’m sure they made him sound like Hitler or Mussolini with their accusations.

What would you do if you were in Festus’s shoes? Let me ask it this way—what have you done in the past when people have been quick to make accusations against other people in your presence? Have you nodded your head in agreement without ever hearing the other side of the story?

The Bible says this: “ The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him ” ( Prov 18:17 ). One of the reasons that every person in America has an equal right to a fair trial is because the Bible speaks against bias in prosecution (e.g., Exod 23:2–3; Lev 19:15; Deut 16:19, Prov 18:5; 24:3 ). And just as a practical word of warning—Be leery of the person who seems just a little too anxious to defend himself and tear down another person’s character in the process.

Now to Festus’s credit, he doesn’t fall for their trick. This guy’s not completely incompetent like Felix. He holds his ground. But he does perpetuate an injustice. Look at verse 4.

4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5 “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.”

Maybe Festus smelled something fishy with these guys. Maybe he thinks that the case should be made in Caesarea not Jerusalem. Whatever the case, he says, “No! Bring your charges against him to Caesarea.” The problem with that, as we know as the reader, is that Paul has already been charged. They’ve already had a trial in Caesarea. Paul has already been exonerated. And now, the whole thing is going to be repeated again.

We do have this thing in the American court system called habeas corpus . It assures a citizen the right to a speedy trial. It safeguards against the government holding individuals indefinitely without charge. Let me just state the obvious, Paul has been denied the right of habeas corpus in this situation. And the legal system has failed him.

Go ahead and right this down in your notes as #1. We’re talking about injustice today. The title for today’s message is “Paul and a Kangaroo Court: How Christians Respond to Injustice.” And the first principle for this passage is as follows:

1) Don’t be surprised when politics get in the way of justice (25:1–5)

Political authorities and political powers in our world are not intrinsically evil. In fact, on balance, they are a God-given good. But sometimes they get in the way of the good. That was true twenty centuries ago. It’s true in our day too.

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Now again to Festus’s credit, when he gets back to Caesarea, he doesn’t waste any time dealing with this issue. Maybe he’s trying to do the right things where Felix failed. I don’t know.

Look at verse 6 .

6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day [Like I said he didn’t waste any time] he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When [Paul] had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around [Paul]

That’s a pretty interesting picture here. It’s as if these guys encircle Paul like a pack of wild dogs.

bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove.

This must have been a déjà vu experience for Paul, because this stuff has already happened. And now it’s happening again. They accused Paul of profaning the temple. Couldn’t prove it. They accused Paul of starting a riot in Jerusalem. Couldn’t prove it. They accused Paul of being a threat to the Roman Empire. Again… they couldn’t prove it!

They couldn’t prove it two years before with their hotshot lawyer Tertullus, and they still can’t prove it. They are just throwing mud against the wall and hoping something might stick.

And now it’s time for Paul to defend himself again. How should Paul respond? If you were Paul, what would you do? How would you respond if you were in his position? Maybe Paul should sling mud back! Maybe Paul should fabricate some false counter-accusations! Everybody stretches the truth at least a little bit in a court of law, right?

Watch what Paul does in verse 8 .

8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.”

“I haven’t sinned against the Jews. I haven’t profaned the temple. I have committed treason against Caesar. I’m innocent. I’m innocent. I’m innocent.” No histrionics. No antagonism. No counter-accusations. No personal attacks. He doesn’t sling mud. He doesn’t falsify accusations against any of them. He just states the facts as clearly and as confidently as he can. And he defends himself.

Write this down as a second point in your notes. Don’t be surprised when politics get in the way of justice. And secondly,

2) Don’t be opposed to truthfully fighting injustice (25:6–8)

When injustice is being perpetrated against you, you don’t have to always be silent. When you get an opportunity to defend yourself, take it.

Now someone might thoughtfully respond to that second point by saying, “ But what about Jesus, Pastor Tony? Jesus didn’t defend himself. He was silent before his accusers .” And that’s true. That’s a good point. Do we need to imitate Jesus in that way? That’s a good question.

My answer to that is, “ No, not in every detail .” The reason that Jesus was silent before his accusers was because of two reasons: 1 ) God’s plan was for Jesus to be wrongly accused and executed. Jesus knew that, and so it wasn’t necessary or fitting for him to plead innocence. Of course, Jesus was innocent! That was the point of the sacrifice. He was an innocent sacrifice to pay for the guilt of others… just like the animal sacrifices in the OT which foreshadowed Christ!

And 2 ) the reason Jesus was silent before his accusers was because of OT prophecy. The prophet Isaiah said about Jesus, “ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth ” ( Isa 53:7 ). So can we open our mouths and defend ourselves before our accusers? Yes, I think so. Jesus’s actions here are descriptive not prescriptive for us. Because we are not the fulfillment of OT prophecy. We don’t fulfill Isaiah 53 . And unlike Jesus, we don’t know what God’s will is concerning our immediate future, so we are free to plead our innocence like Paul does in Acts 25 .

John Calvin said as follows, “ Christ’s servants . . . must be all the more courageous to carry on through good and evil reports; they should not think it anything remarkable that evil is spoken of them when they have done good. At the same time, they must easily defend themselves before men when the opportunity arises. ”

I agree with Calvin! Don’t exaggerate the facts. Don’t manipulate your listeners. Don’t counter-accuse with false accusations. Just do like I said last time, “Stick to the truth and stick to the gospel and entrust yourself to him who judges justly.” R. Kent Hughes writes, “ When faced with groundless accusations, Paul did not go on a rampage but clearly and calmly stated the facts of his innocence. ”

Now, are there times when we need to be silent and just endure injustice? Yes, I think so! The Bible says, “ There’s a time to speak and a time to be silent ” ( Ecc 3:7 ). Psalm 39:1 says, “ I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence .” James 3:2 says, “ If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body .” Charles Spurgeon once said, “ Often the less we say to our foes, and the more we say to our best Friend, the better it will fare with us. ”

As a rule of thumb, I would say that if you can’t speak without sinning, it’s probably best to stay silent. Let me say that again—if you can’t speak without sinning… if you can’t defend yourself without sinning… it’s probably best to stay silent. But if you can control your tongue… if you can speak truth without exaggerations and personal attacks… then don’t be reluctant to truthfully defend yourself when given the right opportunity.

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So let’s say you do that. Let’s say you have this false accusation that is brought against you. And let’s say that you respond with perfect control over your tongue. Let’s say that you stick to the truth, you don’t exaggerate, you truthfully defend yourself. And you expose the false accusations for what they truly are… which is false . Surely after doing that then everything’s going to work out swimmingly for you, right?

You’ll be exonerated. Your enemies will be humiliated. And everything will be hunky-dory and you’ll go home singing, “Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead!” Is that what always happens in this fallen world? Of course not.

Listen, hear me on this… someday, that will happen. Someday every wrong deed will be exposed and every injustice will be rectified. But that won’t happen on this side of eternity, not until Jesus returns. And on this side of eternity you will experience injustice. You will!

Case in point, the Apostle Paul. Look at verse 9 .

9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor,

What? Another favor? Favor. Favor. Favor. There sure are a lot of “favors” in this vaulted Roman Empire. All its pomp and circumstance of a legitimate judicial system, and yet still injustice seeps through.

Why does he want to do them a favor? I guess Festus wasn’t that much better than Felix after all. He does the same thing as Felix. He perpetuates the same injustice.

He knows that Paul is innocent. He knows that these trumped-up charges against him are false. Why doesn’t he just stand up to Paul’s accusers and do the right thing? He did the right thing earlier when he refused to move the trial to Jerusalem.

But now he bows to the political pressure of his office.

9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?”

Now watch this. This is where Paul just loses it with this governor. The injustice of the whole situation gets the best of him. Look at verse 10 .

10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself [Festus!] know very well.

Goodness, gracious! That’s a pretty bold statement to make to a Roman authority, right there. Paul is absolutely fearless. Paul’s livid at Festus’s suggestion, because he knows now that Festus is abdicating his role as judge. He knows that Festus is kowtowing to the Jewish authorities and he’s not about to let them take him back to Jerusalem.

Probably Paul is especially bold because he knows he’s got that promise from Jesus in his back pocket. Jesus promised Paul that he would go to Rome, so he’s not going to die in Caesarea or Jerusalem ( Acts 23:11 ). So Paul is playing with house money here, and he fearlessly confronts the Roman governor.

But even though the governor can’t kill Paul, because of Jesus’s promise, the governor can still make life really uncomfortable for Paul. So this makes Paul’s actions especially brave here.

Look at verse 11 . Paul’s not done.

11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

Paul invokes here what’s called the Roman provocatio. It was the right of every Roman citizen to appeal directly to Caesar if they felt they were being treated unjustly. Paul would rather take his chances with Caesar in Rome than go back to Jerusalem and accommodate those who are conniving to put him to death.

Paul does Festus an incredible favor here. This is probably the answer to Festus’s prayers! Because now Festus can weasel out of this dicey situation involving Paul. He doesn’t have to render an unjust judgment against Paul, and he doesn’t have to release Paul and infuriate the Jewish leaders in his province. He can just ship Paul off to Rome and let him become someone else’s problem.

And this was actually a pretty shrewd move here by Paul. Not only does he avoid the danger of being sent back to Jerusalem, but now he gets a chance to go to Rome and preach the gospel there which is something that God had promised him previously. We see once again that God is providentially working behind the scenes to fulfill his greater purposes.

Look at verse 12 .

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”

Those of you who know your history know the irony of Paul’s appeal to Caesar. The Caesar at this time was Nero. And although Paul does escape death again by this appeal, he will eventually die at the hands of this very Caesar in the city of Rome. All I want to say about that is this: “God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform.”

Write this down as a third point from the passage. Don’t be surprised when politics get in the way of justice. Don’t be opposed to truthfully fighting injustice. And thirdly…

3) Don’t be reluctant to use legal means when justice is compromised (25:9–12)

Notice if you will that God is never mentioned in this passage of Scripture— Acts 25:1–12 . Did you notice that? There’s no mention of God the Father. There’s no mention of Jesus Christ. There’s no mention of the Holy Spirit. It’s as if God is incognito, working behind the scenes (like the OT book of Esther) to bring about his purposes. Was Paul wrong to appeal to Caesar instead of just sitting back and waiting on God to move on his behalf? No, of course not. Paul’s actions are perfectly defensible. And God uses those actions as part of his plan.

I think there are two lessons for us here in these last few verses. The first lesson is that we shouldn’t be surprised when politics and political forces get in the way of justice. We live in a fallen world and it’s inevitable that at times fallenness will get the best of governmental leaders.

But also, here’s a second principle, we shouldn’t be afraid to use the political processes that are available to us to fight for justice. There are a number of times that Paul invokes his Roman citizenship in the book of Acts . The government is not a necessary evil, just because it fails us from time to time. It is, according to Paul in Romans 13 , an instrument in the hands of God to restrain evil. And to the extent that we can utilize laws and governmental statutes to fight against injustice, we should do that.

And let me say this publicly too—Christians are not anarchists! There is no legitimate support in the NT to forsake or defy every form of government. In fact there’s the opposite. We are called to submit to our governing authorities.

And the truth is that bad government is better than no government. An imperfect political entity (even the Roman Empire!) is better than anarchy.

Are governments prone to perpetuating injustice? Yes. Institutions are run by sinners, and sometimes sinners act sinfully. But to the extent that we can use the governing institutions that God has given us for good and for justice, we should.

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Now you might say, “Don’t do this; don’t do that. What should I do, Tony?” Well before we’re done, let me give you five additional principles for how a Christian should respond to an injustice.

I want to be as practical as I can be with you on this issue. So if you’re struggling through an injustice right now, then take note of these things. Go home this afternoon and pray through these and start implementing these immediately.

And if you’re not struggling through an injustice right now, then praise God! But write these down anyway. Because you will struggle through something at some point. And these principles, I believe, will be helpful.

Here’s the first. How should a Christian respond to an injustice?

1) Maintain integrity even when under attack

I think there are a lot of Christians out there who say to themselves, “I’m a really good person. People like me. I don’t get into arguments. I don’t make personal attacks. I don’t gossip.” And I think a lot of us can maintain a certain level of integrity in a vacuum. But we don’t live in a vacuum. We live in a world where good and evil are constantly at war for the hearts of men. And when people are under attack, when people are falsely accused, you get a better glimpse of how much character that person really has. So learn to maintain integrity even when you are under attack.

When we as elders evaluate other elder candidates, one of the things that we like to assess is how does that person respond to criticism? How does that person handle adversity? Not how does that person respond when everything’s going great… how does a person respond when things unravel? That’s more often than not a true test of a person’s character.

Here’s my encouragement to you, church. This is something we should all be striving for. When you are falsely accused, when other people come after you, don’t climb into a mud-pit with them and start slinging. Every time you sling mud you lose ground. We’ve got to learn to maintain integrity and honor before the Lord even when under attack.

Here’s a second principle.

2) Maintain spiritual disciplines

When you are under attack, let me give you some advice. Keep reading your Bible. Keep praying. Keep talking to God. Get to church on Sunday. Get some other people praying with you.

And that’ll help with this third point. Here’s a third principle.

3) Fight the temptation to sulk

If I can be honest with you, this is something I really struggle with. I love to throw myself a little “pity-party.” And I love to invite all my friends to that party. Do you guys know what I’m talking about? Anybody else struggle with that?

And here’s the bigger issue with that. I can sometimes run from God instead of to God when I’m going through a trial. I pout. I sulk. I brood.

One of the things that I so admire about Richard Wurmbrand in Tortured for Christ is that that guy never stopped praying. He never stopped chasing God. He never grew apathetic. He never started sulking or pitying himself.

Even when his enemies beat him to a bloody pulp—that’s not hyperbole by the way, they actually beat him so bad at times that he was beyond recognition. Nevertheless he kept running to God. He kept praying. He kept trusting God. He kept fighting to love the people who were doing those things to him. And in some cases, he brought them to Christ. If he could draw close to God in the midst of those circumstances, how much more can we do that when we experience injustice?

Here’s a fourth principle.

4) Ask the Lord to search your heart

This is kind of a next level principle. Ask the Lord to search your heart and reveal any wrongdoing in you. You might be surprised what God reveals to you.

What did David do when he experienced injustice? What did he cry out before the Lord when he was wrongly accused? “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! ( Ps 139:23–24 ).”

Very rarely are we ever perfectly blameless in our behavior. And we need to be willing to examine ourselves and admit the kernel of truth that might be embedded in another person’s accusation. And when we do that, when we are willing to examine ourselves like that and confess wrongdoing, I think our credibility actually grows not lessens in the eyes of the watching world. None of us is perfect, and we all have areas of weakness that people are all too willing to expose. Don’t pretend those don’t exist. Admit them truthfully and then as I’ve said before entrust yourself to God who judges justly.

And finally one last thing:

5) Trust that God will sort it all out in the end

There’s actually a blessing that we can experience when we suffer injustice. Did you know that?

Corey Ten Boon once said that in the deepest, darkest moments of her life, a time when she was living in a Nazi Concentration Camp and experiencing more horror and pain than most of us will ever know, God’s presence was so near. And she even said [try to wrap your mind around this] that she often wished she could go back to that place because never before and never after did she experience God’s presence so powerfully. That’s just a little glimpse there of God’s grace displayed even when great injustice is committed against us.

Here’s a final question for you, church. I know this is a heavy message, but we need these kinds of messages from time to time. Here’s the question—do you have the kind of faith that could trust God in the midst of a horrific situation like that? Could you endure what Corrie Ten Boon did? Could you endure what Richard Wurmbrand and his wife had to endure? Could you endure what Paul went through, knowing all along that God would use it to accomplish his greater purposes?

I don’t know about you, but I want to be that kind of a Christian. I want to be the kind of person who exercises faith in the midst of whatever suffering God allows in my life… faith that believes that God is good, that God loves us and has a purpose for everything that we go through… and a faith that believes that God will sort it all out in the end. Do you want to be that kind of Christian?

Job in the OT said this, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him…” ( Job 13:15 ). That’s the kind of faith and fortitude that God is looking for. God help us to exhibit that as we strive to follow him more and more each day!

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And speaking of “trusting that God will sort it all out in the end!” Keep in mind the greatest injustice ever perpetrated in the history of the world was used by God to bring about his magnificent work of salvation.

Sanja and I like to watch these time travel shows every once in a while. And the temptation for people in that fictional world is to go back in time and change the future. “Maybe if we can kill Hitler in the 1930s, WWII would never have happened. Maybe if we could detain Lee Harvey Oswald, Kennedy wouldn’t be assassinated and the world would be better today.” Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. But, of course, there is such a thing as unintended consequences.

If you did have a time machine, and if you were motivated to stop the greatest injustice ever perpetrated in the history of our world, the execution of the sinless Christ, would you do it? Please don’t. Why not? Because God used that act of injustice to redeem sinners. And without the shedding of Christ’s blood, there is no payment for sin.

And God uses even the injustices of our fallen world to bring about his greater purposes.

Malachi 3:13-4:6: "The End of the Beginning - God's Last Word.”

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 17:32:55 GMT

Mike Morris

Associate Pastor/Elder

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

To review, the prophet Malachi is the author, and the date of writing is around 460 BC or so, the final book in the OT, and it marks the beginning of about 400 years of prophetic silence between Malachi and the beginning of the gospel accounts with the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist. Malachi is God’s last word of the OT prophesying God’s final word in the person of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In this final disputation, God brings the argument to a close, depicting the differences between the righteous and the wicked in the clearest possible terms. and this final passage sets the stage for the close of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New, the difference between the age of the Law and the Prophets and the age of Mercy and Grace. I’ve titled tonight’s sermon “The End of the Beginning,” for as the last echoes of Malachi’s prophetic voice fade away, the silence anticipates the coming of the forerunner and the Messiah. The next voice to be heard will be Gabriel, then Mary, then the cry of a baby in Bethlehem.

Tonight, we will look at disputation #6 and the epilogue of the book, but first, we need to set the stage a bit. This final passage describes two groups of people . The first group is the wicked: proud and foolish, thoughtless and selfish, greedy and perverse. The second group is the righteous: humble and wise, considerate and selfless, giving and gracious. When the wicked rise up in complaint against the Lord, the Lord speaks punishment over them, and he speaks unbounded joy over the righteous. God will not be mocked nor disrespected. He will once and for all distinguish between those who are his and those who are not. and the words of God the Son, the Savior and King, will ring out, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” ( Mark 1.15 ). let’s begin!

Hard Words

God confronts the wicked people of Judah with their sinful complaints. Their words have indeed been hard against the Almighty God, presumptuously chastising him. hard words from harder hearts.

13 “ Your words have been hard against me , says the Lord. But you say, ‘ How have we spoken against you ?’ 14 You have said , ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’”

The people had spoken in severe and insolent language. We might say it this way: “There’s no point in serving God; if he is even there, he certainly isn’t involved or concerned with our lives. It’s useless to spend time and money sacrificing perfectly good and valuable animals for some pointless religious ritual. Why should we continue trying to keep the law when nothing good comes from it? How does all of this rule-keeping make our lives any better? The people who never go to the Temple are wealthier and happier than those who continue this charade of religious worship. God, if he even exists, does nothing against the ones who forget about him and nothing for the ones who try to obey him. What’s the point of all this?”

It still amazes me that the people respond with disbelief at God’s statements, as if they don’t know their own attitudes or they are unwilling to own them. Did they think it was possible that the God who knew their hearts did not know their words?

The impenitent people of Judah saw only futility in worship. Why would they do that? I’ll offer one suggestion: they had lost the right perspective on their relationship to God, prompting God to give Malachi this entire prophecy as a reminder. they had reduced heartfelt worship and honor for Jehovah God to a business, to a series of commercial transactions, a religion of traded benefits, an exchange of piety for blessing, and they felt that the return on their investment was rapidly dropping . as we would put it today, their answer to the question, “what’s in it for me?” was “nothing”.

The Jews of Malachi’s day weren’t the only ones to see God and their relationship to him this way. There have always been those who knew and loved and served the Lord and those who couldn’t have cared less about Him. From the days of Cain and Abel to today, most people have not followed God. If they thought of him at all, it ranged from a vague sense of obligation to outright hatred, rebellion, and disbelief. They have chosen themselves and the things of this world over the Lord.

And this division of people into two groups, those who served and followed the Lord and those who did not, has always cut across all other human characteristics and identities, such as gender, age, race, wealth, status, nationality, or language . In human terms, anyone and everyone is capable of speaking hard words against God, and most do, either with their mouths or in their hearts. Jesus makes this truth clear in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7.13 . 13 “For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

But there is another group of people in this world. those who follow a different path, who seek first the kingdom of God, who… 22 flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ( II Timothy 2.22 ). Sadly, according to Jesus, fewer people follow and serve him than those who follow and serve the world. again from Matthew 7.14 . 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

And as it is true with the wicked, so it is with the righteous. Other human identities don’t matter. God chooses to redeem his people, his remnant, from all of humanity . Just as the rebellious come from every group and every place, so do the righteous . In Revelation 5, we hear the song of the redeemed.

9 And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation ,
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God ,
and they shall reign on the earth .”

Malachi also writes of this second group , the faithful believers.

16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. 17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession , and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked , between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

This smaller group, this little flock, as Jesus called them in Luke 12.32 , are those who feared the Lord and spoke with one another . A simple statement, but one with great meaning. It’s exactly what happens here at Messiah Bible, and nearly every other church in the world. believing Christians, each in their own faith walk of life, simply spending time with each other. praying, rejoicing, sharing needs and joys, crying with each other, caring for one another. This may seem ordinary and normal to all of us, but in truth, it’s very special. And the unseen partner in each conversation is the Lord himself. The Lord paid attention and heard them . When we spend time and energy visiting with and encouraging each other, the Lord is present and knows us and hears us as each of us ministers in his name. This is everyone, not just pastors or counselors, but each individual believer. We learn from Matthew 12.24b that. out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks . . so when you’re speaking love and peace to your brother or sister, you’re speaking from the abundance of your heart filled with the Holy Spirit. God bless you for it.

And while we may question or even complain to the Lord, don’t worry, but be encouraged. Let me share with you some wisdom from Matt Harmon, a biblical commentator, on this point. “From these God-fearing people, however, such questions and complaints flow toward God, prompted by their faith in God’s power and his love. The psalmists questioned God and complained to him precisely because they did believe that he is the righteous and all-powerful God who controls every aspect of the universe and cares for his people. They struggled with his providence because they knew him to be a God who distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked, not because they had cynically concluded that God doesn’t see or care what is going on in this world.” Even when we know God, maybe because we know God, when we still have questions, that’s evidence of belief , not unbelief .

But even better, a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name . There is much to learn in this, for God has at least two types of books, books of divine decrees written beforehand, such as “before the foundation of the world,” in Revelation 13.8 , but also books recording events as they happen, for reward, such as here. This practice was common in the ancient Near East, and we find it mentioned in the books of Ezra and Esther. Here, the sense is that God knows his people and knows both their words and actions, and records them in order to reward them. II Timothy 2.19 says. 19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “ The Lord knows those who are his ,”

And this record of the righteous and their words and deeds will support the decision of God to distinguish between the righteous and the wicked.

17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

Those who love and serve God will be his in a special sense, a sense not shared by all people as the creation of God, but only by those who are also the spiritual children of God, those who are his own . They will be part of what v 17 calls God’s “treasured possession,” a phrase repeated from Exodus 19.3b-6a . The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob , and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself . 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine ; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’

As the Maker of heaven and earth, God “owns” all the created order, including humanity, and is entitled to exercise sovereign authority over all. But within this creation, within all the earth that is his, the people who obey his voice, who keep his covenant, who serve him, who are his redeemed even through the atoning work of his Son, they shall be his treasured possession . The word can also be translated “jewels,” as in the KJV. The sense is that God will one day make up or gather up his most precious treasure, his jewels. and they will include the righteous remnant of Israel and, I believe, his other flock, the redeemed of the church age. And they will be spared from judgment as a faithful son is spared by his father.

And remember Malachi 3.14-15 , where the wicked asserted that it is vain to serve God, for the wicked and the righteous are treated the same? God refutes that false assertion when he says, 18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him . Just as surely as God made a distinction between Egypt and Israel during the plagues inflicted upon Egypt ( see Exodus 8.23, 9.4, 9.11, 9.26 ), so in the Day of the Lord, God will again make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked. The righteous will be saved, delivered from God’s judgment.

However, this will not be the case for the wicked. God continues in 4.1.

1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

Again, God promises vindication for the righteous as he makes a distinction between them and the wicked. certain judgment awaits those who reject and dishonor God, for in that day they will not endure, but will be consumed as dry grass in a furnace. This is another vivid example of the symbolism of fire as a means of God’s punitive judgment. Other examples include Sodom and Gomorrah, the plagues of Egypt, and Korah’s rebellion. Even the picture of the rich man in Hades shows us the picture of God’s righteous anger through the means of fire. The arrogant and those who do evil will last as long as cut grass in a burning furnace. It shall set them ablaze , and they will be consumed in a moment. And the image here is startling: no root or branch will remain. If you burn up a tree, both root and branch, the destruction is complete. It’s easy to burn what grows above ground, but how can the roots be burned up, too? That’s the point. Man can’t execute that level of judgment, only God. Matthew 10.28 makes the point as Jesus says, 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell . Only God can execute judgment like that. Man can destroy what is seen, but only God can judge what is unseen. Jesus gives mankind good advice here: Fear God!

But this passage isn’t all about judgment. There is a blessing for those who honor and serve the Lord.

2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

What a beautiful picture. This metaphor carries on the imagery of the OT about God’s light and healing. The flames of God’s judgment will give way to the warmth of the sunrise for his people. finally his healing will come, in all its glory and fullness. spiritual, physical, emotional, relational. Those who are his will be made perfectly and completely his, free forever from the presence of sin, from the degradation caused by the twisted fallenness of this world. Those who fear God’s name will rise with him, healed and whole, with the energetic life of a penned-up calf bursting from a cattle stall. And God’s victory over his enemies and the pernicious effects of sin will be complete, as his people tread down their adversaries. Paul reinforces the truth in Romans 16.20 . 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet . Finally, God’s power, peace, love, and grace will reign over all creation, even on earth as it is in heaven.

Malachi’s prophecy connects closely with Luke. In Luke 1.16-17 , Gabriel announces John’s birth and purpose. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah , to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” . echoing the words of Malachi, and as Zechariah regains his voice, he declares,

76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High ;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways ,

77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people

in the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God,

whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

John the Baptist was indeed the next person to emerge in God’s plan. Just as God’s law given through Moses, 4. the statutes and rules commanded at Horeb for all Israel , would point to the Savior-King, Jesus Christ, so would John as he proclaimed, “ Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world !” ( John 1.29 ). He would fulfill the role predicted in Malachi 4.5-6 . 5 “ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction .” Jesus affirmed John’s identity in Matthew 11.13-15 . 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John , 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come . 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

And by the Transfiguration, with Moses and Elijah representing the Law and the Prophets appearing with Jesus, God makes it plain: all of redemptive history, from the Garden of Eden to the fiery preaching of John the Baptist, from the Law through all of the Prophets, everything points to one preeminent figure towering over all of creation: Jesus, the Messiah of the Old Covenant and the Christ of the New Covenant, the Lamb of God, the Savior of the world, the Kinsman-Redeemer of all God’s people of all the ages, the Victor over sin, death, the world, the flesh, and the devil, has come. this is the closing message of the Old Testament that, before the day of judgment comes, God the Father will send his Son into a lost and broken world, to destroy the works of the devil ( I John 3.8 ) and redeem his children taken captive by sin and death, being the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance ( Hebrews 9.15 ). This is what the Father has done, and Jesus fulfilled all of the Father’s gracious plan to purchase for himself a people for his own possession ( I Peter 2.9 ).

So tonight, if you are here and have not responded to the grace of God in Jesus Christ, please find me, or another of our elders, and let us introduce you to the Savior.

That’s our application for tonight. One simple admonition: look to Jesus. for love, grace, mercy, peace, and joy, in this life and the next. May his Name be lifted high !

Thank you for your faithfulness as we have worked our way through this study of the minor prophets of the Old Testament. We began on July 18th, 2021, and tonight, February 11th, 2026, we finish with the close of the book of Malachi. This series covered 67 chapters in 59 sermons. Blessed be the Lord for his goodness, as we have pursued him through these unique and important books. My hope is that we have all come to see Jesus Christ, our Savior, in the words of these prophets. and that we will all be encouraged to praise, worship, and follow him all of our days. Thank you for the privilege of preaching this series, and for faithfully attending to God’s word.

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Acts 24:1–27: “When A Believer Is Surrounded By Scoundrels”

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 20:40:25 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

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Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 24 . We are continuing our series, “No Other Name.” And we are racing towards the conclusion of the book of Acts in these final chapters. And the question I want to ask and answer today is the following—what do you do as a Christian when you are surrounded by scoundrels?

Now, just to be clear, I don’t know what your work environment looks like. I’m not around at your family reunions. I’m not making any kind of value judgment on you or your family with this question. This message today won’t apply to everyone in this room or every situation. But we do live in a fallen world. And sometimes false accusations fly. What’s a Christian to do in a situation like that? Sometimes bad things happen to good, godly Bible-believing people. What do you do?

Well thankfully we are not left in the lurch as to what to do. The Bible records many instances like that. Think Daniel in the lions’ den. Think Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Think the prophet Jeremiah. Think Stephen in the book of Acts. Think Peter, James, and John in the book of Acts. And think Paul in the book of Acts. It’s almost as if Jesus actually meant it when he said, “ In this world, you will have trouble… ” ( John 16:33 ). Paul knew something about that. Jesus said, “ If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you ” ( John 15:18 ).

More specifically today we want to look at the Apostle Paul and his trial before a Roman governor in Acts 24. And not to spoil things for you, but let me just tell you ahead of time—in our passage today, Paul is going to be tried by wicked prosecutor, on behalf of wicked plaintiffs from Jerusalem, in front of a wicked governor in Caesarea, who governs on behalf of a wicked regime, namely the Roman Empire.

What’s Paul going to do in this quagmire of unrelenting wickedness? What does a believer do when he or she is surrounded by scoundrels? Well, let’s find out.

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Now just to get you up to speed, last time in Acts 23 , Paul did some questionable things before the Sanhedrin. He lost his temper and lashed out verbally at the high priest. And instead of testifying about Christ, he started a debate between Pharisees and Sadducees about the resurrection. That turned into a nightmare. And he had to be rushed out of the Sanhedrin by the Romans, so that he wouldn’t be torn to shreds.

And then, he had to be rushed out of Jerusalem by the Romans, because a group of vigilantes took an oath to kill him. It was a tough week for the Apostle Paul. And in this dark moment of Paul’s life when all of his failures and frustrations were stacking up, Jesus appeared to him and said, “ Take Courage, Paul. I’m on your side. Don’t be afraid .” And Jesus gave Paul this promise. He tells him, “ You will testify about me in Rome just like you’ve testified about me in Jerusalem ” ( Acts 23:11 ).

So at the end of Acts 23 , we saw this great standoff between the will of men and the will of God. Forty oath-taking vigilantes said, “ Paul’s not leaving Jerusalem alive .” But Jesus says to Paul instead, “ You’re getting out of Jerusalem alive, and in fact you’ll testify about me in Rome .” Who’s going to win that little standoff? God does!

And God, through providential means, allows Paul safe transport out of Jerusalem all the way to Caesarea. And that’s where our passage picks up today. Paul is about to go on trial for his actions in Jerusalem, and the man who will decide his fate is a scandalous Roman governor named Felix. At the end of Acts 23 , Felix says to Paul, “ I will give you a hearing, when your accusers arrive ” ( 23:35 ). So Felix is to Paul what Pontius Pilate was to Jesus. He will decide Paul’s fate. Will Felix do to Paul what Pontius Pilate did to Jesus? Let’s see.

Look at verse 1 of Acts 24.

1 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul.

So as this trial gets under way we see that the Jewish leaders are taking no chances with Paul. The high priest comes up to Caesarea for the trial—that’s a distance of about sixty miles! In his commentary on Acts, Al Mohler states that this would the president of the United States showing up to prosecute a trial at the Supreme Court . Ananias is way outside his lane with this matter, but again, he’s taking no chances with Paul.

And we already know this high priest, Ananias, was a scoundrel. He was not a well-respected leader of the Jews. And Luke tells us that some Jewish elders came with him as well to Caesarea. And along with them, they brought a “hired gun” so to speak—a slick, smooth-talking lawyer named Tertullus. And Tertullus is going to use all of his renowned rhetorical powers to get Paul convicted before Felix.

And Luke shows us his rhetorical powers in the text. Look at verse 2:

2 And when [Paul] had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace,

Now who’s he talking about there? He’s not talking about Paul. He’s talking about Felix, the governor.

“Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3 in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.

Now does any of this seem a bit disingenuous to you? This guy is slick, right? What’s he doing? He’s buttering up the governor. He’s flattering and trying to win favor with this judge. Why? To obtain a favorable ruling. To get a conviction against Paul! Right? So he uses what’s called a captatio benevolentiae with his opening remarks. That term, captatio benevolentiae, means “winning the goodwill” of your listener. Paul did the same thing in Athens in Acts 17 . But this guy, Tertullus, is over the top with his comments about Felix.

Here’s why I say that. Let me just give you some historical background on Felix. I told you already that the high priest, Ananias, was a dishonorable character. But compared to Felix, Ananias was Mother Teresa . Despite what this slick lawyer says about Felix, he was not a man of peace. Felix had done much in Jerusalem and Judea to anger the Jews.

His wife, Drusilla, was Jewish—his third wife, just to be clear. But still he wouldn’t hesitate to execute Jews on a whim or stir up trouble to his own advantage. One commentator wrote the following about him: “ The only way Felix endeavored to bring peace was by having his soldiers hunt down and kill extremist Jewish freedom-fighters. In reality, Felix did more than any other governor to disrupt any semblance of peace there might have been in the Holy Land .”

Felix was amazingly a former slave. And after being freed, he had a meteoric rise in the Empire. But, probably because of his humble origins, he always tended towards brutality and paranoia. The Roman historian Tacitus said that Felix, “ with all cruelty and lust wielded the power of a king with the mentality of a slave .”

Eventually the Jews conspired to get Felix extradited from the country, and he almost lost his life before Nero because he had allowed so much unrest in Judea. All that to say this—he was not a man of peace. And he had not established peace as a governor.

So why would Tertullus say that he was a man of peace?

“Since through you we enjoy much peace… most excellent Felix

Why does he say that? Well, he’s lying. And I’m sure Ananias was paying him big bucks to get Paul convicted. So part of his job description is to smooth talk the judge with a little flattery. “ A lawyer would never do that, Pastor Tony !”

Look at verse 4.

4 But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly.

“Your kindness”! This guy knows how to brownnose.

For we have found this man [here’s where Paul comes in] a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

This guy is like Perry Mason delivering his oratory ! “He’s a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” In other words, he’s not Jewish. He’s not one of us. He’s part of that “Jesus of Nazareth” riff-raff.

It’s interesting to me that Paul never, never stop saying, “ I am a Jew .” Have you noticed that in the book of Acts? He was as Jewish and any of these Jewish leaders. But they don’t acknowledge him as such. “ He’s part of that sect !”

Look at verse 6. Tertullus is still laying it on thick here.

6 He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him.

Look at verse 8.

8 By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”

Now we already know what he’s talking about with this “profaning of the temple” accusation. In Acts 21 , the Jews accused Paul of bringing his Gentile friend, Trophimus, into the temple. But that was a lie.

And even though it was true that riots were started among the Jews all throughout the world over Paul, Paul was not the instigator of those riots. Paul was the victim of those riots in Jerusalem and elsewhere. So there are bits and pieces of truth in what Tertullus is saying here, but his words are very deceiving.

And like I’ve said before, the most effective lies aren’t total fabrications; they’re half-truths. And by the way, the most effective liars aren’t bald-face liars; they’re truth-twisters . So this guy is very convincingly twisting truths and rearranging facts to get Paul convicted.

And verse 9 tells us,

9 The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.

So, the false accusations are flying, and Paul’s accusers are piling on. And the scoundrels are scoring points with Felix in the courtroom. What’s a man of integrity to do in a situation like this?

Write this down as a first point in your notes. What do you do in a situation like that? Well, you trust God. And…

1) When false accusations fly, [you] stick to the truth and stick to the gospel (24:1–9)

The story is told about a sixteenth-century preacher who was addressing the issue of gossip. After a woman came up to him and confessed to gossiping and slandering other people in her community, the pastor asked her, “Do you frequently fall into this fault?” She replied, “Yes, very often.” He said, “Your fault is great, but the mercy of God is still greater.”

And then he said this, “Go to the nearest market, and purchase a chicken just killed and still covered with feathers. You will then walk a certain distance, plucking the feathers of the bird as you go along. When you finish your work, return to me here.”

She did as she’d been instructed and returned anxious for an explanation. “Well,” said the man. “You’ve been very faithful to the first part of my instructions. Now what I want you to do is to retrace your steps and gather all the feathers up one by one.”

The woman said, “But I cast them carelessly on every side. The wind carried them in every direction. How can I ever recover them?” “Well,” said the preacher, “So it is with your words of slander. Like the feathers, they have been scattered. Call them back, if you can.”

Now God help us to hold our tongues and swallow our pride when false rumors are spread about us by unbelievers. That shouldn’t surprise us when it happens. I don’t think Paul is surprised by anything his accusers are doing. But God forbid that we as Christians would play that sinful game. Don’t do that, Christian! Don’t use your tongue to do evil! And if you’ve made that mistake in the past, do your best to rectify it. In other words, go pick up the feathers as best you can. And make sure you don’t repeat that mistake again in the future.

The Bible says that “ the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness… set on fire by hell ” ( Jas 3:6 ). The tongue can and should be used for good. But too often in this fallen world, it’s used for evil. But that should not be so for Christians.

So when people in this world uses their tongues to utter falsehoods against you, don’t return fire. He who slings mud loses ground. Instead, stick to the truth and stick to the gospel.

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And that doesn’t mean you can’t defend yourself. Look what Paul does in verse 10. He’s just been slandered by Tertullus. And now Paul gets his chance to speak. What’s Paul going to do here? He could just fire back with his own false accusations. “ O yeah, well you say I did this. I say you did that! How do you like me now ?” He doesn’t do that.

He could excoriate them again publicly, “ God will strike you, you whitewashed wall !” He doesn’t do that. He could try to sweettalk Felix like Tertullus did or try to get another riot started between Pharisees and Sadducees. But no, he doesn’t do that. He just speaks the truth.

He just tells them what happened, and in his own unique little way he subtly points them all to the gospel.

Watch this… this is brilliant in verse 10.

10 And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense.

Paul’s got his own rhetorical powers! He attempts his own captatio benevolentiae . But he doesn’t flatter or embellish. He just states the facts. “ You know what Felix… the best thing I can say about you is … well… you’ve been in charge for a lot of years .”

Look at verse 11.

11 You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem,

Paul didn’t spend a whole lot of time in Jerusalem. And as we’ve seen already, his trip wasn’t great. But Paul is doing something subtle here. Tertullus is implicit arguing that Paul was some kind of revolutionary or insurrectionist. Paul says here, “ I was in town for just twelve days. That’s not long enough for a revolution .”

12 and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. 14 But this I confess to you ,

“ Here’s the truth in what they are stating about me .”

that according to the Way, which they call a sect,

Remember “the Way” is the prominent term used for Christianity in the book of Acts. Paul says, “ We’re not ‘a sect.’ We’re ‘the Way’… based on Jesus’s words, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life .”

I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.

Do you see what Paul is doing there? He’s giving a defense. But he’s also preaching the gospel. He’s letting Felix and everyone else know that there will be a resurrection for everyone, the just and the unjust. In other words, everybody gets resurrected. That’s an essential aspect of our imago dei nature. Some will be raised to everlasting life and some will be raised to everlasting death. Paul is using this moment to create gospel urgency in the lives of his listeners.

And by the way, let me be clear about this for the benefit of those who are gathered here today. The Bible makes clear in Daniel 12:2 that some will be raised to everlasting life and some will be raised for everlasting shame and contempt. Jesus said in John 5:28–29 that an hour is coming when “ all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. ” According to the Bible, every single person will live forever (see also Rev 20:11–15 ).

There’s all this talk circulating right now about universalism and annihilationism and conditional immortality. The Bible clearly presents two options for you. The world and some Christians are confused about this right now, but the Bible is not. Paul is not in Acts 24 . Every single person in this room will live forever . It just depends where you’re going to spend that forever . There’s no purgatory. There’s no annihilation of our souls. There’s no third option. There’s the righteous and the unrighteous. There’s the just and the unjust. There’s heaven or hell for eternity.

Which path are you on? For those who have faith in Christ Jesus, in his death and resurrection, his righteousness is our righteousness and makes heaven for eternity a reality. For those who don’t have faith in Christ, there is eternal death and separation from God… in hell… for eternity. Full-stop! Those are the options.

And look again at verse 14. Here’s another thing that Paul is stressing.

I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,

Paul worships the Jewish God. Paul believes all the Hebrew Scriptures that have been inspired by God. And all those Scriptures point towards Christ. He’s saying, “ I’m more Jewish than those guys are… I believe the Bible more fervently than they do. They missed it. They missed who the Scriptures pointed to !”

And by the way, what did Jesus say about the Law and the Prophets? What did he say to the Jewish leaders twenty-five years before this. He said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39).

Paul says in verse 16,

16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. 17 Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. 18 While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple

In other words, “ I didn’t do anything wrong. I was just a Jew worshiping in the temple. In fact, I had brought money with me to bless Jerusalem after they went through that horrible famine .”

without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia—

Those are the guys who started the riot. And by the way, why aren’t those guys at Paul’s trial?

19 they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me.

In other words, “ Tertullus wasn’t there. Ananias wasn’t there when this allegedly happened. Where are the guys who originally made the accusation? They’re nowhere to be found. ”

By the way, if you have an ESV Bible, that hyphen before verse 19 is a good representation of the Greek. It’s actually not called a hyphen; it’s called an “em dash.” And it’s used when a sentence is abruptly broken off. And that’s what happens here with Paul. It’s as if he gets lost in the middle of his sentence and says, “Where are those guys anyways? They should be here!”

And by the way, this was a very shrewd maneuver by Paul right here. Roman law actually called for a “face-to-face” confrontation between the accusers and the accused. In fact, in the Roman world, those who abandoned their accusations were not looked upon kindly. You know in America, we can make all kinds of false accusations with impunity, and it doesn’t matter. But that was a serious “no-no” in the Roman judicial system.

So Paul is saying, “ Where’s the evidence for these accusations against me? Where are the eye-witnesses ? This is just a Kangaroo court with Tertullus, their high-priced lawyer, making unsubstantiated allegations.”

Look at verse 20.

20 Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, 21 other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’ ”

It’s interesting to me how Paul admits here that starting that argument in the Sanhedrin probably wasn’t the best course of action. I used to read that story about Paul starting an argument between Pharisees and Sadducees in Acts 23, and think to myself, “ O that’s was great. Way to go Paul! Way to get them fighting amongst themselves. That was brilliant .” But I don’t think that’s how Paul saw it. Not after the fact, anyway. He regrets that action. And he even confesses here before Felix, “ I shouldn’t have done that .” Stick to the truth and stick to the gospel. That’s what Paul does here.

And here’s the point of all this. Here’s what I find so fascinating about Paul’s defense. He doesn’t fabricate facts. He doesn’t exaggerate details. He doesn’t mislead anyone. He even, at one point, admits a mistake that he made. “ I could have handled that differently .”

What does Paul do ? He just delivers truthfully and with integrity all the details that have unfolded regarding this case. And, at the same time, he finds a way to subtly testify before Felix and the accusers that Jesus Christ is “the Way.” He’s the fulfillment of OT expectation. And he’s coming back to judge the dead. Masterful! This is an absolute clinic on how to handle false accusations as a Christian.

Write this down as a second point from our message. When false accusations fly, stick to the truth and stick to the gospel. And secondly:

2) When judgments are forming, stick to the truth and stick to the gospel (24:10–21)

When you’ve got to defend yourself against false accusations. When you’ve got to represent Christ before a hostile world… conduct yourself with honor and integrity. And let God sort it out in the end. The Bible says, “Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall” (Prov 28:18). When judgments are forming, stick to the truth and stick to the gospel.

Now some of you might say, “How do I do that, Pastor Tony?” “What does that look like in our day?” Well let me give you some examples. 1 ) When people lie, slander, and gossip about you, you don’t return fire. Okay? Every time you sling mud, you lose ground. Instead you speak the truth and trust God . 2 ) If you find yourself or your business in a legal dispute…or if some injustice is perpetrated against you in the work place. You speak the truth and represent God well . Don’t falsify facts. Don’t slander in return. Don’t manipulate people’s opinions or massage the truth. Just speak truthfully and honestly and with integrity and trust God.

3 ) If God forbid, anyone in this congregation ever got sued or wrongly accused, you do the right thing. Don’t get hateful. Don’t be deceitful or manipulative. If your legal counsel says, “It’s normal in cases like this to exaggerate the facts.” You say, “No, I won’t do that. I’m a follower of Jesus Christ and there’s an expectation of integrity on my life.” Stick to the truth and stick to the gospel . Trust God; do the right thing. And let the chips fall where they may.

Remember what Peter said about Jesus. “He entrusted himself to him who judges justly” ( 1 Pet 2:23 ). That’s what we have to do. We entrust ourselves to him who judges justly. God is no man’s debtor. He will repay at the proper time good for good and evil for evil.

You know, we are living in a world right now where it’s getting increasingly difficult to live a life of integrity. And we as a country have gravitated so far from Biblical principles, that if you do live a life of integrity, you will be an oddball in this world. You will be weird in your workplace. So be it.

And you know, here’s what’s interesting. You might be surprised just how instrumental being an “oddball with integrity” is for leading people to Christ. Because people are desperately looking for something different in our world.

And let me say this too, just be way of clarification. Integrity doesn’t save you. There are plenty of non-Christian people that have integrity. But integrity is what saved people do! Do you feel me? Does everyone understand what I’m saying there? We aren’t justified by works; we’re justified by faith. But justified people live lives of integrity. They produce fruit in keeping with repentance. That’s what Paul does here.

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Now watch what happens next with Paul. Because what happens in these last few verses is amazing. Jesus prophesied in the Gospels that his disciples would be “dragged before governors and kings for [Jesus’] sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles” ( Matt 10:18 ). Jesus said, “You will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake” ( Luke 21:12 ). And wouldn’t you know it, Jesus’s prophecy actually come true. Anyone here surprised by that?

Look what happens with Paul and this powerful governor of Judea, Felix. Look at verse 22.

22 But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way

That’s an interesting statement. But not entirely surprising. Christians are all over the Empire now, So Felix knows about “the Way.” Maybe even Cornelius, who got saved in Caesarea, has witnessed to him already. Maybe Philip the Evangelist, who lives in Caesarea, has witnessed to him. Who knows?

22 But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way put them [Paul’s accusers] off, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.”

So Paul pours out his heart defending himself. And Felix essentially postpones the case until a later date. 23 Then he gave orders to the centurion that [Paul] should be kept in custody but have some liberty, and that none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs.

Maybe Luke was close by. Maybe Philip. Maybe Agabus. Maybe the church in Caesarea worked together to take care of Paul’s needs.

You know, Paul was surrounded by scoundrels in the courtroom, but thankfully he’s not surrounded by scoundrels all the time. He’s got the church and his fellow believers to take care of him. As do we, by the way.

Look at verse 24.

24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

Huh? This man, Felix, has the ability to decide Paul’s fate. And what’s Paul doing. He’s telling him and his wife, Drusilla, about Jesus. Is that awesome or what? Paul is a gospel-preaching machine. He’s the Christian terminator in Acts. You can’t kill him. And you can’t get him to shut up about Jesus. And when he gets a chance to preach the gospel to the most powerful couple in Judea, he takes it. You got to love that about Paul.

And here’s why this was so fascinating with Felix and Drusilla. Let me give you a little historical background on these two people. Drusilla was Felix’s third wife. She was the great-granddaughter of Herod the Great, who tried to kill Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem fifty plus years before this (see Matt 2:1–12 ). And Paul’s like, “Yeah, that baby that you great-grandad tried to kill… he’s the Savior of the world!”

And here’s another historical wrinkle. Felix was Drusilla’s second husband. She was nineteen years old when Paul met with her. Felix had lured her away from her first husband when she was only sixteen. And both of these individuals were about as lost as you could possibly be. They were cruel. They were sinful. They both had an unquenchable thirst for power. They were adulterers.

Felix had basically stolen Drusilla from her first husband by promising new opportunities for power. And Felix was seduced by Drusilla because it was said about her that she was exceedingly beautiful in her time. It was basically a marriage built on lust and thirst for power.

And watch what Paul preaches to them. Look at verse 25.

25 And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed

I bet he was. Just so you know that’s not a seeker-sensitive message right there. That’s not Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life, Felix. Paul knew about their sinful reputation. And so he’s preaching repentance, hell, fire, and brimstone to this couple.

And maybe as part of that he said, “You know what, I was the chief of sinners. I killed Christians and persecuted the church.” And I bet he was saying, “Such also were some of us, but now we have been washed by the blood of Jesus.” I bet Paul was preaching, “I know a way that you can escape the judgment to come. Put your faith in Christ and you can have new life.”

But unfortunately Paul’s pleas fell on deaf ears.

25 And as [Paul] reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, [not “I repent.” Not “what must I do to be saved?” Not “praise be to God for providing this way of salvation for sinner like me” but instead] “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.”

26 At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul.

Who cares about a bribe, man? You need to be concerned about your soul!

So he sent for [Paul] often and conversed with him. 27 When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

Write this down #3 in your notes.

1) When false accusations fly, stick to the truth and stick to the gospel (24:1–9)

2) When judgments are forming, stick to the truth and stick to the gospel (24:10–21)

3) When uncertainties abound, stick to the truth and stick to the gospel (10:22–27)

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Now I’ve preached this message today mostly from the perspective of Paul. And I’ve challenged you and I’ve been challenged myself with the concept of truthfulness and integrity. Stick to the truth! Stick to the gospel! Live lives of integrity and keep telling people about Jesus when you are surrounded by scoundrels.

But before we finish today, I want to flip that script. I want to say something now to those of you who might have more in common with Felix, or with Drusilla, or with Tertullus, or with Ananias than you do with Paul. You don’t have the Holy Spirit in your life. You’ve never made a decision to follow Christ.

And maybe you, like Felix, have been intrigued by the gospel and wanted to learn more about it. Maybe you’ve even been fearful like Felix is fearful when you hear about the judgment to come. But you’ve never given your life to Christ. You’ve never put your faith in Christ and had your sins forgiven.

Can I just challenge you with this passage of Scripture? Hebrews 3:15 says, “Today if you hear [God’s] voice, do not harden your hearts.” I mean that verse is true for all of us who are here this morning and have sensed the Holy Spirit’s conviction. But that’s especially true for those of you who came this morning without any faith in Christ. If you’ve heard the voice of the Lord today… if you heard the truth of the gospel… do not harden your heart. Respond in faith and repentance.

Don’t do like Felix and Drusilla, “Go away from me now, and I’ll call you when it’s more convenient.” Don’t do that! Don’t miss this opportunity.

I heard a pastor say once that this passage about Felix and Drusilla is one of the most heartbreaking passages in Scripture. They were right there! They had the greatest preacher of their generation telling them about Jesus. And their hearts were convicted. And Felix was fearful for his soul. And he just dismissed it. They let the opportunity pass, and they dismissed the greatest news that any person could ever receive. The gospel! That you can be forgiven of your sins completely, no matter what you’ve done. No matter who you are!

And maybe some of you are trying to live a life of integrity out there, but you don’t have the resources in and of yourself to be honorable and live with integrity. Christ can help you with that. God is willing to give you the gift of the Holy Spirit in your life that can produce something that you couldn’t produce yourself. And I just want to invite you today to put your faith in Christ and make a decision to follow him. Repent of your sin and follow Christ.

Malachi 2:17-3:12: "Messiah, The Judge and Refining Fire"

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:12:37 GMT

Mike Morris

Associate Pastor/Elder

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

To review, the prophet Malachi is the author, and the date of writing is around 460 BC or so, just before Ezra and Nehemiah arrive in Judah. This book is God’s final word to his people before the New Testament age, and in it, he challenges his people regarding their broken relationship with him. The setting is Jerusalem in the region of Judah, as the people, the exiles who had returned from Babylon more than seventy years before, were trying to rebuild their lives back in their land. At the moment, all of Judah remained under the control of the Medo-Persian empire. The 6th century BC was a tough time for God’s people.

In its structure, Malachi is unique. almost all the content is a series of six short dialogues called “disputations” between Yahweh and some or all of his people . Malachi records these from 1.2 to 4.3 in a series of conversations. Careful of the chapter breaks; they’re misplaced. I’ve grouped the text into four parts we’ll cover on these dates.

Tonight, we will look at disputations #4 and #5. We’ll finish next week with the final disputation and the epilogue. tonight is quite a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

“Where is the God of justice?”

The people of Judah could have learned from a piece of advice given to me many years ago: “never miss an opportunity to say nothing”. 17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

This fourth, rather complex disputation begins with Malachi’s statement that the people of Israel had worn God out with their talking. The word can mean to “trouble” someone. Calvin translated it as “saddened his spirit”. It is a needed reminder that the Lord takes note of all that we say. he knows our hearts, so he would certainly know our words.

The preacher of Ecclesiastes gave good counsel when he said, Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5.1-2).

Their first complaint makes no sense, that God is pleased with the wicked. That has never been true. We’ve noted how the latter prophets often repeat truths from the former prophets, and we see that again here, as Israel’s complaint against God reminds us of Isaiah’s rebuke of Israel in 5.20 .

20 Woe (a curse) to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!

The Lord does not delight in the wicked, but in the righteous. Those who are so consumed by the ways of the devil that they would invert God’s standard earn God’s judgment and condemnation, not his praise. We cannot be fooled by thinking that earthly wealth alone means God is pleased with someone. When the wicked prosper, they are still the wicked.

Worse is Israel’s taunting question: “Where is the God of justice?”

God answers, beginning in 3.1.

1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

God’s response to the question “Where is the God of justice?” is “Behold, I am here”. It wasn’t God who left, but his people.

They should have been more thoughtful before asking for the God of justice. Justice always sounds good in the abstract. It’s something we usually think of being applied to someone else. Well, the God of justice is about to show up.

Again, we see another example of the OT perspective of the Messiah. They only saw one advent, one coming of the Savior-King, not two. On this side of the cross, we see the two advents, the first of the Suffering Servant and the last of the Conquering King. And we also recognize the difference in the two “messengers” in verse 1. Though the word is the same in Hebrew, ‘malaki’, the first is the forerunner of the Messiah, the one who will prepare the way before me . We know him as John the Baptist. We will see more about the forerunner in chapter four next week. But for now, let’s look at this prophecy spoken by Jesus himself. Matthew 11.7-10 .

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written ,

“‘ Behold, I send my messenger before your face ,
who will prepare your way before you .’ (Malachi 3.1)

But John was only the herald, the one to come before the true and great King. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. If the forerunner was coming, the Lord himself would not be far behind him. he would no longer tarry, but would come to his people, to the very Temple in which the people of Judah worshipped on that day.

“Who can endure?”

The question in Malachi’s mind was not if the Messiah was coming. The question was whether the people of Israel could survive it when he did.

2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Jesus did come first as the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, as we see in the New Testament, but Malachi sees not the savior but the judge, the Messiah who would cleanse his people from all their sin and iniquity, who would rescue them spiritually before he would rescue them physically. Before their exaltation as the chosen people of God, they must first be refined in the crucible of suffering. This is similar to the oracles of Zechariah that told of the purifying of the nation. But the process will not be easy. The metaphors here tell the story.

Jesus will be both the refiner and the fire that refines Israel by intense heat. Refining metal through heating is called ‘smelting’. Smelting furnaces work by heating the metals, such as gold and silver, to and past the melting point, then skimming off the impurities, or dross, as they rise to the top. The result is purified metal that eventually cools. This process was often repeated until the refiner was satisfied with the final product. The heat required is extreme: modern smelters operate at 2,200 F to 3,000 F degrees. In the first century, they would get them as hot as possible, likely around 1,200 to 1,300 F degrees. Psalm 12.6 uses the same purity metaphor. The words of the Lord are pure words , like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times .

The second metaphor is similar: Messiah will be to Israel as a fuller’s soap. A fuller was someone who created, processed, and cleaned fabric and clothes, and the soap they used was a combination of lye, which itself was made up of water and hardwood ashes, and animal fat. It produced a strong, corrosive cleansing effect, and if wrongly used, could produce chemical burns. Just as fuller’s soap deep-cleaned the dirt and impurities from cloth, so would God’s judgment through the Messiah remove from Israel all uncleanness.

The meaning of both metaphors is obvious. God will require the people to undergo judgment to remove their sin and wickedness, as he prepares them to be a kingdom of priests , a holy nation , God’s treasured possession (Exodus 19.5-6) as he intended from the beginning.

It’s meaningful that God uses silver as the example, as he refers specifically to the Levitical priests. Silver was the currency used for redemption, so the meaning seems to be that God will redeem the purposes of the priesthood, that again they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.

4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

God’s purging of Israel will be designed to transform his people into a holy nation.

5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

The Lord names some of the sins of Israel as the reason for his judgment. God will be both the witness of the sin and the judge of the sin. Sorcery, adultery, lying, and oppression stand as examples of all the many varied sins of the nation. But they could be summed up , as the Lord does here, in one: they do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts .

Paul may well have had this verse in mind when he wrote Romans 3.9b-12 . “. both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Paul's final stroke is this: 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

If you were to unwrap the motive and cause for every sin, reduce wickedness down to its essence, and get to the core of all of man’s rebellious words and actions directed to the Almighty, I think it would come down to this: people do not fear God . It’s incomprehensible but true: even when faced with God’s judgment, some will not fear God and repent.

So the end of God’s refining work is a purified nation, a people for his own possession .

Disputation #5: “You are robbing me.”

Having promised that his messenger of the covenant was coming, and that he, the Messiah himself, would refine and cleanse his people, God now calls his people to account for the state of their hard and greedy hearts.

6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ 8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.

This is a call to repentance. Return to me, and I will return to you – which is a repetition of Zechariah 1.3 , by the way. And it is said in a telling way. God asserts a fundamental divine attribute of himself, his immutability, his unchangeableness, and as an extension of his unchanging character, neither does his word change. But he charges the Jewish people in very clear terms with being the “children of Jacob” – you will recall what Jacob was known for, even what his name meant, “deceiver”. Here, God charges his people with following in their ancestors’ ways, trying to deceive God and cheating him out of that which was rightfully due him.

Yet in grace, God calls them back to himself, insisting that they return in obedience to the law of the tithe. This requirement is a foundational law and is related to many parts of the Jewish societal and religious life. The legal prescriptions are found in Leviticus 27 , Numbers 18 , and Deuteronomy 14 , and Nehemiah 10 records the pledges of the leaders and people to obey God’s command. Of course, by the time of Jesus, many people were not observing the law at all, while the religious leaders observed it in the most minute and self-righteous ways possible , learning Jesus’s condemnation in Matthew 23.23 . “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Here in Malachi, the Lord calls the people to account for robbing him by not bringing in the full tithe, a tenth of all their agricultural produce.

This disobedience can be corrected by obedience to his commands.

10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse , that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need . 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight , says the Lord of hosts.

The Jewish tithe was fairly low compared to other taxes that are known from the period. It had three purposes:

It supported the Levites for their work in the Temple ( Numbers 18.21 )

It supported, in addition to the Levites, the sojourners (immigrants in the Jewish community), widows, and orphans ( Deuteronomy 14.28-29 )

And it supported a feast for God’s people in His presence ( Deuteronomy 14.23 )

For all of these purposes, the tithe was poured back into the people. for spiritual ministry and instruction, for support for the most economically vulnerable of the people, and for community celebration.

And yet, knowing this, the Jews of Malachi’s day were still withholding their tithe. Not only were the Jews robbing God, but they were also, in a real sense, robbing themselves. The “storehouse” of verse 10 would support the Levites and their families, and the most vulnerable among them, and the celebrations.

And famously, God urged the Jews to put him to the test to see if he would not greatly bless them if they would give as they should. Crops would fully produce as God removed the “devourer,” which is probably locusts or something like them, and vines would thrive without the pests that damage them.

Normally, people “testing” God is not a good idea. Deuteronomy 6.16 forbids it, and Jesus quoted that during his wilderness temptations to remind Satan that testing God is not OK. But here, God gives Israel permission to test him. God initiated the first “giving challenge” by telling Israel to obey him and watch the blessings come. And other nations would see these blessings, knowing they were from Israel’s God, and glorify him.

But here’s a warning: don’t take this passage out of context and perversely twist it. That’s a favorite trick of prosperity gospel preachers.

Application

As we think about how to wrestle with these truths, let’s consider these questions. We are blessed if we know Jesus as the Savior. But we must also reckon with Jesus as the righteous Judge.

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?

You may well be born again. amen. But is every facet of your life – works, attitudes, words -- prepared for the judgment you will face as a believer? I’ve heard Christians say that they will never face judgment. That’s true for our sins, for they are already forgiven by the blood of Jesus, but our works will certainly face judgment.

II Corinthians 5.10 , Romans 14.12 , and I Corinthians 4.5 all speak to the judgment believers will face for rewards, but let’s look at I Corinthians 3.10-15 because it’s so clear. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

How are you prepared to face the Refiner’s fire ?

Keep the foundation – Jesus Christ – the basis for all we do

Be conscious of your motives

Serve well and faithfully

How are we doing regarding our financial stewardship? What should our attitudes be about giving to the Lord?

As Gentiles, we are not under the Mosaic covenant; most of us are not agricultural producers, so we cannot tithe of our produce; we are not descended from Jacob, nor is there a Temple, nor is there a Levitical priesthood; so, we are not held to the OT law of the tithe. but.

In this NT age, we are not given some sort of OT percentage of income or produce. However , we are still responsible for two things: first, to rightly see the truth about God’s character from the OT, and appropriately guide our conduct according to principles, not the law. But second, and more importantly, as Christ-followers, we are called to devote our entire lives – body, soul, and spirit, everything we are and everything we have – to the Lord Jesus Christ and his kingdom. not ten percent, but one hundred percent.

There are some principles for NT giving: 1) we are to give proportionally . I Cor 16.2 says we are to give as we prosper . 2) We are to give voluntarily and cheerfully . 2 Cor 9.7 says we are not to give under compulsion, but God loves a cheerful giver. 3) Our giving should tend toward generosity, not selfishness . 2 Cor 8.1-8. generosity even when under affliction and being prompted by joy. If the needle has to move one way or the other, let it move toward giving, not keeping. for your own heart’s sake.

We find one additional principle in part of Jesus’s teaching following the parable of the unjust steward in Luke 16.10 . 10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. Our circumstances don’t determine our generosity; our character does. When you are giving, consider what it reveals about your character.

Our closing thought tonight is about how we see our resources and how God sees them. It comes from author Randy Alcorn in his book, “The Treasure Principle”: “God comes right out and tells us why He gives us more money than we need. It’s not so we can find more ways to spend it. It’s not so we can indulge ourselves and spoil our children. It’s not so we can insulate ourselves from needing God’s provision. It’s so we can give – generously. When God provides more money, we often think, “this is a blessing.” Well, yes, but it would be just as scriptural to think, “this is a test.” Amen.In this NT age, we are not given some sort of OT percentage of income or produce. However , we are still responsible for two things: first, to rightly see the truth about God’s character from the OT, and appropriately guide our conduct according to principles, not the law. But second, and more importantly, as Christ-followers, we are called to devote our entire lives – body, soul, and spirit, everything we are and everything we have – to the Lord Jesus Christ and his kingdom. not ten percent, but one hundred percent.

T eaching Manuscript

Acts 22:30-23:35: "The Hand of Sovereign Providence"

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:56:14 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 22. Our passage for today is Acts 22:30–23:35, as part of our series, “No Other Name.” And the key word for today’s message is providence. And we’re going to see in the book of Acts God’s hand of providence.

When I was about age 12, my pastor preached a series on marriage. I remember that series very vividly. It stirred something inside of me that set me on a course of hopeful anticipation for my future bride. And one of the things that my pastor encouraged me to do was to begin praying for a wife. So I started praying in earnest. And that might sound a bit strange to you for a 12-year-old to start praying for a wife, but I was really moved by that sermon.

Well sure enough, my future bride around that same time moved from Croatia to Minden, Louisiana, as an exchange student. And while she was being enculturated by southern hospitality and learning the Louisianan dialect of English, I kept praying. And lo and behold, about ten years later we met up in Longview, Texas. Sanja was working as a tax accountant. I was finishing college. And God’s grand plan for our life together was unveiled. And we got married.

Now I look back on that whole situation as one of God’s great evidences in my life that he is in control, and that he is working out things in my life for the greater good. Even the hard things! I could tell you about all the bumps and bruises that Sanja and I experienced along the way before we got married. God used those things too for his greater purposes.

And again, there’s a word that summarizes these magnificent acts of God that bring about his greater purposes. I want everyone in the room to be familiar with this word, and fond of this word, because we’re going to see evidence of it in our text today—providence.

Providence is God’s omniscient directing of our universe and all the affairs of humankind. It’s parallel to the term sovereignty, but slightly different. God’s sovereignty is his supreme authority to rule all things. God’s providence is his wise and faithful ordering of all things toward his purposes. Sovereignty answers the question: Who is in charge? Providence answers the question: How does God actively govern the world?

Wayne Grudem writes in his Systematic Theology, “All things come to pass by God’s wise providence… The universe is not governed by impersonal fate or luck, but by a personal God. Nothing “just happens”—we should see God’s hand in events throughout the day, causing all things to work together for good for those who love him… A deepened appreciation for the doctrine of providence will not make us more superstitious; it will make us trust in God more and obey him more fully.” That’s providence.

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Now how is this relevant for the passage that we are studying today? Well let me show you in the text. When we last saw Paul, he was having a pretty rough day. After coming to Jerusalem, he was looked on with suspicion by the Jerusalemite believers. So he tried to appease them by taking part in this vow to demonstrate his Jewishness. That didn’t work… not really. Because during that vow ritual, he is spotted by the crowd in the temple and gets beaten to a bloody pulp.

After that, he’s rescued by the Roman soldiers near the temple. He talks the tribune into letting him talk to the crowd. The soldier agrees, and Paul tried to defend himself before the crowd by telling his story and evangelizing them. That didn’t work at all. But you got to love Paul for trying.

In fact, the crowd gets even angrier this time around. And they start hollering for Paul to be executed. And the tribune is so confused by this scene that he decides to have Paul flogged until he gets some answers. Paul uses a bit of shrewdness at that point to get out of the torture that the tribune wants to inflict on him. He informs them that he’s a Roman citizen, and therefore they can’t flog him. And that makes the Roman officer really uncomfortable. And they decide (the Romans anyway) to treat Paul with a little more dignity and respect.

But Paul’s troubles aren’t over. Look at chapter 22, verse 30. This is where our passage today picks up.

30 But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why [Paul] was being accused by the Jews, he [that’s the tribune, a high-ranking Roman officer] unbound [Paul] and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.

This tribune decides, “I’m going to get to the bottom of this little skirmish between Paul and the Jews.” So he calls the Sanhedrin together and orders them to deliberate.

The tribune knows now that he can’t beat Paul and interrogate him, because he’s a Roman citizen. He can’t risk another scene with the crowds; that’ll turn into a nightmare. So maybe he can get a group of honorable Jewish leaders to gather together and quietly, non-violently discuss this issue.

Sounds like a good plan, right? Not a horrible idea. But he doesn’t realize how much these Jewish leaders hate Paul… he’s about to find out.

So he gathers all these Jewish leaders together and Paul starts to give a defense. Look at chapter 23, verse 1.

1 And looking intently at the council [the Sanhedrin], Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.”

So Paul is unfettered at this point. And he’s in the middle of this room with these seventy Jewish leaders. And he looks intently at them. Everyone see that in verse 1? Paul is unafraid with a good conscience.

And Paul starts to talk. And I get the sense that he’s going to start preaching the gospel again. That’s what Paul does. Come hell or high-water, he’s going to tell people about Jesus.

But unfortunately here, he never gets the chance. Look at verse 2.

2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by [Paul] to strike him on the mouth.

I don’t know why Ananias does this. I don’t know if he thinks Paul was being blasphemous with his statement. Or maybe he thought Paul was being dishonest by saying “I have lived my life before God in all good conscience.” I don’t know. Honestly, I just think this was just a power play. This high priest Ananias wasn’t about to let Paul start being persuasive. So he smacks him around a little bit to cut him down to size.

And here’s a bit of historical background for you. This high priest, Ananias, was a very disreputable high priest. This was not the Annas (related to Caiphas) who interrogated Jesus in John 18. This is a different guy about twenty-five years after Christ’s crucifixion.

And this guy, Ananias, was infamous as a priest. He was notorious for his greed. His tenure as the high priest was filled with scandal and misbehavior. Josephus records that he was quick-tempered and ruthless. He was eventually murdered by Jewish zealots in AD 66 for his pro-Roman sympathies. He was not a good man, so his cruelty here shouldn’t surprise us.

What does surprise us is Paul’s response! Because look at verse 3.

3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!

Goodness gracious! That doesn’t sound like Paul, does it? A whitewashed wall is a wall that is structurally unsound but is covered over with white plaster so that it looks okay. This is a very descriptive statement about a person’s hypocrisy. Paul is calling this high priest a “stinking hypocrite!”

Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?”

Paul just loses it with this guy. Paul is saying here, “I should be innocent until proven guilty. That’s the Jewish law! So who do you think you are judging me according to the law when you are a lawbreaker?”

You might say, “Yeah, Paul give it to ‘em. Give it to ‘em. Don’t let them intimidate you. Don’t back down, man. Stand up for yourself. Exact your revenge!”

Here’s the problem though. The Bible says, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (1 Pet 3:9). Even Paul himself said, “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Rom 12:17–18).

You might say, “That’s easy for you to say, Tony. You weren’t the one who just got punched in the face.” Touché.

But let me ask you a question. Who’s this spoken of in the Bible? “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pet 2:23). Who’s that spoken of? That’s Jesus. That Peter talking about Jesus in his letter, 1 Peter.

And Paul, who up to this point in Jerusalem has humbly and admirably imitated his Savior, in this instance, his flesh got the best of him and he snapped. “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!” I mean, what is that? That’s a curse. And I don’t think Paul said this with a calm tone… I’m sure Paul said that red-faced, blood-boiling as an invective against this high priest. And that is not the same display of love and tenderness that Paul so admirably demonstrated to the crowd that had beaten him up in the temple. Something snapped in Paul and his flesh got the best of him!

Go ahead and take your notes and write this down. I want to give you today four summary statements of what happens to Paul in this passage. And I want to follow up each of those statements with the big idea for this message. The big idea is this: “God providentially works all things together for good.”

And the first of these statements is as follows:

1) When a saint stumbles, God providentially works all things together for good (22:30–23:5)

When a saint does less than Jesus… when a saint lets his or her flesh get the best of him or her… when a saint screws up royally… God providentially works all things together for good.

I’m drawing that phraseology, by the way, from Romans 8:28 where Paul himself writes, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” That Paul’s own statement in Romans 8:28! That not the ivory-tower philosophizing of a man unaccustomed to suffering.

Alistair Begg said about Paul that he did not work “his theology in the context of some cloistered tranquility, but he [hammered] out his theology on the anvil of experience.” Paul suffered and was persecuted severely. And he even failed the Lord on occasion. Paul was not sinless like Jesus. And even so, he could say “God works all things together for the good (the good things and the bad things and even my failures!) … Why? … to accomplish his sovereign purposes.”

You might say, “What does that have to do with me, Pastor Tony? I’m not a saint.” Well, it has everything to do with you. And yes, you are a saint. I’m not using that word in the way the Catholics use it—Saint Paul. And I’m not using it to describe someone who is supposedly sinless. That’s not possible on this side of eternity other than Christ. If you are a born-again follower of Jesus, then you are a saint according to the NT.

And who in here hasn’t stumbled like Paul does in Acts 23? Who in here hasn’t lost their temper or lashed out sinfully from time to time? Or who in here has failed to speak lovingly of those who oppose Christ?

Let’s take a vote… Has anyone here failed to meet up to the perfect standard of Christ? Some of you might say, “Pastor Tony, I didn’t even make it through this morning without failing to meet the perfect standard of Christ!” If that’s you, here’s my encouragement to you. God loves you. His blood covers over your sins—past, present, and future. You are still a child of God. And God will providentially use even your stumbling for his ultimate purposes.

Now does that excuse you sin? No, in fact Paul doesn’t excuse his sin. Look at verse 4.

4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?”

These guys in the Sanhedrin were just shocked at Paul’s insolence. “Would you revile God’s high priest?” A lesser man like myself might say, “You bet, I do! And another thing…”

But watch what Paul does. Look at verse 5.

5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest,

Paul’s been in Gentile lands for the last few years, he hasn’t kept track of Jewish politics.

for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”

Now what is that, right there? That’s repentance. Was the high priest right for striking Paul? No. But Paul doesn’t make excuses. Paul doesn’t blame-shift or say “The devil made me do it.” Paul says simply, “I was wrong; and according to Scriptures (Exod 22:28) I shouldn’t have said that.” Good for Paul.

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And look what happens next in verse 6. If you thought Paul’s honest repentance would have taken the temperature down a bit in the Sanhedrin, you were wrong.

6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council,

The Sanhedrin had two separate political parties that had significant philosophical differences between them, even though they were both Jewish. And if you thought there was rancor between Republicans and Democrats in America, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

And Paul is about to exploit those differences!

“Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” 7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

Here’s the issue historically. The Sadducees were the liberal party of the Jews. They were anti-supernaturalists, so they didn’t believe in any kind of afterlife. They didn’t believe in any Scriptures, other than the first five books of the OT. They were liberal. And they were the majority in the Sanhedrin. Ananias the high priest was a Sadducee.

The Pharisees, on the other hand, they had their own problems. But they were conservative theologically. They believed in a resurrection. They believed in the coming of the Messiah. They just didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah.

And Paul was a Pharisee. He had come to believe in Jesus. So perhaps he’s thinking, “I might be able to win some of these Pharisees over to Jesus. They’ve got more in common with me than the Sadducees.” So he starts this little debate in the Sanhedrin. Maybe that was his intention here—to start this debate. Or perhaps he was trying to get the attention off of him and onto a more important topic, “the resurrection.” Maybe then, he could talk to them about Jesus’s resurrection. Or perhaps, Paul was just mischievously trying to discredit all of these men in front of the tribune by starting this argument.

Whatever the case, I doubt it was Paul’s intention to start another ruckus. But unfortunately that’s what happened. Because look at verse 9.

9 Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man.

Wow! That’s a shocking reversal, right there!

What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?”

What? I don’t know about that.

10 And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.

Another attempt to preach the gospel by Paul. Another failure! Everywhere Paul goes in Jerusalem he is failing miserably. In Corinth and Ephesus, all he had to do what say a few words and people gave their lives to Christ! Here Paul can’t do anything right. And everywhere he goes people respond to him with violence.

Can you imagine how discouraging that would be? All kinds of suffering and persecution with no conversions to counterbalance it! I mean people wanted to kill him in Corinth and Ephesus too, but at least he had people coming to Christ! But in Jerusalem, Paul courageously tries to preach the gospel to his Jewish brethren and what does he have to show for it? Two riots. Multiple attempts to kill him! Paul’s whole trip to Jerusalem has been a complete disaster. From a human perspective, nothing good has happened.

But watch this in verse 11. You know, I have found that in some of my darkest days, when I feel like a complete failure, that is when God shows up with his best displays of grace and comfort. And I can just imagine Paul sitting up late at night trying to sleep. His face still hurting from the blow he suffered in the Sanhedrin. His body still smarting from getting beaten up in the temple.

But worse than the physical pain is the emotional pain of a missed opportunity. “Why did I have to smart off like that to the high priest?” “Why didn’t I just play it cool and tell them about Jesus?” “Why did I mention the resurrection and get that debate started between the Pharisees and Sadducees?” “What a wasted opportunity!”

But was it a wasted opportunity? Let’s see what Jesus says. Look at verse 11.

11 The following night

That’s the day after the riot in the Sanhedrin.

11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage,

By the way, this Greek expression for “take courage” is only uttered by Jesus in the NT. Similar to what Jesus does with his disciples in the gospels, he stands by Paul in the middle of the night as his servant is suffering. In one of Paul’s darkest moments, when Paul feels like an absolute failure, Jesus says to him: “Take courage.”

“Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”

Paul’s like, “Testified about you in Jerusalem. All I’ve done here is start riots all over the city.” But that’s not how Jesus sees it. Jesus is pleased with his efforts. Jesus is proud of him. And Jesus gives him a new lease on life. Jesus tells him, “Not only are you going to survive this predicament in Jerusalem, but you are going to go to Rome and testify about me there.”

Write this down as a second point from the message:

2) When a saint “fails to succeed,” God providentially works all things together for good (23:6–11)

The story is told about the famous pianist Paderewski who was to perform at a great concert hall in America. It was to be a grand affair with all of the social and intellectual elites of the country gathered. But also gathered in that concert hall was a fidgety nine-year boy who failed to appreciate this Paderewski brilliance. This boy had started piano lessons, and his mother brought him to see the great Polish pianist perform. But the boy was there against his wishes. And as she turned to talk to some friends, the nervous little boy mischievously jumped up onto the stage and drew near to the magnificent Steinway Grand Piano. And he sat down and started playing “Chopsticks.” It’s a simple little piano piece for beginners.

Well the audience was incensed by the impudence of this little boy. And they began to shout with agitation, “Get the boy away from that piano! Who’d bring a kid like that to a concert? Where’s his mother?” I’m sure you can imagine how mortified his mother was.

Well backstage Paderewski heard this commotion. And so he quickly grabbed his coat and rushed on stage without any introduction. And he stooped behind the boy with his arms over and around the boy and he began to improvise a countermelody to chopsticks. And they played together. And Paderewski kept whispering in the boy’s ear, “Keep going. Keep playing, son. Don’t stop. Don’t quit.” And so this brilliant pianist virtuoso took the miserable failure of this little boy and his mother and made it into something beautiful.

And so it is with our service to Christ. I don’t tell you that story to encourage mischievous behavior in our congregation. I tell you that story to comfort you with the fact that Jesus improvises our mistakes and failures and turns them into something good. God providentially works all things together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.

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Now God’s providence is going to be tested in the next few verses of Acts 23. Or maybe it’s better to say it this way—Paul’s confidence in God’s providence is about to be tested in the next few verses. And Luke is going to show us, the readers, just how in control of everything God is.

But before we get to that, write this down as the third point from this passage.

3) When a saint is endangered, God providentially works all things together for good (23:12–24)

Now just to clarify, I can’t say that when a saint is endangered that God will always rescue him or her from that danger. I can’t say that, because that’s not a universal principle. Because what happened to John the Baptist? He was beheaded. What happened to James? He was killed by Herod. What happened to Stephen? He was stoned to death. I can’t promise you that God rescues every saint from adversity. But I can promise you this—God providentially works all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

I can’t promise you that God will remove the cancer in your body. I can’t promise you that God will give you that thing that your heart so desperately desires. I can’t promise you that God will remove the pain or the suffering or the hardship in your life. But I can promise you that, if you are a child of God, God loves you and will providentially work for your good. Even if you have to wait for eternity to experience that goodness—which by the way will be a million times better than anything we’ve ever experienced in this world—you will experience God’s goodness. I promise you.

One commentator, the church father, John Chrysostom, asks this question, “Why didn’t [Jesus] appear to [Paul] before he fell into danger?” In other words, why didn’t Jesus appear to Paul before he made a mess of things and suffered great persecution at the hands of the Jews and Romans? And this is how John Chrysostom answers that question. “Because, as always, it is in affliction that God consoles. For then he appears more desirable, as he trains us even in the midst of dangers.”

Let me put that a little more succinctly—we as Christians grow through pain. Sometimes we say things like, “God, please take this painful thing away!” And God’s like, “Take this thing away. That’s the thing that is making you stronger. That’s the thing that’s forcing you to come on me. Why would I take that away?”

When a saint is suffering… when a saint is hurting… God stands by you in that. Just like Jesus stood by Paul. And God won’t waste that suffering. He will use it to bring about his greater purpose in your life.

Now watch this. You want evidence that God’s promises are true? Look what happens with Paul in verse 12.

12 When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

These guys take an oath (literally they “anathematize” themselves) saying that they won’t eat or drink until they kill Paul. That’s how much these guys hate Paul and the gospel he proclaims.

Look at verse 13.

13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath [literally we have anathematized ourselves with an anathema] to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore you,

By the way, these are the conspirators telling the chief priests and elders what to do! These guys are as insolent and dismissive as Paul was earlier. But the leaders don’t have a problem with it here.

15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring [Paul] down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

So these conspirators devise a plot to kill Paul. And what’s shocking about this plot is that not only are they willing to anathematize themselves and take no food or drink until Paul is dead. They are conspiring now against the Roman Empire.

Inevitably if this plot is carried out, they will kill Paul, but also a good number of Roman soldiers. And whenever people did that to the Romans, you can be sure that the Romans retaliated with vengeance. So this was a dastardly plot that would involve a lot of innocent bloodshed. That’s how much these guys hated Paul and the message that he has brought to Jerusalem.

Now watch what happens next. By the way, who’s in control of this situation? The conspirators or God? Jesus said that Paul was going to Rome. These conspirators say he’s not getting out of Jerusalem alive? Who’s going to be right? Watch what God does!

16 Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

Now we don’t know anything else about Paul’s sister or his nephew. We didn’t even know Paul had a nephew! And we don’t know what his nephew was doing in Jerusalem. Maybe he was in Jerusalem training to be a Pharisee just like his uncle Paul was thirty years earlier. We don’t know how his nephew heard about this ambush. Maybe he was related to one of the conspirators and heard about the plot to kill Paul. Maybe he had a soft spot for uncle Paul and doesn’t want him to die.

We don’t even know if this nephew is a believer. He may have just been a Jew in the city who didn’t want to see bloodshed with his uncle. Whatever the case, God sovereignly works it out to where now the conspiracy is uncovered and Paul can be protected.

Look at verse 17.

17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” 18 So [the centurion] took [Paul’s nephew] and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” 19 The tribune took [the young man] by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” 20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. 21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed [Paul]. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.”

22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.” 23 Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. 24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.”

Now let me point out a couple things here. First notice in verse 23 that they leave in the third hour of the night. That’s like 9pm by our reckoning. They are leaving immediately to get Paul out of there and avoid this bloodshed.

Secondly notice Paul’s military entourage to Caesarea. The tribune sends 200 foot soldiers, 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen to go with Paul. That’s 470 well-armed, well-trained soldiers. That’s a small army, right there, for one Jewish guy!

And here’s the point. If God wants something done, he’s going to get it done. In this case, God raises up an army of Roman soldiers to protect Paul. (How ironic is that! These are the guys who wanted to flog Paul a few days before this). God raises up a small army of Roman soldiers to transport Paul to Caesarea, which will be his first stop on the long voyage to Rome.

Jesus promised Paul that he’s going to Rome. Sure enough, the first leg of that adventure is now underway.

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Now watch what happens next. This’ll be a nice little set up for next week’s message. Look at verse 25.

25 And he [that’s the tribune] wrote a letter to this effect: 26 “Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.

Okay, there’s a little bit of revisionist history here with this letter. This guy, Claudius, is a little loose with the facts. If you remember, he didn’t find out Paul was a Roman citizen until after he had bound him and ordered him to be flogged. But it’s probably best that he leave that out of the official report.

28 And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. 29 I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. 30 And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.”

So that’s the letter that the tribune, Claudius Lysias, sends with Paul. And he’s sending Paul to Caesarea to get a fair trial and to get out of harm’s way in Jerusalem.

And here’s where the narrative picks up after that letter. Look at verse 31.

31 So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

Paul is sent to Felix in Caesarea - (Click for map)

Here’s the map showing Paul’s travels to Antipatris. He spend a day there, before continuing on to Caesarea. He’s been to Caesarea before. Of course, this is the place where Paul met with Phillip and the other believers. They tried to persuade him not to go to Jerusalem. Paul went anyway. And now the Romans are bringing Paul back to Caesarea in chains awaiting trial.

Look at verse 32.

32 And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with [Paul]. 33 When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. 34 On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when [Felix] learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod’s praetorium.

By the way, Herod’s praetorium was a large palatial dwelling in Caesarea. Paul is imprisoned, but he’s imprisoned in style, at least, as he awaits a formal trial. And that’s where we’ll pick up the narrative next time.

But go ahead and write this down as a last point from our message:

4) When a saint is protected, God providentially works all things together for good (23:25–35)

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When a saint is endangered, God providentially works all things together for good. When a saint is protected, God providentially works all things together for good. Providence. Providence. Providence.

God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform:

He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines, with never-failing skill,

He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds ye so much dread

are big with mercy, and shall break in blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace;

behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour:

the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.”

Paul was not in the hands of sinners in Acts 23—Romans or Jews. It might have looked like that. But that’s not the case. Paul was in the hands of Almighty God. As are we. And the mighty hand of providence guides and guards us all the way to the end of our lives and on into eternity.

Deep in unfathomable mines, with never-failing skill,

He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will.

R. Kent Hughes tells the story about a missionary named V. Raymond Edman who in 1926 fell ill from Typhus Fever in the mountains of Ecuador. He was so ill that they despaired of his life and actually ordered a coffin for his body. The doctor said his feet had already turned cold. He was sure to be dead soon. So his wife made preparations for the funeral. She didn’t have a black dress for the funeral so she dyed her wedding dress black. They set the date for the funeral. July 4th at 3pm, 1926. The funeral for V. Raymond Edman.

Well forty-one years later in 1967, Dr. V. Raymond Edman, the fourth president of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, was addressing the student body in the school chapel when at 10:53am, he suddenly stopped speaking and collapse to his death and immediately went into the presence of the King of kings. Dr. Edman whose funeral was scheduled for July 4, 1926, instead experienced another forty-one years of faithful service to the Lord, before dying suddenly. Why? Here’s the answer that Hughes gives, “God’s servants are immortal until their work is done. No servant of God dies a premature death.”

Now hear me on this, church. I know two things about every one of you right now. These two facts are irrefutable. The first fact is that you’re alive this morning. God has given you life! The second fact is that everyone here will eventually die. You’ll either die or you will be raptured when Christ returns, whichever comes first. But soon enough your time here on planet earth will cease.

And in-between those two realities: life and death (this life and the life ever-after)… the Bible says that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6).

For those of you who know Jesus Christ as your Savior… Everything in your life… every good thing, every bad thing, every joyful thing, every difficult thing, every pleasurable thing, every painful thing… God is using all of that for your good… For the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

And I don’t have any other instruction for you today, other than just to rest in that. I don’t have any other application for you… other than this… Just trust him. Trust in the providence of God!

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace;

behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.

Acts 21:37–22:29 | “Urgency in the Midst of Adversity.”

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 07:22:02 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 21 . And we will pick up today at verse 37 .

I have a friend who pastors a church in the Chicago area who grew up an atheist. His parents were atheists. And he used to insult and bully Christians in his high school. But after high school, he got saved. And his life radically changed. In fact, he became a pastor. And irony of ironies, he planted a church in the very high school where he used to harass Christians years earlier. How’s that for a providential irony!

Over time members of his own family got saved. He shared Christ with his father, and his dad got saved. And then he and his dad started witnessing to his mom. But mama wasn’t buying this whole Jesus stuff. And so this pastor and his dad just kept praying and waiting for God to work on her.

Sure enough, a few years later, this pastor’s mom turned to Christ. And then she wanted to get baptized. And this pastor was like, “I don’t think I can objectively determine your readiness for baptism, mom. Talk to one of our elders.” So one of the elders of the church interviewed her and confirmed that she was saved and ready for baptism.

And so, this pastor got to baptize his mom as a public declaration of her faith in Christ. Is that awesome or what? Usually it’s the moms who are used by God to evangelize their children. In this case, it was a son who evangelized his mama.

Why do I tell you that story? Because that pastor, after getting saved, began working as an evangelist to his family with urgency. That’s the key word for us today—urgency. Life is short. Eternity is long. And our approach to evangelism and sharing Christ with others needs to be urgent, whether it’s family members or total strangers.

And from Acts 21:37 all the way to Acts 22:29, we’re going to see urgency with the Apostle Paul. We’re going to see “ Urgency in the Midst of Adversity .”

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Now let’s review the context for this passage. If you remember, Paul was absolutely certain in Acts 20 that God wanted him to go to Jerusalem even when his friends said, “Paul, don’t go there.” Paul went anyway. And Paul was absolutely certain that he would face adversity and affliction when he got to Jerusalem. He went anyway. And as we saw last week, Paul goes into the temple participating in this vow as a display of his Jewishness. But the people rise up to persecute him anyway. They grab him in the temple and start wailing on him. They beat him to a bloody pulp until finally the Roman soldiers arrive to quell the uproar.

And verse 33 tells us that when the soldiers got there, they arrested Paul! Which is curious to say the least! They arrest the guy who is bloodied and bruised on the ground, not the guys who are standing over him with bloody fists. But it’s not a bad thing. It probably saved Paul’s life. So the soldiers arrested Paul and bound him in chains, just like Agabus prophesied a few weeks before this.

And verse 35 says this.

35 And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!”

“Off with his head! We want that guy dead!” This was a murderous, riotous, bloodthirsty crowd. They wanted vengeance on Paul because (allegedly!) he had dared to speak against the people, the law, and this holy place—i.e., the temple (21:28).

Coincidently this took place during the Feast of Pentecost. So the crowds were much larger than normal in Jerusalem. And the crowds were foaming at the mouth with religious fervor. So you could see how easily something like this could happen to Paul.

Now here’s where the story gets really interesting. Watch what Paul does next. Because a lesser man, like myself, would have used this opportunity to sneak out of town. A lesser man would have quietly left with the Romans. A lesser man would have regrouped and waited for a more opportune time to reach Jerusalemites for Christ. At least a time when—you know—they didn’t want to kill you! A lesser man would have had less urgency in the face of adversity.

But watch what happens. Look at verse 37.

37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And [the tribune] said, “Do you know Greek?

The tribune probably thought Paul was some uneducated thug. I mean they were beating this guy up outside the temple. So he was really surprised to hear Paul speaking Greek instead of Aramaic.

And maybe based on his accent, he makes the following assumption:

38Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?”

What?!!! Where did that come from? Why would he think that about Paul?

Well, Egyptians at this time spoke Greek. Egypt had been absorbed into the Greek Empire years before this. And so the tribune surmises that Paul must be this famous, false messiah who led a revolt in Jerusalem.

According to Josephus (a first century Jewish historian), there was an Egyptian false prophet a few years before this who promised that he would bring the walls of the city of Jerusalem down like Jericho. The governor (or Roman procurator) of Judea at this time was Felix. This guy held the same office as Pontius Pilate before him. And Felix and his troops killed many of the followers of this Egyptian. But the Egyptian “Assassin” somehow managed to escape. This tribune assumes that Paul was that Egyptian prophet.

But Paul says, “No! no! I’m not that guy.” Who are you then?

39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city.

Tarsus was an important city in the Roman Empire at this time. So this statement would have gotten the Tribune’s attention.

And here’s Paul’s request.

I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”

TRIBUNE : “You mean the people that just beat the living tar out of you?”

PAUL : “Yes, them.”

TRIBUNE : “You mean the people who are yelling right now, ‘We want that guy dead’?”

PAUL : “Yes, those people.”

TRIBUNE : “You mean those venomous, murderous people, who would have killed you if I hadn’t rescued your sorry self?”

PAUL : “Yes, those people. I’ve got something to say to them!”

TRIBUNE : “Okay, man. It’s your funeral.”

Verse 40 tells us that the tribune agreed to Paul’s request. And do you know what Paul’s going to tell this crowd? Do you know what Paul’s going to tell this group of ruffians who just tried to kill him?

I hate to get ahead of the story, but I’ll just tell you now. He’s going to give his testimony. He’s going to tell them how Jesus saved his soul.

Paul was so committed to the gospel, Paul loved Christ so much… Paul loved lost people so much that even when they wanted to kill him, he still wanted to tell them about Jesus. This sense of urgency was so pressing in his soul. Is that awesome or what? If that doesn’t fire you up for the gospel then your wood is wet.

Write this down as a first point from this text. I want to give you today four answers to the question: What Does a Sense of Urgency Look Like?

Here’s the first answer.

1) A boldness in the face of opposition (21:37–39)

What does boldness in the face of opposition look like?

Let’s say your coworker says that Christianity is passé. And you say, “I beg to differ. Let me tell you about Jesus. Let me tell you what he’s done for me.”
Let’s say your sister-in-law says that there’s no afterlife. And you say, “Oh, yes there is! And you know what? I want you to go there with me. Believe in Christ and we can spend eternity together with him.”
Your babysitter says, “Life is meaningless.” And you say, “No, it’s not. Life is meaningful. And Jesus loves you. And he wants to save your soul and secure a place for you in eternity. Won’t you embrace him as your Savior?”

It’s easy for us to see Paul’s actions in Jerusalem as heroic and unbelievably bold and courageous. And we think to ourselves that we could never imitate him here. But don’t think you have to. Not right away, anyway. Start small. Start with your kids. Start with the kids in children’s ministry. Start with your neighbors. Start with your family and your extended family. Just share your faith! Just share your testimony! And don’t let opposition be an obstacle to bold proclamation of Christ as your Savior and your Lord.

Now don’t be obnoxious as you present the gospel to others. But I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think we as a church run the risk of obnoxiousness in the way we present the gospel. I know I don’t as your pastor. I think we as a church are more at risk of fear and courage-lessness than obnoxiousness when it comes to sharing the gospel.

So take a courageous step of faith. Make a courageous move towards a lost person. Step out with a sense of urgency. We only get one chance at this life; and life is so short. Don’t waste your life hoarding the gospel that we hold dear.

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Here’s a second thing that you need to have if you are going to have a sense of urgency. Write this down as #2 in your notes.

2) A love for your listeners (21:40-22:2)

Paul says elsewhere in 1 Corinthians 13 , “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing” (13:1–3, NIV). If anyone ever had the right to hate a group of people… if anyone ever had a right, humanly speaking, of despising a group of people, Paul had that right with this crowd in Jerusalem. They wanted to kill him. They tried to kill him!

But watch what Paul does in response in verse 40.

40 And when [the tribune] had given [Paul] permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people.

What do you think that looked like? Do you think Paul raised his fist to them and was like, “A curse on all your houses!” No, it was probably more like this, “Calm down, calm down. I need to tell you something.”

Here’s a replica of the temple complex and what’s called the Fortress Antonia that towered over it.

Replica of the Temple Complex with the Fortress Antonia - (Click for Slide)

This was a Roman fortress that sat on the backside of the temple. And this is the place where Paul was taken after he was arrested. And Paul was on the steps leading up to this fortress when he addressed this crowd. This was the perfect place to address a large crowd that was underneath him.

And if it was me, I would probably say something like, “Alright! Put a cork in it, you bunch of ruffians!” But look what Paul does. He speaks to them in Hebrew (literally the Hebrew dialect, probably a form of Aramaic in that day).

40b … And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language,

Alistair Begg said this would be like an Irishman addressing a crowd in Gaelic. This would be like a southerner addressing a southern crowd with a southern drawl. Paul speaks in their heart language.

saying: 1 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”

Brothers and fathers? That’s odd. I don’t know about you, but my brother and my father have never tried to kill me. But Paul loves these people. He views them as family, even though they just pummeled him.

2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet.

His use of the Hebrew language, and probably also his tone, quieted them. Paul loved these people. He loved them! Paul says in Romans 9:3, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

Now here’s the application for us. If you are going to be an unafraid witness for Jesus Christ, if you are going to give your testimony to a group of lost people, you better love them. You better not testify with a spirit of hate or vindictiveness or animosity. That doesn’t work. And that’s not biblical. Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (see Matt 5:44; Luke 6:27–28).

And this’ll help—try to remember just how unlovable you were when Christ came and saved your soul. Remember how unlovable you were when your friend or your coworker or your parents shared the gospel with you. That should help you love unlovable people when you share your testimony with them.

By the way, do you know how to share your testimony? I hope you do. I hope you don’t say, “O yeah I’ve always been a Christian, ever since I was born.” That’s not a testimony. I hope you don’t say to people, “Yep, God helps those who help themselves. That’s how I got saved.” That’s not a testimony. In fact, that’s heresy.

“Alright, well how do I share my testimony, Pastor Tony?” Watch what Paul does!

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So the crowd is quiet in verse 2. And Paul starts to give his “defense.” But it’s not really a defense. All he really does is tell them about how Jesus saved his soul.

And he said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.

What’s Paul doing here? Well he’s giving his credentials as a Jew, but he’s also building a rapport with his listeners. “I am just like you.” Or more appropriately, “I was just like you.”

4 I persecuted this Way

Remember, “the Way” is the term for Christianity used in the book of Acts.

4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

“I was just like you!” says Paul. “In fact I was more zealous for Judaism than you are! I was a persecutor of Christianity!”

By the way, this is a different approach than how Paul presents the gospel in Athens. Paul contextualizes the gospel for his audience, which is important. The way you share the gospel should differ depending on your audience. The essence of the gospel can’t change. But the way you share it and how you address the specific circumstances and the specific needs of your listeners can change and should change.

6 “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me.

That light must have been pretty spectacular to outshine the noonday sun.

7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ 11 And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light…

By the way, the word for brightness here is the Greek word δόξα, which means “glory.” This wasn’t just a glorified halogen light bulb. This wasn’t even the light of the sun or the stars in our solar system. This was the glorious radiance of Christ that blinded Paul. This was shekinah glory that overwhelmed and incapacitated Paul.

11 And since I could not see because of the [glory] of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. 12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,

Notice again how Paul is contextualizing for his audience. He’s pointing out how devout Ananias was as a Jew. But not just as a Jew, as a Jewish believer in Christ!

13 [Ananias]… came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him [that’s Ananias]. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One [that’s Jesus] and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Acts 9 tells us that Paul regained his sight and was filled with the Spirit. He believed and was saved and then was subsequently baptized. Paul, a persecutor of the church... Paul, a murderer and an enemy of Christ… Paul! … Got!... Saved! He got saved.

And it wasn’t because he was smarter or better looking than anyone else. It wasn’t because he logically figured it out while everyone else was too doltish to put it all together. He got saved because God sovereignly reached down and grabbed a hold of his life and said, “Paul you’re mine! No more working against me. From now on you’re working for me!”

And by the way, courageous Ananias was willing to meet up with a killer. Talk about urgency. Talk about boldness and gutsiness. And now, Paul is imitating that gutsiness by sharing his own testimony in-front of a hostile crowd of killers. We could use a little bit of that gutsiness in our day.

Write this down as a third point in your notes. Urgency means boldness in the face of opposition (21:37–39). Urgency means love for your listeners (20:40–21:2). And thirdly urgency means…

3) A clear and compelling testimony of conversion (22:3–16)

Not “Yeah, I’m a Christian, because my parents are Christians.” Not “I just went to church and it seemed like the right thing to do.” Not “I made a deal with the man upstairs.” Don’t say that, please. That’s unclear and ambiguous. Urgency means a clear and compelling testimony of conversion.

And I know some of you have an awesome Damascus Road experience that is just begging to be told. “I was going 100mph in the wrong direction, and God dropped a boulder on my life. Then I knew my need for a Savior! Now I’m going 100mph in the opposite direction living for Christ, and if necessary, dying for Christ.” That’s awesome! Get that story out there! Tell somebody about it! And tell them that they can have peace with Christ too.

You might say, “Tony I don’t have a dramatic Damascus Road experience. The gospel got preached; I got saved. That’s it! And there were no histrionics. There were no ‘boulders’ or ‘voices from heaven.’ There were no dramatic, life-altering encounters with God. So I don’t know how to be compelling when I share my testimony.”

If that’s you right now, let me just say two things about that, because I know that represents a fair number of Christians in the church. Two things:

Salvation, however it takes place, is always a life-altering encounter with God. If you say I was five years old, my parents shared Christ with me, and I got saved. That is life-altering! If your life hasn’t been altered, then you haven’t been saved. So don’t minimize that. Don’t think less of yourself or your testimony because it happened simpler and less dramatically than someone who came to Christ later in life.

That’s my story, by the way. I was a grade-schooler at Nazarene Christian School in Austin, Texas. The principal at that school got up during chapel and preached the gospel. I was convicted about my sin. I came forward and gave my life to the Lord. That was my life-altering experience of salvation. And I love telling that story. I’m not embarrassed to share that with anyone.

If your story is like mine, just because your conversion doesn’t have a dramatic set of circumstances surrounding it, that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t amazing. If you can’t emphasize the circumstances surrounding your conversion (a divorce that brought you to your knees, an addiction that was consuming you, a Damascus road encounter with Jesus like the Apostle Paul), then emphasize the theological drama that was enacted when you came to Christ.

We can all say this. “I was an enemy of God. I was separated from him because of my sin, because of humanity’s sin as a whole. And yet God in his mercy came to earth and took on human flesh and died for me. And when I realized that and believed in that work the Holy Spirit came upon me and gave me new life in Christ. And I was a new creation at age five or ten or fifteen or fifty. And now my life is lived for him!

Are those things true when you got saved? Are those things any less amazing than a drug addict who came to faith in his or her twenties? I don’t think so.

We want to share Christ with a sense of urgency and conviction. And an essential part of that is “A clear and compelling testimony of conversion.”

Maybe some of you right now might say, “You know what, Pastor Tony? I don’t have a testimony of conversion. I don’t know when or even if I’m saved. I don’t sense the Holy Spirit moving in my life.” Well perhaps that’s because you’re not saved. Maybe it’s because you assumed you were saved because your parents were saved, or you were baptized as a baby, or because you were always surrounded by Christians.

Maybe you walked in today unsaved, but you want to leave here saved. Maybe today’s service is the “boulder” in your life. It’s the dramatic moment in your life that you’ve been waiting for.

If that’s the case, don’t delay any longer. Just bow your head right now. Right now! I’ve got more to preach. But for someone in this room (or online), this sermon is over and you need to respond. Just bow your head and confess your sin before a righteous God.

Just say to the Lord, “I’m a sinner. I need Jesus. I believe in Jesus’s death on the cross as a payment for my sin. I believe in Jesus’s resurrection from the dead. And from this point forward I’ll live for him.”

Let this day be a day of salvation for you.

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Now let me preach a little more to confirmed believers in this room. Urgency means boldness in the face of opposition (21:37–39). It means love for your listeners (20:40–21:2). It means a clear and compelling testimony of conversion. But urgency also means this:

4) A willingness to suffer rejection (22:17–29)

If you are not willing to suffer rejection... if you are not willing to risk your reputation for the sake of Christ and the gospel… if you are not willing to suffer insults and name-calling and stereotyping and awkwardness and embarrassment and emotional pain… you won’t have a sense of urgency. And you won’t see God do amazing things as you bear witness to his glory. That privilege will go to another.

2 Corinthians 2:15–16 says, “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.” As Christians, we exude this effervescent, aromatic fragrance. It’s the fragrance of Christ. For some people they breathe it in, and it’s the breath of life. It’s the fragrance of the living. For others, it’s the stench of death.

Listen, the most precious thing that we get to do in this world is lead people to new life in Christ. It is a wonderful, awesome privilege. But that same smell that brings joy and hope and new life in Christ to some, provokes hate and insults and rejection and death in others. And you got to risk that. If you are going to have urgency, you’ve got to risk that. I’ve got to risk that.

If you are going to be the fragrance of life to some, you’ve got to be willing to be the fragrance of death to others. That’s just the way it is. Urgency means a willingness to suffer rejection.

Here’s what happens to Paul. Look at verse 17.

17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance

Now this is after Paul’s Damascus road experience. This is after he got saved. He comes to Jerusalem, and he starts asking God, “What’s next? What do you want me to do, God?” And during that time of prayer in the temple, he falls into a trance. This is the same word, trance, that was used of Peter when he had the vision from heaven with that sheet full of all the clean and unclean animals (Acts 10:9–16).

And here’s what God shows him.

I fell into a trance 18 and saw [Jesus] saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

Now take note of this. This is Paul arguing with Jesus about whether or not he should preach to Jews in Jerusalem. Paul thinks he’s the perfect candidate to preach to Jews. Paul thinks, because he’s been converted out of great violence towards Christians, he’s the perfect person to tell people that Christianity is true.

But God’s ways are not our ways. And God’s plans are different than Paul’s plans. God knows that if Paul stays in Jerusalem, he’ll just get himself killed, so he sends him out of Jerusalem to minister to Gentiles in the Roman Empire.

And verse 21 says this:

21 And [Jesus] said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

So that’s what Paul did. He travelled all around the Roman Empire preaching the gospel, planting churches, and running for his life.

Now on a scale of 1 to 10, how good was Paul as a minister to the Gentiles? He was pretty good, right? How many of you think God knew what he was doing sending Paul to the Gentiles?

But watch how the crowd responds to this statement. Look at verse 22.

22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”

The “word” that infuriated them was the word “Gentiles.” They were doing fine until Paul insinuated that Gentiles could be saved as well as Jews. That was too much for this Jewish crowd. They just go bonkers.

These Jews were incensed by the idea that Gentiles could be saved, which is interesting because their OT Scriptures told them that they would be a witness to the Gentiles. See Isaiah 40-55 for more on that!

And look at verse 23.

23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,

These were demonstrations of contempt in Jewish society. If they had stones, they would probably start throwing them at Paul now.

24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this.

The tribune probably didn’t understand the Hebrew dialect that Paul was using when he spoke to the crowd. So this mass confusion led to a decision by the tribune to examine Paul by flogging. This was the same kind of flogging that Jesus endured before the cross. It was customary for Romans to use this for interrogation. And people often died from this use of torture.

But Paul does something smart here. Look at verse 25.

25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”

Listen, here me on this. This is an important statement from Ajith Fernando and his commentary on the book of Acts. Fernando writes, “[Paul] was not a masochist who took on suffering unnecessarily.” Paul was willing to suffer for Christ, but he wasn’t fatalistic in his approach to suffering. And here he even uses a little bit of shrewdness to ward off this torture.

Because look at verse 26.

26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”

The famous Roman philosopher Cicero said, “To bind a Roman citizen is a crime, to flog him an abomination, to slay him is almost an act of murder.” These guys could get in some serious hot water for these actions with Paul.

27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

As we’ll see next time, the tribune now tries another tactic to find out what all this hubbub is about with Paul. He turns to the Sanhedrin. How does that work out for him? Well, as we’ll see, that doesn’t work out good for anybody—Paul, the Sanhedrin, or the tribune! More on that next time.

But let’s finish up here. What’s the point of all this? What’s the abiding message of this pericope of Scripture, Acts 21:37–22:29? The point is this. Paul was faithful to Christ. Paul was bold and courageous in his attempt to share the gospel. Paul was willing to risk everything in an act of love for people who hated him. They wanted him dead. And his boldness didn’t result in salvations. It didn’t result in fragrance of life, only fragrance of death. And it didn’t result in safety, security, and prosperity.

You might say, “Well, Paul got rescued from a flogging! God protected him from that.” Yeah, but nobody would say Paul got off easy. He gotten beaten up by the Jerusalem crowd before all this happened. Also we know from 2 Corinthians 11:24–25 that Paul was flogged five times throughout his life! God didn’t always protect him or save him from that fate. If suffering was evidence that God doesn’t love us, then God hated Paul!

The point is this. Paul exemplified for us a heroic demonstration of love and boldness and willingness to suffer rejection for the gospel. The sense of urgency was so pronounced in his life that he was willing to risk everything, to suffer greatly in order to preach the gospel and testify to the saving power of Jesus Christ. If Paul was willing to do that in front of a murderous, merciless mob of hostile people, how much more should we be willing and ready to share our testimony with those who we come in contact with? Even if that means we become the fragrance of death to some, it’s worth it. It’s worth it in order to become the fragrance of life to others. Amen?

And Paul had those opportunities too. Paul saw many people come to Christ. Not this time in Jerusalem. But plenty of other times, he did. And I want to see people get saved. I want to be the fragrance of life to some. I desire that we as a church get more and more opportunities here to become the aroma of Christ, the fragrance of life to some.

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I’ll close with this. The story is told about Charles Spurgeon, the great nineteenth century preacher in London. When he was fifteen years old, he was unsaved. And he was searching. He was trying to find the Lord. And one particular Sunday, it had snowed really bad in his hometown (Colchester), and he couldn’t get to the church that he was hoping to go to. So he went to a closer church, a little primitive Methodist chapel. And his soul was aching. He was trying to find some relief to the lack of assurance he felt for his soul.

And the snowstorm was so bad that there were like twelve people at this church. And the preacher didn’t even make it to the church. So they went up to one of the laypeople, a shoe-maker, and said, “You’re preaching today.”

So this shoemaker got behind the pulpit and started preaching. And his text for the day was Isaiah 45:22, where it says in the KJV, “Look to me and be ye saved.” So this shoemaker started preaching. And he said to those twelve people, “You need to look! You need to look! Look and be ye saved!”

And eventually—I guess he ran out of material—he looked as Spurgeon, who was downcast. And said, “Son, you look miserable. And you’re going to be miserable till you obey my text. Look to the Lord Jesus Christ and be ye saved.”

And you know what? Charles Spurgeon got saved that day. And he went on to be the most famous preacher in the English language. He got saved in a little primitive Methodist chapel through the preaching of a layperson. And we don’t even know that shoemaker’s name.

And Spurgeon says this in his autobiography, “Like when the bronze serpent in the wilderness was lifted up, the people only looked and were healed, so it was with me. I had been waiting to do fifty things in order to be saved. All I had to do was look to Jesus Christ!”

Have you looked to Jesus Christ? Have you believed in his finished work upon the cross as the payment for your sin? That’s the only way to salvation. Look to him!

Malachi 1:6-2:16: “Where is God’s Honor in Our Worship?”

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:05:26 GMT

Mike Morris

Associate Pastor/Elder

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

As we noted last time, the prophet Malachi is the author, the date of writing is around 460 BC or so, and this book closes the OT canon. It is God’s final word to his people before the coming of the Messiah, preceded by the forerunner, both prophesied in this book. The primary theme of the book is a challenge from God to his people regarding their broken relationship with him. They were guilty of dishonoring and disregarding their God in many ways, including worship, marriage within the covenant community, stewardship, and the coming day of the Lord. and the prophecy also gave them a divine mirror to reveal to them their own sin, so they might forsake it and return to a right relationship with God. The setting is Jerusalem in the region of Judah, as the people, the exiles who had returned from Babylon more than seventy years before, were trying to rebuild their lives back in their land. This period was just before Ezra and Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, but at the moment, all of Judah remained under the control of the Medo-Persian empire. It was a difficult time for God’s people.

As to its structure, Malachi is unique. Almost all the content is a series of six short dialogues between Yahweh and some or all of his people . This form of literature is called a “disputation” – Malachi records these short “disputes” from 1.2 to 4.3 in a series of statements or responses from Yahweh, and questions from the people. You can tell that the chapter breaks aren’t placed according to the content. I’ve grouped the text into four parts, which we’ll cover on these dates. let’s get started!

Disputation #2: 1.6 through 2.9

Having been challenged by the Jews’ disbelief in his love for them, God speaks again, this time to the priests of Judah.

Let’s keep the context in mind. God just affirmed his pledge of covenantal love to Israel, despite their skepticism. He follows that pledge with pointed criticism of how they are responding to his loving grace and mercy.

“Where is my honor?”

Yahweh begins by questioning Israel.

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear ? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘ How have we despised your name ?’ 7 By offering polluted food upon my altar . But you say, ‘ How have we polluted you ?’ By saying that the Lord's table may be despised . 8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. 9 And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts.

In the OT, Israel related to their God through the ministry of Moses and Aaron. God gave the Law through Moses and the institution of the priesthood through Aaron. and in Exodus 19.5-6, God says, 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation .’ essential to the eventual fulfillment of this promise is the Levitical priesthood.

But sadly, as sinful men, the priests of the line of Levi did not always rise to the high standards expected of godly priests. And by the time of Malachi, God had had enough.

God was father to Israel, as noted in Isaiah 64.8, and God was their master, as he says in Leviticus 25.55, yet they did not honor or fear him.

The priests’ problem wasn’t ritual; it was their hearts. They had lost their sense of the honor and fear they rightfully owed to their covenant God. They no longer respected and valued him. They treated him lightly, and that internal heart sin was expressed in their administration of Temple worship .

In fact, they, as God said, despised His name . This was the cause; the effect was the polluted and sinfully inadequate offerings the priests made on the Lord’s altar. They permitted, or perhaps encouraged, the sacrifice of animals prohibited by the Levitical law. blind, lame, or diseased animals were regularly offered to God, while the owners kept the best animals for themselves. These defiled offerings showed the state of the hearts of both the priests and the people. They no longer loved or even respected their God.

To make the point, God challenged the people: Try this with your Persian governor and see if he will accept the offerings you’re giving me. The obvious answer is certainly not. No governor would accept a request accompanied by an offering of a sick sheep or goat.

God’s Challenge

Now comes one of the most surprising statements in Scripture.

10 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.

The Lord says that he would prefer that one brave and honest soul would shut the doors of the Temple and simply stop the “vain” and useless worship rituals. In fact, to put it in more human terms, the whole thing was infuriating and an insult to him. he no longer had pleasure in their worship, because not only was it offensive due to the wretched sacrifices, but even more so because of the detestable hearts of the priests overseeing them. God made it clear that such futile attempts at ritualistic “worship” are unacceptable.

Then the Lord resets our priorities from the meaningless things we value to what really matters. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations. from east to west, in all places and times, pure incense will be burned, pure offerings given, and God’s name will be glorified. It echoes verse 5: 5 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

Verse 12 continues the Lord’s correction.

12 But you profane it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food, may be despised. 13 But you say, ‘ What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it , says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering ! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. 14 Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations .

The priests “profane” the Lord’s table, a serious charge. Our English word is derived from the Latin “profanus” meaning “outside the temple”. In other words, the priests were treating the Lord’s table as common, not sacred.

The irreverent and uncaring attitude of the priests even spills out in their speech. While they’re polluting the Lord’s table, they’re complaining. sighing, moaning, groaning, “Oh, how weary this is!” What a drag to worship the Lord, to follow his law, to lead the people in praise. Instead of worship and praise bringing life to the priests and the people, the priests are bitter about their work, as if it’s just a job, and an unwanted job, at that.

The phrase, “snort at it,” also tells us quite a lot. It means to blow air from the nose, but over time it became a figure of speech meaning to put into a rage, to make angry, and to undervalue something. Here, the act of worship causes this strange combination of anger and disdain to well up in the priests’ hearts.

And God pronounces a curse upon those who say they will obey the requirements of the law but then sacrifice an animal that is diseased or crippled while keeping a better animal for themselves. And he repeats his declaration from earlier, but with a change. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations. It’s clear the priests, and likely the people as well, did not honor God, but it’s even more shocking that neither did they fear him. Richard Taylor quotes Eichrodt when he says, “ although the fear of God does not involve ‘a naked feeling of terror,’ the term ‘reverence’ alone “may be too refined to keep one aware of the intended element of inward terror . In our relationship with God, there should be a fair-sized dose of terror .“

In the C.S. Lewis epic, The Chronicles of Narnia, one conversation about Aslan, the lion who is the Christ-figure, helps to illustrate: "Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy. "Safe?" said Mr. Beaver, who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

We must honor God. But we must also certainly fear him.

Two Examples

Having castigated the priests for their casual and careless service to their God, the Lord follows the disputation by giving Malachi a good example, surrounded by a curse and an indictment.

1 “ And now, O priests, this command is for you . 2 If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings . Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it .

He curses the priests for their superficial, sinful service. God will curse even the blessings given by the priests to the people. Why? Because the priests weren’t paying attention to the Lord’s correction . God’s patience has finally come to an end, and he names a judgment as shameful as it was inescapable, and poetic in its application. The Lord will cause the priests to suffer the humiliation of being smeared with, completely identified with, the dung of their offerings, and thrown out with it. Fecal matter would be bad enough, but the primary meaning of this word is actually “offal,” which means the unclean internal organs of the sacrificial animal, their intestines, and everything inside them. These parts of the sacrifices were thrown outside the camp. What the Lord is saying is that the priests were to be dishonored by their own sacrifices, as they had dishonored the Lord. Those who should have been clean would be the most awful kind of unclean.

And the priests not only ignored the Lord’s command, but also the good example of their ancestor, Levi.

4 So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand , says the Lord of hosts. 5 My covenant with him was one of life and peace , and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me . He stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity . 7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts .

What makes a good priest? Or in our day, a good preacher, teacher, and pastor ? Let’s see Levi as the good example Malachi says he is.

He feared God. Levi understood who God was, the Almighty, the great God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the King. And Levi rightly responded to God’s glory: he stood in awe.
He spoke the truth. Levi gave the people true instruction, giving the law, but also the spirit of it. He was no false prophet or false teacher, but lived and spoke the truth.
He spoke no wrong. Levi was careful to stay inside the word, not to add nor to delete from what God said.
He walked with God. Levi wasn’t just a good priest, he was a good man. he understood that there are two requirements: one must be a faithful teacher of God’s word, and one must faithfully practice it himself.
He had a redeeming impact on others. Through his authentic teaching, others were brought to faith or closer to the Lord.
He guarded the word. he treated it as precious, of inestimable value, and dedicated his life to accurately handling the word of truth, so that people would gain instruction from hearing it.
He understood his role. Levi knew he didn’t need to get too cute or clever with God’s word; he only had to proclaim it. His job was to be a messenger. not to originate the word, but to speak it for the Lord.

That’s being a good minister of the gospel. But that isn’t what the priests did.

8 But you have turned aside from the way . You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, 9 and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

Instead of walking in wisdom, these priests turned aside from the way. Instead of people gaining understanding from listening to them, the people stumbled. These priests were both corrupted and corruptors, so God rightly judged them, as they abased the people with their false teaching, showed partiality, and disobeyed God’s law, so they themselves would be abased.

Disputation #3: 2.10-16

All of that was just the second disputation. Now we come to the third disputation. The Lord identifies two specific ways that the people have violated his instruction.

First, the people have broken God’s command forbidding Jewish men from marrying foreign, non-Jewish women.

10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers ? 11 Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god . 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

This prohibition against intermarriage between the people of Israel and the people of the surrounding nations was clear from Deuteronomy 7.1-4 because of the negative effect of those illicit relationships on the spiritual purity of the nation. nevertheless, King Solomon was guilty of that sin, as were the leaders of Judah in Malachi’s day, and extending into the period of Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 9-10, Nehemiah 13).

Why was this practice important enough to the Lord to forbid it? He explains in verses 3 and 4. 3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods . Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. It was intended to prevent idolatry.

There is a parallel NT passage expressing the same truth of covenant fidelity. II Corinthians 6.14. 14 Do not be unequally yoked with (or bound together with) unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? Moses and Paul are saying a similar thing: believers and unbelievers should not be bound together. It’s true in marriage and also in other close relationships. A Christian should cultivate relationships with unbelievers through which the gospel can be presented, but be very careful about close, especially binding, relationships with those who do not know Jesus. When we examine the impact on marriage, children, and our own walks of faith, we’ll see the truth of God’s word here.

The second specific sin is in verses 13 through 16.

13 And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant . 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “ For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless .”

The first problem was wrongful spiritual intermarriage. The second is the wrongful dissolution of marriages within the covenant community.

The Lord makes clear the link between this violation of His Law and its impact on the spiritual life of the nation, and the men of Israel were guilty. God witnessed the faithlessness of the Jewish men and identified it as the cause of the problem. They had ignored their responsibilities to their wives, even to the point of divorce, evidently for false or insufficient reasons. It mattered not just for the families, but for the health of the nation, for the failure of these marriages within the community tore at the very fabric of Israel.

The OT law regarding most divorces is in Deuteronomy 24.1-4, and it’s from that context, and Genesis 2, that Jesus speaks in Matthew 19.3-9 . 3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery .” His teaching sets the standard for the NT church. And Paul adds another nuance in 1 Corinthians 7.10-13, 15 on the issue of abandonment . 10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. 12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. . 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.

While the teaching is fairly straightforward, applying it can be challenging. There is always some complexity, and we all stand in need of grace and mercy. Obviously, a complete treatment of this topic isn’t possible tonight, but the text in Malachi is a vivid reminder: God’s people are always called to faithfulness and fidelity in marriage within the covenant community .

Application

There’s a lot to apply here.

Remember the priests who despised God’s name? The problem wasn’t so much what they did ; it was their heart . a heart that refused to sacrifice, that tried to do the minimum possible, that found joy in everything else except God. like the priests, probably, we would all say “no, that’s not me. I love the Lord”. But where are our hearts? What if:

We evaluate the opportunity to go on a mission trip not by how much good we can do, but by how much it will cost, or how much of our vacation time it will take.
We reduce our giving to the church so we can maximize our retirement savings.
We find more joy and excitement in going to a concert or sports contest than in gathering to worship.
We pass on opportunities to serve others in order to sleep in on the weekend.
We inwardly sigh and wonder if all our efforts to serve the Lord are worth it.

Maybe it’s just me who was convicted by the Lord’s rebuke of people who give less than their best. but I don’t think so.

Let’s also think about our own role as priests . For I Peter 2.4-5 says, 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ .

What spiritual sacrifices should we offer to God?

Our bodies. Romans 12.1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Our praise. Hebrews 13.15. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Our good works. Hebrews 13.16. 16 Do not neglect to do good. And Paul would add in Galatians 6.10, 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Our gifts to others. Hebrews 13.16. ” and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

In short, we offer ourselves: bodies, hearts, minds, thoughts, actions, attitudes, words. everything we have, everything we are, to him and for him.

In that way, we will both honor and fear God, remaining faithful to Him and to His call .

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Acts 21:17–36: “Yielding for the Sake of Unity: Preserving Peace”

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 20:11:21 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

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Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 21. Last time, we saw the Apostle Paul demonstrate an unyielding, uncompromising conviction concerning Jerusalem. It was inspiring! His friends tried to talk him out of going there, because persecution was (literally!) foreseeable. But Paul said, “I’m going. God wants me there, despite the fact that suffering is inevitable.” Paul was unyielding.

And yet, in the very next passage that we’re going to look at today (Acts 21:17–36), Paul yields in a significant matter for the sake of unity. This is something that has come up periodically through the book of Acts. When do you hold fast to your convictions despite the pleas of others? And when do you yield to the pleas of others for the sake of unity? Let me frame it this way— To yield or not to yield, that is the question.

In Acts 21:1–16, when Paul’s friend essentially said, “Paul we love you and we don’t want you to suffer and die in Jerusalem!” Paul responded, “I’m sorry. I’m going.” In today’s passage (Acts 21:17–36), Paul’s friends say, “Paul, we love you and we don’t want you to rock the boat!” Paul responds, “Okay, I’ll comply with that.” To which, we might ask, what gives, Paul? Why this and then that? Why that and then this?

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Well, let’s explore that. Today, I’ll give you five observations from the text, and then we’ll use those to build four implications for our lives from this Scripture. All of this is in your notes and you can follow along as we go.

Here’s the first observation, the first scene of this passage. Write this down as #1.

1) A Warm Reception (21:17–20a)

Paul finally gets to Jerusalem, and Luke, who was there with him, writes:

17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.

“Hey! Paul! Good to see you! I thought you’d be dead by now.” They welcomed Paul. They received him with greetings and kisses in the way that Jewish folks greet old friends after not seeing them for a while.

And this is not surprising for us. This is what happens wherever Paul goes. There is this joy of fellowship and camaraderie of spirit that is true of all the churches in Paul’s day. Because Christians share Christ. They share the Holy Spirit. And they share the gospel that saves their souls.

Look at verse 18.

18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.

Now quick review. Who is James? James is the half-brother of Jesus. He didn’t believe in Jesus until after his death and resurrection. And now he’s become a rock-solid leader in the church in Jerusalem. Peter and John are probably off elsewhere preaching the gospel as missionaries. But James stays in Jerusalem, along with these elders, and leads the church.

And verse 19 says,

19 After greeting them,

More greetings, more kisses, more “good to see you, Paul.”

[Paul] related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

Now Paul does a lot of this everywhere he goes. Keep in mind, there’s no email in the first century world. There’s no postal service. There’s no missionary newsletter. So this is Paul’s chance to inform the Jerusalem church about all that God has done in the Gentile regions.

And Paul’s been away from Jerusalem for something like five years. And he’s been as far away as Athens and Corinth preaching the gospel. That’s on the other side of the world as far as these Jerusalem Jewish believers are concerned. I’m sure they were mesmerized as Paul told them these stories.

Paul’s like “Yeah, I preached the gospel in Philippi. People got saved there, and then the people of the city wanted to kill me.” “Then I preached the gospel in Corinth. People got saved there, and then the people of the city wanted to kill me.” “Then I preached the gospel in Ephesus. People got saved there, and then …”

“Wait, let me guess, Paul. People wanted to kill you.”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

I bet Paul and Luke told them the story of Eutychus falling out of the window while Paul was preaching. I’m sure they all had a good laugh at that story. I’m sure they were like, “Yeah Paul you always were a little long-winded.”

Look at verse 20.

20 And when they heard it [when they heard all these wonderful stories of God’s glory and God’s grace among the Gentiles] , they glorified God.

“Hallelujah! That’s awesome, Paul!” “Gentiles got saved all around the world. Praise the Lord!” “That’s just what Jesus told us to do—Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth.”

And there’s something to that connection that you feel with people in other parts of the world who love Jesus and believe the gospel. That’s powerful. We sense that in our day when we hear about revivals and God’s work among other people around the world.

So just to summarize, they greeted Paul with a warm reception. They glorified God together for all that he had done. And we know from elsewhere that Paul had been collecting money for the saints in Jerusalem, because of the drought. So I’m sure they were thankful to receive this offering from the Gentiles that blessed the Jewish brothers in Jerusalem. This was a happy occasion.

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But here’s where the story takes a sour turn. Watch this in verse 20.

20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to [Paul], “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law,

Hmmm. That’s an odd statement right there—“They are all zealous for the law.” Shouldn’t they be zealous for the gospel? Shouldn’t they be “zealous for Christ” not “zealous for the law?” Where are they going with this?

Look at verse 21.

21 and they have been told about you [Paul] that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.

Now what is this? What’s going on with this statement in verse 21 especially? I mean, all the pleasantries have disappeared. The warm welcome has faded a bit. And now the Jerusalem church is getting down to brass tacks dealing with a serious issue.

“Paul, some of our Jewish believers have heard that you are anti-Jewish with your beliefs now. Is that true? Some of our young converts have been told that you teach Jews in foreign lands to forsake Moses and our customs. What’s up with that, Paul? What are we going to do about this? They’re going to find out that you’re in town, and when they do, it has the potential to divide our church. What are we going to do about this?”

Now let’s just call this what it is. This is a false accusation. Write that down as #2.

2) A False Accusation (21:20b–22)

Now there is a measure of truth in what they are saying about Paul. And by the way, most false accusations have a measure of truth. The best accusations… the best slanders are half-truths, not total fabrications. That tactic is as old as Genesis 3 and the Garden of Eden.

Paul was certainly against the idea that following the Mosaic law was necessary for salvation. He wrote a whole letter, the book of Galatians in our Bible, demolishing the idea that anything other than Christ alone is necessary for salvation. But Paul never (never!) said that Jews must forsake their cultural Jewishness in order to follow Christ. He said specifically about circumcision that “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation” (Gal 6:15).

So this statement about Paul that is circulating among Christian Jews is a half-truth. It’s a misrepresentation of the facts. It’s a slanderous, false accusation. And the best evidence of this is that Paul was hustling like crazy to get to Jerusalem for Pentecost, which was a Jewish feast! So obviously Paul was not anti-Jewish.

And so when James and the elders in Jerusalem say in verse 22…

What then is to be done? …

I think the answer is quite simple. You go to those Jewish Christians who are believing these false accusations and you tell them, “It’s not true! Stop circulating this junk! What other people are saying about Paul is slander. Don’t believe it! Stop spreading it!”

If it was up to me, I’d say let’s deal with it head on and just address the issue. And that’s because, most of the time, I’m a pretty direct person. I don’t like beating around the bush or soft-peddling difficult things. I’d rather just deal with issue head on. And for the most part that’s how Paul is too. But let’s face it. Not every issue needs to be handled that way. And there are different ways to utilize diplomacy and tact to get to a place of resolution.

Let me say it this way, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat!” Let me say it this way, “If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail!”

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So instead of addressing this issue head on, the elders in Jerusalem instead try a different approach. And what follows in verse 23 is… I’ll just call it this… a curious suggestion for resolving this issue.

Write that down as a third observation:

3) A Curious Suggestion (21:23–25)

Here’s the suggestion. Look at verse 23.

23 Do therefore what we tell you [Paul] .

Again, this is James and the elders in Jerusalem talking. So there is authority behind this.

We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law.

That’s their suggestion. I told you it was curious .

This is their plan for correcting the misinformation that has been spread about Paul. How do y’all feel about that? What do you think of their plan?

Now before you answer, notice what they say in verse 25, because this is important.

25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.”

So James and the other elders make clear that they aren’t requiring Gentiles to be more Jewish. The letter that he references is what took place in Acts 15 with the Jewish Council five years earlier. And conceivable they’ve sent more correspondence since then to other churches.

The four things they prohibited (idolatry, food with blood, strangled meats, and sexual immorality) weren’t necessary for salvation. They were evidences of salvation. They were evidences that a person had broken from pagan Gentile practice. And it removed barriers and stumbling blocks for Jews who couldn’t abide that practice in the church. So they are making clear that just because they want Paul to appear faithful to Jewish custom, they aren’t expecting Gentiles in Gentile churches to do the same. That’s important.

And so they come up with this elaborate scheme to appease the Jewish Christians and guard against a potential schism in the church. The elders ask Paul to shave his head as part of a vow with these other men. And that’ll restore his Jewish bona-fides with the Jewish population.

Let me ask again, how do y’all feel about this plan? Do you think this was a good way to go about rectifying this issue? You might say, “Well, Pastor Tony sometimes elders do things that I don’t understand, but I trust them anyway.” That’s a good answer right there!

You might say, “I don’t know Tony, but I trust that God leads elders to make tough decisions, and he disciplines them when they make mistakes. That was true in Jerusalem two-thousand years ago. That’s true in San Antonio, Texas today.” Touche.

Maybe there are some who agree with their non-confrontational approach to this issue. Maybe you disagree with it. I guess the bigger question is this: why does God record this matter—this episode in the life of Paul—in the Bible? What does God want to teach us from this passage? That’s the question that we’ve got to wrestles with.

Let me tell you what I think. I don’t agree with the way that these elders handle this situation. But I’ve never had to shepherd a flock of Jewish converts to Christianity. So I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt to this group of elders who knew their flock.

And by the way, just a little historical background here. This was a very volatile time in Jerusalem. This wasn’t the same Jerusalem of Acts 2, twenty-five years earlier. This wasn’t the same Jerusalem as Passion Week when Jews and Gentiles conspired together to execute Jesus. The relationship between Jews and the Roman Empire had grown increasingly hostile and explosive over the years. And there was a lot of nationalist fervor is Israel. In a little over a decade, the entire city of Jerusalem would be destroyed including the temple.

Also there was a famine in the land that was impoverishing the people. It was a tense time. So there were probably a number of different factors that led these elders to suggest that Paul make a humble demonstration of his Jewishness.

And let me just clarify what they’re suggesting here. They told Paul to take four men who were under a vow, probably some variation of a Nazirite vow from the OT, which included a voluntary abstention of wine and fermented drink. With a Nazirite vow, you would grow your hair out for 30 days and then you would shave it off and offer it as an offering before the Lord. Samson was a lifelong Nazirite the Bible says. So he wasn’t supposed to shave his hair ever. But most Nazirite vows were only for a short period.

So they wanted Paul to participate in this ancient Jewish ceremony, and they wanted him to pay the expenses of these other four men which was a pretty costly thing. So this was a significant time and money commitment for Paul. Why do they want him to do this? To prove his Jewishness. To prove to his naysayers that he wasn’t opposed to Moses and the observance of the law. That’s their plan.

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Now given what we know of Paul—how hard-nosed and opinionated he could be—I would have expected him to put the kibosh on this whole idea before it even got off the ground. Paul could very easily have said, “There’s no way I’m going to do that! I’m an Apostle. I’ve been a faithful witness to Jews and Gentiles alike. My credentials are as good as they come. I don’t have to do this to prove myself to these people or vindicate myself. God is my witness; he will vindicate me!” Couldn’t Paul have said that?

That’s probably what I would have said if I was in Paul’s position. That’s maybe what a younger, more fiery, Paul might have said. But this older, shrewder, more measured Paul does something different. He says, “Okay, I’ll do it.”

Here’s the fourth observation from the text:

4) A Humble Submission (21:26–29)

Look at verse 26.

26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.

Paul acquiesces to the decision of the elders. Paul consents to this diplomatic solution that involves him purifying himself according to Jewish custom and taking part in this Nazirite vow.

And he goes up to the temple! The temple, which for all intents and purposes, is meaningless now that Christ has risen from the dead. The veil has been torn in the temple. Like I said already, this temple would be destroyed completely in just over a decade, in AD 70. Jesus, if you remember, predicted its destruction during the lifetime of his disciples. Nevertheless Paul submits himself to participate in this Jewish custom in order to build bridges with the Jewish community and not be a stumbling block to the gospel.

Let me just say that there are implications galore for us in this text, as we examine what Paul is doing. Here what I think Paul is doing. Paul is bowing to tradition, in order to preserve church unity. He’s bowing to social custom, in order to advance the gospel. He’s yielding for the sake of unity.

The verse that comes to mind is this. Paul wrote this just a few years before the events of Acts 21. “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (1 Cor 9:19–23).

I think there are some implications for our lives here, but I’m going to wait until the end of the passage before I talk application. Paul voluntarily submitted himself to the request of these church elders and participated in an antiquated OT custom in order to build bridges for the gospel and in order to preserve church unity. That’s a remarkable thing, right there. That is a wonderful testimony to us twenty centuries later.

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Now you might be thinking, “O Paul, what a good guy! Surely God is going to protect him from any harm after this show of humility. Surely God is going to guard him from persecution. Maybe God will even reverse his plan to have Paul arrested.”

In fact, I think this might have even been part of the reason that these elders suggested this course of action. In other words, they may have been thinking, “If we can just appease the unbelieving Jews as well as the believing Jews, maybe we can take some heat off Paul. Maybe we can protect him!”

I don’t know if it was part of their plan. If it was, it didn’t work. Look at verse 27.

27 When the seven days were almost completed,

This is the last seven days of that Nazirite vow.

the Jews from Asia, seeing [Paul] in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd

That word “stirred up” is the same one that was used to describe Ephesus when the Gentile crowd there started a mob. Remember “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (Acts 19:28, 34). The Greek word connotes the idea of “mob violence” and “confused agitation.”

In this case, it was the Asian Jews—maybe they were even from Ephesus since Ephesus is the largest city in Asia—who stir up the crowds…

and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help!

Now remember, it’s Pentecost. So the crowds were huge in Jerusalem at this time. And there were a lot of people from out of town who had pilgrimaged to Jerusalem for this Jewish feast. These Asian Jews may have even seen Paul in Ephesus. So they grab him and they cry out “Men of Israel, help!”

This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”

Now two things about this. 1) First of all, notice how this is the same accusation that the church was dealing with. “Paul is anti-Jewish. He teaches against the law.” The rumor-mill had spread lies about Paul all around the city: 2) And secondly, these guys add another false accusation to Paul. By the way, if you are thinking about getting into ministry, let me just warn you ahead of time—false accusations will come. Just get ready for it. Here’s their false accusation against Paul—“He brought Greeks into the temple.” That was a big no-no in Jewish circles.

But Luke tells us in verse 29 that it’s not even true.

29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city,

So he was in the city, but he wasn’t in the temple. Remember that posse of seven men that Paul had brought with him to Jerusalem from the Gentile churches to deliver benevolence to the church in Jerusalem. They all had really cool names: Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus, and Trophimus (Acts 20:4).

So of course Trophimus was in the city with Paul. There was no restriction against Jews coming to the city of Jerusalem. But Gentiles couldn’t go into the inner courts of the temple. They had to stay in the court of the Gentiles.

But look at the end of verse 29.

and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

Here’s another half-truth that becomes a false accusations. By the way, human beings are really good at this. We are really good at extrapolated falsehoods from only half the facts.

And look at the result of this. Look at verse 30.

30 Then all the city was stirred up,

I told you this was a volatile time in Jerusalem.

and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.

Let me be clear about what’s going on here. They dragged Paul outside the temple, because they didn’t want to shed blood there. And they shut the temple gates. In other words, they were going to kill him.

31 And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 He at once

This tribune… A tribune, by the way, was a senior officer in the Roman army. He was higher in rank than a centurion, but lower than a legionnaire. And he was in charge of roughly 600 troops.

So this tribune…

took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

“Nothing to see here, officer! Just a few guys working through a disagreement.”

33 Then the tribune came up and arrested [Paul] …

That’s kind of a curious move right there. Shouldn’t they arrest the people beating up Paul? But this is actually a good thing for Paul. Their arrest of him probably saved his life.

Look again at verse 33.

33 … the tribune came up and arrested [Paul] and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another.

This is like Ephesus all over again. I guess Jews and Gentiles have more in common than we realize. They both want to kill Paul. And they both can’t get their story straight in the middle of mob violence.

And as he [the Tribune] could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 35 And when [Paul] came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!”

What does that sound like? That sounds like Jesus in Jerusalem, doesn’t it? Crucify him! Crucify him!

Actually where Paul was at this moment, outside of the temple, wasn’t that far from the spot where Jesus was arrested, sentenced, and executed. In the same vicinity of his Savior’s suffering, Paul is now sharing in Christ’s suffering some twenty-five years later.

Here’s the fifth observation from the text. Write this down.

1) A Warm Reception (21:17–20a)

2) A False Accusation (21:20b–22)

3) A Curious Suggestion (21:23–25)

4) A Humble Submission (21:26–29)

5) A Fateful Conclusion (21:30–36)

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Now next time, we’ll see how Paul uses even this fateful set of circumstances to preach the gospel and tell people about Jesus. God actually uses this suffering as another opportunity to preach the gospel.

But we’re going to stop here for today. Because I want us to spend the rest of our time now thinking through why God put this passage in the Bible. What is God wanting to convey to us practically and applicationally in Acts 21:17–36?

What is God teaching us in this passage? Here’s my answer to that. Four Applications. Here’s #1.

1) When God says something is going to happen, believe it’s going to happen

God prophesied to Paul that he was going to get arrested in Jerusalem, and sure enough, he gets arrested in Jerusalem. God used Agabus to prophesy that Paul would be bound with chains in Jerusalem. Sure enough, Paul gets bound with chains.

Similar things happened, by the way, in the life of Jesus. The OT prophesied the coming of a Savior that would take away the sins of the world. Jesus himself prophesied his death and resurrection three times on the road to Jerusalem (Luke 9:22, 44–45; 18:31–34). And all of those things came to fruition. When God says something’s going to happen, it’s going to happen.

What do we take away from all that? We could look at these predictions that come true and we can feel bad for Jesus and Paul. But I don’t think that’s how God wants us to respond. I think God would want us to say instead, “He’s got the whole world in his hands. God knows everything that going to happen and his promises are true.”

So if God predicted Jesus’s suffering and Paul’s suffering, what does that tell us about God’s predictions concerning us? What does that tell us about God’s promises to us about life after death? What does that tell us about God’s promise that all our suffering will be rewarded in the end?

I believe that even though this is a difficult section of Scripture that involves the suffering of the Apostle Paul, it’s a passage if Scripture that inspires hope. God knows the beginning from the end and he is orchestrating everything in this world for his perfect purpose.

And here’s a second application. Write this down.

2) Obedience and humility don’t shield a Christian from suffering

I wish that they did shield us from suffering in this world. They don’t. Paul was obedient to what God wanted him to do. He was constrained by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem. He went. And he suffered there. He got beaten and almost killed there outside of the temple.

And also, Paul was incredibly humble when he got to Jerusalem. He submitted to the will of the church elders in Jerusalem, despite the curiousness of their suggestion. But that didn’t protect him from suffering. Humble people and obedient people suffer all the time. All the time!

I know you’ve heard me say before “Choose to sin; Choose to suffer.” And that’s true. There is a kind of suffering that is self-inflicted. But there is also a suffering that is not self-inflicted. There is a type of suffering that God allows even in the midst of great faithfulness.

And that suffering is not evidence that you’ve done wrong or that you’ve failed God. It’s not evidence that God doesn’t love you. In fact it’s the opposite.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:12–13, “Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”

The Bible says in James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:10, “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

Suffering is part of your lot in life as a follower of Christ. And I don’t tell you that just so that you will grit your teeth and endure it. I don’t think that’s how Paul or Peter or any of the disciples responded to suffering. As they suffered, they learned to love God more and trust him in deeper ways. And that made the suffering meaningful. All suffering for the believer is meaningful.

I know that not every person in this room is experiencing a season of deep suffering right now. But some of you are. And you needed to hear that. You need to hear that God loves you, and he’s proud of you for your faithfulness. And he will stand by you and help you through it. And he’ll reward you for your faithfulness in eternity. So if that’s you this morning, be encouraged. God loves you. God has a purpose for what he’s having you endure. All suffering for the believer is meaningful.

And if you’re not suffering right now… I don’t think any of us are suffering to the extent that Paul was… just be thankful and praise God and get ready, get spiritual geared up so that when it comes, you’ll be ready.

What else is God teaching us in this passage? Write this down as #3.

3) Love for people sometimes means you sacrifice your freedom

I think the essence of this text, Acts 21:17–36, is found in 1 Corinthians 9:19, “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews” (9:19–20a). Paul also says in verse 22, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (9:22–23).

Now let me be clear about something. Paul did not write those verses in order to encourage people to sin in order to win sinners to Christ. Don’t think to yourself, “Oh, I’m going to become an alcoholic in order to win alcoholics for Jesus. I’m going to become materialistic in order to win materialistic people to Christ.” That’s not what Paul means. And by the way, that doesn’t work. You don’t win people to Christ by becoming more worldly. You win people to Christ by giving them an alternative to the worldliness that they are already drowning in.

But for non-moral issues… and non-sin issues… And for issues where your conscience and your convictions aren’t compromised… it is appropriate and it is beneficial to sacrifice your personal freedom in order to win people to Christ.

Remember last week we saw that Paul wasn’t willing to budge on going to Jerusalem. That’s because there was a Holy Spirit conviction inside of him. That was a convictional issue that he couldn’t compromise. But with issues that are non-moral and non-convictional, we need to be willing to budge and lay down our personal freedoms for those who are weaker brothers among us.

You might say, “Pastor Tony I have the freedom to eat whatever I want to eat. I have the freedom to drink whatever I want to drink. I have the freedom to watch what I want, and to go wherever I want to go, and do whatever I want to do… as long as it’s not sinful… I have freedom in Christ.”

Yes, you do. Paul did as well in Acts 21. He didn’t have to go through this Jewish custom to establish a rapport with the Jewish Christians. But he did it anyway because he loved people. He did it because he wanted to see the gospel advanced. He did it to protect the unity of the church. Here’s a quote from F.F. Bruce that I think really drives this point home: “A truly emancipated spirit such as Paul’s is not in bondage to its own emancipation.”

“I have the freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want to.” Really? Really? 1) First of all, I’m not so sure that’s true if you are a slave to Christ and a slave to righteousness as Paul says we are. 2) And secondly, I hope that you would be willing to lay down that “freedom” like Paul does for the sake of the gospel.

Love for people sometimes means you sacrifice your personal freedom. But also, #4.

4) Love for unity sometimes means you surrender your preferences

In a church like ours there are a ton of issues that can become divisive. And there are a number of battle lines that we can draw. I could very easily see Paul draw a battle line when James asked him to participate in this Jewish custom. “No! I will not sanction these vows and take a vow myself just to appease these weak-minded Christians in the church.” Paul could’ve said that. But he didn’t. He sought unity.

I’ve said this before, it’s a good time to reiterate: “In essentials unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.” Sometimes for non-essentials we need to allow for liberty and differences of opinion. And sometimes for non-essentials, we need to lay down our liberty and our preferences for the sake of unity.

Some people want to fight over everything. They have the same energy for fighting over personal preferences and personal convictions, that they do for the deity of Christ! That’s out of whack. Choose your battles wisely. Choose the right battles.

Some people think, and I’ve read commentaries that state, that Paul made a mistake here. Some people think that Paul should have stood his ground and fought this battle against those who were circumventing the gospel with their Jewish practice. I personally don’t think that’s the case. But I will say this. If Paul did make a mistake here, he did it with good motives. He desired to win more people to Christ, and he desired to protect the unity of the church. R. Kent Hughes said about this passage, “Paul may have erred in this situation, but if so, it was an error of judgment, not of the heart.”

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I’ll close with this. Several years ago I had a professor at Moody who told a story about these very religious Dutch ladies back in Holland in the early 1900s. These elderly Dutch women had granddaughters who had immigrated to America. And they heard that these young women had started to wear makeup. And that was a huge no-no in Holland. And these pious old ladies were so troubled by this development that they started to cry. They got together and cried together. And they wept so bitterly that their tears started welling up and streaming down their cheeks. And as it passed their cheeks, it went right past the cigarettes that they were smoking in their mouths. And these tears dripped down their faces to their chins and dropped right into the beers that they were drinking together.

Now would it be wise for a Christian in that era to avoid wearing makeup in front of those ladies in order to avoid offense? I think so. And would it be wise for Christians to avoid drinking and smoking in some settings to avoid offending someone or making another brother stumble? I think so.

And I don’t tell you that story so as to advocate for a relativistic ethic in the church. I’m not in favor of that. But it is true that different cultures develop different mores, even in the church. Anyone who has traveled abroad and been to other churches in other countries knows that. And some things are worth fight for and crying over. Other things are not. And it’s not wrong, I don’t think, to accommodate those cultures as best we can in order to protect unity and spread the gospel.

Paul gives us an example of that here. He yielded his own personal freedom and personal preference, in deference to the elders in Jerusalem, for the sake of unity.

And what happens next? What’s going to happen to Paul after he gets arrested in Jerusalem? Come back next week and I’ll tell you.

Malachi 1:1-5: "The Love of God and His Covenantal Grace"

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 20:11:19 GMT

Mike Morris

Associate Pastor/Elder

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

When we begin a new book, we should thoroughly examine it. Zoom out to understand the context of the book in its setting in terms of subgroups, the testament in which the book is found, and where the book exists in the entire Bible. and zoom in to examine the book in its elements, including the historical background and structure of the book, the author and date, and the themes of the book.

It is generally undisputed that the author is Malachi, but there is a difference of opinion about who he is. ”Malachi” means “my messenger,” so some scholars understand the word as a title, not a name. For my part, I accept the word as the author’s name.

Malachi is a prophet, the last of the Twelve and the entire OT. The book is God’s final word to the period of creation, the patriarchs, the Egyptian bondage, the Exodus, the entry into Canaan, the period of both the monarchies, the national exiles into Assyria and Babylon, and the age of the prophets. This is the last message God had for his people, and indeed for the world, before the coming of his son, Jesus Christ the Messiah.

We need to understand the book in detail. The historical background and setting of the book place it in Jerusalem and Judah, in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, as a prophetic work written to the Jewish community still trying to establish itself in Jerusalem and Judah. The Temple and the city wall had been rebuilt, but the people were still struggling, surrounded by hostile neighbors, occupied by a foreign empire, and trying to rebuild an economy. The glorious days of Israel under David and Solomon seemed very distant, as did the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah. These were hard times in Judah.

As to the date of writing, we believe the book of Malachi, while undated, was written after the book of Haggai and Zechariah’s visions, written in 520 BC, after the rebuilding of the Temple in 515 BC, and even after Zechariah’s oracles, which were probably recorded in about 480 BC. Malachi’s prophecy was likely written about 460 to 420 BC. The end of this book begins the so-called “400 years of silence” as God temporarily stilled the prophetic voice until Gabriel’s announcement to the priest, Zechariah, of the coming forerunner of the promised Messiah.

Regarding the primary themes of the book, I think it’s important to link Malachi to the other two latter prophets, Haggai and Zechariah. Haggai challenged the people of Judah physically. he addressed their self-centered priorities that resulted in self-centered actions. They were guilty of building their own homes first and neglecting God’s house, the Temple in Jerusalem. Zechariah challenged the people spiritually. he gave them God’s “good words, comforting words” and encouraged them to remain steadfast as they looked beyond their current circumstances to the amazing future God had promised them, moving them toward deeper faith in Yahweh. Lastly, Malachi challenges the people relationally. Over time, the people had allowed their eyes to stray back to the difficulties they faced, and they let that dishearten them, eroding the closeness of their relationship with their faithful covenant God. Malachi confronted them with their own disbelief of, and disregard for, the Lord, and gave them a divine mirror to reveal to them their own sin, so they might forsake it and return to a right relationship with God. Other important themes include the coming of the Messiah and the forerunner, the proper worship of the Lord, stewardship, and right relationships within the people of Israel.

Regarding the content and structure of the book, Malachi is unique. There is no other book in all of Scripture put together like the book of Malachi. There are elements of prophecy about future events, but much of the book isn’t prophetic in that sense. Nearly the entire book is the direct speech of God to his people. It is neither a historical narrative nor symbolic visions, but a straightforward conversation between the Lord and his chosen nation. The book begins with a brief prologue and ends with an epilogue, but almost all the content is a series of six short dialogues between Yahweh and some or all of his people. This form of literature is called a “disputation” – Malachi records these short “disputes” from 1.2 to 4.3 in a series of statements or responses from Yahweh, and questions from the people.

Malachi is often quoted or alluded to in the New Testament, most notably in Romans 9. The passage about Esau and Jacob in 1.2-5 is picked up by Paul and interpreted as an opening argument about the relationship between God and the Jewish people, a topic which occupies most of Romans 9 through 11. We’ll come back to that thought later.

This final prophetic word from the Lord set the stage for the advent of both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Malachi did his part in preparing the people of Israel for the arrival of their coming Messiah as he challenged them regarding their attitudes toward the Lord and as he foretold both the rise of the forerunner and the Savior himself. let’s get started!

Prologue

The opening of the book is very brief and straightforward.

1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

The word “oracle” renders the Hebrew ‘massa’, meaning a heavy burden. We saw this word twice in the oracles of Zechariah. There, the burden was a severe judgment coming for the Gentile nations and for Israel herself. Here in Malachi, the burden seems to be grief for the brokenness of the relationship between God and his people. This word was to all Israel, as Malachi looks beyond the present to a larger future for God’s people, including the promised coming Messiah.

“I have loved you”

God speaks first.

2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord.

God gives us a divine example for how to approach someone with whom you have a dispute. He would have been justified in beginning with any of the other accusations in the book, but he doesn’t. He begins by affirming his love for Israel to set a positive tone. But there is a surprising Hebrew word choice here. It is ‘a-haav’. This is the common word for “love,” used most often of love between or among people, and it’s the word used when God commands Israel to love him, such as Deuteronomy 6.4-5. 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. God did not often use this word, ‘a-haav,’ of his love toward Israel. I could find only two other instances of this word being used of God speaking to Israel. Hosea 11.1. When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. And Deuteronomy 7.13. He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you.

Why would he use this word, ‘a-haav,’ not the more common word for God’s love, ‘he-sed,’ translated “steadfast love”? Because he’s telling Israel that he loves them with family love, spousal love, parental love. the same kind of love they had for each other, God had for them, too. It was a love they could comprehend, an accessible love, an understandable love. God said he loved them as a son, as a wife, as a friend.

Of course, it was true that God loved them with his perfect, steadfast, covenant-keeping love, too, but here, he emphasizes a very meaningful yet more ordinary human love.

And let’s not lose sight of the obvious miracle here. God really did love Israel, with both ‘a-haav’ and ‘he-sed’ love. not because Israel was lovely, but simply because of God’s sovereign grace and mercy, and his relentless faithfulness to keep his word to his people. God did not love Israel because of some inherent value or goodness in them, but instead he loved them simply because he chose to love them.

“How have you loved us?”

Now to Israel’s response. usually when you say, “I love you” to another person, the person responds with, “I love you, too”. But Israel doesn’t. Instead, they ask the Almighty God to prove his love for them.

But you say, “How have you loved us?”

It would be reasonable, and mostly justified, to condemn Israel for their surprising ingratitude and petulance toward their covenant God. It’s surprising to hear anyone question God’s love for Israel, knowing what we know today. But we need to look a little deeper and think back in time to when the book was written. Why would they respond this way? If we stop and consider their lives, it might be more understandable. certainly the people of Israel had the national stories of all of God’s faithful blessings, from the patriarchs, to Joseph, to the Exodus, to conquering at least most of the promised land, to David and Solomon. But they also had vivid memories of long periods of idolatry, the corrosive influences of false prophets, their own persistent and tenacious sin, and two punishing national exiles to Assyria and Babylon. Their memories of God’s goodness and love must have felt distant and detached from their daily lives. Even though the Jews of Judah had returned to Jerusalem, it was still a very difficult time. That might be where their question comes from.

And that isn’t too difficult for us to understand, is it? Have you ever been in a place of pain and hurt and despair and disappointment, of broken relationships and financial problems and scary diagnoses, and wondered to yourself, “If God loves me, why is my life like this?” I think if we were honest with God and ourselves, we would have to admit that we, too, at times, have questioned the truth of God’s love for us, wondered if he was listening to our prayers, or was even aware of us at all. And while we might not say it in exactly the same way, we might ask God for some examples of his love, just to remind us.

I have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have hated.

Let’s see how God answered Israel.

“Is not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have hated.

Please stay with me in this portion, because I’m going to address this passage, particularly the first part, in two different ways. First, we’ll see how this would have been heard by the Jews of Malachi’s day. Then, because of the importance of this short passage to Romans 9 and the doctrine of sovereign election, we will shift to the NT and examine Paul’s understanding of this important truth.

The Lord answers the people’s impertinent question with another question, one intended to draw their thoughts to a comparison of the two brothers. One might expect God to defend his love for Israel by reciting all he had done for them, but instead, he defined his love for Jacob by comparing it to his hatred of Esau, and by extension, Edom, the nation descended from him, by reciting how he has treated Edom without love or compassion, and in fact, with active harm. The point of this was to assure – or even convince – Israel of his love. It would make sense if these brothers were treated the same, but they were not.

One point of grammar here: in an effort to soften this passage, some teachers will diminish the word “hated” to “loved less”. But that isn’t what the word means. I have access to eleven Hebrew dictionaries, and they all define this Hebrew word as “hate”. It’s used 146 times, and 139 of those times, it’s translated “hate”, “hated”, “enemy”, “adversary”, or a similarly strong word. Only 7 times is it anything less than “hate”. So we have to reckon with the fact that God intentionally used this meaning here.

One author termed God’s choice here as “covenantal hatred”. Many Christians are uncomfortable with that idea and with this verse. Those who often describe this as unfair treatment on God’s part, as if he is not entitled to make any choice he wishes according to his sovereign authority. But to address the fairness issue for a moment, by our usual standards of fairness, God should have waited and seen which brother turned out to be better, then chosen him. But the truth of the Genesis account is this: neither brother was deserving of God’s grace and mercy, much less his election. Both were deeply flawed and, by that standard, not a fitting choice for a good and holy God. If fairness were the criterion, God would have rejected both men. What is truly miraculous is that God would, and did, choose to love either of them. And the same is true of all of us.

And if we need more to understand God’s hatred of Esau, just continue into verses 3 and 4. Verses 2c and 3a are often quoted, but not the next couple of sentences. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert. ”4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’” Edom would be laid waste, abandoned, shattered, and would be unable to rebuild, declared ‘wicked’, and be the focus of God’s anger. wow.

While we may not fully understand it, it is beyond doubt that God is making a clear distinction between these two brothers and the peoples who are descended from them. Jacob, or Israel, was the object of his favor, and Esau, or Edom, was the object of his wrath. Now, let’s turn to see how the Holy Spirit spoke to Paul about this same verse.

The New Testament Understanding

As Paul begins a three-chapter passage in Romans on Israel, he begins with this discourse hinged on Malachi 1.2-3. Please listen or read carefully.

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

God has a purpose of election, as he says in verse 11, and it is not based on human works but on “him who calls,” God himself. It is clear from all of Scripture that God is a universal sovereign King, and he is free to act as he wills. Ps 115.3. Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. He chose Abraham. Then Isaac, not Ishmael. Then Jacob, not Esau. And he is just in these choices, not unjust, as Paul says in verse 14. 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! No one can place an obligation or expectation upon the Almighty, and no one can charge him with wrongdoing or injustice. God will bring about his purposes in his way and in his time. verse 18 is the conclusion to this exposition of God’s sovereignty: 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. Given that all human beings are, by nature, ‘sinners and an affront to God’s holiness, we must be grateful for his undeserved grace.

This can be a difficult truth to accept, but it helps to define the contours of our understanding of three key concepts: who God is and how he acts. God’s justice, grace, and love. and our own salvation.

Great is the Lord!

Ultimately, all human history will result in one certain outcome: glory to God.

5 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!” not just within Israel, as if the God of the Bible were a regional deity, but God will be honored with universal glory, unbounded and limitless.

Application

So, as we close, we see that the electing love of God is the focal point of this first passage. How are we to respond to it?

When you are unsure of His heart, trust that He is both just and merciful. His justice and wrath do not overwhelm His love and grace. He is perfect and holy in all of His character. John 3.16-18. 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. Please. Believe God and trust him with your life.

When you are unsure of His ways, dig deeper into His word. Let the Holy Spirit lead you to all truth. John 16.13. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. Rely on Him to explain his ways and his word to you.

When you are unsure of his love, turn to Jesus. Jesus is the perfect and complete expression of God’s love. I John 4.9-10. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. If God said to you, “I have loved you,” what would your response be? Does your love for God rise and fall with your circumstances, or is it a constant truth despite your circumstances? You can be assured of his love as you believe in him. turn to Jesus Christ and trust Him.

The truth of Malachi’s first oracle is clear: God loved Israel and had not forgotten them. He was present with them. Just so, the coming of Jesus Christ and the fullness of the gospel assure us of God’s continual presence through his Holy Spirit. The love and faithfulness of God to Israel foreshadow his love and faithfulness to his church. and to you.

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Malachi | God’s Last Word: Future Unification in Messiah

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 20:03:25 GMT

Acts 21:1-16: “Courage Stemming from Conviction.”

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 20:47:08 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

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Let’s resume our verse-by-verse study of Acts. Please take your Bibles with me and turn to Acts 21. And as you are turning there, let’s play a little game of name that author.

Who wrote the following: “Parting is such sweet sorrow?” That’s Shakespeare. And we saw a bit of that “sweet sorrow” last time in Acts 20 when Paul said a tearful goodbye to the Ephesian elders. There’s going to be more of that in Acts 21 today.

Here’s a harder one for you. Who wrote the following?

“All my bags are packed; I’m ready to go

I’m standin’ here outside your door; I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breakin’; It’s early morn

The taxi’s waitin’; He's blowin’ his horn

Already I’m so lonesome, I could die”

That’s John Denver, “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” The context of that song is way different from Paul in Acts 21, but the pathos is the same. “I’m leavin’ on a transport ship,” Paul could sing. “I know I won’t be back again.” That’s Paul and Luke as they are heading toward Jerusalem.

But here’s what’s different in Acts 21 from what we saw in Acts 20. In Acts 20, the Ephesian elders don’t try to talk Paul out of going to Jerusalem. They are sad for him. They weep. They cry. They kiss him. They say their sad goodbyes. But they don’t say, “Hey Paul, why don’t you just stay here and avoid all that uncomfortable stuff in Jerusalem?” They don’t say that.

But in Acts 21 as Paul is making his way to Jerusalem, almost every Christian he encounters tries to talk him out of going to Jerusalem. Probably you and I would have done the same. “Paul, why don’t you just stay here and lie low? Why don’t you avoid all that uncomfortable stuff?” Even Luke, even his faithful sidekick Luke—his Samwise Gamgee if you will—tries to convince Paul that he should avoid the imminent persecution that is coming.

But Paul is unmoved by these entreaties. His conviction through the Holy Spirit is that God wants him in Jerusalem.

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The title for the message today is “Courage Stemming from Conviction.” And I want us to explore this topic in light of what the Apostle Paul displays on his way to Jerusalem. In this passage he exemplifies the kind of courageous conviction that we should all have. And maybe it doesn’t concern the same thing. God has not called the men and women in this room to go to Jerusalem and receive persecution there like the Apostle Paul. But whatever God has called us to, and whatever God has told us to do in his Word, we should have a similar unshakable, unyielding courageous conviction concerning.

And to that you might say, “What if my convictions are unclear, Pastor Tony, or they differ from what other people are telling me?” That’s a good question. And we’ll deal with that this morning too.

First, write this down as #1 in your notes.

Courage Stemming from Conviction is…

1) Not impeded by emotional pain (Acts 21:1–3)

When we last saw Paul, he was tearfully saying his goodbyes to the Ephesian elders at Miletus. Paul was on a mission! Luke tells us in Acts 20:16 that Paul was in great haste to get to Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost. Paul was hustling like crazy to get to Jerusalem, and that’s why there was this frantic travel pace that Luke records in Acts 20 and 21.

But Paul couldn’t pass by the region of Asia without imparting some final words and commands to the Ephesian elders. So he calls them to visit him in Miletus. These are men that Paul has spent a lot of time with. He’s trained them. He loved them. He served alongside of them for three years in Ephesus. And he says goodbye to them for the last time.

Just by way of review from our previous passage, look at Acts 20:18.

18 And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears … 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

Let me make two points here: 1) Paul is constrained by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. This is not a wish. This is not a hope. This is not a preference. The Holy Spirit says “go,” and Paul is being obedient. And 2) Paul knows that suffering is imminent once he gets to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit has testified to him in every city that he has traveled that imprisonment and afflictions await him. You might say, “Well if that’s the case, Paul, why don’t you just stay in Ephesus?” Surely the Lord doesn’t want you to suffer if you can avoid it? Does he?”

Paul goes on to tell the Ephesians that they will never see him again which makes them understandably weepy. And after kisses and hugs and much weeping and praying, they finally say their goodbyes and wave farewell to him in verse 36. Paul boards a ship and off he goes.

And in the first verse in Acts 21 Luke writes the following:

1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos

Now let me just point out a few things in verse 1. Notice the “we.” Paul is not alone. Luke, the author of Acts, is with him on this fateful voyage. And Luke is going to stay with him all the way to Jerusalem and then all the way to Rome later.

Notice also that word “parted.” Does everyone see that in verse 1? That word “parted” isn’t strong enough in the ESV. The NIV is better; it reads like this: “After we had torn ourselves away from them” (Acts 21:1, NIV). Paul and Luke had to tear themselves away from the Ephesian elders. It was a gut-wrenching separation. It was emotionally taxing and painful. And it’s not the last time in this passage where Paul’s heart is torn to pieces.

Why is he doing this? Why doesn’t he stay longer in the relative safety of Miletus? Because the Holy Spirit is constraining him. He’s got the courage of his convictions.

So here’s where he goes. Look again at verse 1.

1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

These are little docking stations near Ephesus. They are still a long way from Jerusalem when they get to Patara. Look at verse 2.

2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.

Now here’s where their journey accelerates. Instead of dinking and dunking their way along the coast of Asia Minor, they take a transport across the Mediterranean to Phoenicia. This was about a 400-mile trip and it would have significantly increased their chances of reaching Jerusalem by Pentecost.

Look at verse 3.

3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo.

Let me show you on the map here where Paul travels.

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem (from Miletus to Tyre) - (Click for map)

He goes from Miletus to Cos to Rhodes to Patara. Then he takes a ship crossing all the way to Phoenicia. That allows him to make up some time. They sail right pass Cyprus, which was the island where Paul began his first missionary journey many years before. And then they land in Tyre.

Paul is closer to Jerusalem now, but he still has a ways to go. Tyre is about a hundred miles north of Jerusalem as the crow flies. And Tyre is the place where Paul has another gut-wrenching encounter with Christians.

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Go ahead and write this down as #2 in your notes. Courage stemming from conviction is not impeded by emotional pain. It’s also…

2) Not swayed by well-meaning dissent (Acts 21:4–6)

Even the well-meaning dissent of faithful Christians. Look at verse 4 with me. This passage is fascinating.

4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days.

Presumably the ship had to dock for a few days to unload cargo, and that gives Paul a chance to spend a few days in Tyre. And what does Paul do? Well, don’t read past this too quickly. Luke says, “having sought out the disciples.” The Greek word for “sought out” (ἀνευρίσκω) is the same word used of the shepherds when they with haste sought out baby Jesus in the manger after the angels scared the tar out of them (Luke 2:16). This was not a casual stroll around the neighborhood hoping to find something. They sought out urgently the believers in Tyre, and (eureka!) they located them.

I love this about Paul. He’s got seven days to kill in Tyre. What’s he going to do with that time? “Let’s do some sightseeing, Paul. Let’s check out the beaches in Tyre; I hear they’re beautiful.” No. Paul uses this opportunity to find and encourage the believers in this town.

Now, as far as we know, Paul has rarely, if ever, been to Tyre. He didn’t plant this church. He didn’t know the believers there. Maybe he knew them through his associates. But that doesn’t really matter to him. They’re believers. He’s a believer. They’re followers of Jesus Christ. He’s an apostle of Jesus Christ.

Some of these disciples may have even fled to Tyre to escape Paul when he was a murdering adversary of the gospel. But that doesn’t matter anymore. These are brothers and sisters in Christ, and Paul seeks mutual encouragement with them because of the gospel that they all hold dear.

Now here’s where things get really interesting. Look at the end of verse 4.

4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul

The grammar of this statement indicates that they were repeatedly telling Paul something. Maybe for seven days straight they were telling him! Telling him what?

not to go on to Jerusalem.

Okay, now we have a dilemma. Paul feels constrained by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem. He knows that suffering is coming. He knows that he’ll probably be arrested. He might be put to death even. But nevertheless he must exercise courage in the midst of his convictions. He’s got to go to Jerusalem.

But now he’s got these believers that he just met that are telling him through the Spirit, “Don’t go, Paul! Don’t go down there!” What’s he going to do? How do you respond to a warning like that?

Well verse 5 says this:

5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

So just to summarize: They say to Paul, “Don’t go to Jerusalem.” They speak “through the Spirit,” Luke notes. And Paul disregards their counsel. As soon as his ship was ready, he gets back on board headed for Jerusalem.

Now don’t think this was easy. Paul didn’t rebuke them or debate them. He received what they said. And then he held fast to his convictions and kept going. And there’s even a bit of tenderness in this scene as he says his goodbyes. The Christians in Tyre come out with their whole families, women and children, and they say goodbye to Paul. It’s a very touching scene. So even though Paul disregards their counsel, they still have this tender moment with him praying on the beach before he boards the ship.

So what’s going on here? Some would conclude that Paul was disobedient to the Holy Spirit here. That he was bullheaded. That he had some kind of unhealthy death wish, and so he ignores them and keeps marching to Jerusalem. I don’t think that’s true. And I don’t want to give the impression that Paul was somehow infallible. Paul was human just like you and me. He made mistakes. But I don’t think that this was one of them. Here’s why. Here’s what I think is going on here.

That statement in verse 4, “through the Spirit” is inconclusive.

And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

This could have been a person utilizing a gift of prophecy, which Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:20, to not despise, but instead test it. Test it for accuracy. Test it against the Scriptures. Test it against what the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do. Even more simply this could have been a believer in Tyre who was exhorting Paul with a spiritual gift of encouragement saying, “Don’t go down there, Paul, because if you do you will be arrested.” Well Paul already knew that he would be arrested. That’s already been revealed to him in all of the places he’s traveled.

Here’s what I think happened. A person in that church in Tyre receives a prophecy through the Holy Spirit concerning Paul. Prophetic utterances were not uncommon in the first century church (e.g., Judas and Silas [Acts 15:32]). And in this prophecy, he (or she… we’ll see some prophetesses later in this passage) prophesied that Paul would be persecuted in Jerusalem.

And the people conclude from that prophecy—without the aid of the Holy Spirit!—that Paul shouldn’t go to Jerusalem. In other words, they conclude something more than what the Holy Spirit revealed to them. Because surely God wouldn’t want Paul to suffer there if he could avoid it!

In other words the Holy Spirit was instrumental in giving the prophecy but not the interpretation. And Paul says, “Thank you very much. I know I’ll suffer in Jerusalem. I know I’ll be arrested, but I still have to go.”

Here’s a quote from John MacArthur on this passage. I found this helpful, “The Spirit’s message to Paul in Tyre, as elsewhere, was a warning, not a prohibition… Neither the threat of persecution nor the pleadings of well-meaning fellow believers could divert Paul from fulfilling his calling. He retained the courage of his conviction despite the repeated warnings of severe persecution once he reached Jerusalem… Nothing could dissuade him from carrying out the task the Lord had assigned him.”

Now I don’t know about you, but I’ve had similar experiences in my own life. I feel like the Holy Spirit is leading me to do X, Y or Z, but my good, godly friends think that’s a mistake. What do you do in situations like that? What do you do when other Spirit-filled people give you advice that differs from what you feel prompted by the Holy Spirit to do?

Well hold that thought. We’ll come back to that in just a moment. But first I want to raise the stakes. Because Paul is going to experience something similar in the next city that he visits. In verse 6, Paul says another tearful goodbye to the church in Tyre and boards a ship. I’m sure he’s like, “Get me to Jerusalem already, these goodbyes are killing me.”

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Write this down as #3 in your notes. Courage stemming from conviction is not impeded by emotional pain. It’s not swayed by well-meaning dissent. And thirdly, it’s…

3) Not deterred by personal sacrifice (Acts 21:7–16)

Luke writes in verse 7,

7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day.

More greetings. More seeking out Christians. More tearful goodbyes.

8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea,

Caesarea was about sixty miles from Jerusalem. It was the seat of the Roman government in Judea and a very prominent city. Plus it was the port for the city of Jerusalem. Paul’s travels from here on out will be by land not by sea.

Here’s the journey on the map.

Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem (from Tyre to Jerusalem) - (Click for map)

Ptolemais (or Acco) is just a few miles south of Tyre on the Mediterranean coast. And Caesarea is just a few miles south of Ptolemais. And even in Caesarea, Paul and his companions are still sixty miles from Jerusalem. So Luke has really slowed down the narrative here. He wants us to feel the slowness of this journey to Jerusalem.

And look what happens in verse 8.

8 On the next day we … came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

Philip the evangelist! Remember that guy? He was one of the seven “deacons” that the apostles appointed in Jerusalem along with Stephen. He preached the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch and baptized him. Then he travelled around preaching the gospel and eventually ended up in Caesarea according to Acts 8:40.

If you were thinking, “Whatever happened to that guy Philip after he came to Caesarea?” Well here you go! He’s still there twenty years later when Paul comes waltzing through town.

And verse 9 tells us something interesting about Philip.

9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.

So not only is he still in Caesarea, but, presumably, he settled down. He got married! He had some kids. And he stayed in Caesarea for twenty years ministering to the church there. Some guys do that, by the way. We can’t all be like the Apostle Paul.

And it says here that Philip’s daughters had the gift of prophecy, which was a gift that men as well as women had in the early church. Women are not allowed to serve as elders or teach Scripture in mixed company. Paul gives those directives clearly in his epistles (1 Tim 2:11–12; 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9; see also Titus 2:3–5). But women, in Paul’s day, did prophesy. There was a woman named Anna who met with Jesus at the temple immediately after his birth, and she was called a prophetess (Luke 2:36). I would just remind you that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are available to men are available to women, but the office of elder and the task of teaching Scripture in mixed company is reserved for men. That’s what the Bible teaches. And that’s what we uphold here as a complementarian church.

Now two points of interests here in verses 8 and 9. 1) First of all Philip welcomes Paul into his house. That’s intriguing. Because earlier in the book of Acts, Philip was expelled out of Jerusalem in large part due to Paul’s persecution of Christians. Twenty years before, these guys were enemies. Now they’re fast friends. How did that happen? That’s what the gospel does. It makes enemies friends.

2) Second point of interest is this—Paul is going to Jerusalem. Philip knows all about Jerusalem! I’m sure Philip was like, “You want to go to that place where Christian Jews like you and me got thrown out of town.”

Paul responds, “Yes I do.”

“Don’t you know they’ll arrest you when they find out you’re back in town?”

“Yes, I do. Everywhere I go people try to talk me out of going there. But I have to go.”

And I don’t think that Philip’s daughters who prophesied were silent when Paul was in his house.

In other words, I don’t think that this was just some incidental detail in this story. Luke tells us, “And Philip had some daughters who prophesied! The end!”

No, I think there’s something implied in that statement. I bet these young ladies were actively telling Paul, just like the people in Tyre earlier, “You’re going to get arrested when you get to Jerusalem, Paul! You’re going to be persecuted there.”

Paul’s like, “Yes, I know. Thank you! You’re not the first person to tell me that.”

And if that’s not enough, look at verse 10.

10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

Now this guy Agabus predicted the famine in Jerusalem in Acts 11. So this guy is legitimate as a prophet. He’s got a reputation for prophesying accurately. What’s he going to say? “O Paul’s fine going down to Jerusalem. Nothing bad’s going to happen to him there, no problem!”

Let’s see. Look at verse 11.

11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

Is there any doubt now that Paul’s trip to Jerusalem is not going to end well? Paul is going to be a sitting duck in Jerusalem.

In fact, this language is worse than you know. The “handing over of Paul to the Gentiles” (Greek: παραδίδωμι [paradidōmi]) sounds like something else in Luke’s writings. What does that sound like? Who was handed over to the Gentiles in Luke’s gospel? Jesus was (Luke 18:32; see also 23:1; 23:25; 24:7).

Luke writes in verse 12,

12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged [Paul] not to go up to Jerusalem.

Did you notice the “we”? Luke’s had enough of this. He’s changing teams. He now joins Agabus and the Christians in Caesarea and they pleaded with Paul. “Paul, please don’t go to Jerusalem! You’ve got to listen to us! We need you, Paul! Aren’t you of more use to Christ here—alive! —then dead or imprisoned in Jerusalem? Don’t go there. Please, Paul. Don’t throw your life away so meaninglessly.”

What’s an apostle to do in a situation like this? What would you do? How persuadable would you be with Christian friends begging you not do something? Hopefully you would be persuadable by the counsel of good friends. But there are some things in this world... there are some convictions… that only God can persuade you concerning.

What does Paul do? Look at verse 13.

13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart?

“I can handle the suffering in Jerusalem, but I can’t handle this! I can’t handle this suffering here in Caesarea… where my friends don’t support what God has called me to do.”

“You’re breaking my heart!” Don’t go breaking my heart,” says Paul.

I think I said last time that Paul is not this robotic, unemotional idea-machine that just cranks out theology. He’s a people person. He’s sensitive at times. And this emotional turmoil gets the best of him here.

One of the things that I was wrestling with in this passage is why did God keep revealing to people in Paul’s path that Paul would suffer in Jerusalem. Why not keep them in the dark? I understand why God told Paul. Paul needed to get mentally prepared to suffer. But why tell the church in Tyre? Why tell the church in Caesarea? Why reveal this to Agabus? Why make the people in Ephesus suffer needlessly with these prophecies?

Why? Here’s the reason why. You want to know why? Here’s why I think God did this. So that they could hear Paul say this in verse 13:

For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

What a statement! Those believers needed to hear that. Luke needed to hear that. Luke needed to record that in the book of Acts so that you and me, twenty centuries later, could read this. You and I need to hear Paul say, “Safety is not the utmost concern. Longevity in this life is not the most important thing. My only goal… my preeminent calling in this life… my one consuming holy ambition is to uphold the name of the Lord Jesus. And I am wholeheartedly submitted to him. If I die, I die. Let God be true and every man a liar.”

“The important thing is your health, Paul.”

“No, it’s not!”

Paul states elsewhere, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell” (Phil 1:21–22). Paul states elsewhere, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal 1:10).

Paul says, “I’m in this for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else.” We need to hear this in America. We need to hear this in a place where safety and security and prosperity are idols in our hearts. And we view them as more important than obedience to God.

I feel like a lot of Christians in America are like, “Sure, I’ll be a Christian, as long as it doesn’t cost me anything. As long as it doesn’t inconvenience me or involve any emotional discomfort.” You know in America, we like to think of Christianity as just some folder in the filing cabinet of your life that you pull out every once in a while. And Paul’s like it’s not a folder; it’s the whole filing cabinet.

For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever would lose his life for my sake and for the gospel will find it” (Matt 16:24–25). Paul actually took Jesus’s word seriously. He gave up ownership of his life for Christ’s sake and for the gospel.

And watch how Luke, Philip, Agabus, and the others responded. This is good in verse 14.

14 And since [Paul] would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”

That’s a good place to land right there. Let God’s will be done. Even if it involves suffering. Even if it involves death. Even if it involved disagreement between Christians.

This is not unlike what Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Sometimes when Christians can’t agree on a matter, we just turn it over to God.

I think that’s what happened in Tyre when Paul was there. They told him not to go to Jerusalem. He said, “I’m going.” But at least they got together on that beach and knelt and prayed together. Their disagreement didn’t lead to divisiveness. They prayed together. They sent Paul off.

“Let the will of the Lord be done.”

But notice what else the church in Caesarea does. This is fantastic. Look at verse 15.

15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.

“Paul, we don’t think it’s a good idea to go. We think you should stay. But even though we disagree, let us send some guys with you to bless you on your way. And by the way, look up this guy Mnason when you get to town. He’ll leave the light on for you.” That is awesome.

Can Christians disagree on stuff and still love each other? I sure hope so… because I disagree with Christians a lot. Not on essential stuff like the deity of Christ, but non-essential stuff. And I praise God that this is modeled here for us in the Scriptures. I praise God for Paul’s courage of conviction. I want to be convictional and courageous like that. But I also praise God for the unity and the love and the prayer that these Christians shared even as they disagree with Paul and his plan to go to Jerusalem.

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Now before we close, let me say a few additional things. Let me ask you this question: What do you do when other Spirit-filled people give you advice that differs from what you feel led by the Spirit to do? This happens! What do you do? Let me frame it this way—what do you do when your friends try to steer you away from your convictions?

I’ll give you four answers to that question. But before I do that let me just clarify what I’m talking about here. The issue with Paul was a non-moral issue. And by that, I mean, it wasn’t the kind of thing where the Bible clearly prohibits one action over against another. Should he go to Jerusalem or should he not go to Jerusalem? The Bible doesn’t prohibit either. So we’re talking about a subjective prompting of the Holy Spirit.

So I’m not talking about an instance where your friends advise you to sleep with your girlfriend. Or some lady at work tells you go ahead and lash out at your kids. Or your accountant tells you it’s okay to cheat on your taxes. We’re talking about convictions in areas that are not clearly prohibited in Scripture, and therefore are analogous to Paul’s journey to Jerusalem.

These are the kinds of issues I’m wanting to address here. Should I marry this person? Should I move here for a job opportunity? Should I have 3 kids or 4 kids or 10? Should I… I don’t know… you fill in the blank… buy a pizza parlor and convert it to a music studio? You feel like the answer is yes. You feel like God is leading you by his Holy Spirit to make this decision. And your friends say, “That’s a bad move. Don’t do that!” What do you do?

Four things. Here’s the first.

When Christians Try to Steer You Away from Your Convictions:

1) Hear them out

Paul almost to the point of utter exasperation was willing to hear from the people around him. He didn’t shut them out. He didn’t castigate them, “I’m the apostle around here, so shut up already.” He didn’t demean them or insult them. He listened to them. He heard them out. He even let Agabus take off his belt and do a little demonstration with it. And it was only after he was emotionally taxed to his limits he said, “Why are you breaking my heart?” After that they backed off. But he heard them out.

Now let me just share my own experiences. There are a few times in my life where I have felt a strong sense of conviction regarding a non-moral decision. For example, when I was called to ministry. When I married my wife. When I moved to Chicago for seminary. When I moved to central Illinois to pastor a church in a city that I had never heard of before. In those cases, I felt a strong sense of conviction, a prompting in my Spirit, to do those things.

You might say, “That’s really subjective, Tony.” You’re right, it is. Honestly there are times when I wish God had given me a crystal ball along with the Bible, so that I could discern his will for my life in non-moral categories. But he hasn’t done that. And we are called to pray, seek counsel, be led by the Spirit, and step out in faith.

Now have I misread the Spirit’s prompting in my life? Yes! Absolutely! But that’s part of a Christian’s growth process. You learn to discern the prompting of the Spirit from your own fleshly desires. All I can say is that the way that Paul was constrained by the Holy Spirit here, I’ve experienced that on a few occasions in my own life. And not all the time either. Some people can’t seem to eat lunch or get a drink of water without a prompting of the Holy Spirit. I don’t think that’s healthy. And I don’t think that’s how God works. But in a few meaningful instances, I’ve experienced what Paul was experiencing here.

And here’s the thing, some people didn’t agree with me. Some people I trust a lot didn’t agree with what I felt the Holy Spirit was leading me to do. Some people didn’t think I should marry Sanja twenty-five years ago... or should I say it this way, some people didn’t think Sanja should marry me. Good people! Godly people!

Some people questioned my call to ministry. Some people tried to talk me out of moving to Illinois. Some people tried talk me out of moving back to Texas. I heard Kent Hughes say once, “I have never made a major decision in my life without someone saying ‘you’re wrong.’”

Listen, when God is leading you in a certain direction, more often than not God’s people will come along side of you and confirm that calling. And the godlier your counselors are, the better counsel you’ll typically get. So don’t use this passage as an excuse to ignore godly counsel. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to do what you think is best. And you got to follow your convictions. Not your friends. The onus of responsibility is on you to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Now let’s flip the situation. Let’s say that you’re the Agabus in this little scenario. Let’s say that you are Luke, Paul’s trusted companion, who pleads with him in Caesarea to not go to Jerusalem. What do you do when your friends make decisions that you disagree with? You’ve got to let your friends make their decisions. You can’t control them. Parents, there will come a time when you’ve got to let your kids make their decisions and make their mistakes. They need to learn to pray and discern God’s leading in their lives.

Here’s something I say often when I give counsel, “Here’s what I think... Here’s the best of my discernment spiritually. But ultimately this is a matter between you and God. You’ve got to make that call…if you marry that man… if you take that job… if you move to Alaska.

Now just to clarify again, we’re talking about non-moral convictions here. If someone says to me, I think the Holy Spirit is leading me to move in with my boyfriend, I’ll say “No, that’s not the Holy Spirit! That’s your flesh!”

“Pastor Tony, I think the Holy Spirit is leading me to abandon my wife and children.” No! The Holy Spirit is not leading you to do that. But with non-moral issues, I will say something like this: “Here’s what I think. The decision is yours. It’s between you and God.”

And I’ll also say this, “You have my full support whatever you decide. And I’m here for you.”

What do you do with your friends try to steer you away from your convictions? You hear them out. And here’s a second thing.

2) Pray with them

Did we see that modeled in the text? Absolutely! What did Paul do before he left the Ephesian elders in Miletus? He prayed with them and he wept with them. What did Paul do in Tyre before he left Tyre? He knelt down on the beach and prayed with them. That’s powerful right there!

Brothers and sisters can disagree and still have unity. Do you believe that?

I had this disagreement once with a brother and I eventually said, “Let’s just agree to disagree.” And he said, “No. I refuse to agree to disagree. You’re wrong.” And I was like, “Great! Thank you for compromising our unity as brothers in Christ, just because I didn’t agree with your opinions.”

Don’t do that, Christian! Brothers and Sisters in Christ can disagree and still have unity. And you know what a big part of that is? Prayer. Prayer can work wonders to knit hearts together despite a disagreement.

Here’s a third thing to do with friends.

3) Reason with them

Here’s what happened with Paul. He said eventually, “Look, your logic is flawed. You guys have discerned from the Holy Spirit that I’m going to be arrested and persecuted in Jerusalem. But you have assumed by that, that God doesn’t want me to go to Jerusalem. You assume by that that God wouldn’t want me to suffer or be persecuted. That logic is flawed.”

“Yes, I will be persecuted. Yes, I will be arrested. And yes, God wants me to go to Jerusalem. That’s God will for me.” That was a great teaching moment for the church in Caesarea. God sometimes asks us to suffer. It’s true.

And Paul says,

… I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

You know there are people every day that give their lives for the gospel. They travel to hostile nations. They preach the gospel in places where it’s illegal to do so. Just because it’s dangerous or unsafe doesn’t mean it’s not God’s will.

Now sometimes the stakes aren’t always that high. Sometimes you are feeling led to move to Cincinnati just because it’s a better job opportunity, and you can provide better for your family. If that’s the case then you should pray and reason with your friends and show them why you’ve decided what you’ve decided. And try to discern as best you can the Spirit’s leading. If you’ve decided to marry someone don’t just say, “I’ve got to marry someone it might as well be her.” That’s not a great reason to marry. And if you have good friends, they’ll give you some pushback on that.

And here’s a final thing you do.

4) Demonstrate love despite disagreement

You demonstrate your love for them while concurrently holding fast to your convictions. Amen? Most of your friends don’t want to control your lives. They’re just looking out for you.

These churches weren’t trying to manipulate Paul. They loved him. In some ways they were blinded by their love for him. And Paul reciprocated his love for them while concurrently holding fast to his convictions. We can do this too. We can demonstrate our love for others, even in disagreement, while concurrently holding fast to our convictions.

Romans 12:9-21: “Life on the Altar” – Changed by the Gospel

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 19:29:05 GMT

Mitchell Palermo

Pastoral Intern

Messiah Bible Church

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Acts 20:25–38: "Paul’s Farewell Address in Miletus (Part 2)"

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 21:37:38 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

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Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 20. Our passage for today is Acts 20:25–38. Last time, we studied Acts 20:17–24 in “Part 1” of “Paul’s Farewell Address in Miletus” to the Ephesian elders. Today, it’s “Part 2” as we look at verses 25–38.

And let me start today by asking you the following. If you were to meet with your family for the last time ever, what would you want to say to them? Imagine your children gathered around you… your parents… your friends… your siblings… your grandchildren… everyone. If you had one opportunity to speak to them for the final time, what would you want to say? No time for trivialities or generalities. Just carefully chosen, purposeful words!

I can imagine a father at the end of his life wanting to do something like that. And what we have here in Acts 20 is a spiritual father, the Apostle Paul, giving some final words of counsel to his spiritual children… his spiritual children who are all growed up. They are elders over the church in Ephesus. And Paul is passing the baton to them.

And what Paul communicates to them in Acts 20 is solid gold for leaders. It’s good counsel for how leaders of the church of Jesus Christ should conduct their leadership responsibilities.

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Now last week, we looked at Paul’s testimonial in verses 17–24. That section of Paul’s message was all about personal sacrifice for the sake of Christian ministry. Paul gives his “post-conversion” testimony of faithful service to the church.

And he was able to say,

“I served the Lord with humility and determination” (Acts 20:17–19)

“I didn’t hesitate to speak of my Savior” (Acts 20:20–21)

“I valued the Lord and his gospel as more precious than self” (Acts 20:22–24)

Paul didn’t tell these things to the Ephesian elders to puff up his own reputation. He gave them instead a personal snapshot of what faithful following of Christ looks like, so that they would do likewise. He was saying to them essentially, “This is ‘normative’ for the Christian life. Do like me!”

“O Paul, he is so awesome! I could never be like him.” No, that’s not why he’s telling them these things. That’s not why these things are in the Bible! He’s telling them these things because he wants them to follow in his footsteps. And the Holy Spirit wants us, two-thousand years later, to follow in Paul’s footsteps. This is what faithful following of Christ should look like for all of us, especially for those who call themselves “elders” in the church.

Now in verses 25–38, the testimonial side of Paul’s message diminishes, and the instructional side of his message increases. Let me put it this way— verses 25–38 are less inspiration and more instruction. Paul tells them, “This is what faithful followers of Christ do. This is what elders in the church do.” In fact he says it even more forcefully than that: “Do this! Ephesian elders! I’m gone. I’m out of here. I’ve got one foot in the grave, and the other foot’s in prison for the rest of my life. You won’t see my face again. So now it’s time for you to step up and lead the church. The monkey is on your back now.”

I’m sure at some point the elders listening to Paul collectively “gasped” as they contemplated what awaited them now that Paul was out of the picture. This is one of those messages today where we as elders “gasp” at the weight of responsibility that God has put on our shoulders.

But knowing the type of men that Paul chose (and the Holy Spirit too), and knowing his expectations of these men, I don’t think that these men shrunk back from the prospect of leading without Paul. I think with tears in their eyes, they rolled up their sleeves … they manned-up… they girded up their loins … to follow through with the responsibilities that God had called them to. And likewise, I know our elders here at Messiah Bible Church will do the same after a message like this. Yes, we gasp! But we also gird up our loins!

Here’s how I want to frame our message today. I want to give you from the text, four statements that good shepherds over God’s flock should be able to say.

Now this message today is more particularly about leadership. And I’m not going to apologize for that, because that’s the contour of the text in Acts 20. And our shepherds need to know how to better shepherd the flock. And the flock needs to know what good shepherding look like… so that you can pray for your shepherds! And so that some of you can aspire to good shepherding some day in the future. By the way the first qualification for an elder is “aspiration” (see 1 Tim 3:1).

Additionally, you, the flock, need wisdom from God’s Word so that you can stay away from bad shepherds. And from wolves. We’ll talk more about wolves later.

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So, four things that good shepherds should be able to say. Here’s #1.

1) “I instructed the sheep in the full counsel of God” (Acts 20:25–27)

Paul says in verse 25.

25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.

Paul would eventually come back to this region of Asia. But, as far as we can tell, he never set foot in Ephesus again. And he must’ve never had direct communication with these elders again. He did communicate with Timothy, who was later stationed in Ephesus. But this is the last time that this group of men saw his face.

Look at verse 26.

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you,

That’s an odd expression—“I am innocent of the blood of all of you.” Why does Paul say it that way? Well, Paul is using OT language here. Ezekiel spoke in the OT of the watchman (see Ezek 33:1–9). The watchman was responsible for warning the people of God. If the watchman did his job than he was guiltless of their blood. But if he was unfaithful then their blood would be on his own head, the watchman’s head.

Paul says here, “I am innocent of your blood!” Why’s that? Because he told them everything. Look at verse 27.

27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

What do good shepherds like Paul do? Good shepherds declare the full counsel of God to the sheep. They don’t hold back. They don’t shrink back. And they don’t back down.

Now we’re going to stay with this sheep/shepherd metaphor throughout the sermon today, because it’s profoundly biblical. In the OT and the NT this agricultural metaphor is utilized continually to speak of God and his people (see Ps 100:3; Isa 40:11; Jer 13:17; 23:1–4; Ezek 34; John 10; 21:15–17; 1 Pet 2:25; 5:2; Heb 13:20; Jude 12). God’s people are repeatedly referred to as sheep. And God’s leaders are repeatedly referred to as shepherds. Jesus uses this metaphor as much as anyone. So the metaphor is biblical, but it’s also appropriate.

When I was a kid, we used to sing a song at VBS called “I just want to be a sheep!” We didn’t have cool songs and cool dance moves like we do at Messiah Bible Church VBS. It was the late 1900s. We just put our fingers above our ears and said, “Bah, Bah.”

Now that’s really an adorable thing to see in a room full of kids singing about sheep and pretending to be sheep. But the nuance of this metaphor can be lost in that. It was lost on me as a kid, because I was a city kid. I never spent time with sheep.

But if you know anything about sheep, you know four things: 1) They are wayward, 2) They are stubborn, 3) They are defenseless [sheep are just one step above grass on the food chain], and 4) [How do I put this delicately?] they are not renowned for their intelligence.

Now when the Bible leverages the sheep metaphor for the church, it’s not trying to illustrate their lack of intelligence. Maybe indirectly that’s what’s going on? More often than not, though, the Bible is illustrating waywardness. Sheep are wayward. And also the Bible is illustrating defenselessness. Sheep are vulnerable. They need protection. They are stubborn, and they like to stray. So they need shepherds.

All of that plays into Paul’s description of sheep and shepherds in Acts 20. And he says as far as his role as a shepherd is concerned, he didn’t hold back from instructing the sheep in the full counsel of God.

26 … I am innocent … 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Verse 27 is almost the same verbiage as verse 20. If you want to emphasize something, repeat it! He said in verse 20, if you remember, “I never, ever, ever shrank back from declaring to you anything that was profitable...” He used a double negation in Greek for emphasis. He does that again here, and he uses the same verb for shrink back (ὑποστέλλω). He says here in verse 27, “I never, ever, ever, shrank back from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.”

Now again Paul’s not saying this to just toot his own horn or draw attention to himself. He’s saying to these Ephesian elders, “You do like me. You imitate me. You do as I have done. Don’t shrink back from declaring the whole counsel of God to God’s people.”

Now what is the “whole counsel of God?” Well, literally it means the “full plan of God” or “full purpose of God.” The wording suggests something that has been deliberated in secret, but now has been made known.

And if Paul was speaking to a group of Gentile Ephesians, then this makes perfect sense. Paul has revealed to them the mystery of the gospel, especially the inclusion of the Gentiles into the people of God.

Secondarily, you might also say that this includes the myriads of gospel implications in the life of a believer, and the full revelation of God’s truth in the OT and NT. If you remember, Paul spent all night in Troas delivering as much content as he could to them. And he wasn’t just communicating the gospel in a nutshell to them. You can communicate the essence of the gospel in one sentence. Paul did that in one sentence with the Philippian jailer: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). That’s the gospel! You can communicate that in just a few words!

So Paul communicated more than just that to the Ephesians. Probably, what Paul did in Troas and in Ephesus is he opened up the Scriptures from Genesis to Malachi… he pulled out the scrolls, the parchments… and he relayed to them gospel implications and the fuller revelation of God’s Word. And we should do that do! That doesn’t complicate the gospel; it enriches the gospel. It explodes the gospel into gospel realities and gospel implications that permeate all areas of a Christian’s life.

Now why am I taking so much time to explain this? Because this is what we’re called to do as elders. That’s what I’m called to do as the teaching elder, the senior pastor of this church. That’s why we preach through whole books of the Bible here at Messiah, OT and NT. We are called to preach the plain, simple gospel message. But also, we disseminate gospel implications from all of God’s Word into the lives of God’s flock.

Now I could spend the next fifty years here at Messiah Bible Church preaching the gospel and disseminating gospel implications. I’ll never exhaust them. I don’t know if I’ll be able to preach through all sixty-six books of the Bible in my lifetime. But I can die trying. And in the trying, I can say with a clear conscience, even now, “I instructed the sheep in the full counsel of God” (Acts 20:25–27). “To the best of my ability with the time that God has given me in the church I have instructed the sheep in the full counsel of God.” This is what drives me. This is my calling and my ambition as a pastor.

Some of you know that I’m a fan of the Denver broncos. I don’t publicize that often, because we have two NFL teams here in Texas. But I was born in Denver and grew up on John Elway, so I’ve been cheering for the broncos my whole life.

And I remember several years ago when Peyton Manning played for the broncos, how he obsessively prepared each week for his responsibilities as a QB. His teammates said he was like a coach on the field. He told everyone what to do and what their responsibilities are on the football field. And you might say it this way: “He instructed his teammates in the full counsel of football.” He labored towards that. He was driven by that.

When I hear about that kind of work ethic and determination, that inspires me. Because I think to myself, “If Peyton Manning did that for quarterbacking, how much more should I do that for instructing God’s flock with the full counsel of God?” That motivates me.

Elders, pastoral interns… let me say this to you even as I preach it to myself—you’re life’s work… our life’s work should include… it should be driven by… the obsessive desire to instruct the flock that God has entrusted to you with the full counsel of God. Good shepherds should be able to say at the end of their ministry: I instructed the sheep in the full counsel of God.

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Secondly, write this down as #2. Here’s another thing that good shepherds should be able to say:

2) “I cared for the sheep as an under-shepherd” (Acts 20:28)

This is a really important qualifying statement right here. I want to be clear that shepherds in the church don’t own the sheep. That’s where the shepherd metaphor breaks down a little bit, because shepherds typically own their sheep. But according to 1 Peter 5, the shepherds (the elders) are under-shepherds of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. He owns the sheep. He purchased them with his blood.

Paul says in verse 28,

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

This is a really important verse for us by the way, because Paul equates three terms here. First the Ephesian leaders were called “elders” in verse 17. That’s the Greek word πρεσβύτερος. In verse 28, Paul calls the same group of men “overseers.” This is the Greek ἐπίσκοπος. What’s the difference between an elder and an overseer? What’s the difference between ἐπίσκοπος and πρεσβύτερος? The answer is—there is no difference. Elders are overseers, and overseers are elders. The only difference might be by way of nuance. Overseer is more evocative of what an elder does in a church. He oversees the care of the church.

Now let me add another component to that. Paul says here that overseers care for and lead the church. That word for “care” is the Greek ποιμαίνω. It means to “shepherd” and it’s etymologically related to the term for flock (Greek – ποίμνιον). We derive our English word “pastor” from this word. So in a very real sense, elders pastor the church. They shepherd. They oversee. They care for the flock.

But like I said already, the flock doesn’t belong to them. Elders are under-shepherds. The church belongs to God. He purchased those sheep with his own blood.

Now, I don’t know if that is a relief to under-shepherds or not. In one sense it is, because the flock belongs to God and not us. “Phew! I’m glad that’s the case. Jesus Christ is ultimately in charge, not us.” But in another sense, it’s not a relief, because we’re going to have to answer to the Chief Shepherd for how we shepherd his flock (Heb 13:17). And if we screw this up, he’s going to be pretty angry with us!

Now this is important. I want you to know this. Shepherds in the church are shepherds. But shepherds are also part of the flock. This is another place where the sheep/shepherd metaphor breaks down. Not only don’t the shepherds own the sheep, but they are paradoxically sheep too! The shepherds were purchased with Christ’s blood just like the sheep.

So it’s important that a shepherd doesn’t live above the flock, lording his authority over them. It’s important that the shepherds smell like the sheep. It’s important that the sheep know that their shepherds are sheep too. They make mistakes. They can be stubborn at times. They are vulnerable too. And that’s when all of us collectively as the flock need to lean into the power that only the Chief Shepherd gives. We need him. And we need the power of his Holy Spirit.

And by the way, the Bible always speaks of a plurality of leaders in the local church. It’s not a one-man band. That’s why Paul says “Pay attention to yourselves.” in verse 28. Who shepherds the local church? A group of leaders/elders. And who shepherds the shepherds? Who shepherds the pastor of the church? The answer is the other shepherds.

Paul didn’t call just one elder down to Miletus. He didn’t call just one pastor. He called a group, however large… maybe five guys… maybe ten guys… We don’t know how many. But he called a plurality of elders and gave them instructions on how to lead the church.

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And speaking of leading the church… let’s turn the heat up a little bit. Here’s another important aspect of church leadership. Paul says in verse 29.

29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears.

Here’s a third thing that good shepherds want to be able to say:

3) “I protected the sheep from wolves” (Acts 20:29–31)

Have you ever wondered why we tell our children nursery rhymes before they go to bed? Maybe this is a little off the topic, but I just wonder who was the first person to tell their children the “Little Red Riding Hood” before they went to bed?

Because here’s the essence of the story. A little girl goes to visit her grandma. That’s good, right? Except that the big bad wolf has eaten grandma. Okay, that’s terrifying! And then, the wolf dresses up like grandma. That’s weird, isn’t it? And then when Little Red Riding Hood gets there, here’s the dialogue between her and the wolf.

“And what big hands you have!” (“The better to grab you with”)

“O what big teeth you have” (“The better to eat you with!”)

Why do we tell our children these stories? And then after reading a story like that, we kiss our children goodnight and say to them, “Sweet dreams, sweetheart!”

“Thanks a lot Mom and Dad. Thanks for that terrifying story just before I go to sleep.”

Now I’ve heard some different theories on what that fairy tale is supposed to teach. I’m not really sure what it’s supposed to teach. But I find it interesting that in a lot of these fairy tales, the nemesis is a big bad wolf (e.g. “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” “The Three Little Pigs,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” etc.). Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?” I am. And you should be too!

Now biblically speaking, who are the wolves? Well, the wolves are false teachers in the church. Jesus said in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

And what’s scary about Paul’s statement in verses 29–30 is that he says that wolves come from both inside and outside of the church. In other words, false teachers will come in from the outside and try to attack the flock. But false teachers also germinate from inside the church too. And in time they will rise up.

Paul must have had certain people in mind that he knew in Ephesus. Eventually these people would let ambition and pride get the best of them. And the Ephesian elders were tasked with the job of dealing with false teachers. Paul says, “Be alert! Be vigilant!”

What does the Bible say about false teachers? Let me give you a sampling. 2 Peter 2 says false teachers are those who “secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction” (2:1). They “indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority” (2:10). They “count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!” (2:13–14).

1 Timothy 1 says that false teachers, “devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith…. [they] have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions” (1:3–7).

2 Timothy 3 says that they are “lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (3:1–5).

Jude says that they “blaspheme all that they do not understand” (10). They are “grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.” (16). I could go on and on. That’s just a sampling of what’s found in the NT.

Suffice it to say, there is no love lost in the Bible for false teachers. Let me just boil all of that content down for you into three categories: 1) Heresy, 2) Divisiveness, 3) Ungodly ambition for power and control. If you’ve got one or more of those characteristics in a person, then you’ve got a wolf that needs to be dealt with.

And again and again in Scripture, it’s the job of the shepherds to deal with wolves when they attack the flock. Shepherds are given rods for a reason, right? The rod, in a shepherd’s hand, was the ancient equivalent to a shotgun.

By the way, in Psalm 23, the shepherd has both a crook and a rod. The crook is used to steer and corral stubborn sheep. The rod is used to fight off enemies. And God has tasked the elders with rods in their hands (or with shotguns if you want to update the metaphor) to deal with wolves who want to come in and attack God’s flock.

Where were the shepherds when David Koresh led 76 men, women, and children to their death in Waco, Texas? Where were the shepherds when Jim Jones and 909 people committed mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana? Where we’re the shepherds when Joseph Smith started spouting off blasphemies and writing atrociously inaccurate accounts of history and theology and calling it “scripture?” There are approximately 18 million Mormons in our world today. It’s one of the fastest growing religions in the world. That’s 18 million people around the world that have been deceived and are headed to hell thanks to a false teacher from this country.

Now we, as the pastors and elders of this church, we don’t have to answer to the Lord for Joseph Smith and those 18 million Mormons. But we will have to answer to God for this flock. And we will have to answer for whether or not we were vigilant in protecting this church from wolves.

Some people might say, “That’ll never happen here, Pastor Tony. We don’t have to worry about wolves here.” Yes, wolves (false teachers) exist in San Antonio, Texas. Please don’t be naïve. And yes, wolves will get their due. Christ will return soon and put an end to all that nonsense. In the meantime, elders are called to stay vigilant.

Now before we leave the topic of “wolves,” let me give you six identifying markers for a wolf. Write these down. This will help our elders, but this will also help you, the sheep, to watch out. You can subtitle this list “What does the wolf say!”

Six identifying markers for wolves:

1) Wolves are Scripture-twisters

In verse 30, Paul says that men will arise speaking “twisted things.” The idea here is not that they will be spouting new things or brand-new heresies. Instead, they will twist or pervert true things. The most dangerous false teachers aren’t the ones that come out of nowhere teaching crazy stuff. Nobody follows Scientology except for weirdos in Hollywood. The really dangerous wolves are the ones that have just a little bit of truth and twist it. Wolves are scripture-twisters.

2) Wolves care more about themselves than the wellbeing of the flock

They care more about themselves! That’s something that’s patterned again and again in scripture. That’s the very nature of a wolf. They destroy the sheep to benefit themselves.

3) Wolves defy spiritual authority

When you have a person who wanders from church to church to church, trying to gather a following, more often than not, you’ve got a wolf.

And sometimes, a wolf will just kind of saunter into a church inconspicuously. And everyone says, “Welcome. So glad you’re here. What churches have you been to?”

“Oh, this one, this one, this one, this one, this one, and this one. I went to that church, and I didn’t like their leaders. And I went to that church, and I didn’t like their pastor.”

And the church might naively and goodheartedly say, “Oh, that’s no problem. This will be the church that works for you.”

Careful elders! Careful, sheep! Be careful with that. Wolves defy spiritual authority.

4) Wolves try to circumvent the Chief Shepherd

Sometimes wolves do this by putting forth themselves as the real Messiah. David Koresh’s name wasn’t David or Koresh. His name was Vernon Wayne Howel. He took the name David because he thought of himself as a messianic figure like King David. And he took the name Koresh, because it was the Hebrew pronunciation of King Cyrus, another messianic figure. He saw himself as a messiah. And a lot of wolves don’t direct your gaze towards the Lord. They instead try to direct your gaze towards them.

Sometimes this circumvention happens by putting forth themselves as the real Messiah. Sometimes this happens by perverting the truth of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus. Almost all of the cults throughout church history have put forth a mistaken view of Jesus: 1) The Arians, 2) The Nestorians 3) The Manicheans, 4) The Apollinarians, 5) The Nestorians, 6) The Gnostics, and 7) The Docetists. In our day, it’s the JWs, the Mormons, and the oneness Pentecostals.

5) Wolves often pitch esoteric points of doctrine

Here’s a great phrase for you: “The main things are the plain things, and the plain things are the main things.” Whenever you have someone who creatively goes and fishes stuff out of the Bible that nobody else could discern, typically you have a wolf. I’m talking about esoteric ideas that aren’t clear and plain in the reading of Scripture. That’s a warning sign.

Or false teachers try to pitch insider information on stuff that only they know. Oftentimes it involves eschatology.

And it starts like this, “Hey, I know who the antichrist is.”

“Oh, really? That’s news to me.”

“And I know when Jesus is coming back.”

“Oh, you do, do you? Wow, because the Bible says nobody knows that.”

6) Wolves can often be charismatic, but they don’t produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit

2 Timothy 3 says that they are “lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, [etc.]” (3:1–5). Jude says that they are “grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires” (16). Wolves can be likable and charismatic. They know how to gain a following. But they don’t produce the fruit of the Spirit. My grandma used to say that the proof is in the pudding. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of good shepherding.

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Fourthly and finally, write this down as #4. This is a great place to finish up our message, because this last statement is more broadly applicable for all Christians, not just leaders in the church. All of us should want to be able to say this at the end of our lives:

4) “I was a giver not a taker” (Acts 20:32–38)

Paul says in verse 32.

32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Paul says, “I didn’t covet anyone’s gold or silver. I didn’t do this for the money. The money’s not that good anyway. I worked bi-vocationally when I needed to. When people were in need, I helped them. I didn’t hesitate to help the weak, and you shouldn’t either. I taught you the value of hard work and discipline but I also taught you how to be generous and how to be givers. As the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Let me ask you one very pointed question right now, church. If your family and your church family were to write only one of two words on your casket when you die, on your tombstone at your grave, which word would it be: “giver” or “taker.”

Robert Murray McCheyne, the great Scottish preacher, who died at age 29 said this once in his diary, “Live so as to be missed when dead.” Do you remember when Peter raised Dorcas from the dead earlier in Acts? The women that she had ministered to were inconsolable. They were beside themselves with grief. And part of that was because, I believe, they’re lives were better with her around than when she was dead.

The Bible says “she was full of good works and acts of charity” (Acts 9:36). And so Peter’s like “I’ve got to find a solution for this.” And he goes in there and raises Dorcas from the dead. And the people rejoice, because Dorcas was a giver not a taker. And the lives of the people around her were bettered because of her ministry. Live your life like that! That’s the essence of a life well lived! Be a giver not a taker.

After Paul delivers this great message to these Ephesian Elders, look what he does. He falls on his knees and starts praying for them.

36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

He’s still giving to them. He’s still blessing them. And watch how the people respond.

37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

There was weeping. There was grief over his absence. They kissed him. They embraced him. And then Paul says his final goodbye and leaves them for the final time never to set eyes on them again on this side of eternity.

Can I just make an obvious observation here? These men loved Paul. They loved this shepherd to the shepherds. And he loved them. Sometimes we like to think of Paul as this unemotional, dispassionate idea-machine that just kind of robotically cranks out theological ideas: 1) “Justification by Faith,” 2) “Doctrine of Election,” etc. But that’s not the case. Paul loved these men. He was full of tenderness and compassion.

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul says, “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us” (2:7–8). Paul was a manly man. He could take a beating for the gospel. He was a tent-maker, a leatherworker. He could preach with power and conviction. He could rebuke. And he could match wits with the most brilliant people in the Roman Empire. We saw evidence of that in Athens.

But also, Paul was a tenderhearted man full of love and affection. He not only gave of his mind to them; he gave of his heart. He was a giver not a taker. And he loved the church. And the church loved him too.

Elders… shepherds… leaders of Messiah Bible church… go love your church like that! And sheep, the flock of Jesus Christ… church-folk… go love your elders like that! Amen!

Prophet, Priest, King: The Threefold Messiah - Christmas Eve 2025

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 07:38:50 GMT

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Acts 20:17–24: "Paul’s Farewell Address in Miletus" (Part 1)

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 21:40:22 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

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Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 20. Our passage for today and for next Sunday is Acts 20:17–38, Paul’s “Farewell Address in Miletus” to the Ephesian elders. Today, we will study the first part of that in Acts 20:17–24. Next week we will look at Acts 20:25–38.

And let me start this message today by asking you the following morbid question. What do you want said about you at your funeral? How do you want people to remember you? Now I’ve asked you those questions before. I’ve said in the past please don’t make me lie at your funeral. Live your life in such a way that the pastor will have plenty of material to work with when he eulogizes you.

But today, as we look at the Apostle Paul in Acts 20, I want to take another run at those questions. But I want to ask them a little differently. Here’s what I want to ask: What do you want to be able to say about yourself at the end of your life? If you were doing a performance review on yourself at the end of your life, what would you want to be able to say?

Amazingly we have all this content on the Apostle Paul at the end of his life… not just here but also in 1 and 2 Timothy. And Paul started thinking about the end of his life many years before he died. In Acts 20, he meets with a group of Ephesian elders and gives some important statements of self-reflection. And, as I understand it, historically, Paul met with those Ephesian elders in approximately AD 57. Paul’s going to live at least five more years. I actually think he lives about ten more years, dying in AD 67 at the hands of Emperor Nero. He’s going to be imprisoned several more times in the book of Acts. And he’s going to be imprisoned a final time even after the book of Acts ends.

But even ten years before his death, Paul was thinking about how to finish life well. And he met with these elders for the last time in Acts 20 to give them his swan song. And Paul gives us three things that he was able to say to the Ephesians. And these are things that I want to be able to say at the end of my life. These are things that we should all aspire to say at the end of our lives.

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Three things. Here’s the first. At the end of your life, you want to be able to say this:

1) “I have served the Lord with humility and determination” (Acts 20:17–19)

Now here’s the context of Paul’s statement. If you remember from our previous study in Acts, Paul has been travelling around the Roman Empire preaching the gospel, planting churches, and training up leaders. When we last saw Paul, he was travelling from Corinth to Jerusalem and he stopped in Troas where he spent the whole day and all night teaching the church from the Scriptures (see map).

Paul in Miletus before Traveling to Jerusalem- [Click For Map]

Remember that’s where Eutychus was overcome by sleep, and fell out of a third story window. Paul, raised him from the dead, and then they all went back to the upper room for some more teaching.

The reason Paul did that is because he figured this was his last chance to teach that church in Troas. He knew that life was about to change forever. So he made the most of that opportunity with them.

And after he was done there in Troas, Paul boarded a ship and set sail for Jerusalem. But before he gets to Jerusalem in Acts 21, Paul has one more stop that he needs to make. He decides that he wants to impart one final goodbye message to the leaders of the church in Ephesus.

Look with me at Acts 20:16.

16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Paul’s in a hurry to get to Jerusalem. And he doesn’t want to go into the city of Ephesus. Probably because he doesn’t want to start another riot in Ephesus! And also because he doesn’t have time to meet and greet with everyone in the Ephesian church. You know how it is. You go to the city and you’ve got to go say “hi” to so-and-so. You’ve got to go have coffee with that guy who got saved while he was in Ephesus. You’ve got to go have dinner with Mr. and Mrs. so-and-so whom you baptized. Paul couldn’t do it. He didn’t have time for that.

Plus, he’s got money that he’s collected from all these churches for the church in Jerusalem. It’s just not a good idea to go back to Ephesus and spend time there. But he does have a final word for the leaders of Ephesus. And this is strategic because the Apostle Paul can’t keep leading the church in Ephesus. He’s passing the torch on to the elders in Ephesus.

So here’s what he does. Look at verse 17.

17 Now from Miletus [this is a port city about 30 miles south of Ephesus] he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them:

By the way, Acts 20 is about 25 years after the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost. So the church has exploded onto the world in the last 25 years. And Paul’s been a big part of that.

And by Acts 20, Paul’s life is starting to wind down. He’s planted most of the churches that he’s going to plant. He’s written about half of his thirteen epistles: Galatians; Romans; 1 and 2 Corinthians; and 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Most of the rest of his life will be spent in prison.

And knowing that his ministry is winding down and knowing that this will be the last opportunity to minister to the church in Ephesus, a place where he’s spent three years of his life, he calls the elders down to Miletus and he gives them one final charge. And Ephesus is a strategic city too. It’ll be the hub of much of the Christian activity in the years ahead.

Now let’s think about this one wrinkle in verse 17. Paul doesn’t go to the whole church in Ephesus—he doesn’t have time. And he doesn’t call the whole church down to Miletus—that’s too many people. He calls the elders. Why? He doesn’t call the deacons. He doesn’t call the new converts that he’s led to Christ and baptized. He calls the elders. Why?

Well, the elders lead the church. The elders (πρεσβύτερος [ presbyteros ]) are the shepherds and the overseers of the church. They are responsible to God for keeping watch over souls in the church. If Paul was passing through Texas and he didn’t have time to stop by Messiah Bible Church and meet with all of us, but he still wanted to instruct us, he would call the elders of Messiah to him and give us a charge.

Alistair Begg tells the story about a study that was conducted by the Church of England about 150 years ago. And the study was designed to find out what makes a parish (or an Anglican church community) healthy and what makes them unhealthy. And in the report for that study they got to one issue very, very quickly. Do you know what that issue was? Leadership.

Here’s what the report says, “Conditions vary from parish to parish. The determining factor being the personality of the incumbent [pastor]. More particularly is this the case in villages, where a spiritual leader can make an astonishing difference [in the health of the church].” Let me put that in other words for you. According to that report, church health is largely determined by the health and spiritual vitality of its leaders.

And you might say to that, “Thank you Pastor Tony for that blinding flash of the obvious.” Well stay with me, here. Let me ask you a question—How many people do you know who choose a church because of its facilities or programs instead of leadership? How many people do you know who choose churches because of the musical style? How many people do you know who choose churches because of the prominence or the visibility of people that attend those churches? Yet studies have shown 150 years ago, and also today, that leadership and the spiritual health of those leaders is the most important determining factor for the spiritual health of the church. Paul gets that. Paul understands that. And so he takes advantage of this opportunity to make one final deposit with the Ephesian elders. Because he knows that the health of that church moving forward can’t depend upon him… and these elders are going to have to step up and get the job done when he’s gone.

Now before Paul gets into what the leaders need to do… it’s interesting to me how his instruction to them is primarily about getting rid of wolves in the church. That’s fascinating to me. We’ll talk more about that next time.

But before he gives them instructions, he gives them his testimony. And it’s not a testimony about how he got saved. Paul’s going to talk about that again and again while he’s in prison speaking to unbelievers. Paul’s testimony here with them is more about how he has faithfully ministered in the church. This is his testimony about how he has, “post-conversion,” offered up his body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God (Rom 12:1–2).

And I don’t think Paul is saying this just to toot his own horn. He’s not telling the Ephesian elders what he’s done so that they can pass on to everyone else how awesome Paul is. “O that Paul, he’s so awesome. I could never be like him.” No Paul is saying these things so that others would imitate him. He’s saying this because he views a life of service and self-sacrifice and humble determination for the Lord as normative for the Christian life.

And Paul wants the Ephesian elders, and the Holy Spirit wants us, two-thousand years later, to be able to say these same types of things at the end of our lives. “What kind of things, Tony?” “I served the Lord with humility and determination.”

Look at verse 18.

18 … “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord [the Greek here could be translated “serving as a slave for the Lord.” The Greek word is δουλεύω ( douleuō ), and it’s stronger than just “serving.” Paul is commenting here on how he was bought and owned by the Lord… he was a slave of righteousness for him] with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;

I heard a story once about Ruth Graham, the famous wife of Billy Graham, a well-known author in her own right. One time a well-known evangelist went over to the Graham house as she served lunch. And then afterwards she collected all the plates and took them to the sink and started to wash the dishes. And over her sink in her home was a plaque that read, “Divine Service, Done Here, Daily.” That’s a great picture of humility. No false pretense. No pomp and circumstance… just a faithful servant of God who did her part to serve and build the kingdom of God.

Similarly Paul says here, “I lived among you as one of you… I didn’t live among you like a King among his subjects. I didn’t lord my authority over you. I didn’t use my great intellect or my extensive learning to browbeat you into submission. I didn’t tell you to do something that I wasn’t willing to do myself. Instead I loved you. I lived among you. I ate with you. I drank with you. I came to your homes. I baptized you and your family. I taught you the Scriptures. I risked my life to minister to you.” “I served the Lord among you with humility.”

And there were tears! “Why were there tears, Paul? What were you crying about?” Only a person who doesn’t know the heartbreak of ministry would ask a question like that. The truth is that if you choose to humbly, faithfully, serve the Lord in the context of the church, there will be tears.

Why? Why is that the case? Well, let me direct you to my favorite Bible verse: John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” And Paul wept too.

Why would Paul be accustomed to shedding tears? Well, if you’ve ever watched helplessly as a person whom you love walks away from their faith, you know how to shed tears. If you’ve ever counseled someone who stuck in a dysfunctional marriage and couldn’t turn it around, you know how to shed tears. If you’ve ever pleaded with the Lord to grab the hearts of your children so that they would submit their lives to Christ… If you’ve ever watched a person die and did their funeral… If you’ve ever been brokenhearted over disunity within the body of Christ and felt utterly helpless before God… then you know what it means to serve the Lord with humility and with tears.

Some of this has to do simply with personal investment in people’s lives. If you’re going to invest in people, you’re going to get hurt. And if you’re going to serve the Lord with humility and determination, you’re going to suffer and weep.

R Kent Hughes once wrote that if “enlarge your heart” and “discipline yourself for ministry,” then “you will enlarge your experience of pain.” He continues: “No one has ever cultivated a ministering heart and lived to tell of a life of ease.”

Additionally he writes, “If our ambition is to dodge the troubles of human existence, the formula is simple: avoid entangling relationships, do not give yourself to others, and be sure not to seriously embrace elevated and noble ideals.” “That sounds great. Sign me up for that!” The problem with that is that you will never know the joy of serving Christ. You will never know the deep satisfaction that comes with being a spiritual leader and a discipler. And if you cocoon yourself off from people, you will live a safe, shallow, and selfish life, and die an unmourned death.

And let me say this too. I mentioned the importance of both humility and determination. These are things that Paul exemplified, and they are not mutually exclusive. Humility is not a weakness. And determination doesn’t have to lack humility. We are called to be both humble and strong-minded! We can and should be humble and self-effacing and even meek in the way that we interact with others. And at the same time, we can have a deep, abiding, convictional stick-to-itiveness. We don’t give up on Christ, his church, and his people. We rage on the inside with determination, even as we exude humility, brokenness, and kindness on the outside.

And let me say this too. A lot of the times determination isn’t about hard work and muscling through the challenges of ministry and grinding it out. More often it’s about forgiveness. In my own experience, more people quit on God and the church because of unforgiveness than because of laziness or apathy. And forgiveness is an aspect of humility.

If we’re going to finish life well in service to the Lord, then you’re going to have to forgive, and you’re going to have to embrace what it means to “serve the Lord with humility and with tears.” There will be tears.

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Secondly, write this down as #2. You want to be able to say this at the end of your life:

2) “I didn’t hesitate to speak of my Savior” (Acts 20:20–21)

Look at verse 20 with me. By the way, the controlling verb of this statement is the “You yourselves know” in verse 18. So, Paul says, “You know…

20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable,

“I didn’t hesitate,” says Paul. “I didn’t shrink back!”

The Greek word for “shrink from” here is ὑποστέλλω ( hypostellō ), and it literally means “to retreat from a position” or militarily “fall back.” It connotes fear and a lack of faith.

And with Paul’s phrasing here he uses a double negative, which for us in English is nonsensical, but in Greek it’s used for emphasis. So Paul says literally, “I did not… not” shrink back. We might colloquialize it this way, “I never, ever, ever, shrank back.” You can sense the emotion in Paul’s voice here.

You can sense his conviction as he says, “Whatever was good for you, whatever was profitable, I didn’t hold back.” “If there was something that they needed to hear, even if it was hard for me to communicate it, even if my life was threatened, I didn’t hold back.” “I loved you enough to speak truth even when it was inconvenient for me.”

Now what does that look like in our own day? Well it looks something like this: (1) “I love you brother. I care about you. But this pornography addiction of yours is killing you and your family. You’ve got to end it. I’ll help you as much as I can, but you can’t do this anymore.”

It looks something like this: (2) “Listen brother so-and-so… Listen sister so-and-so… I love you, but you’ve got a real attitude problem. You are believing the lies of the enemy and you are fixating on things that harm you. You’ve got to renew your mind. You’ve got to Philippians 4:8, “Think on those things that are true and honorable and just and pure and commendable and excellent and praise-worthy.”

Here’s another example of what not shrinking back looks like: (3) “You really believe this Jesus stuff!” “Yes, I believe it. And you should too, because it’s the truth. We are all sinners who need forgiveness and Christ’s blood can wash away your sins and restore you to right relationship with your Maker. And even now you can have your sins forgiven and experience the newness of life that only God gives. Would you like to give your life to him right now?” That’s what not shrinking back looks like.

Let’s keep going in verse 20. Paul says…

I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,

In other words it wasn’t just at church on Sundays. It wasn’t just from the pulpit that Paul was bold and truthful. Paul says, “I came to your homes.”

Probably there was a significant network of house churches in Ephesus. They didn’t have a big church building. That would come later. But we know that Paul spoke in large gatherings, because we read in Acts 19 that Paul was reasoning with the Jews in the synagogues. Also he taught in the hall of Tyrannus to large groups of people (19:8–9). So Paul wasn’t afraid to teach publicly. But he taught privately from house to house in smaller groups as well. John Calvin said once that public teaching which is given to everyone together will often grow cold unless it is helped by advice given in private.

And not only was Paul teaching , he was also testifying . Look at verse 21. Paul could teach the Scriptures and he could preach the gospel. He did both.

21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 21 is a really important verse because it encapsulates the two-fold process of salvation. There’s repentance and faith. There’s no salvation without repentance. There’s no salvation without faith. Faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin. And Paul is saying here, “I didn’t hesitate to speak of my savior.” “I didn’t shrink back, when given the opportunity, to tell people about new life in Christ.”

And by the way, some of the elders were obviously converts of Paul’s. Paul says to these guys, “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia.” How would these guys know what Paul was like when he first rolled into town? The answer is that these guys weren’t saved. They were pagan Gentiles or unconverted Jews. Paul led them to Christ. And now they are leading the church!

I didn’t put this down as an explicit point from today’s message. But let’s just make this a bonus point since we dealt with this last time. One of the things that you want to say at the end of your life is I passed the torch on to others. I discipled others. I replicated myself in others. Paul was able to say that. I want to be able to say that too.

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Thirdly, you want to be able to say this at the end of your life.

3) “I valued the Lord and his gospel as more precious than self” (Acts 20:22–24)

Jesus said this, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:34–36).

Paul says something similar here. Look at verse 22.

22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

Paul has no misgivings about what’s going to happen to him in the future. He knows that suffering and imprisonment await him in Jerusalem. Because they don’t like him there. And remember that was part of Jesus’s prophecy over his life when he got saved. “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16). This was always part of God’s plan for Paul’s life.

But he says in verse 24.

24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

If this whole passage sounds familiar, it’s because there are a lot of parallels here with 2 Timothy 4:7–8. Paul says there, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” If you read a commentary on Acts 20, the commentator will almost certainly mention how many similarities there are between Luke’s account of Paul’s message here to the Ephesians and the end of Paul’s second letter to Timothy, which coincidentally was written to Timothy as he was serving in Ephesus.

And in both of those passages—both 2 Timothy 4 and Acts 20—Paul talks about finishing well. In 2 Timothy 4 it’s past tense. “I’m done. I’ve finished well.” Here, approximately ten years before that in Acts 20, it’s not past tense. Paul’s saying, “I want to finish well. I’m driven to finish well. The Holy Spirit is sending me to Jerusalem. That means imprisonment and almost certain death. If that’s the case, so be it. I value obedience to God as more precious than life itself. I value the spread of his gospel as more valuable than my own life.”

Have you ever heard anyone say, “Well, the important thing is your health! At least you have your health!” You ever hear people say that? But nobody says that at a funeral, right? “The important thing about so-and-so was his health.” I’ve never said that at a funeral.

But Paul says here explicitly that health is not the most important thing. What’s more important than that? The gospel! Serving Christ! Testifying to the gospel of God’s grace! Finishing the race well! And if we die early, so be it. “To live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). We can’t lose.

In the 1800s, there was a young missionary to the Fiji Islands named James Calvert (1813–1892). And the Fiji Islands were not a vacation destination back then. The islands were filled with cannibals. And Calvert went to convert them. And the ship captain who took him and his team to those islands said, “‘You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages.” And Calvert replied, “We died before we came.”

Remember again Jesus’s words, “Whoever would save their life will lose it, whoever loses their life for my sake and the gospel will save it.” You want to be able to say this at the end of your life, “I valued the Lord and his gospel as more precious than self.”

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Now there are two objections that I need to deal with at this point, and then I’ll close. One of the objections to this line of reasoning goes like this, “Isn’t Paul’s attitude towards self a little masochistic? Isn’t this a kind of self-loathing that Paul is exhibiting? Is this really healthy for a believer?” That’s one objection.

Here’s my answer to that. I don’t think that Paul was masochistic or self-loathing. I think he valued obedience to God and the fulfillment of his mission as the most important duty of a Christian. That’s not self-loathing; that’s Christ-exalting. That’s not masochism; that’s servant-mindedness or “slave-mindedness” towards Christ.

And here’s what I believe. I believe that there is a kind of selflessness and self-sacrifice that is actually healthy and good and joyful for the Christian. I’ve experienced it. I believe that being a slave to Christ is one of the most joyful and liberating realities in the world. Counterintuitive maybe, but it’s true.

And on the other side of that, there is a self-focus and self-preservation that leads to misery. In my experience, selfish people are the most miserable people in the world. Don’t you agree? And I can see that even in myself. My selfishness leads to my worst bouts of misery. Our self-esteem needs to come from who we are in Christ. Our self-worth comes from our identity in Christ. Paul knew that and embraced it even if that meant he lost his life.

(2) Now the second objection that I can hear already goes something like this. “Tony, I’m a twenty-something. I’m a Gen-Zer. Why do I need to start thinking about finishing well? I’ve only started this life. I’ve got my whole life ahead of me. I’ll start thinking about finishing well when I’m old, like you.” Now I’ve addressed this before, and maybe some of you are tired of hearing me say this, but I’m going to say it again. And I’m going to keep saying it. Nobody has promised us tomorrow. None of us knows how many days God has given us on planet earth. Jesus could come back tomorrow, and Jesus could call you home this afternoon. And I want you to be able to say at a moment’s notice, even if Christ came this week, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

I want you be able to say:

1) “I served the Lord with humility and determination” (Acts 20:17–19)

2) “I didn’t hesitate to speak of my Savior” (Acts 20:20–21)

3) “I valued the Lord and his gospel as more precious than self” (Acts 20:22–24)

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I’ll close with this. Several years ago I read a great book by John Piper entitled Don’t Waste Your Life . It altered the course of my life. In many ways it altered my preaching style. It gave it more urgency.

And there was a poem that Piper mentioned in that book called “Only One Life” by C.T. Studd. It goes like this.

“Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,

If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

I think I’ve come to terms with the fact that part of my job description as a pastor is helping people put their lives in perspective. Because let’s face it, we are distracted. We are bombarded with advertisements and marketing and pleas for our undivided attention.

And we live in a fast world with a lot of moving parts. Every time I buy a computer, I spend forever trying to figure it out. And just when I get comfortable with the latest software, they switch to something else and I’ve got to start all over again. It’s maddening.

And I feel like all of life is like that. You’re a hamster on a wheel. And if you’re not careful, and if you don’t get reminded of these eternal things from time to time, you’ll wake up at age 60 and say, “I’ve wasted my life chasing things that don’t last forever.”

Now we need computers. We need to know how to use them. And we need to work. And we need to mow the lawn, and change the oil, and buy groceries, and go to the dentist. I get it. And you need time for rest and relaxation. We’re not robots that can work without rest. I’m not here to make you feel guilty about those things.

But I am here to remind you… Paul is telling the Ephesian elders what matters most… We need these reminders. I need these reminders.

“Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,

If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Zechariah 14:1-21: “The Return of Jesus Christ - Kingdom Come.”

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 20:56:19 GMT

Mike Morris

Associate Pastor/Elder

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

Zechariah’s visions were more short-term, focused on the people as they were still returning from Babylon in 520 BC, and on the city of Jerusalem, including the rebuilding of the Temple. The narratives immediately followed the single night of eight visions and dealt with the situations facing the Judean community as the rebuilding effort continued. The oracles are very different in almost every way from the first two portions of the book. They were written considerably later, perhaps by as much as forty years, and the focus is on the final days of human history, specifically God’s relationship with the nation of Israel. Both deal with severe judgment. In the first oracle, the focus is on the judgment of the Gentile nations, while in the second oracle, God’s judgment turns toward Israel. Tonight, we will study chapter fourteen, the final passage in the second oracle and the book.

Chapters twelve and thirteen set the stage for, and are actually integrated with, this final chapter. The two key verses speak to God’s salvation of Israel in terms of repentance in 12.10. 10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. . and forgiveness in thirteen . 1 “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. . Chapter fourteen is about the final great event of human history: the return to earth of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah.

This oracle is a good example of what makes prophecy, and especially Zechariah, so challenging. It’s complex, the language is not always clear, and it’s not written according to a clear, Western-style timeline approach. The narrative elements of twelve and thirteen integrate chronologically into fourteen. I’ll take note of those instances as we go, so we don’t get too confused, and I’ve built this chart to put the events in chronological order. Events in chapter fourteen are in the gold color. In terms of the major events within the Battle of Armageddon and the second coming of Jesus, note the events left to right: Jerusalem is besieged, sacked, and pillaged by the nations; as the battle is almost over and the enemies are still on the battlefield, Jesus returns to the Mount of Olives, destroys the enemies, and saves the remnant Jews; they look to Him in repentance, are forgiven, and enter the Millennial Kingdom.

The Battle Turns

Now comes a specific day, a special day within the larger timeframe known as the Day of the Lord. The opposing Gentile nations, led by the Antichrist, the False Shepherd who has violated his covenant with Israel, have besieged all of Israel, from the north to the south, especially the capital city, Jerusalem.

1 Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Israel’s enemies appear to have won. Jerusalem is taken, occupied by the enemy, and the citizens suffer as civilians always do in wartime. Anything of value is taken and likely brought to central locations such as plazas or public squares, and the soldiers begin to take what they want from the plunder. Some of the Jews remain in the city for a time, while many are already being taken into custody by the militaries of the Gentile nations. They will not be treated well, for the Antichrist orchestrated this global assault on the Jews and Jerusalem to crush Israel. But there are still some Jews left in the city and Judah.

The King Returns

This is the moment all the faithful have been waiting for since Jesus ascended after His resurrection. Jesus returns to His city, to His people, to the exact place from which He left: the Mount of Olives. And He’s not coming back as the babe of Bethlehem, or the Suffering Servant, He’s coming back as the Conquering King of Kings and Lord of Lords, as John saw him in Revelation 19.11 . “ 11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.” And He’s ready for a fight.

3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

The geography of Jerusalem and the surrounding land hasn’t changed too much since the days of Jesus. This is a map of the small area that encompasses Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, separates by the Kidron Valley. as the text says, the Mount of Olives stands to the east of the city. the Mount is actually the center mountain of a small range of three mountains running north to south. this is a panoramic view of the Mount from Jerusalem. It’s not very high, about 2,660 feet above sea level, but it is conspicuously higher than the Kidron Valley, and slightly higher than Jerusalem at 2,600 feet above sea level.

Jesus returns just as He said He would. Acts 1.9-11 records the prophecy of the exact manner and location of Jesus’s return. 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven .” Another prophecy fulfilled.

And when He arrives and touches the Mount of Olives, the impossible happens. Jesus’s feet will touch down on the Mount, and at that moment, the Mount will be split by an earthquake, creating a wide valley between the two halves of the Mount of Olives as they move, one to the north and one to the south. Here, God calls this valley “the valley of My mountains”. And this valley is there for two special reasons: first, it’s a place of refuge for the escaping remnant of the Jews . flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. . the word ‘Azal’ is a preposition. Azal (a’-zal) = Noble; root of a mountain; deep rooted; (root = to join together; to put by the side; to separate). Given the definition, it is clear that this valley will be near, or beside, Jerusalem, specifically joining together the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives, providing a ready way of escape from the occupying enemy forces. The second reason is that this valley will very likely become the Valley of Jehoshaphat , a Hebrew word meaning “judgment”. This place name, which has never existed in Palestine, is mentioned in Joel 3.1-2, 11-12 .

“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel ; 11 Hasten and come,
    all you surrounding nations,
    and gather yourselves there .
Bring down your warriors, O Lord.
12 Let the nations stir themselves up
     and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat ;
for there I will sit to judge
     all the surrounding nations .

God will judge the nations, and I believe this valley is the location for that judgment . it seems quite plausible that as the Jews flee to the east, the enemy forces will pursue them from the city into the valley, setting the stage for a reenactment of the other great deliverance of the Jews, the crossing of the Red Sea during the Exodus, as God’s people are delivered by God’s hand from vicious enemies. These godless nations will face the full fury of God’s wrath on this day, the Day of the Lord. For then, as verse five says, Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. . and though the Almighty needs no help, He will bring the “ holy ones ” with him. This term in Scripture applies to OT saints ( Deuteronomy 33.2 ), holy angels ( Psalm 89.5 ), and NT saints ( I Corinthians 1.2 ). It seems clear that all three groups may well be represented in this assembly, including NT believers. For example, I Thessalonians 3.11-13 says, 11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints . Hallelujah!

A Special Day

This will be a day like no other.

6 On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. 7 And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light. 8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter. 10 The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses. 11 And it shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction. Jerusalem shall dwell in security.

The miraculous geographic changes created by the return of Jesus the King are not the only physical changes that happen on the Day of the Lord. Let’s examine what we know about this Day.

The Hebrew in this portion is unclear as to its meaning. Based on all I understand, It will be a unique, singular day in which the normal cycles of light and dark are interrupted, and neither seems to be dominant, as if it was twilight, but unsure if it was becoming more light or more dark; but at the end of the day, which might not be 24 hours, the light prevails.

Also, rivers shall flow all year round from Jerusalem to the east and to the west. Zechariah sees what Ezekiel had also seen and recorded in chapter 47 of his prophecy of the water flowing to the Dead Sea. This water shall flow from beneath the Temple, from under the threshold, and when the living water reaches the sea, the Dead Sea will live. The western river shall flow to the Mediterranean Sea, and the desert will blossom like a rose ( Isaiah 35.1 )

And the land will be changed all around Jerusalem, from Geba in the north to Rimmon in the south, and the land will become a plain. Other hills will be flattened except Mount Zion and Jerusalem, and the difference will be so stark that Zechariah describes Jerusalem as being “aloft”. One commentator compared it to a solitaire diamond ring. The city will be inhabited and secure, and as the place names indicate, from east to west and north to south.

We’ll return to verse 9 to close.

A Complete Defeat

Those who rose up against the Almighty God, under the command of the Antichrist, will pay a great price for their rebellion.

12 And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 And on that day a great panic from the Lord shall fall on them, so that each will seize the hand of another, and the hand of the one will be raised against the hand of the other. 14 Even Judah will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be collected, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance. 15 And a plague like this plague shall fall on the horses, the mules, the camels, the donkeys, and whatever beasts may be in those camps.

The Lord will deploy three lines of effort in this battle against the opposing nations: first , the plague mentioned in verse 12, when life will be taken from the rebels and their animals so quickly that decomposition will begin before they can fall to the ground. Second , a divine panic of confusion and chaos that will result in the enemies turning their hands against each other, as is recorded in II Chronicles 20 , and third , the supernaturally empowered Jews shall join and fight against the enemy, as Zechariah prophesied in 12.1-9 . and the wealth of the nations will be brought into Jerusalem as spoils from the battle.

A New Life

As the Battle of Armageddon gives way to the beginning stages of the Millennial Kingdom, all the remaining peoples of the earth must reckon with the Lord Jesus as the single Ruler over all.

16 Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. 17 And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. 18 And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; there shall be the plague with which the Lord afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. 19 This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. 20 And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the Lord.” And the pots in the house of the Lord shall be as the bowls before the altar. 21 And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the Lord of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the meat of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day.

Now the timeline shifts forward, as we get a glimpse of life after the Lord Jesus takes the throne of his millennial kingdom as the one Ruler over all the earth. The nations will send representatives to Jerusalem to worship, and surely those who do not come to the capital will worship wherever they live. And, significantly, the feast called out here is the Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles. This third of the three annual pilgrimage feasts of Israel’s year took place after the harvest, in the seventh month, our September and October. It commemorated God’s provision for the nation during the wilderness years as the people lived in the open for seven days in booths constructed of tree branches. Tabernacles was the most joyous of the festivals, with the harvest and the remembrance of God’s goodness blending together so that all people would rejoice and praise God for his saving grace. It was during this feast that Jesus proclaimed, “I am the light of the world” ( John 8.12 ). So if nations will not acknowledge God’s gracious provision for them in Christ, then he will not provide the early rains.

And in that Kingdom day, all things will be made holy, down to the pots and pans and the bells on the horses. And no trader (or Canaanite) shall be present in the house of the Lord, for God’s house will not be a den of thieves, as it was in Jesus’s day, but will truly be a house of prayer and worship.

The Beginning of Eternity

God Himself writes the final postscript to the prophecy of Zechariah.

9 And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.

The day is coming, and shall soon be, when the Lord Jesus will begin His rightful reign as the Sovereign Lord, as Isaiah 9.7 predicts.

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Application

The main focus of this final chapter of Zechariah is the return of the Lord.

What can we say about the application regarding the second coming of Jesus Christ? We could get deeply involved in different theological views of the event, whether or not it will ever happen, whether there is or is not an actual Millennial Kingdom, and an endless list of debatable finer points of this perspective or that view or this latest podcast.

Let’s set all that aside and be very clear. Ultimately, the most important issue about the second coming of Jesus for each of us is focused on one and only one question: Are you ready to meet Him on that day ?

Have you heard the message of repentance and forgiveness, and said, “I don’t believe it” – “that’s not for me” – “I’m not a religious person” – “No God could ever love or forgive me” – “I don’t need God, everything I need is within me” – or simply “There is no God” – if you are that person, I hope you will hear the simple gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. The same Jesus Christ who is coming again, as Zechariah declares him, is the same Jesus who knows you and loves you. Would you turn to him for all you’ll ever need?

Or maybe you have heard the message of repentance and forgiveness, and received that truth as the truth from God, and rightly understood it as an imperative for you. You already know Jesus, and you are all in on faith in God. You already know that seeking and knowing God is the only pursuit that matters, that is worthy of your life. Then you’re in the right place. Unite with this group of believers and serve the Lord alongside us.

What a wonderful way to close our study of Zechariah, by coming to faith in Christ or by reflecting on our life-changing relationship with Him, to see in Jesus the fulfillment of all the visions and the oracles for the future of the Jewish people and the Church. Every good prophecy from God about His people will come to pass, as several already have. He will bless His people and judge the wicked, and we will enter into a glorious kingdom.

Jesus Christ is our soon-coming King. Let us rejoice in Him!

T eaching Manuscript

Acts 20:1–16: “Paul as Spiritual Leader”: Five Activities

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 20:14:50 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 20. Let me give you a little sneak peek at what we are going to see later in this text. The Apostle Paul is going to raise someone from the dead, a boy named Eutychus. Eutychus fell asleep while Paul was teaching. He fell out of a three-story window and died. Paul rushed down and miraculously raised him from the dead. Why’d he do that? Why is this in the Bible?

Coincidently, I count seven times where something like this happens in the Bible:

1) Elijah raises the son of a widow from the dead (1 Kgs 17:17–22).

2) Elisha (Elijah’s protege) raises the son of a Shunammite woman from the dead (2 Kgs 4:30–37).

3) Jesus raises Jairus’s daughter from the dead (Matt 8:28–43).

4) Jesus raises the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:11–15).

5) Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11:38–44).

6) The Apostle Peter, earlier in the book of Acts, raises Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:36–42).

7) And then, in our passage today (Acts 20:8–12), we’ll see Paul raise a boy named Eutychus from the dead. He falls over dead listening to Paul’s long-winded preaching. By the way, the name Eutychus means “lucky one.” That’s apt, don’t you think?

Now let me make one point of clarification about these “raisings,” and then I want to ask a question again about our text today. These “raisings from the dead” need to be differentiated from Christ’s resurrection and from our future resurrection.

“Why do you say that, Tony?” Well because Lazarus eventually died again later in life. So did Tabitha. So did Jairus’s daughter. So did Eutychus. On the other hand, Jesus rose from the dead with a new, incorruptible body that will never die again. It was imperishable and incorruptible (see 1 Corinthians 15 for more on that). It was untarnishable. And ours will be too when we are resurrected in our new bodies. In fact, just to clearly differentiate terms, I’m going to use the word “revivification” instead of “resurrection” to differentiate those two realities.

So in today’s passage we’re going to see a revivification of a dead boy. And the question still remains—why? Why did Paul do that? Miracles in the Bible always have a purpose. They are not ends in themselves. So why did this happen? And why was this revivification recorded in Scripture?

To that you might say, “It was recorded in the Bible to teach pastors to not preach long sermons, Pastor Tony.” No, I don’t think that’s the case. I think instead this happened as part of a larger section of Scripture to show us the remarkable power of spiritual leadership displayed by the Apostle Paul.

This is a leadership that we can’t perfectly emulate. I don’t believe in apostolic succession. And we’re not able to go around and indiscriminately raise people from the dead (truth be told, Paul didn’t do that a lot either). But we can emulate some things with Paul. Paul’s heart. Paul’s character. Paul’s spiritually-minded love and leadership for people. We can emulate those things, and we should. “Imitate me as I imitate Christ,” Paul said (1 Cor 11:1; see also 1 Cor 4:16; Phil 3:17; 1 Thess 1:6).

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Go ahead and write this down in your notes. I want to give you today:

Five Activities of a Spiritual Leader.

These are modeled for you by the Apostle Paul. And here’s #1.

1) They build up the church (Acts 20:1–2)

Spiritual leaders build up the church. Look with me at verse 1.

1 After the uproar ceased,

What uproar? Well, let me refresh your memory. “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” That uproar! For two hours, upwards of 20,000 people gathered in a theater and screamed that stupid chant. Then the town clerk was like, “You know we could go to jail for this.” So they went, “Oh, forget this!” And they went home.

1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.

I’m guessing the disciples were pretty shaken by this “uproar.” So Paul encourages them. He builds them up.

Look at verse 2.

2 When he had gone through those regions

What regions? The regions in Macedonia where he had previously planted churches: Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica, etc.

2 When he had gone through those regions [in Macedonia] and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece.

The key concept in these first two verses is “encouragement.” In fact, the Greek verb for “encourage” (παρακαλέω [parakaleō]) is used twice. Paul encouraged (παρακαλέω) the believers in Ephesus in verse 1. They needed encouragement after the uproar in the theater and the prospect of Paul’s departure. And Paul also encouraged (παρακαλέω) the churches in Macedonia in verse 2.

And by the way, this encouragement isn’t an isolated incident. The Greek παρακαλέω shows up again and again throughout Paul’s ministry. During Paul’s first missionary journey, Acts 14:22 says, “When [Paul and Barnabas] had preached the gospel [in Derbe], they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging [παρακαλέω] them to continue in the faith.” During Paul’s second missionary journey, Acts 16:40 says that in Philippi, Paul and Silas “went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged [παρακαλέω] them and departed.” And now, here again on Paul’s third missionary journey, Paul encourages the saints in Ephesus before he leaves town. Then he travels throughout the region of Macedonia (Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica) and he encourages them too.

What did that look like? I don’t know, but probably something like this: “Keep growing as a disciple. Don’t give up! Don’t be discouraged by persecution. Jesus was persecuted; you’ll be persecuted too. Just trust God and press through it. God loves you. And God will sustain you.”

That’s the kind of thing that Paul did. And that’s what spiritual leaders do. They encourage. They build up. And I’m sure it was especially exciting for Paul to come back to these places where he had planted churches years before and see how much some of the individual disciples had grown over the years. You can sense some of that joy in Paul’s letters like Philippians, Colossians, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

And here’s the thing about spiritual leadership. You’re not going to be a good spiritual leader if you don’t encourage well. You’re just not. And I would say, as a rule of thumb, your leadership needs to be 80% encouragement and 20% rebuke or criticism. Maybe more like 90/10. For every critique, for every criticism, for every harsh word, there needs to be several statements of encouragement and exhortation and uplifting your fellow believers in their pursuit of Christ.

You might say, “Tony, that’s me. I’m not a natural encourager. My spiritual gift is discouragement.” Yeah, that’s not a thing.

But if you’re not a natural encourager, that’s okay, let me encourage you with something! I don’t think encouragement was Paul’s primary gift either. I don’t think he was a natural-born encourager. Who was the “son of encouragement” in the book of Acts? It wasn’t Paul. It was Barnabas.

“What! You want to take John Mark on another missionary journey? After he deserted us! John Mark is weak. He’s a quitter.” That was Paul in Acts 15 something like eight years before Acts 20. But now, an older, wiser, gentler Paul… after a few more life experiences and a few beat-downs for Jesus… Paul has mastered the art of encouragement. And maybe Barnabas rubbed off on Paul after all these years.

So if Paul can master the art of encouragement, so can we. And just by way of full transparency (pastoral confession time), I’m not a natural encourager either. Nobody has ever given me the nickname “Pastor Barnabas.” But I learned from other people who are good at encouragement and even gifted with it… it’s a spiritual gift by the way. And I’ve gotten better at it. I’ve got a ways to go. But I’m better. And I want to learn from those people who are good at it, because that’s what spiritual leaders do. They build up by encouragement!

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Write this down as #2. Spiritual leaders build up the church. They also mentor younger leaders. Let me say it this way:

2) They pass the torch (Acts 20:3–6)

Look at verse 3 with me.

3 There [in Greece… probably Corinth] he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

So Paul goes to Macedonia and then to Greece and then back to Macedonia. These are all places he’s been before, and there are churches in all the places he travels.

But Paul doesn’t just raise up churches. Look at verse 4.

4 Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

John Calvin said that this is a passage worthy of great meditation, but not lengthy exposition. I’m going to take his advice on that. We’re not going to spend a lot of time on Acts 20:3–6.

But let me just point out one very important lesson from these verses. Paul traveled to a lot of places, met a lot of people, and made a lot of friends. And one of the most important things that Paul did in addition to planting churches and preaching the gospel was mentoring young leaders. Luke mentions seven of those leaders here. And amazingly he doesn’t even mention Titus, who we know from other NT passages was instrumental for Paul at this time too.

Now verse 3 says that Paul spent three months in Greece. And then it says that while he was there the Jews plotted to kill him… again. So Paul adjusts his travel plans and backtracks to Macedonia where he just previously encouraged all of the churches there. Let me show you on the map where Paul goes in Acts 20.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey - [Click for Map]

He leaves Ephesus after the “uproar” and travels to Macedonia and then to Greece (like I said, this probably means Corinth). He spends three months in Greece, and after there’s a threat to his life he comes back through Macedonia by land to Philippi and then to Troas. And verse 6 says he spent seven days in Troas. That’s where Paul preaches his long, long sermon. More on that in a moment.

Now we know that Paul is trying to get down to Jerusalem. He said that in Acts 19:21, even before the riot in Ephesus. But leaving from Ephesus he takes this increasingly circuitous route back to Jerusalem. First, he goes west and then he comes back east. Why does he do that? If he’s trying to get to Jerusalem, why doesn’t he just go straight east from Ephesus to Jerusalem? Well there’s a reason why, which I’ll show you in just a little bit.

But first let’s look at what’s packaged with this extensive travelogue. It’s more than just a travelogue. Luke lists Paul’s entourage. Paul’s got a posse of seven men that he’s travelling with: 1) Sopater, 2) Aristarchus, 3) Secundus, 4) Gaius, 5) Timothy, 6) Tychicus, and 7) Trophimus. Now let me say two things about these men, besides the fact that they all have really cool names.

1) They are from various places throughout the Roman Empire where Paul has planted churches. Sopater is from Berea. Aristarchus and Secundus are from Thessalonica. Timothy and Gaius are from Galatia. Tychicus and Trophimus are from Asia, probably Ephesus.

Also you can add Luke to this list, because in verse 6, he says “we.” Did everyone catch that? Luke is back traveling with Paul. It’s interesting that Luke used “we” in Acts until they came to Philippi. Now they’re back in Philippi and the “we” picks up again. Apparently, Luke was ministering in Philippi, leading the church there for all these years while Paul has been travelling. And now he rejoins Paul on his way to Jerusalem.

By the way, I don’t know what happened to Silas. He started Paul’s second missionary journey with him, but somewhere along the way he just disappeared. Probably he’s in Corinth or Ephesus helping the church. Here’s the point. Paul not only gives his best people to the church, he also mentors and trains up young people for future service in the church. Paul mentors young leaders.

2) And here’s the second thing I want to say about these seven men. Paul has planted all of these churches in the last ten years or so. So these men are, at the most, ten-year Christians. Probably some of them are even younger in their faith than that. And these men are probably young in age (like Timothy). And they are certainly young in their faith (again like Timothy). And Paul is raising up a new group of young disciples to lead the church after he’s gone.

Why’s he doing that? Because spiritual leaders mentor younger leaders. They pass the torch. Here’s my encouragement to you, church. Go find someone younger in the faith than you and mentor them!

You might say, “Pastor Tony, I’m twenty years old. Who am I going to mentor that’s younger than me?” Well, here’s a suggestion. There’s an army of up-and-coming Jesus followers in children’s ministry. And they need mentoring. Some of you are already invested in that work of discipleship. Praise God for that! Let me encourage you (see what I did there?) to keep doing that.

For those of you who are “senior saints” in our fellowship, listen up now! If you’ve got two or three or four decades of walking with the Lord under your belt, and more than a little grey in your hair, hear me on this—who are you spiritually mentoring? Who’s your spiritual understudy? Who are you training up to take over for you someday? You should have somebody. Replicate yourself!

In fact, why not have multiple people that you are raising up? Paul did. And there was a sense of urgency with Paul. I’m sure he was thinking, “Every time I travel to a city, they want to kill me. I’ve got one foot in the grave constantly. I better start passing the torch on to some younger leaders.”

Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” So here’s the question: what are you doing to protect and hand over the truths of the faith to the next generation of spiritual leaders?

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Write this down as #3. Here’s another thing that spiritual leaders do.

3) They feed the sheep (Acts 20:7)

Look at verse 7.

7 On the first day of the week,

By the way, the first day of the week is Sunday. By this time, the church had established Sunday as the day of worship, not Saturday. Sunday is, of course, the day of Jesus’s resurrection. And the church has been gathering and worshipping on Sunday ever since (see Matt 28:1; Mark 16:2; 1 Cor 16:2; Rev 1:10).

7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech [λόγος (logos)] until midnight.

Paul would tell Timothy at the end of his life, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Jesus Christ, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage (παρακαλέω) with complete patience and teaching.” (2 Tim 4:1–2) . And just so you know, Paul wasn’t a hypocrite. He wasn’t telling Timothy to do something he wasn’t willing to do. Paul tells Timothy to do the very thing he himself did throughout his ministry.

Case in point, Paul uses his last opportunity in Troas, on a Sunday, the final night of his ministry within that church, to preach God’s Word. And he preached all night. He just couldn’t stop.

Now let me just paint this picture for you a little more clearly. Verse 7 says that they were gathered on the first day of the week. So, this is Sunday. This is when the church gathers. This isn’t Paul persuading the Jews on Saturday in the synagogue. This isn’t Paul preaching Christ to the pagan Gentiles in the marketplace on another day of the week. This is church. In fact, they’re breaking bread together, which is a reference to the ordinance of communion.

And notice too that the evangelism verbs from Acts aren’t used here—persuading or proclaiming. Paul is simply “talking” with them. He’s literally “dialoguing” with them about the Word. So probably they had some questions and Paul, trying to be as thorough as possible, is answering all their questions. And he is attempting to impart everything he can to them because this is (probably!) the last time that he’s going to see them.

And verse 7 says this: “[Paul] prolonged his speech until midnight.” Literally, Paul prolonged “the Word” (the λόγος [logos]) until midnight. By the way, let me just say this: a pastor needs to be able to both preach and teach. He needs to be able to proclaim the gospel to believers and unbelievers both. And he needs to be able to explain the Scriptures. Both of those are modeled for us by Paul.

So here’s what I think happened. Paul’s like, “I’ve got one last chance to teach the Word to these believers. I’ll probably never be in Troas again.” So Paul pulls out his OT scrolls from Genesis to Malachi, along with his other writings, and he teaches and he teaches and he teaches and he teaches all the way till midnight. His audience might turn into pumpkins at midnight, but Paul’s going to keep preaching.

And remember now, Luke was there! Look at the “we” statement in verse 7. Luke was there, and as he describes what happened, you get the sense that Luke was shocked by how long Paul kept teaching. And Paul “prolonged his speech till midnight!” “Really, Paul, really? Can we wrap this up? Can you land this plane please so we can get some sleep? We’ve got a big trip tomorrow.”

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Look what else Luke writes in verse 8.

8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.

Now lamps in the first century were open flames or even torches. And what happens when you have open flames in a room? They burn up the oxygen. And when oxygen is depleted in a room, people get sleepy. That’s not an unimportant observation in verse 8. Luke’s setting you up for verse 9.

8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.

9 And a young man named Eutychus [Little Lucky!], sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer.

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Paul. Wrap it up already!”

And being overcome by sleep,

Eutychus was the first, but not the last person to fall asleep in church. The Greek indicates here that Eutychus was trying to fight this. Eutychus—bless his heart—was trying to pay attention. But he was overcome!

Paul was really quite fascinating when he taught the Scriptures. I would’ve loved to have been there that night when he was teaching. And probably there were a group of people in Troas who were riveted hour after hour as Paul was teaching.

But you know how it is—a long week of hard work! Big dinner that evening! It’s way past this kid’s bedtime. And hour after hour after hour, Paul keeps teaching! John Newton, the great preacher and hymnwriter from the eighteenth century, the author of “Amazing Grace” said once, “When weariness begins, edification ends.”

And being overcome by sleep, [Eutychus] fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.

That’s horrifying! “How dead was he, Pastor Tony?” He was dead! He wasn’t half-dead! He wasn’t knocked unconscious. He must have fell backwards three stories right on his head. And he is not alive after hitting the ground. Luke’s a doctor. He should know. This kid’s life is over!

Now let’s just set aside the humor of this for a moment, since we know the outcome. Put yourself in the shoes of these disciples. How horrifying would this be for this church! I mean this kid is probably about twelve years old. His parents were probably in that room with him. And now he’s lying on the ground, dead. Imagine the shrieks of horror. Imagine the wailing that would have ensued. Imagine the grief and heartbreak that would instantly hit this church as they saw that boy’s lifeless, motionless body on the ground.

But their grief and horror didn’t last long. Look at verse 10.

10 But Paul went down and bent over him,

Literally “he fell on him.” Just like Elijah and Elisha in the OT when they stretched themselves over the children to raise them from the dead (1 Kgs 17:17–22; 2 Kgs 4:30–37).

and taking [Eutychus] in his arms, [Paul] said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.”

Can you imagine the relief that the church felt in that moment? Can you imagine the radical shift in emotion from heart-rending grief to uncontainable joy as they realized that Paul had just brought this kid back to life?

11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while

Paul raised the kid from the dead and then went right back to work!

he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.

Now watch this. This is the key phrase to understanding this passage. Look at verse 12.

12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.

Write this down as #4. Here’s a fourth thing that spiritual leaders do.

4) They comfort the distraught (20:8–12)

Now again, why is this passage in the Bible? What are Luke and the Holy Spirit trying to teach us with Paul and this revivification of Eutychus?

Some smart-alecky Bible interpreter from the congregation might say, “That’s easy Pastor Tony. God recorded this passage in Scripture to encourage pastors to not preach long sermons.”

To which a pastor might respond, “No, I think he wrote this to remind the congregation to not fall asleep while the pastor’s preaching! Otherwise, it could be deadly!”

To which a congregant might respond, “Well if we die during your sermon, Pastor Tony, then it’s your job as the teacher to bring us back to life.”

To which, a pastor might respond by saying, “Well if I raise you from the dead, then you have to come back and listen to the rest of my sermon.”

But I don’t think that’s the main focus of this passage or the main takeaway for us. The miracle happened, and Luke, as a faithful historian recorded it for us. But the miracle pointed to something greater than the miracle. It was a demonstration of God’s love for the congregation, and Paul’s love for the church. And verse 12 brings this home.

12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.

By the way, the word “comforted” here is a passive form of the Greek παρακαλέω. It’s a remarkable statement that bookends what Paul does at the beginning of this chapter with what he does here in verse 12. At the beginning of the chapter, he encourages the church verbally. And here in verse 12, the church is encouraged by Paul’s miracle with Eutychus.

Now some people might raise an objection here and say, “Pastor Tony, I want to be a spiritual leader. I really do. I want to comfort those who are distraught. But I can’t raise people from the dead. I can’t replicate what Paul does here.”

And to that, I would respond, “I can’t either. I agree! And I’m not so sure we’re supposed to replicate what Paul does here… not exactly.”

But here’s the question: how can you comfort God’s people like Paul does here? How can you use the gifts and resources that God has given you as part of the church to comfort those who are distraught.

You might say, “I can’t raise the dead.” Okay, fine. But can you comfort someone who is dealing with a death in the family? Can you pray over someone who is sick? Can you sympathize with someone who is brokenhearted? Can you bring a meal to someone who is hospitalized or grieving over the death of a loved one?

Many of you have done that over the years here in our church. And I’m so thankful for the way in which our deacons have helped orchestrate a “meals ministry” here at Messiah. That’s a wonderful medium of comfort and mercy for those who are distraught.

One of the things we have to wrestle with in the book of Acts is what’s prescriptive and what’s descriptive in these passages. Right? We’ve talked about that before. And I’ve said things like, “Don’t teach the apostles’ experience, instead experience the apostles’ teaching.” And I think that’s a helpful reminder for how to interpret some of these difficult passages.

But if all you ever conclude from this story in Acts 20 is that Paul raised some kid from the dead! If all you ever conclude is that this is a historical fact… “It happened; just make note of it” … I think you’ve missed something.

And here’s something that might be helpful to you when you think about miracles like this. Signs and miracles are never ends in themselves. They are a means to an end. Sometimes the end is advancing the gospel. Sometimes the end is authenticating the gospel message. Sometimes, like here, the endgame is comforting the distraught within the church.

So remember this—don’t ever fixate on miracles as the endgame. They are a means to an end. And the end isn’t only accomplished by extraordinary miracles. We can comfort the church body in a time of grief and heartbreak without raising the dead. And we should. Spiritual leaders do that. Spiritual leaders comfort the distraught.

Sometimes, and you’ve got to be careful with this, we can comfort the distraught by giving a theological perspective on death and the afterlife. We do that by reminding people that this world is not our home, and we shouldn’t cling to life in this world like it’s our final destination. And when Christians die, we don’t have to grieve like those who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13).

But like I said, you’ve got to be careful with that. Make sure you don’t too quickly try to theologize a person’s grief away. Let them grieve. Sympathize with them in that grief. “Weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15). And then, after weeping, when the opportunity is there, you can reinforce biblical perspectives on death and the afterlife.

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Fifthly. One last thing. Spiritual leaders build up the church, they pass the torch, they feed the sheep, they comfort the distraught, and finally…

5) They lead with decisiveness and conviction (Acts 20:13–16)

Look at verse 13.

13 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. 15 And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Let me summarize what’s going on here as you observe the details on the map.

Paul’s Travels from Troas to Miletus - [Click for Map]

Luke and Paul’s travel associates board a ship in Troas for Assos. Paul instead travels by land from Troas to Assos. Then Paul boards in Assos and goes to Mitylene and then the island of Chios and then the island of Samos and then to Miletus. Paul’s plan is to get ultimately to Jerusalem. But he stops along the way in Miletus which is about thirty miles south of Ephesus. And Paul decides to not stop at the port in Ephesus because, according to verse 16, he was “hastening to be at Jerusalem” by the day of Pentecost.

And we see in verse 17 that he stayed in Miletus.

17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.

Now if this is Paul’s last journey before Jerusalem and then Rome, why doesn’t Paul want to go to Ephesus for one final visit? I mean this is the place where Paul has spent more than three years of his missionary life. He’s invested a lot of energy into that church. Why not visit them one last time?

Well I’ll give you one very compelling reason why he doesn’t go there, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Nobody wants to experience that madness again. Paul is probably trying to avoid another riot by going to the city of Ephesus.

But also, as verse 16 tells us, Paul was hastening to be at Jerusalem before Pentecost. He couldn’t just take a quick trip up to Ephesus for a day or two, he knows that a couple days could easily turn into weeks. So he decides to tell the elders to come to him at Miletus which is about a two days’ journey from Ephesus. And in Miletus, Paul gives a very powerful, passionate goodbye message to these Ephesian elders. We’ll look at that next time.

But there’s another reason why Paul is in such a hurry to get to Jerusalem. Why not spend time in Ephesus? What’s the rush? Well there’s a reason. And the reason is that Paul has travelled extensively in the previous year and has collected a large sum of money to bring back to the church in Jerusalem to relieve the church from the poverty and the famine that has ravaged the city. You might ask, “How do you know that, Tony?”

We know this from the books that Paul wrote during this time of his ministry. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from Ephesus. And here’s what he wrote, “Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem” (1 Cor 16:1–3) .

Later Paul wrote the book of 2 Corinthians from Macedonia where he spends two chapters on the collection of relief for the saints in Jerusalem (see 2 Cor 8–9). And then from Corinth, Paul wrote the book of Romans where he says, “At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings” (Rom 15:25–27).

So when you put all of these historical pieces together, you realize that Paul was urgently trying to reach Jerusalem with financial aid for the church. He took this circuitous route through Macedonia and Greece and Asia to collect benevolence from all the Gentile churches, so that he could deliver them to the suffering believers in Jerusalem.

That was Paul’s plan. That was Paul’s conviction. And Paul was driven to accomplish that leadership agenda. And he does it. In fact, as we’ll read later in Acts 21, Paul delivered that benevolence to the Jerusalem church at great risk to his life. It wasn’t long after he reached Jerusalem that he was arrested and eventually sent to Rome in chains as a prisoner. More on that later in our series!

And as part of that decisiveness, Paul calls the elders in Ephesus to meet him in Miletus to give them some final instructions. What instructions are those? Come back next week and I’ll tell you.

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Let me close with this. I’m going to land this plane in about sixty seconds, so if I lost you along the way, listen up now. If the spirit of Eutychus got the best of you and you dozed off a little bit during this sermon, now’s the time to wake up. I’ve saved the best for last, so here it is.

I feel like it’s necessary to remind all of us with a sermon like this on spiritual leadership, that even the best spiritual leaders in the church make mistakes. Is that true? Good leaders make mistakes. Paul was one of the best spiritual leaders ever, and even he failed the church at times.

And let me speak to the elders and other leaders in this church. Even at your best as a spiritual leader, you’re going to make mistakes and God is going to work despite your failings. Amen? That’s not an admonition, that’s a comfort.

Your pastor, even if he is a good spiritual leader, he’s going to fail you at some point, at some level as your pastor. Your elders, and we’ve got great elders here at Messiah, at some point, at some level they will fail you as your leaders. As I’ve said before, if you’re looking for the perfect church, this ain’t it. Perfect churches don’t exist.

But here’s the thing. And here’s what we need to remind ourselves of often. There is one Spiritual Leader who will never fail us. There is a Great High Priest who sinlessly and flawlessly leads us into God’s presence. And by his blood, shed for us, we are saved. His name is Jesus. And by imitating his example as a flawless Spirit-empowered leader, we can be God-honoring, Spirit-empowered, spiritual leaders too. Look to Christ; He’s our perfect example. Look to Christ.

Zechariah 13:1-9: "Repentance leads to Forgiveness"

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:20:18 GMT

Mike Morris

Associate Pastor/Elder

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

In the first oracle, we saw in chapter nine that God promised a coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. In chapter ten, we examined the blessings of redemption for the people of Israel. Chapter eleven is the story of the shepherds: Israel’s rejection of their True Shepherd , Jesus Christ the Messiah, the ruin of the wailing shepherds suffering God’s judgment, and Israel’s future acceptance of the False Shepherd .

Tonight, we continue the second oracle, the final passage in the book, as we begin chapter thirteen. Chapter twelve addressed the repentance of Israel. Tonight, we see the transition from repentance to forgiveness, and in chapter fourteen, the people enter the kingdom.

Last week, we looked in depth at the Lord’s victory through Israel at the Battle of Armageddon, when Christ defeats His enemies and the enemies of His people, which are really the same. The second passage in the chapter, verses 10 through 14, though, was the most important, particularly verse 10 . 10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. God says He will draw the eyes of His people to their Savior and Messiah, Jesus Christ, and their hearts will break with grief for their national sin of the rejection of their True Shepherd. Many Jews, of course, have come to Christ through the centuries, so this prophecy has been partially fulfilled many times, but on that Day – the Day of the Lord – those remaining in Israel will repent of their denial of their Messiah and weep bitterly.

Tonight, we see the second necessary step in the national redemption of Israel , as they have looked to Jesus, the people have repented of their repudiation of their Messiah, their sin of not receiving him on the day of their visitation, as Jesus says in Luke 19.44 . But repentance is only one step. Another remains: God’s provision for the forgiveness of their sin and the cleansing of His people. Let’s begin at verse one.

A Fountain Opened

Following the mournful repentance of chapter 12, we immediately turn to 13.1 .

1 “ On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.

Again, the phrase “on that day” is the time marker. The Day of the Lord.

“Fountain” is the Hebrew ‘ma-‘qor’ – a water source or spring, one that will flow continually. Having drawn the people to repentance from their sin , God now provides the means for the forgiveness of that sin . Jeremiah and Joel also speak of a fountain from the Lord, flowing with living waters. In an arid land like Israel, a perennial fountain or spring was priceless. That’s the picture of the importance and value of God’s forgiveness of Israel’s sin. Without it, there is only death. With it, there is life eternal. It is a powerful symbol and image of spirit-filled life.

Jesus used this image, too, in John 4 with the Samaritan woman at the well, and in the Temple in John 7, as He compared God’s Holy Spirit to rivers of living water.

God Himself will accomplish this forgiveness of His people, opening a fountain for cleansing. Not a cistern, which can run dry, but an always-flowing fountain of life. This fountain is opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem ; again, this description standing for the entire nation.

The purpose of the fountain is to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. These words are full of meaning. Let’s take a closer look.

“ sin ” renders Heb ‘haa-taat’’ a common word for sin. It means to fall short of God’s standard, to transgress His law, to violate His commands. It can also be translated “sin offering” to indicate the way to be forgiven for the sin, as it is used in Psalm 51.7, where it is translated in the ESV as “purge” or to “un-sin” me.

“ uncleanness ” renders Heb ‘nee-dah’’. that which makes a person impure or unclean, used of ceremonial impurity. And like ‘haa-taat,’ this word can also be used to indicate “separation,” to cleanse from uncleanness, or purify from impurity.

But the scholar J.M. Boice reminds us that there is a special symbolic significance to this moment we learn from John 19.34-37 , where John writes, 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water . 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: . 37 “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” John saw the side of Jesus Christ pierced, he saw the issue of blood and water, and he recalled the prophecy of Zechariah 12.10, that one day Israel would look upon the Son of Man, their Messiah, whom they pierced, and mourn bitterly. And he must have remembered that God promised also that a fountain would be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness . As a righteous Jew, John would have known that only blood could atone for sin, while water was required to cleanse from impurity and uncleanness. Imagine John’s wonder as he saw before him the very sacrifice of the Son of God to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 13.1, that God would provide a fountain of cleansing for sin and uncleanness, of blood and water, both from the side of the Savior.

This pair of words, “sin” and “impurity” or “uncleanness,” is repeated from Numbers 19.9 , a passage which provides for the ceremonial cleansing of priests. The point here is that in Numbers 19, God makes provision for the cleansing of the body from sin and uncleanness. But here in Zechariah 13 , we see the infinitely more important provision from the Lord for the spiritual cleansing and forgiveness of all the people, not just the priests, and that cleansing will be unlimited, both in extent and in duration . He will completely and forever cleanse His people. The fountain of God’s forgiveness will permanently cleanse His people from their sin natures and the sinful actions that flow from those sin natures. He will change who His people are and what His people do . Their repentance came from God’s mercy in pouring out His Spirit of grace and supplications upon them, changing their hearts, enabling them to look to Christ and turn toward Him instead of continuing their rejection of Him . Now their forgiveness is effected through a perpetual fountain of cleansing that God has opened and will never shut, symbolic of the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

Idolatry and False Prophets Judged

But what sins and impurity are in view here? Yahweh now removes from Israel their two besetting sins, the greatest sources of shame and misery for the nation – the wicked lies of the false prophets and the idolatrous worship of false gods.

2 “And on that day , declares the Lord of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness .

These two sins are inextricably linked. The false prophets steered the people toward the false gods and heinous false religions that surrounded the nation while persecuting and ridiculing God’s true prophets, causing the people to turn away from God’s word and His law.

God’s judgment is severe. On that day , the Day of the Lord, all the idols that had plagued the Jews for centuries would be cut off , forever destroyed, never to be remembered or spoken of again. The same meaning is applied to the false prophets and the impurity that infected the land and the people through their teaching. It would be removed.

And the judgment will prompt a renewed zeal for the Lord and His holiness, just as the penalties for certain profane, sinful actions in the OT were quite severe, so it will be in that Day . If you recall the punishments for the rebellion of Korah in Numbers 16 , and the zeal for the Lord of Phineas the priest in Numbers 25 , this will look familiar. To make the point, Zechariah sets up two hypothetical cases.

3 And if anyone again prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the Lord.’ And his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies. 4 “ On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive, 5 but he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a worker of the soil, for a man sold me in my youth.’ 6 And if one asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your back?’ he will say, ‘The wounds I received in the house of my friends.’

Two examples are given here to strongly emphasize how unacceptable false prophecy will be in the Day of the Lord. Never again will Israel return to false prophecy as they once did.

In the first case, in verse 3, parents will themselves judge and execute their own sons who engage in lying, false prophecy. The reference is to Deuteronomy 13.6-11 , where Jews were commanded to be the first to strike down even family members if they would tempt them to turn from Yahweh. Parents will execute God’s judgment in zeal and holiness on their own children. Quite a deterrent to a son considering false prophecy as a career option.

Verses 4 through 6 describe a hypothetical conversation between an Israelite and a man who had been a false prophet. On that Day, anyone falsely prophesying will be publicly put to shame and humiliation. No one will try to impersonate a false prophet by wearing the hairy mantle often worn by prophets, including Elijah ( II Kings 1.8 ) and later by John the Baptist ( Matthew 3.4 ). Instead, people will go to ridiculous lengths to avoid the chance of being accused of being a false prophet by saying instead that he has been a farmer since he was a boy. And if someone notices the characteristic scars from the cutting that false prophets engaged in as part of their idolatrous worship, as noted in I Kings 18.28 , as the text literally says, “between your hands,” on the chest or the back. The man explains that his friends did that to him. he needs new friends.

In summary, on that Day, God will open a fountain for cleansing of the people from idolatry and false prophecy. These sins will be driven from the land and will never return, and the people themselves will be ready to zealously defend God’s holiness and righteousness.

The Shepherd Struck

Now, with verse 7, there is a significant shift. To this point, the focus has been on Israel’s repentance and forgiveness. Moving forward, the focus changes to Israel’s transformation through refining judgment, and in the second passage of the chapter, we find another messianic prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and this one is surprising.

7 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,”

declares the Lord of hosts.

As we see, the one who speaks here is the Lord of Hosts, God the Father. And He calls forth judgment, as He has done many times, but here the target of His judgment is. His own Son .

In 12.10-14 , the death of the Messiah was the act of the people of Israel. Here in 13.7-9 , the death of the Messiah is attributed to the act of God Himself. We gain some understanding of this seeming paradox in Acts 2.22-23 as Peter preaches. 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men . Both are true.

The divine sword will awaken against my shepherd , says the Father, God’s own Shepherd, the True Shepherd from chapter 12. But He is also described in another way, as “ the man who stands next to me. ” KJV says “ my fellow ,” NASB95 says “ My Associate ”. Heb ‘ge-ver’ means a young, strong, valiant man, a warrior. ”stands next to” renders Heb ‘ah-meet,’ the one who is near me, the one who is in union with me, who is my neighbor, my equal. So let’s make sure we understand this. Yahweh God, the Father, is awakening the sword of his judgment against his close companion, his equal, his associate, the one in union with Him. that can be none other than Jesus Christ the Messiah .

This short verse links the Suffering Servant prophecy of Isaiah 53.4-5, 10 to the NT gospel accounts of the passion of the Christ.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted .

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him ;
he has put him to grief ;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

It seems unthinkable, but it’s the biblical truth: the Father brought about the death of the Son to save God’s people.

The Flock Scattered

See the next phrase: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; The verb “strike” renders Heb ‘knee-caw’ and means to strike a lethal, killing blow. Here, it specifically refers to the crucifixion. And when the Shepherd is struck and killed, His flock will scatter. Jesus quoted this prophecy about Himself in Matthew 26.30-32 . 30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” This is said just before Peter’s overconfident assertion that he will never turn away from Christ. As we know, Peter failed to keep his word, and almost all the apostles were absent from the foot of the cross, John being the notable exception. His apostles were scattered, but were regathered in Galilee, as He foretold.

Even the growing church, birthed in Jerusalem, was scattered after the death and resurrection of Jesus, with most believers having left Judea before 70 AD. The same Roman persecution that scattered the apostles helped to launch the church “to the ends of the earth” as we read in the book of Acts and the rest of the NT. Even so, the church will one day be regathered alongside Jewish believers, as Jesus says in John 10.16, 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd .

But the primary meaning was for His people, the Jews . Their scattering would come in the war between the Jews of Judea and Rome, from 66 AD to 73 AD. When Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, it began a dispersion of the Jews around the world into the Gentile nations, a dispersion that is still true today, though May 14th, 1948, marked an important waypoint toward regathering the Jews as Israel once again has become a nation-state in her land. This regathering awaits complete fulfillment in the Millennial Kingdom.

Ultimately, God’s flock will all be gathered together under our one Great Shepherd.

The Flock Refined

But before the Day comes, God will both punish and transform Israel through judgment.

I will turn my hand against the little ones.

8 In the whole land, declares the Lord,

two thirds shall be cut off and perish,

and one third shall be left alive.

9 And I will put this third into the fire,

and refine them as one refines silver,

and test them as gold is tested.

This divine national judgment, occurring at the end of the tribulation period at the time of Armageddon, will result in the death of two-thirds of the Jews of Israel. The term “cut off” means a sudden, violent death, and “turning his hand against” usually, but not always, means punishment meted out against God’s enemies , but that isn’t the case here. The “little ones,” the ones who are left alive after this devastation, will be disciplined , but not destroyed . the Hebrew term translated “little ones” occurs only here in the OT, and means “those who make themselves small” or “humble ones”. they are the “poor of the flock,” the remnant of the people who survive the tribulation. They will not be destroyed, but will be refined as gold and silver are refined , through intense trial. We don’t know the exact number or percentage. Here it’s one third, Isaiah 6.13 says only a tenth would remain in the land as God’s “holy seed”. We don’t know how many there will be, but we know they will be repentant and forgiven and redeemed, and will enter the Kingdom of their God.

The Flock Saved

This summary of the suffering and transformation of Israel throughout history, particularly the tribulation period, ends with this beautiful benediction that needs no explanation.

They will call upon my name,

and I will answer them.

I will say, ‘They are my people’;

and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”

Application

This is such a rich passage. We learn much about the ways and purposes of God in the atoning death of Jesus Christ. But as we close I think it would be helpful for us to focus on the main point of this chapter, the extent and depth and beauty of God’s forgiveness. as He opened a fountain of cleansing for Israel, with the atoning blood of Jesus Christ to forgive sin and the living water of the Spirit to remedy uncleanness, so has He done for us. Let’s meditate for a few minutes on the glory of God’s forgiving love. How does the Lord describe for us His forgiveness? Let’s look at just a few of the ways God illustrates His steadfast love.

...as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us . (Psalm 103.12)
You will tread our iniquities underfoot ; You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea . ( Micah 7.19)
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered . ( Psalm 32.1)
“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins . (Isaiah 43.25)
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross . (Colossians 2.13-14)
... you have cast all my sins behind your back . (Isaiah 38.17)
 I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist ; return to me, for I have redeemed you. (Isaiah 44.22)

Get these notes on our website, messiahbible.org, and look up these verses. I urge you to spend some time thinking about God’s forgiveness and the truth of His word. Let His love and grace and mercy fill up the empty places in your soul. Let the living water of His Spirit refresh your dry and thirsty heart. Feel the anxiety and fear in your spirit as it is washed away by the goodness of the Lord. And hear the words of your heavenly Father, “You are forgiven, My child”.

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Acts 19:21-41: Mass Hysteria at Ephesus: Profit over Truth

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 22:05:24 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

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Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 19 as we continue our verse-by-verse study of this book. Our series through Acts is entitled, “No Other Name.” And the title for today’s message is “Mass Hysteria at Ephesus.” What caused the mass hysteria at Ephesus? Let’s just say some combination of politics, economics, and theology. And for the record, that’s not unusual.

In the early 1500s, there was a monk named Martin Luther who was deeply troubled by what he saw in the church of his day. He wasn’t trying to start a revolution or dismantle the church. At least, not at first. Luther was a professor of theology who genuinely cared about the spiritual condition of ordinary people.

And as he traveled and taught, he watched poor farmers, widows, and working families give away their hard-earned money, because they had been told that indulgences could reduce time in purgatory or secure forgiveness for sins. People were being led to believe that salvation could be purchased rather than received as a gift of God’s grace through faith. So, in 1517, overwhelmed with grief and conviction, Luther walked to the church door in Wittenberg and put up his famous 95 Theses.

Now many people correctly assume that Luther’s concerns were theological, and they were—but they were also economical. The church at that time had developed a massive system built on the sale of indulgences, a religious fundraising scheme that generated enormous amounts of cash to support building projects, mostly in Rome. When Luther challenged those indulgences, he wasn’t just questioning doctrine; he was disrupting the whole system. And once that income stream was threatened, outrage followed quickly.

Luther became a wanted man. He was declared a heretic and condemned by powerful leaders. Why? Because Luther had not only challenged their theology—he challenged their economy. His experience reminds us that economics and theology are often far more intertwined than we want to admit. The moment someone threatens your money, they often threaten your functional god.

But economic manipulation didn’t begin in the 1500s. And bad theology supporting an economic enterprise didn’t start in Wittenberg, Germany, in the days of Martin Luther. Those things are as old as time. And we’re going to see an example of that today in Acts 19.

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First the context. In the previous passages in Acts, we saw Paul leave Antioch and begin his third missionary journey. And very quickly he lands in Ephesus where Priscilla and Aquila have already been ministering.

Paul returns to Ephesus - Click for Map

Paul stays about three years total in Ephesus (Acts 20:31). And some incredible things happen in Ephesus around this time. If you remember from last time, Priscilla and Aquila approached Apollos and brought him into the Christian fold (Acts 18:24–28). Paul also addressed a group of “John the Baptist disciples” in Ephesus and brought them into the Christian fold (Acts 19:1–7). And then we saw the seven sons of Sceva. Remember those guys? Those guys went on to become the seven “streakers” of Sceva. They were beaten up by a demoniac, and they ran out of the house bleeding and naked (Acts 19:11–16).

Just as a refresher, look at what happened after that in verse 17.

17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.

This incident involving the seven sons of Sceva lit a fire under the Christians in Ephesus. Verse 18 says,

18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices… 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

So Paul has this little revival that erupts in Ephesus. There’s some serious spiritual warfare taking place here. And the Christians are taking ground. And the word of the Lord continues to increase. This is awesome!

So good things are happening in Ephesus. And Satan is taking his lumps. But Satan and his minions are about to mobilize. Let me say it this way—The Empire Strikes Back. Look at verse 21.

21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

This is Luke’s way of signaling that Paul’s time in Ephesus (the three years) is coming to an end. By the way, the whole rest of the book of Acts is essentially Paul’s complex and circuitous journey to the city of Rome. Eventually he gets there as a prisoner. But more on that later.

Look at verse 22.

22 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

Paul rarely worked alone. He always had helpers and disciples and understudies and emissaries. So he sends two of those helpers, Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia. Timothy, we know. Erastus, we don’t know. Ostensibly Paul sends them to Macedonia to prepare for his visit. But he stays in Asia (i.e., Ephesus) a little longer.

By the way, Paul wrote the book of 1 Corinthians from Ephesus during this time. And in that book, he writes, “I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective ministry has opened to me, [but] there are many adversaries” (1 Cor 16:8–9).

You might ask, “What kind of adversaries, Paul? You mean the seven sons of Sceva?” Well, yes. But something even more sinister and certainly more adversarial than that is brewing in Ephesus.

Look at verse 23.

23 About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25 These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.

Notice the connection here between economics and worship. And remember now, the Christians in Ephesus were willing to burn their expensive books that connected them to the occult. These guys, instead, protect their financial interests at any cost.

26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with [human] hands are not gods.

Now, let’s be clear about what’s happening here in Ephesus. Demetrius is upset not just because cultural values are being threatened… and not just because the status quo is being threatened… more than anything he’s upset about economics! Right? He’s essentially saying the quiet part out loud: “This guy, Paul, is affecting our wallets! We’ve got to put a stop to this.”

Now just a little bit about Ephesus and these silversmiths. In Greek mythology, Artemis was the daughter of Zeus. She was a fertility goddess. People would buy and venerate her idols in the hopes that she would bless them with children, good crops, and success in business.

Archeologists have actually found many of these idols in Ephesus. Here’s an example of one of them.

Click for Image

You can see with this little icon Artemis and her many breasts. This symbolized her power over fertility. Her festivals in Ephesus were often marked by orgies and drunkenness.

And Artemis was the patron goddess of Ephesus. The massive “Temple of Artemis” or the “Temple of Diana” was constructed in Ephesus. And this temple was four times larger than the Parthenon. It was a huge, magnificent structure. It was the largest building in the Roman world at this time. And it’s one of the seven ancient wonders of the world.

The temple was eventually destroyed, but here’s one artist’s depiction of it.

Temple of Diana - Click for Image

Interestingly the temple wasn’t formally destroyed or burned down. It was just taken apart piece by piece later so that the stones could be used for churches. How’s that for a cruel, providential irony!

But that was later. In Paul’s day, the temple was a massive part of the Ephesian economy. And many people, like this Demetrius, were dependent on religious tourism. People would come to Ephesus, buy these little statue gods, and bring them to the temple to pray and ask for blessings. So Paul denouncing Artemis in Ephesus would be like someone going to Orlando today and denouncing Mickey Mouse! That’s going to affect the local economy!

In other words, Paul’s preaching was a threat. Paul’s preaching could put Demetrius and the other idol makers out of business. Paul’s statement that “gods made with human hands are not gods” (19:26) is a gauntlet thrown down attacking the economic underpinnings of the city. Why would that be perceived as a threat? Do people really care more about economics than they do the truth?

You know what I find interesting in these verses is that Demetrius and these idol makers, they never stop and ask themselves, “Hmm, I wonder if Paul’s right?” “Why do we worship man-made images and take them to a man-made temple for worship?” “Maybe there’s a better way?” “Maybe there is one sovereign God over the universe?”

They never ask themselves these questions. They are so fixated on the status quo… they are so distracted by their own personal economics… they are so deluded by their own cultural trappings that they can’t see truth. Does that happen in our day?

Here’s the first point from the message today. Go ahead and write this down. I want to give you from the text …

Three reasons your gods aren’t worthy of your worship:

Here’s the first.

1) They are created things, not the Creator (Acts 19:21–26)

Now, be careful here. Don’t get too judgy with these pagan polytheists from Ephesus. Because before we’re done, I’m going to give you “Four ‘good things’ that we turn into gods.” And when I say “we,” I mean “we” in the church as well as the modern world. So stay tuned for that.

But first let’s deal with these Ephesians. Paul says, “gods made with human hands are not gods” (19:26). And that’s true. Even though Luke doesn’t quote Paul directly on that point here (this is a quote from Demetrius), that’s the kind of thing that Paul would say. Paul says elsewhere in 1 Corinthians, “We know that an idol has no real existence, and that there is no God but one” (8:4). Paul said previously in Athens, “We ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man” (Acts 17:29). Isaiah, in the OT, mocks people who worship idols. He scoffs at those who would cut down a tree and use part of the tree for firewood to cook their food, but then they use the other part of the tree to carve an idol to bow down and worship (Isa 44:9–20).

Obviously both Paul and Isaiah are taking their cue from the Ten Commandments. The first of the Ten Commandments says “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exod 20:3). And what’s the second commandment? “You shall not make for yourself a carved image” (Exod 20:4).

Speaking of the first commandment, Martin Luther argued that this commandment was strategically placed first: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exod 20:3). He concluded that you never break commandments two through ten (Exod 20:3–17) without also breaking the first commandment. I think he’s right.

So the issue here in Ephesus is an issue as old as time. You’ve got pagan Gentiles worshipping created things instead of the Creator. And the Apostle Paul is saying, “Stop it! Your ‘gods’ aren’t worthy of your worship!”

Now, let me say this. When I look at these silversmiths, I don’t think their biggest mistake was making graven images. That’s a problem, for sure. I don’t even think their biggest mistake was pursuing economics over truth. That’s part of the issue. The core issue that they have is self-worship not idol-worship. They think that deity existed for humanity, not humanity for deity. They wanted to protect the notion that “gods” existed for them and for their personal gain instead of the notion that we exist for God and for his purposes. Are you with me? The great sin of these silversmiths isn’t idol-worship, it’s self-worship. And they don’t ultimately serve Artemis, the goddess of Ephesus; they serve themselves.

Here’s the insight for us. Don’t ever tolerate teaching, inside the church or outside the church, that promotes a god who exists for you instead of a God for whom you exist. The church is for God. We exist for God. Our lives have purpose because of God. God doesn’t exist to accommodate us and enrich us. We exist to worship and serve the God of the universe. He doesn’t serve us.

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Now back to the text. Here’s where the story gets wild. Because these silversmiths and craftsmen never stop to consider, “Yeah, why do we serve gods made with hands?” They instead are persuaded by Demetrius’s fearmongering.

Look at verse 27. This is still Demetrius talking.

27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

“Heaven forbid that Artemis would be deposed of her magnificence!” Here’s my question for Demetrius, “If her magnificence is so magnificent, then why can she keep herself from being deposed?”

“No, no, no. We’ve got to protect our goddess, because she can’t protect herself.” That’s illogical!

Those of you who know your OT, know that there’s a similar story in Judges where Gideon tears down the altar of Baal. And the people of the town want to kill him. And Gideon’s father is a voice of reason in that moment. He says, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? … If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down” (Judg 6:31). Gideon actually got a second name that day which was Jerubbaal, which means, “Let Baal contend against him” (6:32).

Here’s something to keep in mind as Christians. I’m all for apologetics, and I think there’s a place to give a defense for our faith and for the true God of the universe. But let me be crystal clear—God doesn’t need us to contend for him. God doesn’t need us to defend his actions or his reputation. God is not wringing his hands up in heaven worried about his reputation. He can take care of that himself. And he will. So you don’t have to walk around thinking to yourself, “Boy, I’ve got to protect the Lord’s reputation. I got to defend him against all those people who despise him.” God will take care of himself.

Now for Artemis, that’s a different matter. She’s nothing more than a figment of the human imagination. So Demetrius gives this rousing speech about protecting her reputation and watch what happens.

Look at verse 28.

28 When they heard this they were enraged

“What! What! We’re going to lose our income.” “What! The reputation of the city will be tainted. Not on my watch!” They were enraged. “Nobody’s going to talk bad about our goddess!”

28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel.

Here’s a recent picture of the theater in Ephesus. It’s pretty well-preserved after twenty centuries.

The Ephesus Theater - Click for Image

The theater was estimated to hold more than 20,000 people. That’s about the size of the crowd at the Frost Bank Center for a Spurs game. And these silversmiths drag two of Paul’s companions into the theater while the people were shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” So imagine yourself as one of Paul’s companions in this scene right now. There are 20,000 people shouting together as you are being dragged into this theater. Let me just ask you, if you were Gaius or Aristarchus, would you be scared? I would be.

What about Paul? Where’s he right now. Well, look at verse 30.

30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, [He must have seen all of this coming down the city streets, and decided to intervene] the disciples would not let him.

They wouldn’t let him probably because the mob would have ripped Paul into pieces. Are there times when disciples need to step in and protect their leaders? Absolutely.

31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.

These “Asiarchs” were probably unbelieving Gentile administrators over the city. It’s amazing that they were friends with Paul, which seems to suggest that Paul was actively making friends with unbelievers in Ephesus. That’s not that hard to believe. And even they didn’t want Paul to go to the theater! Why not? Because it was utter pandemonium there! It was mass hysteria and mass confusion!

And look at this… verse 32.

32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.

Now just think about this for a second. These guys over here are yelling, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” These guys over here are yelling—I don’t know—“Down with the temple tax” or something like that. And this guy over here is screaming, “The British are coming.” And most of the people there were like, “Why are we here again?” It wasn’t just mass hysteria; it was mass confusion.

I remember a few years ago there were these riots that took place in Croatia during the summer. Some people got together for a political rally. But there was this group of people that just wanted to create a ruckus. I don’t know, maybe they worked for “rent-a-riot” or something like that?

And the political rally turned into mob violence. And I remember asking my brother-in-law, “Dalibor, what is this?” And he said that some of the rioters were soccer fans that were just looking for a fight. They were just a bunch of soccer hooligans looking to express their hooliganism. Crazy Europeans. We never see anything like that in America.

So here’s what happens. Look at verse 33.

33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew [By the way, here’s another instance of latent antisemitism in the Roman world], for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” “Great is Artemis of…” Are you annoyed by that already? How many of you want me to stop? I didn’t even do that for two minutes. Can you imagine two hours of that!

I mean, our service on Sunday morning lasts about an hour and a half here at Messiah. And our God is, unlike Artemis, actually awesome. But I can’t imagine us just getting together for two hours yelling (or singing) the same thing over and over again. Surely, we can incorporate more variety and creativity than that into our worship.

But here’s the thing. These guys aren’t just shouting as an act of worship. They are trying to protect the reputation of their goddess, which has been tainted by Paul and his preaching. Her reputation was theirs to protect.

Write this down as a second point from our message. Three reasons your gods aren’t worthy of your worship. Here’s the second reason.

2) They are powerless and require protection (Acts 19:27–34)

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Now if you’re looking for additional proof as to why “little ‘g’ gods” aren’t worthy of worship, watch this. Watch how easily these Ephesians go from mass hysteria in the protection of their goddess to almost total indifference. This is really surprising.

Look at verse 35.

35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd,

When I imagine this guy, I just imagine a really nerdy guy with glasses and a pencil behind his ears. And it must have been a tough job for him to get the crowd quiet after two hours of yelling and screaming. Maybe they got tired of chanting the same stupid chant for so long.

… [and] he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?

What in the world? What’s he talking about? Well, legend had it that the image of Artemis in the temple had fallen from heaven to earth as a meteor. It was pure superstition. But the Ephesians believed it.

36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.

By the way, I don’t know if he’s right about this. Paul and his companions are kind of blaspheming the goddess Artemis. I think they are more of a threat than this guy wants to admit.

But anyways, he continues…

38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.

Not in this mob!

40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

What? After all that? Talk about an anticlimax. The town clerk was like, “We could all go to jail for this.” And the crowd was like, “Oh no! Well then, let’s go home.”

Really? After shouting for two hours? The situation hasn’t even changed. Paul is still in the city. People are still preaching Christ, which is bad for business. The reputation of your goddess is still under attack.

With all due respect to this “town clerk,” I don’t think he grasps the severity of the situation. I think Demetrius had it right. The reputation of the goddess is under attack. The preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ is sacrilegious and blasphemous towards their goddess. I think this guy, the town clerk, is more concerned about peace at any price than really defending the honor of his goddess. Maybe he knows the whole thing is a sham!

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they didn’t lynch Gaius and Aristarchus. I’m glad they didn’t search out Paul and put him to death. But if they really knew what was at stake… if they really knew how dangerous Paul and his companions were to their way of life… they would have killed them.

But God is sovereign. And I believe he intervenes in this precarious situation. And everyone went home without a fight. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). The Lord allowed Stephen to be slain (Acts 7:54–60). The Lord allowed James to be martyred (Acts 12:1–3). But the Lord allows everyone in Ephesus to escape with their lives in Acts 19. God be praised!

Write this down as a third point from our message. Three reasons your gods aren’t worthy of your worship:

1) They are created things, not the Creator (Acts 19:21–26)

2) They are powerless and require protection (Acts 19:27–34)

3) They inspire fickle and unstable devotion (Acts 19:35–41)

“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

“Hey, hey, cool it. You know you could go jail for this!”

“O, I’m really sorry. I guess I’ll just go home then.”

Isn’t it amazing how fickle this crowd is and how easily their passion is squelched? Here’s what I think. I think their passion for Artemis was suddenly overtaken by their passion for self-preservation.

Look I don’t know about you, but if someone came in here on Sunday morning and said, “Hey, hey, you need to stop talking about Jesus. You need to stop singing so loudly about Jesus. You’re going to get in trouble with the city.” You know what I’d say? “Turn up the volume. You are not going to coerce me into silence.”

One of the tell-tale signs of an authentic Christian is perseverance through difficulty. It’s a passion for Jesus that is not fickle or easily squelched! When a person’s passion for Jesus trumps their passion for sin and their passion for sex and their passion for self-preservation and their passion for comfort… that’s when you know you’ve got an authentic Christian. Otherwise the gospel gets choked out by the cares of this world or gets scorched because of the shallow soil.

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When I look at this passage as a whole, if I could sum it up in one sentence, I would sum it up this way—people who worship gods other than the one true God are foolish! I see this passage as a powerful polemic against paganism and idolatry and false worship. Luke is ostensibly saying, “Don’t worship the silly gods of this world! They’re not worthy of your worship! Worship instead the Creator of the universe who has given his son Jesus Christ as atonement for our sins. He is the one true God who is worthy of your worship! Give yourselves wholly to him!” Well-said, Luke. We receive that.

But we’re not done yet. Here’s what I want to do before we’re done today. I want to do some “idol-smashing!” I want to deal with some of the “little ‘g’ gods” that we idolize in our culture today.

Remember, if you will, the last thing that the Apostle John writes in his first epistle, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). John wasn’t writing to unbelievers. He was writing to believers. Why does he finish the book that way? I don’t think it’s because the church he was writing to had little statues of gods placed all over their houses. Maybe there was some of that.

I think John knew that the human heart is constantly struggling to make gods out of things that aren’t gods. I think he knew how easily we make idols out of created things and worship them instead of worshipping the true God. I think John knew, just like the Apostle Paul (see 1 Cor 10:14; Col 3:5; etc.), that idolatry is something that we, even as Christians, struggle with and need to eradicate.

So, let’s do some idol-smashing. You might say, “Really, Tony? Is that really necessary? Is that really a problem for us?” Yes, it is. I’ll prove it to you. Write these down. These are “Four ‘good things’ that we turn into gods.”

By the way, Tim Keller once defined an idol as “anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.” It’s anything in your life that is so central to your life that you can’t have a meaningful life if you lose it. That involves more than just graven images.

So if there is a relationship of yours that is so central to your life that you can’t have a meaningful life if you lose it, then you have an idol. If there is an achievement or if there is an accomplishment or if there is a substance that is so central to your life that you can’t have a meaningful life if you lose it, then you have an idol. Then you have a god.

Now I could mention probably twenty different idols that are common in our world. I could mention power or influence. I could mention careers. I could mention ideology, especially political ideology. I could mention tradition. I could mention education. But I’ll save those for another time. Today I’ll just give you four.

Four good things that we turn into gods:

1. Money

That’s actually the issue that shows up here in Acts 19. Demetrius was much more concerned about money then he was about Artemis. And the idolization of money has been a problem since the very beginning.

Now let’s be clear. Money is not intrinsically evil. Everyone hear me on that? In fact, money can be a great blessing. It’s nice to have money. You can do a lot of good with money. It’s fun to make money. And I would encourage all of you to go out there and make money, and provide well for your family, and give it away generously.

But when people idolize it… when people can’t live without it or without a certain amount of it… when you find yourself compulsively absorbed in spending it or making it or saving it or having it, you’ve got an idol. When a good thing becomes the ultimate thing, that’s when you’ve got an idol. And money is one of those things that can so easily grip our hearts and steer us away from our savior.

By the way, Artemis eventually became the goddess of money and business. And Ephesus became a major business center. It was the New York City of its day. Artemis was the goddess of fertility, and so people thought if they sacrificed to her their crops would grow and they would be profitable. And so people took a good thing—money, business, wealth—and they mythologized it. And it became Artemis. That’s why Keller says that one of our jobs as Christians is to demythologize the idols in our world.

Human reason also is a wonderful thing. The ability to rationalize and think and use science and philosophy to consider the great things of this world is great. But when reason is mythologized and made into an idol you have Athena, the Greek goddess of Reason and the patron goddess of Athens, the intellectual capital of Paul’s day.

Beauty likewise is a wonderful thing. Love is a wonderful thing. Romance is a wonderful thing. Sex is a wonderful thing. But when beauty, romance, and sex are mythologized into an idol, then you get Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. And we’ve got to demythologize those things, so that we can enjoy them and use them for the glory of God.

Speaking of Aphrodite, here’s another “good thing” that we turn into a god:

2. Romance

I would say “sex” here. That’s certainly an idol for some. But romance or “romantic love” is a little more subtle. And if you’ve ever fallen in love with someone, it’s very, very powerful. Am I right?

And here’s where you got to watch yourself. If you look to that other person as the ultimate meaning in your life… if that other person becomes so central to your life that you can’t have a meaningful life if you lose her or him, then you have a functional god. And in our country, I’ve seen more people bow down to that “relationship” idol, the “romance” idol, than just about any other thing. I mean we write songs about romance in our country like, “I can’t live if living is without you!” Right?

Here’s a third “good thing” that we turn into a god:

3. Family

Now this is a tricky one. Stay with me here. I think this is a real problem in evangelical Christianity. And I understand the problem. Because I’m an evangelical! I adore my wife. I love my son. But let me go back to that previous statement—Anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.” I can’t even begin to tell you how easy it would be for me to fall into that temptation.

Here’s a great thing to remember, all of you out there. Forgive me for being a little bit morose here. One day you are going to have to put your spouse into a coffin. Either your spouse is going to do it for you or you are going to do it for your spouse. Some of us will have to put children into a coffin. Most of us will put our parents in a coffin. If your “messiah,” if your “functional savior” is in that coffin, you’ve got nothing to live for after they’re gone.

That image right there should scare all of us about the dangers of idolatry. And besides all that, the worst thing that you can do to your spouse or to your children or to your parents is make them into an idol. That’s not fair to them. They will fail you as a god. They can’t be your messiah. Parents, don’t do this to your children. Don’t turn them into an idol. I’ve said this before, let me say it again, “When you put your family ahead of God, you put them at risk.”

You know it’s easy to laugh at the Ephesians for their superstitious and self-serving idolatry. Isn’t it? But when you start to examine your own life and your own man-made idols, it’s not so funny anymore.

Here’s a final “good thing” that we turn into a god:

4. Morality

You know many Christians quietly assume that God loves them because of how committed they are—because they attend church, take notes, pray regularly, have daily devotions, avoid obvious sins, and try to live morally. Deep down, they believe that this level of dedication obligates God to bless them and answer their prayers.

But do you know what that is? That’s garden variety legalism! That’s garden variety moralism! It takes morality, which is a great thing, and turns it into an idol. It takes holiness, which is a great thing, and turns it into an idol. Trusting in morality instead of trusting in Christ for our salvation (and sanctification!) is hopelessly flawed. Watch out for that, Christians!

Here’s an important distinction: We live moral lives because Christ saved us. We are pressed by the Holy Spirit inside of us to live moral and pleasing lives before the Lord, because we are new creatures in Christ Jesus. We don’t live moral lives in order to be saved. That is a perversion of the gospel.

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Now here’s the thing. I’ll close with this. Idolatry in the OT was a capital offense (Deut 17:2–5). Did you know that? Did anyone feel convicted about that list of four idols that I just gave you? If you are guilty of idolatry in any of those categories, you deserve death.

But that’s not really that shocking a statement for the Christian. We know we deserve death. We know that we deserve eternal death. We know that our moralism doesn’t save us. Christ saves us.

Because in our sinfulness and in the midst of our idolatrous behavior, Christ offers us the free gift of salvation, not based on what we have done, but what he has done.

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? Have you received the free gift of salvation that he gives? If not, then you should remedy that today.

If you do know him, if you do love him, if you have trusted him as your Savior, then let me exhort you, “Thou shalt have no other gods before him” (Exod 20:3, KJV). Or in the words of the Apostle John, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

Zechariah 12:1-14: “Mourning Turns To Repentance.”

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 18:50:41 GMT

Mike Morris

Associate Pastor/Elder

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

Let’s get oriented as we take another look at our summary slide.

In the first oracle, we saw in chapter nine that God promised a coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. In chapter ten, we examined the blessings of redemption for the people of Israel. Chapter eleven is the story of the shepherds. Israel’s rejection of their True Shepherd , Jesus Christ the Messiah, the ruin of the wailing shepherds suffering God’s judgment, and Israel’s future acceptance of the False Shepherd .

Tonight, we begin the second oracle, the final passage in the book, as we begin chapter twelve. Let me preface this passage so we have a framework to better understand it. In broad terms, chapter twelve addresses the repentance of Israel, as we will see tonight; chapter thirteen deals with the forgiveness of Israel; and chapter fourteen speaks of the beginning of the kingdom into which Israel shall enter.

To recap, there is a single word that begins each of the oracles, the Hebrew word ‘massa,’ meaning ‘burden’. It always represents a severe judgment, a heavy weight for the prophet to bear. In the first oracle, 9.1 says The oracle of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and Damascus is its resting place… Indicating the judgment is mainly directed toward the Gentile nations. But in 12.1 , the text says The oracle of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: . Now the focus of the judgment shifts to Israel. And the timing of the prophecies in this final oracle is completely in the last days, as the sovereign God brings human history to a close with the day of the Lord. Zechariah uses the key phrase, “on that day,” six times in this chapter (verses 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 11), and eighteen times in this book. Watch closely for it. It’s a sign of the end-times nature of this prophecy.

This chapter breaks into two portions. Let’s begin the first passage and see how God blesses Israel.

Supernatural Success

Let me set the stage a bit. The timing here is the end of the final battle of human history, the Battle of Armageddon. This first passage, verses 1 through 9, describes God’s supernatural power made evident in Israel as they are attacked by Gentile nations and Israel is completely victorious over them. But we know from Revelation that this follows a period of near-complete devastation of the Jewish people, as we saw in chapter 11.

1 The oracle of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: Thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him: 2 “Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah. 3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves.

This burden placed on Zechariah is for Israel. Yahweh reveals Himself in terms of His past actions. He is the Maker of heaven and earth. The verbs tell the story. He is the One who stretched out, and founded, and formed the ‘rwu-ahh’, the Spirit within man, the same word used in Psalm 51.10 . 10 . renew a right spirit within me.

Now God speaks of what He is about to do – and note that this is all in the context of a battle. He begins with “Behold! .

I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples. Jerusalem is surrounded by many people. This is the early part of a battle, called the distribution of forces, when commanders will apportion and locate their forces in order to gain tactical advantage. They are preparing to surround Jerusalem. The phrase “cup of staggering” is illuminating. ”cup” here could better be translated “basin” or “bowl”. Hebrew ‘soph’. It is a large basin from which many will drink, not an individual cup for one person, for all the peoples will drink of this basin of God’s judgment, and it will cause the nations to stagger as if they were intoxicated. God’s judgment will cause them to act as if they have lost their senses.

The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah. The enemies of God’s people are not just attacking Jerusalem, but all of the region, the lands of the tribe of Judah that surround Jerusalem. Deuteronomy 28.52-57 and II Kings 25 describe the horrors of being besieged by the enemy. It was a common tactic of ancient warfare used by many nations, including Israel, casting up earth against the wall of a city until either the wall collapsed or the enemy troops could breach the wall and sack the city.

3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it. The nations will shatter themselves trying to crush Jerusalem. On this day, the Day of the Lord, though all the nations come against God’s city, it will be as an immovable object, a stone too heavy to lift. Today, we might call it a “hard target”. Though the nations attack, they will fail. This stone won’t move, but the one trying to move it will be injured in the attempt. This is a poetic way of saying Jerusalem will stand against all that the rest of the world can throw at it. God will make Jerusalem an impossible, untouchable military objective. Though all the world unites against it, the world’s forces will be defeated, and Jerusalem will stand.

4 On that day , declares the Lord, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But for the sake of the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open , when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. In this battle, God will disable the nations, causing panic, madness, and blindness. This is God’s action, not Israel’s. While the enemies are blind, God’s eyes will be open toward Judah and His people, which speaks of His awareness and support. This is His battle, not just His people’s battle.

5 Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the Lord of hosts, their God.’ And Israel will finally know the source of their strength in this final battle. In modern times, Israel has had an exceptionally capable military, as we’ve seen in recent years, but they have not given the Lord credit for their victories; instead, they have taken credit for themselves. But on that day, they will know, and confess to each other, that their victory is from the Lord, that their strength is not from themselves. The God of angel armies, the Angel of the Lord from Zechariah’s visions, is the strength of Israel, just as He is our strength. Psalm 73.26 says 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

6 “ On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves. And they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem shall again be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem. God will use Israel to destroy their enemies. Blazing pots were like our matches, only a lot better. The result will be unstoppable destruction of the enemy throughout the battlespace. No matter where the enemy forces are arrayed, they will be destroyed like dry brush in a wildfire, but Jerusalem will endure . Many ancient cities, over time, have been relocated for a number of reasons. Tyre is one example. But not Jerusalem. It will be exactly where God intends it to be, right on Mount Zion, in its place .

7 “And the Lord will give salvation to the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not surpass that of Judah. This is a little unexpected. The towns and villages around Jerusalem, in the land of Judah, will be delivered from their enemies before the capital city, and the reason given is that the glory of the rural people may not be less than the city folk. God cares that His people avoid the trap of pride, even regarding His blessings, and He shows special care for the humble: Psalm 138.6: the Lord regards the lowly .

8 On that day the Lord will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord , going before them. This is a remarkable and poetic way to describe the supernatural transformation of the people of Israel. The most feeble person in Jerusalem will fight like David, and the kingly Davidic line, the warriors of Judah, will fight like the Angel of the Lord and His angelic warriors. Picture Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, David’s great friend. Though he was crippled in both feet, Mephibosheth would fight on that day as David himself. The nation will fight as no nation has ever fought before, powered by divine blessing.

9 And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem . Here we find an echo of Zechariah’s vision of the rebuilding of Jerusalem in Zechariah 2.5 when the Lord Himself promised to be the defender of Jerusalem. 5 And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord . The word rendered “destroy” means to completely and irreparably demolish, even to exterminate. It pictures the prophecy in Daniel 2.44 about the rock cut out without human hands destroying the earthly kingdoms of men. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end . When the Almighty God seeks to destroy Jerusalem’s enemies, be assured they will indeed be destroyed.

In summary, this will be the most amazing military victory ever. Israel’s previous modern-day exploits, including their War of Independence in 1948 and 1949, the Six-Day War in 1967, and the Yom Kippur War in 1973, will be as nothing by comparison. In this final conflict, God Himself will directly fight for them and empower the Jews in battle. This promise reminds us of David’s statement about the battle against Goliath and the Philistines in I Samuel 17.46b-47: that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's , and he will give you into our hand.”

Spiritual Submission

Now we turn to Israel’s greatest victory . It isn’t military, or economic, or associated in any way with human power or ability: it is their spiritual submission to their God .

10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

This is one of the most significant and memorable verses in the book, and in fact, the Bible. God, in His infinite mercy, causes the people of Israel to grieve and mourn for their slain Messiah, Jesus Christ.

In addition to the tremendous theological truths, this verse is also a great OT evidence of the Trinity. By replacing the pronouns with the divine Persons, it sounds like this.

10 “And I (the Father), will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit (the Holy Spirit) of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me (the Father), on him (the Son) whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him (the Son), as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him (the Son), as one weeps over a firstborn.

This scripture is counted as fulfilled on the cross in John 19.36-37 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

This prophecy has been fulfilled in part many times since the crucifixion. God’s grace was poured out in a limited sense – not on the entire nation – at Pentecost, and as a result of Peter’s sermon, many Jews came to faith in Jesus as Messiah; the book of Acts has many instances in which Jews received Christ as Messiah and the Holy Spirit as the guarantee or deposit of future glory; and Paul’s teaching in Romans nine through eleven conclude with the salvation of the Jews on a national scale, particularly in 11.26; and most closely linked is the reference in Revelation 1.7. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail – or mourn – on account of him . Even so. Amen. But in the Day of the Lord, it will be completely fulfilled.

Let’s break this verse down a bit.

God the Father is the Actor here. He takes the initiative to engage with his people. He will accomplish His purpose in His people, Israel.

The action is to “pour out,” and it means what it sounds like it would mean. To give generously, to gush out, even to shed blood. The sense is superabundance, a divine gift as God pours out His Spirit.

The recipient of this divine gift is the house of David, the royal line of Judah, and those living in Jerusalem. And by extension, the nation.

What is the gift? A spirit, rendering the Hebrew word ‘ru’-ach’. Often used of God’s Holy Spirit, contextually translated also as ‘sense’ or ‘mind’. Here, a God-given spirit of grace that is liberally given to the people. An assurance that Israel had found favor with Yahweh, and that He would hear their supplications for mercy.

What is the result? That, finally, after countless years, the Jewish people will look upon their slain and risen Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. They will see him as He returns in Revelation 19.11-21 for who he really is, and they will understand what their nation, indeed each of them individually, has done. They will know that their Messiah came, and they rejected him, and following their leaders, they would not submit to him as their king, but pledged themselves to a pagan ruler instead, and screamed for the King of the Jews to be crucified. And having seen him in truth, they will mourn, they will grieve, they will weep as for an only child, in bitterness of soul.

The final passage in the chapter is the widest expression of the mourning experienced by all of Israel. All of the nation will grieve, individually and corporately, for their parts in the nation’s sin of rejecting and murdering their Messiah, Jesus.

11 On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. This apparently refers to King Josiah’s death at the hands of Pharaoh Neco, recorded in II Kings 23 ; the nation’s mourning for him is recorded in II Chronicles 35.24b-25 . All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25 Jeremiah also uttered a lament for Josiah; and all the singing men and singing women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made these a rule in Israel; behold, they are written in the Laments. The mourning will be as great as the greatest period of mourning in memory. It will be national, passionate, and yet personal. And it needs to be said here that understanding and awareness of the Person of Jesus Christ , his earthly ministry , his unquestionable identity as the Messiah , and an extreme sense of grief at his death at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders and people will be prerequisites for this mourning.

Verses 11 through 14 describe the details of the depth and intensity of the sorrow for the Messiah’s death.

12 The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the broadest measure comes first. Everyone, all across the land, every family, each member of every family, will grieve and mourn as they look on the one whom they have pierced.

the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; this represents the kingly line of Judah, of King David. Even the kings and their royal families would mourn for the rejection and death of David’s Greater Son, Jesus, when he came as Israel’s Messiah.

the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; this Nathan is the son of David and the brother of Solomon, and is in the genealogical line of Jesus according to Luke 3.31 .

13 the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; one of the heads of the twelve tribes, Levi, became the father of the priestly tribe, the Levites, and their three clans, headed by Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Aaron and his sons descended from Levi through Kohath, while the Levites as a tribe served in the Temple worship and assisted the sons of Aaron, the priests. see Num 3 and Ex 6

the family of the Shimeites (‘shee-my’-eets) by itself, and their wives by themselves; Shimei is the grandson of Levi through Levi’s son, Gershon. Num 3.18 .

14 and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves. The final description is “all others”. All families not already mentioned.

In summary, the nation – the line of kings, both royal and non-royal, and the line of priests, both priests and Levites, and all other people – everyone – will mourn.

Application

There is much here to apply to our lives. For just as God draws Israel to repentance, so he commands us to repent, as well. Let us consider how we repent before the Lord .

Hear the command Mark 1.14-15: Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “ The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel .” John the Baptist and Jesus Himself spoke the same command: Repent and believe . That is the heart of the gospel.

Confess your sin . Agree with God that our actions, attitudes, or words are wrong according to His standard. I John 1.9 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Feel the grief: II Corinthians 7.10 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret , whereas worldly grief produces death. Grief for our sin is an important part of the process. We must feel the weight of our sin. David is an example of godly repentance; Judas and Pharaoh are negative examples.

Take the action Revelation 3.3 3 Remember , then, what you received and heard . Keep it , and repent . Receive, hear, remember, obey. The steps to repentance.

Bear fruit Matthew 3.8 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance . True repentance will always result in godly spiritual fruit.

Change the behavior Revelation 2.5 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Actions must follow repentance. Might require turning around and learning from your past.

Proclaim the message Mark 6.12 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. Along with the apostles, we can participate in gospel proclamation as we urge others to repent and believe in Christ.

I would also offer a quote from Philip Ryken that focuses repentance to its most essential elements: Confession is the intellectual aspect of repentance: we know in our minds that we have sinned. Contrition is the emotional aspect of repentance: we feel in our hearts that we have sinned. Change is the volitional aspect of repentance: we resolve in our wills that we will go and sin no more.

Finally, remember this: there is no repentance nor forgiveness without looking to Jesus. We must turn our eyes of faith to Him if we are to know and love and follow God, and turn from our sin to the Lord. Listen to the Spirit and look to Christ. Let’s pray.

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Acts 18:24–19:20: “Three Episodes in Ephesus”

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 21:22:56 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 18. Our passage is Acts 18:24–19:20. And we are going to look this morning at three episodes in the city of Ephesus. And these three episodes teach us about the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit and the life-threatening powerlessness that comes with his absence. We’re going to see in our passage today the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit and the life-threatening powerlessness that comes when the Holy Spirit is absent. Let me say it a little more simply. If you have the Holy Spirit, you have life and power. If you don’t have the Holy Spirit, you are lifeless and powerless. That’s what this passage is about today.

And here’s why this matters. Have you ever heard of man named John Wesley? About 1,700 years after the Apostle Paul, God raised up John Wesley as a powerful evangelistic force in England. Through him, the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit were unleashed across the nation. Some scholars even argue that Wesley’s conversion and ministry were as significant—if not more so—than the Industrial Revolution.

Yet Wesley’s ministry got off to a rocky start. He was the son of a clergyman and was raised by a deeply godly mother, Susanna Wesley. From a young age, John was brilliant and spiritually inclined. He attended Oxford, was ordained as a deacon, and became a professor of Greek and logic at Lincoln College. Along with his brother Charles and his friend George Whitefield, he formed the “Holy Club,” a group devoted to strict spiritual disciplines and a life patterned after Christ.

Wesley even sailed to America as a missionary, aiming to evangelize in Georgia, a harsh land filled with ex-criminals, fortune-seekers, and Indians. But Wesley failed miserably. He returned to England broken, discouraged, and deeply troubled about his own salvation. In his journal he wrote, “I went to America to convert the Indians, but, oh, who shall convert me?”

Here’s the issue that confronted Wesley. At that point in his life, Wesley was unsaved. Though outwardly religious and intensely disciplined, he was not born again. He didn’t have the power of the Holy Spirit. To use Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 3:5, he had the appearance of godliness, but without the power.

But God did not leave him in that wretched state. On May 24, 1738, when Wesley was 24 years old, he famously attended a meeting on Aldersgate Street, where Martin Luther’s preface to Romans was being read. As he listened, he recorded in his journal, “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation … and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine.” From that moment, everything changed.

Is it possible for a person to be outwardly religious and yet unsaved? Can God-fearing, God-imitating people be stuck in a place of condemnation because they have not believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior and regenerated by the Holy Spirit? Yes, it’s possible! And I would say that in our day in America, it’s not uncommon. There may even be some here today who are like the 24-year-old John Wesley.

And what we’re going to read about today in Acts 18–19 is a precursor to John Wesley. We’re going to see a group of people, 1,700 years before Wesley, who were unsaved God-fearers. We’re going to see a man named Apollos who was even mighty in the Scriptures. But he didn’t have the mighty power of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of him. But in that state, just like Wesley, God graciously reached him with the truth of the gospel. And he got saved. And I can’t help but wonder if God wants to do something similar today at Messiah Bible Church.

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Now here’s what happened. If you remember from last time, Paul made a brief stop in Ephesus on his way to Antioch. He travelled from Corinth to Ephesus with his new ministry partners, Priscilla and Aquilla. We learned about them last week. And he left Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus before he went to Caesarea, Jerusalem, and then finally to Antioch. This is all recorded in Acts 18:18–23. And Priscilla and Aquila became strategic partners with Paul, even hosting a church in their home.

Paul goes back to Antioch (Click for Map)

By the way, let me say this, Priscilla is often mentioned first before her husband Aquila in the Bible, which is very unusually. In verse 18 she’s mentioned first. And in verse 26 she’s mentioned first. And some people have speculated that that’s because she was more influential publicly than her husband. And maybe that’s the case. I know that people refer to Sanja and me as Tony and Sanja, but sometimes it’s Sanja and Tony. And sometimes it’s Sony and Tanja. That’s okay too. But it doesn’t really matter to me who’s mentioned first, because we’re a team.

And for this married couple, Priscilla and Aquila, they were a team. In fact they were a great team, as married couples serving Christ should be. And so Paul leaves Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus to get the church off the ground and he goes on to Antioch. But here’s the thing. They weren’t the only show in town. Check this out. Look at verse 24.

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.

So there’s this Jewish guy named Apollos who was extremely eloquent. Literally, he was “a man of words,” which means he was learned and articulate. And he was competent in the Scriptures. Literally it says that he was “mighty in the Scriptures.”—the OT Scriptures, of course! But does he know Jesus?

Well, sort of. Look at verse 25.

25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord.

Okay so he does know Jesus.

And being fervent in spirit,

Literally this means being boiled in spirit? Not capital S “Spirit” but little s “spirit.” In other words, this guy was passionate. He was zealous for God and the Scriptures. That’s great.

And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus,

That’s great too!

though he knew only the baptism of John.

Huh. That’s interesting. He only knew the baptism of John.

So this guy knows his Bible. He is competent in the OT Scriptures. He knows about Jesus. He knows that Jesus is the Messiah. He knows that John the Baptist, the forerunner to the Messiah, baptized Jesus. He probably knows about Jesus’s moral teachings. He probably knows about Jesus’s miracles. He probably knows that Jesus has come to save his people from their sins. John the Baptist said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Maybe Apollos has an inkling of God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.

But here’s what’s clear. He doesn’t know about Jesus’s crucifixion. He doesn’t know about Jesus’s resurrection. He doesn’t know about Jesus’s commission – “Go into all the world and make disciples baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19) . He only knew the baptism of John.

By the way, this is not entirely surprising in the ancient world. This is roughly twenty years after Jesus’s death and resurrection, and word had gotten out about John the Baptist and his work in some places. But word about Jesus’s resurrection hadn’t. Roughly 200 years ago, there were colonialists in Appalachia who didn’t know about the American Revolution even twenty years after the Declaration of Independence. People would run into them in the sticks, and they would ask, “How’s England treating us?”

And they were told, “We’re not an English colony anymore. Haven’t you heard?”

“No I haven’t!”

So what’s going to happen with Apollos whose information on Jesus is accurate, but it’s twenty years out of date? Well, watch this. God’s going to get a hold of this guy! Look at verse 26.

26 He [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue,

Zeal without knowledge, right? Not full knowledge anyway.

but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

Priscilla and Aquila are disciples of the Apostle Paul. They know the full counsel of God and the full plan of redemption.

And they say, “Look, Apollos, you’re really passionate, man! We can tell that you fear God and you love God. And you love his Word. But haven’t you heard what happened to Jesus?”

“No, what happened?”

“They crucified him. The Jews and the Romans got together and they murdered him on a cross.”

“Are you serious? That’s awful!”

“You’re right. It is awful! But get this. That was part of God’s plan. That’s how God is bringing about salvation for the world. Haven’t you read Isaiah 53? “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities… [and by] his wounds we are healed (53:5) . And three days after his death, God raised Jesus from the dead. And now anyone and everyone who turns from their sins and puts their faith in Christ can be forgiven. That’s what we’re telling people about in Ephesus. That’s what we told people in Rome and in Corinth, and other apostles are spreading this truth all over the world. And that’s what you need to embrace and believe too, Apollos.”

Now Luke doesn’t say explicitly what happens with Apollos. But it seems, in light of what follows, that he received their message. Aquila and Priscilla took him aside so as not to embarrass him publicly, and they “explained to him the way of God more accurately” (18:26) . So God used these two tentmakers, a man and a woman, to educate this brilliant, eloquent, powerful preacher. And to his credit, he was teachable. He received their message.

In fact, I believe that Apollos is the most likely candidate as the author of the book of Hebrews in the NT. “Who wrote the book of Hebrews, Pastor Tony?” I don’t know. And I don’t think we’ll find out on this side of eternity. But a strong candidate is this guy in Acts 18, Apollos, who came to faith through the faithful ministry of these two tentmakers.

By the way, back to John Wesley for a second. It was a group of humble, uneducated Moravians whom God used to lead John Wesley to Christ. John Wesley, the Oxford grad and Greek professor, found out in Georgia that these Moravians had something that he didn’t have. And sometimes amazingly God uses the “weak” in the world to shame the “strong” (1 Cor 1:27).

So these tentmakers corrected Apollos. And then they end up sending him to Corinth where Paul and they had just recently planted a church. So, verse 27 says,

27 And when [Apollos] wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

So this new believer got to work sharing Christ, strengthening the church, and refuting unbelievers. In time Apollos became so influential in Corinth, that people started creating their own little Apollos sect. When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, there were these little pockets of tribalism that had formed. People were saying “I follow Apollos.” O yeah, well, “I follow Paul.” Everyone had their own rock-star evangelist. And Paul had to rebuke them, “Is Christ divided?” (1 Cor 1:12–13). “We’re all on the same team here, folks.”

So Apollos became very influential in Corinth. And verse 28 says “he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.”

Now here’s what I want to do today. Go ahead and take your notes and write this down. I know it’s taken me a little while to get to this first point, but go ahead and write this down. Here’s what I want to covey in the outline. I want to prove to you from the text that “ignorance isn’t bliss.” I want to give you three points of evidence from the text today that proves ignorance isn’t bliss. Here’s the first point of evidence:

1) Preaching without knowledge of the cross (Acts 18:24–28)

Preaching without the cross is evidence that “Ignorance isn’t Bliss.” Priscilla and Aquila saw that Apollos had ability. They saw that he was mighty in the Scriptures. But they also saw that he lacked the full counsel of God and the full revelation concerning Jesus Christ. And instead of allowing Apollos to continue languishing in his ignorance, they corrected him. They “explained to him the way of God more accurately.” And to Apollos’s credit, he received their correction and became a better man because of it. In fact I would say he got saved and filled with the Spirit as a result of their influence.

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Now while this was happening in Ephesus, what was Paul doing? Well look at chapter 19, verse 1, and let’s keep going.

1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus.

When we last saw Paul, he had travelled from Corinth to Ephesus to Caesarea to Jerusalem and then to Antioch. And Acts 18:23 says after he spent some time there (in Antioch) he embarked on his third missionary journey. And he went from one place to the next “through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples” (Acts 18:23). So he went back to these places where he planted churches previously and made sure that they were doing okay. And he strengthened them. “Keep teaching the Word. Keep following Christ. Keep growing as a disciple. Keep pressing on even though you’re persecuted. I’ve been persecuted too. Here are my scars.” He strengthened them.

And eventually, according to verse 1, Paul came to Ephesus (see map). Now unlike Paul’s second missionary journey, Paul takes a different route this time. Instead of going from Galatia to Phrygia across the sea to Philippi and Thessalonica and Athens and Corinth, and then across the sea to Ephesus. This time Paul goes straight from Galatia and Phrygia “inland” to Ephesus. He takes a more direct route. If you remember he tried to go this way earlier, but the Holy Spirit blocked him. Now the Holy Spirit is giving him the green light to go directly to Ephesus.

Paul returns to Ephesus (Click for Map)

And Ephesus is the place where he told the believers earlier, “if God wills I will return to you” (Acts 18:21) . This city becomes even more strategic than Antioch (if you can believe that) for the spread of the gospel in the coming years.

And so in Acts 19:1, it says,

Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.

Now just a point of clarification. These weren’t disciples of Christ, as we’ll see in just a moment. These were disciples of John the Baptist. That’s important. Remember that!

2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

Because, you know, that’s what happens when you believe. You receive the Holy Spirit.

And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Huh? Okay, what’s going on here with these guys?

Listen, let me try to explain. There are two instances in Scripture where the indwelling of the Holy Spirit follows conversion. The first instance was at Pentecost in Acts 2. And that was a unique, transitional period where God first empowered his saints with a visible manifestation of the Holy Spirit. So the disciples in the upper room were saved, they believed in Jesus’s death. They believed in his resurrection. But they weren’t yet indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Not until Pentecost. And at Pentecost (Acts 2), the Holy Spirit came down and lit them up like a Christmas tree.

The other instance was in Samaria (Acts 8:14–17), where Samaritans got saved through the preaching of Philip. But God delayed the coming of the Holy Spirit until Peter and John came and laid hands on them. That was a unique situation. I don’t know for sure why God delayed the filling of the Holy Spirit, but I think it was because God wanted to affirm in the minds of the Apostles that non-Jews were now saved and part of the family of God. Peter and John needed that visible authentication.

But other than that—other than those two instances—the Holy Spirit comes upon a person at conversion. In fact, in the Reformed tradition, the understanding is that regeneration precedes conversion and the verbalizing of one’s faith. Others would articulate it as coterminous—in other words, your demonstration of faith is simultaneous with the regenerative work of the Spirit. Either way, you don’t get saved and then later receive the Holy Spirit. That’s not normative.

Let me put it this way “If you’re saved, then you’re indwelt by the Spirit. And if you’re indwelt with the Spirit, then you’re saved.” “If you’re not saved, then you’re not indwelt by the Spirit. If you’re not indwelt by the Spirit, then you’re not saved.” Everyone with me? Romans 8:9 says, “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”

So when I see these “disciples” who don’t have the Holy Spirit, I assume “unsaved.” They are unsaved. And I think the Apostle Paul assumes likewise. Look at verse 3.

3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

Now stay with me here, because I want to be clear about what’s happening. These individuals, similar to Apollos, have heard about John the Baptist. And maybe they’ve even heard about how John the Baptist baptized Jesus. But they haven’t heard the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Some scholars have concluded, and I know why people conclude this, that these individuals were saved under the Old Covenant, as OT saints, and now they’ll transition into NT saints. Here’s my problem with that. Maybe that’s the case, but when the veil was torn… when Christ’s atonement was made on the cross… the OT saints who had died before that were redeemed by Christ’s blood. And the Old Covenant was superseded by the New Covenant of Christ’s blood. And from that point onward, no one was “saved” without faith in Christ and faith in his finished work on the cross. And so I believe that these “John-the-Baptist-disciples” in Ephesus were unsaved when Paul got there. That’s my take on this passage.

Now whether you agree with me or not, I think we can all agree that God in his mercy took this group of John-the-Baptist-followers, and God, in his mercy, used Paul to reach this group. And God used Paul to reveal to them the full gospel of Jesus Christ and dispel their ignorance.

Look at verse 5.

5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

Write this down as #2 in your notes. This is the second of three episodes in Ephesus—three episodes that prove “Ignorance isn’t Bliss.” The first of those episodes involved preaching theology without the cross (Acts 18:24–28). The second involves…

2) Discipleship without knowledge of the Spirit (Acts 19:1–7)

The Spirit’s presence was manifested here in Ephesus by the speaking in tongues and prophesying. This was very similar to what happened in Jerusalem in Pentecost. Now I want to be clear about this. There are a number of ways that the Spirit’s presence in a person’s life is manifested. Even in Scriptures, we see that. Sometimes it’s speaking in tongues and prophesying. Sometimes the Holy Spirit’s presence was felt through an outpouring of joy. Sometimes it was felt through an increased boldness to speak about Christ (Acts 4:8; 4:31; 13:10). Sometimes it’s the leading of the Spirit (Rom 8:14) or the mortification of the flesh (Rom 8:13; Gal 5:24) or the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23). Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you’re not filled with the Spirit unless you speak in tongues. That doesn’t square with Scripture. The important point here is that the Holy Spirit’s presence was demonstrated in a tangible way. That was part of the assurance that NT believers had that they were saved.

And the question I have for you this morning isn’t do you speak in tongues as a demonstration of the Spirit? It’s more simply, is the Holy Spirit’s presence discernible in your life? You might say, “Pastor Tony I don’t speak in tongues and prophesy like they do in the book of Acts.” Okay, I don’t either. But do you have the joy of the Holy Spirit? Is the fruit of the Holy Spirit being manifested in your life? Do the sense the Holy Spirit’s conviction over sin? Are the gifts of the Holy Spirit being manifested in your life? Don’t just consider the “sign gifts.” What about serving? What about teaching? What about giving? What about faith? What about leadership? What about hospitality and mercy? Can you sense the Holy Spirit’s impact upon your life? And Here’s something to ask others—Do other Christians identify the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life?

I heard a pastor say once that before he got saved, he could sin and sin and sin and there was just a little bit of guilt about that sin. But now after faith in Christ, when I sin, there is such strong conviction that comes into my life. It’s terrible! It’s terrible, but it’s wonderful. Because it’s evidence of my salvation. The Holy Spirit’s conviction is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence inside of you, a deposit of your eternal inheritance.

Some of you possibly don’t sense the conviction of the Holy Spirit because you’ve been ignoring his conviction again and again, and your conscience is seared to the point you don’t even know if he’s there anymore. Don’t do that! If that’s you today, then I challenge you to repent of your sin and ask God to re-sensitize your heart to the convictions of the Spirit. And stop grieving him.

Others of you possibly don’t sense the conviction of the Holy Spirit, because you’re unsaved. You don’t have the Holy Spirit living inside of you! It doesn’t have to be like that. Ignorance isn’t bliss. You can have your sins forgiven, and the power of the Holy Spirit deposited inside of you today.

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Thirdly. Write this down. Here’s addition evidence that ignorance isn’t bliss.

3) Spirituality without faith in Christ (Acts 19:8–20)

Now what happens in the following verses. This is one of the saddest and one of the funniest events in Scripture. It’d be even more funny, if it wasn’t so sad.

Look at verse 8.

8 And [Paul] entered the synagogue

Paul was fresh off converting these “John-the-Baptist-disciples” in Ephesus.

and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.

So similar to Corinth, Paul gets frustrated with the Jews and changes strategies. And he goes to the “hall of Tyrannus” which was probably a public gathering place in Ephesus full of mostly Gentiles.

10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

People came to Ephesus from all over Asia because Ephesus was a major metropolitan area. Some estimate that the population of Ephesus was something like 250,000 people at this time. The only larger cities in the Roman Empire were Antioch and Rome.

And if you remember, God didn’t allow Paul to go to Asia earlier to preach the gospel. He got blocked by the Spirit and sent to Macedonia (Acts 16:6–10). But now, God is bringing Asia to Paul to hear the gospel in Ephesus! And it wasn’t just Jews or just Gentiles, either. According to Luke, it was “both Jews and Greeks.”

11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

So we dealt with this a little bit with the Apostle Peter. God used Peter to do incredible miracles like this. Peter’s shadow was even healing people (Acts 5:15). And now the same kinds of things are happening with Paul.

By the way I believe that God used these extraordinary miracles to authenticate the preaching of the gospel and to accelerate the message throughout the ancient world. Even in the way that these miracles are described, you can see that what’s happening is unusual. It’s an outworking of Paul’s Apostolic power. Luke even calls these miracles, “extraordinary.” Miracles are already extraordinary, right? But these, even as far as miracles go, are unusually extraordinary.

Can God do miracles like that in our day? Sure, he can. Does he normally? No. I don’t think so. Not that I’ve seen anyway. So if you get a letter in the mail with a prayer handkerchief and a money envelope, you have my permission to tear that up and throw it in the trash.

Remember, I’ve said this before, but let me say this again. We want to “experience the apostles’ teaching, not teach the apostles’ experience!” I don’t think what’s happening here with Paul is normative or prescriptive for us. It was unusual. It was extraordinary.

And watch what happens next in verse 13.

13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”

Alright, here’s where things get really sad. Luke tells us that there was a group of Jewish exorcists, not Christians by the way, who watched what Paul did and said to themselves, “Cool. I want to do that too.” And so these guys try to use the Name of Jesus like it’s some kind of “Hocus-Pocus” or “Abracadabra” incantation, and they try to do what Paul did. In the words of Al Mohler they wanted “a Jesus you can use, rather than a Jesus who will save.”

I told you a few weeks ago that in the Roman Empire there were these Jewish magicians that would travel around and do this kind of stuff. You might remember that guy Elymas Bar-Jesus in Acts 13? He was a Jewish magician like these guys.

And verse 14 says,

14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

This isn’t a Holy Spirit beatdown. This is an evil spirit beatdown. These guys get slain in the spirit—an evil spirit! And they are so afraid of this demoniac, that they run away naked and wounded.

By the way public nakedness was very shameful for Jews. Even to be seen in only your loincloth would have been mortifying for a Jew. So it’s a testament to how terrified they were by this evil spirit, that they would run out in public naked. These guys were terrified.

Look at verse 17.

17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.

I find it interesting here that the name of Jesus was extolled. Because you might think that this story would call into question the power of Jesus’s name. It doesn’t. People fear the name of Jesus even more than they fear those evil spirits.

18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.

Ephesus was known at this time for its “spirituality.” It was a place where charms and amulets and sorcery and other types of occultism were common. And so this episode with the seven sons of Sceva scared these believers straight. And they got together and burned all of their remnants of the occult. Maybe some of y’all need to do something similar this afternoon?

And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

My goodness, that’s a lot of dough! That’s the equivalent of 50,000 days’ worth of wage. That’s 138 years’ worth of wage for the average worker at this time. We’re talking millions of dollars’ worth of books that they burned. This group of people decided that Jesus is awesome and this stuff stinks. They decided, “Jesus is awesome, and we don’t need this stuff anymore.” This is real spirituality right here. This is real faith in action. This isn’t the feigning of spirituality; this is real spiritual vitality that is borne out of faith in Christ.

Here’s what I think happened. The Holy Spirit started to bring conviction on these Ephesian Christians. And they started to feel remorse over their books of magic and their amulets.

And here’s the thing - When the Holy Spirit gets a hold of you… when you get a taste of that new life in Christ… nothing competes with that. Nothing in this world satisfies like that. And the silly trinkets and trivialities of this world are nothing more than fuel for a fire.

When Christ gets a hold of your life, you’re willing to dispossess yourself of everything in order to gain more of Christ. That’s what living by the Spirit looks like. Paul said in Philippians, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (3:8) . That’s what these Ephesians are experiencing here. Have you experienced that before?

And look how the LORD responded to their action.

20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

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Now let me close on this note. I asked you a question earlier, and I want to come back to it. Do you have the Holy Spirit inside of you? Do you the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through you? Because I believe in two realities. You either have the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, or you have the life-threatening powerlessness that comes from his absence. Let me say that again, you either have today the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit and the life-threatening powerlessness that comes when the Holy Spirit is absent. Which is it for you?

When I look at this passage in Acts 18-19, I see one unifying theme – The power of the Holy Spirit. You either have it or you don’t. Paul had it. The seven sons of Sceva didn’t. Priscilla and Aquila had it, Apollos didn’t. Not at first. What did the disciples say to Paul when he asked him if they had received the Holy Spirit? “We didn’t know there even was a Holy Spirit.” Well that’s unfortunate. And Paul’s like, “let me tell you about him.”

You either have the Holy Spirit or you don’t. You are either saved or unsaved. You either have faith in Christ leading to eternal life or you have faithlessness leading to eternal death. Which is it? If the answer to that question is faithlessness leading to eternal death, or if your answer to that question is “I don’t know, Tony,” I want you invite you right now to confess your sins and receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.

Do that with me now. I want to ask everyone in this room to be really still and really quiet. And let’s together bow our heads together before the LORD. And I want to challenge you. Is the Holy Spirit in your life? Is there evidence of his presence in your life? Are you saved? If the answer to that question is no, then I want to ask you to do this in the quietness of your soul. This is how a person gets saved. I want you to admit before God that you are a sinner. I want you to tell him right now. God, I’m a sinner. I can’t save myself. I need you. But don’t stop there. It’s not enough just to acknowledge that you are a sinner. You need to do something that Apollos did 2000 years ago. You need to do something John Wesley did 300 years ago. You need to believe in the Name of Jesus Christ for your salvation. Believe in his death. Believe in his resurrection. Believe that your sins were paid and forgiven by his blood. Call upon his now and ask for his forgiveness. And ask him to fill you with his Holy Spirit. The Bible says “everyone who calls on the Name of the LORD will be saved.” Call upon his name now. The Bible also says, “If we confess Christ before men, he’ll confess us before our Father who is in heaven.” The Bible says “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Do that now also! Confess him as the LORD of your life.

“God, I ask that you would make the power of your Holy Spirit discernible and evident in the lives of your saints. For anyone who has made a decision today to follow you for the first time, make your power and your presence great, LORD. Show them your power. For anyone in this room who has grieved your Spirit or quenched the power of the Spirit, forgive us, LORD. Give us a new great sensitivity to your Spirit. May we be attentive to your leading in your life! May we be obedient to your convictions! May we be a Spirit-led and Spirit-empowered body of believers! I pray this in the Name of Jesus. Amen!”

Philippians 2:5-11: "Learning from Christ, Our King of Humility"

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 20:35:36 GMT

Andrew Hall

Pastoral Intern

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

Application Questions

T eaching Manuscript

Zechariah 11:1-17: “The Rejection of the True Shepherd”

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:38:26 GMT

Mike Morris

Associate Pastor/Elder

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

Let’s take another look at our summary slide for the last portion of the book.

In chapter nine, we saw God’s promise of a coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. In chapter ten, we examined the blessings of redemption for the people of Israel. Tonight, chapter eleven is very different. It is filled with judgment and slaughter, sorrow and heartbreak.

To begin, I need to set the stage a bit. First , so far, Zechariah’s visions have been encouraging. The Lord has given him “gracious and comforting words” for the people of Judah, as we have seen in the book up to this point. The city of Jerusalem and the Temple will be rebuilt, and the worship of Yahweh will be reestablished. Second , there will also be a future restoration of the Davidic kingdom. Their righteousness will be restored (chapter 5), and their enemies will be destroyed, restoring peace and prosperity (chapter 8).

But between Zechariah’s day and the eventual Day of the Lord, when Zechariah 9.16 comes to pass, and the flock of his people will shine. like the jewels of a crown , there will come a time of great slaughter and tribulation, when Israel will be tested and refined in the fire of suffering . Chapter eleven describes darker days ahead for Israel. The key element we must understand in this chapter is the timing of each of the passages . We’ll study it as it is in the text, but Zechariah doesn’t record these events in chronological order, so we’ll address the timing of each as we go, and that will be critical to seeing the meaning of the chapter. We see the prophecy in three parts, each focused on shepherds. Let’s begin.

The Ruin of the Wailing Shepherds

These first three verses describe devastation and judgment using the metaphor of trees.

Open your doors, O Lebanon,
    that the fire may devour your cedars!
2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,
    for the glorious trees are ruined!
Wail, oaks of Bashan,
    for the thick forest has been felled!
3 The sound of the wail of the shepherds,
    for their glory is ruined!
The sound of the roar of the lions,
    for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

The coming judgment is depicted as destroying the entire nation by naming three specific regions: Lebanon in the far north, Bashan to the south and east, and the banks of the Jordan River further south. Lebanon was well-known for its magnificent cedar trees in the mountains. Solomon imported cedar to build his palace in Jerusalem, which he named the House of the Forest of Lebanon. And the destruction cascades from there, for if the cedars are destroyed, the cypresses in verse two will have no chance of survival. Next are the oaks of Bashan, an area east of the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee, and south of Mount Hermon. Lastly are the thickets of the Jordan, dense vegetation along the banks of the river. The point of this description is to emphasize the widespread nature of the destruction that is coming. From the north to the south, the land would be completely devastated. Based on what we see here, combined with the rest of the chapter, this prediction was fulfilled by the Roman Empire’s destruction of the entire nation of Israel, and particularly Jerusalem, in 70 AD. This conclusion is based on the nature of the symbolism and because of the next passage, where we see Israel’s rejection of their True Shepherd . This painting by British artist David Roberts captures only a portion of the horror and death that happened as Jerusalem was destroyed to the ground.

The Rejection of the True Shepherd

Why would God execute such judgment on His people? It’s because of the ultimate sin of Israel: the rejection of their True Shepherd, the Messiah, Jesus Christ . To portray this truth, God tells Zechariah to act out a story, a prophecy physically played out before the nation.

This was not an uncommon prophetic method. The Lord sometimes directed His prophets to perform physical actions to depict the coming future. Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea all did this, along with Zechariah.

4 Thus said the Lord my God: “ Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter . 5 Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them . 6 For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the Lord. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand .”

As we examine this passage, the identity of the flock doomed to slaughter is clear: they are the Jewish people. Led by their religious leaders, they would reject their long-awaited Messiah, Jesus, when he came. And for this rejection, God would bring an unprecedented judgment upon them through Rome. They were indeed doomed to slaughter for their sin.

In verse 5, those who bought and sold the Jews are identified as the Gentile powers, from Assyria to Rome. Throughout history, these empires swept through Israel, devastating the land and ravaging the people, seizing the spoils of the land, enriching themselves at Israel’s expense. They thought they would go unpunished for their cruelty.

As we see in Jeremiah 50.6-7 . 6 “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten their fold. 7 All who found them have devoured them, and their enemies have said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the Lord, their habitation of righteousness, the Lord, the hope of their fathers .’ But these empires would be held accountable for their sins as well. Same chapter, verses 17 and 18 . 17 “Israel is a hunted sheep driven away by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured him, and now at last Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has gnawed his bones. 18 Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing punishment on the king of Babylon and his land, as I punished the king of Assyria .

Worse, their own shepherds have no pity on them . The leaders of Israel were heartless, concerned only for themselves and having no care for the people, particularly the poor.

Worst of all, we see in verse 6 the Lord will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land . Israel had abandoned the Lord, as Zechariah said in 7.12, 12 They made their hearts diamond-hard. Therefore great anger came from the Lord of hosts. He would not deliver .

The hard lesson is that people can turn from the Lord in such a persistent and stubborn way that the Lord gives them up to judgment. Just before Jerusalem and Judah fell to the Babylonians, we read this from II Chronicles 36.15-16 . 15 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy . That’s true also of the people at the time of their rejection of Jesus the Messiah, some 450 years after Zechariah’s day, as the religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees, led the people to reject the Lord.

How will God do this? Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king… He will incite violence within Israel, but worse, He will cause them to fall into the hand of his king . There was no Jewish king, so who was the king? The answer is in John 19.14b-15 . (Pilate) said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” (speaking of Jesus) 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “ We have no king but Caesar .” They spoke the truth, for they had delivered themselves over to Caesar. They had rejected their rightful sovereign King, Jesus, and instead placed themselves under the Gentile authority of Rome. And the irony is this. Listen to a prior conversation in John 11.47-53. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation .” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. The Jews feared that if Jesus lived, He would bring down the wrath of Rome on Israel, and the religious leaders would lose both their place and their nation. But by rejecting Jesus and participating in his execution, the Jews actually brought upon themselves the wrath and judgment of God, and that through Rome. What they feared the most and tried to avoid was the very judgment God brought upon them.

Zechariah speaks again.

7 So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep. 8 In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. 9 So I said, “ I will not be your shepherd . What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.” 10 And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord.

As the True Shepherd, the Messiah, Zechariah uses two staffs: “Favor” and “Union”. The first represents God’s grace on the nation, and the other represents God’s unity with His people, and their unity as a nation. With these two staffs, Zechariah cared for the flock, doing what shepherds did, and tended the sheep. Leading them to pasture and water, protecting them from predators, caring for the young, the sick, and the aged, and seeking out those who had wandered away from the fold.

But this relationship didn’t last long, for Zechariah soon stepped down. Verse 8 is difficult to understand. We aren’t exactly sure what is meant by the “three shepherds”. My best understanding is this: based on what follows and the use of the word “shepherds,” I think it’s likely that the phrase represents Israel’s false shepherds, the Jewish religious leaders: the elders, scribes, and Pharisees, who were the false shepherds throughout Jewish history. They were the ones, often allied with political leaders, who led the people into idolatry and apostasy and ultimately collaborated with the Romans to put Jesus to death. In “one month” – a period of time, probably indicating all or the final part of Jesus’s earthly ministry – he “destroyed” them. Not physically, but spiritually, refuting their false teaching at every turn. For his part, Jesus famously pronounced judgments and woes against the Pharisees, and the Gospels are full of accounts of conflict between the two, including nine mentions in John’s gospel alone of attempts to kill Jesus. So, I became impatient with them, and they also detested me is a pretty accurate description of the relationship on both sides.

Finally, as Jesus approached Jerusalem, we see God’s patience run out. Luke 19.41-44 . 41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

So as Jesus finally moved forward to His passion week, the full weight of John 1.11 came to pass. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. Zechariah, playing the part of Messiah, predicts the coming judgment. God’s grace had run out for that generation, 9 So I said, “I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.” And that is exactly what happened during Rome’s destruction of Jerusalem and the nation, right down to the cannibalism. 10 And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. They rejected him and so chose judgment instead of grace. And as Zechariah broke the staff called “Favor,” the die was cast for the unbelieving Jews of that day.

Having left the role of the True Shepherd, Zechariah acts out the role of the one who became Christ’s betrayer, Judas Iscariot. 12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver . 13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter . 14 Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

No doubt you all recall this story from Matthew 27.3-5 . 3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

The prophecy was fulfilled just as it was given. Exodus 21.32 tells us the reason for the price of exactly thirty pieces of silver. 32 If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. The King of Israel, their Savior, the very Son of God Himself, was valued by the Jewish religious leaders at the price of a dead slave.

The rejection is complete as the staff of Union is broken, effectively dissolving the nation and sentencing the Jews to be dispersed throughout the Gentile nations. 14 Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

The Raising Up of the Foolish Shepherd

Now, as the play progresses, Zechariah takes on the third and final role: the foolish shepherd .

15 Then the Lord said to me, “Take once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd . 16 For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.

17 “Woe to my worthless shepherd ,
    who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm
    and his right eye!
Let his arm be wholly withered,
    his right eye utterly blinded!”

So far, we’ve seen the rejection of Israel’s True Shepherd in 30 AD, which resulted in the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ; the promised judgment of Israel, which was fulfilled in 70 AD; and now we are introduced to a third shepherd over Israel: a foolish shepherd .

The Hebrew word translated “foolish” here is a single-use word in the OT. It means devoid of wisdom or good sense or judgment, but in related words, there is an element of insolence or ungodliness, and even wickedness. Psalm 14.1 illustrates. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

And what is the “equipment” of a foolish shepherd? Certainly not the normal shepherd’s staff, used to care for the sheep. Some have suggested a metal club to beat or even kill the sheep. But in truth, we don’t specifically know.

So, who is Zechariah playing in this role of a foolish shepherd? What shepherd – representing a caregiver, leader, or even king – would treat Israel in this way?

Daniel tells us in Daniel 9.27 . he speaks of one called the “little horn” and “the prince who is to come”. This world leader will make a covenant with Israel for seven years, then at the halfway point, break the covenant and begin to slaughter the Jews. This can be none other than the one the NT calls the “antichrist”.

So, back to our timing: the Messiah is publicly proclaimed as Israel’s True Shepherd on Palm Sunday in about 30 AD. He is received by only the “poor of the flock,” the believing remnant of the nation, but is rejected by the Jewish religious leaders and most of the people, and is killed on a Roman cross. Because of this rejection, God brought great judgment on the nation in 70 AD as the Roman Empire crushed Israel, sending the Jews into a long period of dispersion throughout the Gentile nations. Now, between verse 14 and verse 15, the timeline jumps from 30 AD to the tribulation period, almost 2,000 years so far, for eventually, in the final days, Israel will, unbelievably, receive a different Shepherd, a False Shepherd , and establish a covenant with him, which he will betray, triggering an unprecedented slaughter of the Jewish people.

We see the content of Zechariah 11 also given in Daniel 9.24-27 , as Gabriel explains to Daniel. All three passages in this chapter are mentioned in Daniel 9 : the rejection of Christ as the True Shepherd of Israel, the destruction of the capital and the nation by the “people of the prince who is to come,” and the reception of the False Shepherd by the people of Israel, even to the point of cutting a covenant with him. I encourage you to carefully read that chapter. The judgment of this world leader is recorded in Revelation 19.19-21 .

There is obviously more here than I have time to address, but we are sure of this: the foolish shepherd of Zechariah is also the “little horn” of Daniel, and the Beast of Revelation. The apostle John calls him “the antichrist,” Satan’s counterfeit savior who will lead the world astray and exercise dominion over the earth.

How will he relate to Israel? Verse 16 tells us of the way he will treat God’s people, Israel, and by extension, all those who remain faithful to God. All these descriptions are the exact opposite of the care of the True Shepherd.

He does not care for those being destroyed . In fact, he himself is the destroyer.

He does not seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy . Those who need his help are abandoned. Even those who need no special care, the healthy ones, are denied pasture and water.

He devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs . His actions are worse than neglect. He consumes the fat ones, even picking at their hoofs.

This describes the devastation and destruction of Israel in the Tribulation period at the hands of the antichrist. But God’s judgment of this man is coming.

17 “Woe to my worthless shepherd ,
    who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm
    and his right eye!
Let his arm be wholly withered,
    his right eye utterly blinded!”

God pronounces a curse on this worthless shepherd. While it’s possible the language about his arm and right eye could be literal, it seems more likely that the point is the complete destruction of his incredible power, symbolized by the arm, and his intelligence, symbolized by his right eye. he will be entirely crushed and ultimately judged severely by the Lord.

Application

There is much here that we can learn and apply.

God is patient, but even His patience will finally come to an end

Remain faithful, like Zechariah, to the Lord and His word

Persistent sin will eventually result in divine judgment

Study God’s word, and seek God’s plans and purposes

T eaching Manuscript

Re-envisioning Vision: A Better Way to Understand חָזוֹן in Proverbs 29:18

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 02:28:00 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

“Re-envisioning Vision: A Better Way to Understand חָזוֹן in Proverbs 29:18”

Anthony Caffey, Ph.D. (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School)

Adjunct Professor, Moody Theological Seminary

Senior Pastor, Messiah Bible Church, San Antonio, Texas

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” This oft-quoted King James rendering of Proverbs 29:18 has given license to many a pastor and Christian leader to dish out visionary leadership that their constituencies hanker after. This verse is often used to advocate for some idiosyncratic vision that leaders have conjured up in their own minds. But is that usage legitimate? A thoughtful member of said constituencies might reply in the words of Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride , “You keep using that word [‘vision’]. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

A well-meaning pastor using that term to “cast vision” in his church can hardly be blamed for quoting the KJV verbatim. If it does not mean what the pastor suggests it means, then what does it mean? More precisely, what does חָזוֹן (“vision”) mean? What does it mean in the context of Proverbs 29:18? And what does it mean in the broader context of the book of Proverbs? This paper seeks to answer those questions.

Context Clues

A complicating factor exists when interpreters approach the book of Proverbs—there is no consensus concerning the structure of this book. Are the Proverbs a loose collection of disconnected ideas and maxims, as Tremper Longman suggests? Or is there a discernible structure of ideas and correlations throughout the book, as Bruce Waltke suggests? Our approach to Proverbs 29:18 must begin by determining the broad structure (or lack thereof) of this book.

More precisely, Proverbs 29:18 is found in Collection V of Proverbs (25:1–29:27), the so-called Hezekiah Collection. Most scholars identify a clear structure in Collection I of Proverbs (1:1–9:18), and pastors preach accordingly. But consensus concerning structure or non-structure in Collections II–VII (10:1–31:31) is elusive. Most follow the reasoning of Longman that structure is impossible to discern. But both Duane Garrett and Waltke attempt to identify patterns of intentionality with structure in these sections of Proverbs (although the conclusions of the two authors differ).

From this author’s perspective, the book of Proverbs is intentionally and identifiably clumped in certain ways to allow the reader to see connections. Michael Fox uses the term “thematic clustering,” which I will use here. This is the case in Proverbs 29 where the “cluster” of issues and ideas in that section of the book circles around the concept of “righteousness” and the righteous person (צַדִּיק). And the immediate context of Proverbs 29:18 narrows in on the concept of discipline in childrearing.

Narrowing the Context (Proverbs 29:15–23)

The particular cluster of maxims that informs the meaning of Proverbs 29:18 is Proverbs 29:15–23. Here the broader concept of righteousness is localized in the Israelite home where the reader is told, “The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother” (29:15, ESV). In other passages in Proverbs we see that a child can make his or her father glad; that is a recurring theme in the book. But here we find the opposite—and a parallel concept—bringing shame to one’s mother. How do parents prevent that from happening with their children? What should parents do to ensure their own future unashamed happiness? They should use the rod, and they should reprove. Children do not raise themselves. They need guidance.

The following verse connects this statement to the broader theme of righteousness. “When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will look upon their downfall” (29:16). Continuing in the next two verses, the writer states, “Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart. Where there is no prophetic vision [חָזוֹן] the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law” (29:17–18, ESV). So here, nestled in the midst of specific instructions regarding childrearing and discipline and righteousness, we find our oft-quoted passage.

What is the “Vision”?

The ESV’s translation of the Hebrew חָזוֹן here is “prophetic vision.” This combines the concept of “vision” found in the KJV and the NASB95 with the concept of “prophecy” found in the RSV (the NIV renders חָזוֹן as “revelation”). The LXX translates חָזוֹן with ἐξηγητής (“interpreter”) , which complicates the matter. This makes the absence of the prophet, not the prophetic vision, the issue causing people to perish. But that is surely not what the Hebrew text is getting at.

The Vulgate is nearer the mark with cum prophetia defecerit (“when prophecy fails”). This is reflected in the Wycliffe Bible, which predates the KJV: “When prophecy faileth, the people shall be destroyed.” The Tyndale Bible (1530s), Coverdale Bible (1535), and Matthew Bible (1537) translate similarly with “prophecy.” The Geneva Bible (1560) and the Bishops’ Bible (1568) translate חָזוֹן with “vision.”

The ESV’s “prophetic vision” is more expansive and instructive than the “vision” of the KJV. What the ESV suggests with that rendering is that חָזוֹן means “communication from God” or “revelation.” This is more tightly connected to the etymology of חָזוֹן and its usage elsewhere in the Hebrew Scriptures. Cognates include the verb חָזָה meaning “to see, behold, prophesy,” the noun חֹזֶה meaning “seer,” and the noun מַחֲזֶה meaning “vision.”

Of the thirty-five occurrences of the word חָזוֹן in the Hebrew Scriptures, the ESV translates it “vision/visions” every time except for Proverbs 29:18. So why the expansion to “prophetic vision” in Proverbs? Probably to specify the connection between “vision” and divine revelation. The ESV clarifies for English readers that the author is not describing a self-generated vision. This is vision generated by God, as 1 Samuel 3:1 and other passages make clear: “Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision [חָזוֹן].”

A modern-day pastor or leader might not object to this. In other words, they might argue that their own idiosyncratic “vision” is indeed God-generated, not self-generated. Certainly there are theological streams within evangelicalism that would countenance that. But this is where context clues and the ancient Hebrew practice of parallelism need to sober us.

Let’s take another run at verse 18 and feel the parallelism of the author:

Where there is no חָזוֹן the people cast off restraint,

but blessed is he who keeps the תּוֹרָה.

The חָזוֹן of verse 18a is parallel to the תּוֹרָה of verse 18b. References to תּוֹרָה are infrequent in Proverbs, but not insignificant. When Proverbs references תּוֹרָה in this way, there is no mistaking the referent. The תּוֹרָה is what God gave the Israelites through Moses. It is his revealed Word. And this is what God’s people delighted in. This תּוֹרָה is often on the tongues of parents. For example, “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s תּוֹרָה” (Prov 1:8). Also Proverbs 3:1 states, “My son, do not forget my תּוֹרָה, but let your heart keep my commandments.” Again, Proverbs 28:7 states, “The one who keeps the law [תּוֹרָה] is a son with understanding, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.”

Feel the Parallelism; Abide the Context

The parallelism in Proverbs 29:18 is contrastive (i.e., antithetical). The presentation in 29:18a is clearly undesirable. Who wants people in their nation or in their household who cast off restraint? Meanwhile, 29:18b is desirable. We want to experience the state of “blessedness” or “happiness” (אֶשֶׁר) that is associated with keeping the law.

In terms of context, the verse immediately before Proverbs 29:18 is not a coincidence. “Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart” (29:17). I concede that in Proverbs the context can often change on a dime. But in this case, verse 18 is intimately linked with verse 17. In fact, verses 15–18 are all seemingly packaged together to explain the importance of discipline—discipline with children and discipline within a nation.

In light of this parallelism and the context of Proverbs 29:18, we might paraphrase the author’s maxim as follows: “Where there is no prophetic vision from the Lord… where there is no תּוֹרָה from God… where there is no clarity about what God wants... where there is no God-directed, God-honoring vision… children run wild!” They “cast off restraint.” And all the parents in the room said, “AMEN.”

Let’s tease this context out a little further. The three words at the end of the ESV’s rendering of Proverbs 29:18a are “cast off restraint.” Those three words are a translation of only one word in Hebrew, פָּרַע. In the Qal active stem it means, “to be out of control” or “run wild.” The word is used in Exodus 32:25 to describe the incident of the golden calf when the Israelites were out of control morally (ESV: “the people had broken loose”). But in Proverbs 29:18, פָּרַע is in the Niphal (passive/reflexive) stem. So more precisely, what is being said is as follows: “Where there is no חָזוֹן, the people are unrestrained .” They are allowed to run wild and be out of control. This has broad implications for many different settings as many individual proverbs do. But contextually linked to the cluster (especially verse 17), this statement is more precisely communicating something about parenting—or shall we say, lack of parenting.

Paralleling חָזוֹן and תּוֹרָה

Proverbs 29:18 is not the only place in the OT where חָזוֹן and תּוֹרָה appear as parallel terms. In Ezekiel 7:26 the prophet writes, “Disaster comes upon disaster; rumor follows rumor. They seek a חָזוֹן from the prophet, while the תּוֹרָה perishes from the priest and counsel from the elders.” This act of judgment—the removal of law and revelation—is an outworking of the disaster brought on by the day of the wrath of the Lord (7:19). This differs from Proverbs 29:18 where the issue seems to be intentional rejection of the revealed Word from the Lord instead of the punitive removal of it. This is regardless of how one takes the בְּ preposition at the beginning of Proverbs 29:18. Is it causal? “Because there is no חָזוֹן …” Or is it temporal? “When there is no חָזוֹן …” Either way, the judgment of “people running wild” is self-inflicted not an act of divine retribution.

Similarly, Lamentations 2:9 reads as follows: “[Jerusalem’s] gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; the תּוֹרָה is no more, and her prophets find no חָזוֹן from the Lord.” Unlike Ezekiel 7:26, the removal of תּוֹרָה and חָזוֹן in the community is not clearly punitive. Is their removal part of God’s judgment? Or the result of it? It’s not clear from the text. But, again, destruction and disaster are correlated with the removal of God’s revelation—just as in Proverbs 29:18.

Back to the Cluster Context (Proverbs 29:15–23)

This thematic clustering around discipline continues in verse 19. “By mere words a servant is not disciplined, for though he understands, he will not respond” (29:19). One implicit theme running through Proverbs is that you had better discipline yourself, otherwise there are outside forces in this world that will discipline you. But it’s better if you initiate that yourself. In verse 20, this self-discipline applies to a person’s speech, “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (29:20).

In verse 21, the passage returns to discipline among servants. “Whoever pampers his servant from childhood will in the end find him his heir” (29:21). That would have been viewed as a negative thing in ancient society—a servant becoming an heir. This doesn’t translate well into our modern-day context. But the transferable principle is something like this: “You need to use authority firmly and appropriately with your subordinates; otherwise they will overtake you.”

Finally, the author concludes this cluster by writing, “A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression. One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor” (29:22–23). So, discipline yourself to avoid strife. Discipline yourself regarding anger. And discipline yourself regarding pride. Like so many of the proverbs in this book, concepts are held in tension. Leaders and parents need to be firm and authoritative. But they also need to dispense with the wrath that stirs up strife, the anger that causes transgression, and pride. They need to discipline others for the sake of righteousness; they also need to discipline themselves.

Conclusion

So what shall we conclude about the proverbial “vision” of this passage? What does חָזוֹן mean in the context of Proverbs 29:18 and the broader context of Proverbs? Well, חָזוֹן should be tightly correlated with the parallel term תּוֹרָה. This has to do with revealed truth from God and his Word. The “vision” that should be cast over God’s people has to do with backward-looking revealed truth not forward-looking “vision casting,” which is often a thinly veiled pursuit of personal wish-fulfillment.

Fox asserts that חָזוֹן in Proverbs 29:18 “does not refer to a particular historical period, but to any time or situation in which prophetic oracles are not forthcoming or are not used .” That is true from the vantage point of the writer of Proverbs. That writer lived in a day when prophetic activity was still active. Nevertheless, I would still argue that the applicational thrust of the statement in 29:18 involves Israelites looking backward more than looking forward or sideways for prophetic oracles in their time. And applicationally, from our interpretational vantage point, the emphasis for pastors and leaders should be on oracles revealed , not oracles forthcoming .

As Tim Challies writes, “This verse says nothing of the importance of having a church that is led by vision or a visionary. Ironically, this verse should underscore the importance of honoring God’s revelation, and warn those who would water it down by sloppy or deliberate misuse.” If I could state it even more crassly in the context of the local church—churches do not need more idiosyncratic vision casting; they need more Bible preaching. Ironically, the Bishops’ Bible, which predates the KJV, captures the applicational thrust of this in a paraphrastic marginal note: “When the worde of God is not preached, the people perishe.”

But we haven’t gone far enough. Because the revelation that is needed is contextualized in the family unit. The prophetic vision of God’s Word is extremely valuable in the life of every God-fearer. But the stress of this literary unit is on childrearing. So the application is not just for pastors and leaders; it is for parents. The best way to prepare your children to move forward in life is to fix their eyes backward on the revealed truth of God’s תּוֹרָה!

In this way, the message of Proverbs 29 is not that far removed from Deuteronomy 6:6: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” If there is such a thing as “forward-looking vision” derived from Proverbs 29:18, it is not self-generated wish-fulfillment or privatized special revelation. Instead it is the revealed special revelation of God’s written Word that is continually pressed into children’s hearts as they grow up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Bibliography

Ansberry, Christopher B. Proverbs: The (Trans)formation of Character in Accord with Wisdom and Virtue. Edited by Daniel I. Block. ZECOT. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2024.

Bridges, Charles. Proverbs. Crossway Classic Commentaries. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2001.

Caffey, Tony. “The Rightness of Righteousness.” Messiah Bible Church. November 17, 2024. https://www.messiahbible.org/proverbs-29-1-27-the-rightness-of-righteousness .

Challies, Tim. “Where There Is No Vision… (Proverbs 29:18).” Challies, March 9, 2005. https://www.challies.com/articles/where-there-is-no-vision-proverbs-2918/ .

Croteau, David A., and Gary E. Yates. Urban Legends of the Old Testament: 40 Misconceptions. Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2019.

Fink, David C., and Timothy George, eds. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs: Old Testament. Vol. IX. RCS. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2023.

Fox, Michael V. Proverbs 10–31: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 18B. AYB. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009.

Garrett, Duane. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs. NAC. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1993.

Kaiser, Walter C., Jr., et al. Hard Sayings of the Bible. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1996.

Koehler, Ludwig, and Walter Baumgartner. HALOT. Revised by Walter Baumgartner and Johann Jakob Stamm. 5 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1994–2000.

Kidner, Derek. Proverbs: An Introduction and Commentary. TOTC. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1964.

Longman, Tremper III. Proverbs. BCOTWP. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006.

Murphy, Rowland E. Proverbs. Vol. 22. WBC. Dallas: Thomas Nelson, 1998.

Naudé, Jackie A. “חָזָה (ḥāzâ).” In NIDOTTE, edited by Willem VanGemeren, vol. 2, 55–58. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997.

O’Dowd, Ryan Patrick. “Proverbs.” In Psalms–Song of Solomon, edited by Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar. ESVEC. Wheaton: Crossway, 2022.

Ross, Allen P. “Proverbs.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs–Isaiah (Revised Edition), edited by Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, vol. 6, 43–259. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.

Schultz, Richard L. “Unity or Diversity in Wisdom Theology? A Canonical and Covenantal Perspective.” Tyndale Bulletin 48, no. 2 (1997): 271–304.

Swanson, James A. DBL Hebrew. Electronic ed. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997.

Taylor, Richard A. “פָּרַע (pāraʿ II).” In NIDOTTE, edited by Willem VanGemeren, vol. 3, 690. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997.

Waltke, Bruce K. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1–15. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004.

____________. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15–31. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005.

Wright, J. Robert, ed. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. ACCS. Downers Grove: IVP, 2005.

Acts 18:1–23: “Ministry Crisis in Corinth: God’s Goodness”

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 20:24:59 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

T eaching Manuscript

Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to Acts 18. Acts 18:1–23 is an interesting passage. It’s not what you would expect at this stage of Paul’s missionary journey. We see a side of Paul here that we haven’t seen in the previous chapters.

We have a tendency sometimes to view our spiritual heroes as impervious to discouragement or fear. Sometimes we think of them as these tireless, unstoppable forces for the Christian mission. Paul absorbed beatings for Christ and just kept going. Paul absorbed mockery in Athens and just kept trucking on. Is Paul a machine? Is he the Christian Terminator of the first century world?

And yet, there is evidence from time to time that Paul — even the Apostle Paul! — was human. He had feet of clay. Case in point, Acts 18:9. While Paul was in Corinth, the Lord Jesus appeared to him one night in a vision and said…

9 … “Do not be afraid,

Why would the Lord have to tell the Apostle Paul that? Because he was afraid.

9 … “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you,

Why would the Lord have to tell the Apostle Paul to go on speaking? Because he was afraid to keep on speaking. Why would he have to assure Paul that no one will attack him? Because he was afraid that people would attack him. It happened before in other cities. Why would Jesus tell Paul, “I am with you”? Because Paul needed encouragement from the Lord in the midst of fear.

Some of you know how fond I am of the great Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon. He’s one of my heroes. But what you might not know is that Spurgeon struggled mightily throughout his life with discouragement and depression. He said he sometimes experiences such depression of spirit he “could weep by the hour like a child.” He told his congregation once before he preached, “I am quite out of order addressing you tonight. I feel extremely unwell, excessively heavy, and exceedingly depressed.” Spurgeon had feet of clay.

Similarly, the Apostle Paul was a remarkable man. And the Apostle Paul was a machine for the gospel… metaphorically speaking. But the Apostle Paul, like all of us, needed the help of his Savior. He needed encouragement in the midst of fear. He needed friends to help him, as we’ll see in a moment. And he needed some R&R to rejuvenate and recharge.

And here’s the applicational takeaway for us today. If the Apostle Paul needed that so many years ago… if Spurgeon needed it… how much more do we need it in our Christian lives and in the mission that we’ve been called to?

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Our message today is entitled “Ministry Crisis in Corinth.” And I want to give you from the text today three snapshots of God’s intervention on behalf of his faithful servant. These are powerful displays of grace in the midst of Paul’s hardship.

For your outline, I’m calling this…

The Goodness of God in the Midst of a Ministry Crisis:

And the first demonstration of God’s goodness is God’s provision of ministry partners.

1) God provides ministry partners (18:1–8)

You see when the Apostle Paul entered into Corinth, he was like a well-strung bow that was about to snap. He had lived his life under an extraordinary amount of tension. And at this time when Paul might have thrown in the towel, or called it a career, or even short-circuited completely, God shows up. God shows up and restores him. God rejuvenates and refreshes and reenergizes his faithful servant.

Look at Acts 18:1.

1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And [Paul] found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And [Paul] went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.

Coincidently this is the only place in the NT where Paul’s occupation as a tentmaker (or leatherworker) is mentioned. And it’s mentioned here in connection to these other “tentmakers by trade,” a married couple, Aquila and Priscilla.

Luke has a habit of unceremoniously introducing new characters like this that will have a bigger role to play later in the book of Acts. And that’s what happens here with Aquila and Priscilla. They become absolutely strategic to Paul’s work among the churches later. They are fabulous ministry partners.

And praise God for ministry partners! Amen? I’m very thankful for our elders, our pastors, our deacons, and their wives. And also the collective unity that God has given us as a church. I don’t take that for granted.

Now keep in mind what Paul has gone through in the previous months. When we last saw him, he was in Athens philosophizing with the philosophers. And he was all alone. Silas and Timothy were back in Macedonia strengthening the churches. Paul got kicked out of just about every city in Macedonia before he came to Athens.

And in Athens, he wasn’t physically abused, but he was verbally abused. People mocked him (17:32). “You really believe that some guy named Jesus was resurrected from the dead. That’s ridiculous!” In fact they called him a “seed-picker.”

And unlike Philippi and Berea and Thessalonica, Paul was alone this time. Silas and Timothy weren’t with him. You might say, “Well at least he was beaten to a bloody pulp like he was in other cities.” Yeah, but he was verbally assaulted. And he didn’t have anybody to share in that persecution with him.

Sometimes you can endure just about anything, if you have somebody enduring it with you. One of the worst things that you can do to P.O.W.s, for instance, is isolate them from everyone else in solitary confinement. That’s painful.

So Paul leaves Athens and ventures into Corinth which is about fifty miles away (see map below).

Paul Travels to Corinth - Click for Map

Either Paul took a boat which would only be one day of travel. Or he went by foot which would have taken approximately three days. And you can see too the distance between Rome and Corinth. Priscilla and Aquila were kicked out of Rome, and they travelled about six hundred miles southeast of there to Corinth—no small ordeal for this married couple.

And let me tell you a little bit about the city of Corinth. If Athens was the Boston of the ancient world, then Corinth was Las Vegas. I mentioned last week how grievous the idol-worship was in Athens. Well Corinth had idol-worship too. But this city was also a cesspool of sexual perversion. The city had a temple of Aphrodite on top of a local mountain peak called the Acro-Corinth that housed over a thousand temple prostitutes.

Even today you can go to Corinth and see the remnants of their ancient paganism. Here’s a picture with the remains of the Temple of Apollo in the foreground.

The Temple of Apollo and the Acro-Corinth

In the background, you can see the Acro-Corinth. It’s a mountain peak, 1,900 feet high, that contains the ruins of the ancient temple of Aphrodite. In ancient Corinth, temple prostitutes would climb down that mountain from the temple looking for men to sleep with.

Aphrodite, if you don’t know, is the Greek goddess of love and fertility. There were actually Greek words that were coined because of Corinth’s reputation for sexual indulgence. The phrase “Corinthian girl” was slang for a prostitute. The verb “Corinthianize” meant euphemistically to fornicate.

So this city, Corinth, had a reputation. Idolatry was rampant. Prostitution was rampant. Promiscuity was rampant. Homosexuality was rampant (see 1 Cor 6:9–11). Some of these issues come up in Paul’s later letters to the Corinthian church: 1 and 2 Corinthians. Even Christians in the city got caught up in immorality. And Paul was furious about it.

Also Corinth was a large, wealthy city. Or at least there was a lot of wealthy people who lived there and a lot of money flowing through it. From Paul’s letters there were both wealthy and poor people who made up the church in Corinth. And it’s easy to see why there was so much money flowing through this town. It was strategically located on both the Aegean Sea and the Adriatic Sea. And so, many sailors and tradesmen would pass through this town. And many of these people would squander their resources on drunkenness and prostitution in the city. One ancient writer said of Corinth, “not for every man is the voyage to Corinth.”

So again, Corinth was essentially the Las Vegas of its day. What happens in Corinth stays in Corinth. But Paul decides, “Well, this is a good place for Jesus to show up… This is a good place to unleash the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit.” And, look at verse 4.

4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.

So Paul, at first, was alone in Corinth. He was in this city known for being a cesspool of sensuality. He’s been run out of Macedonia. He’s been laughed out of Athens. And he’s waiting on his fellow missionary friends, Timothy and Silas, to join him. And while waiting God pairs him up with Aquila and Priscilla to continue preaching the gospel. I find it interesting here that it wasn’t until Paul found Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth… it wasn’t until he found like-minded, God-fearing, co-laborers in trade and co-laborers in the gospel… that Paul resumed his preaching task.

Now God’s not done bringing ministry partners to assist Paul. Watch this. Look at verse 5.

5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus.

So Paul acquires two new ministry partners, Aquila and Priscilla, and then his buddies show up from Macedonia. And when Silas and Timothy show up, Paul stops making tents, and becomes occupied solely with preaching the Word.

By the way, we know from other Scriptures that Silas and Timothy brought a financial gift from the church in Philippi (Phil 4:14–20; 2 Cor 11:8–9). Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:9, “And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way.” Paul also says in Philippians 4:15, “And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.”

So probably Lydia and her merry band of new Christians in Philippi must have sent Paul some financial aid while he was in Corinth. And this allowed Paul to stop making tents for a while and devote himself completely to the proclamation of the gospel. [Just as an FYI from this and other NT texts: When Paul needed to be bi-vocational, he would do that. But when he had the option to preach fulltime, he didn’t hesitate.] Silas and Timothy bring him financial resources from a supporting church, and Paul “occupies” himself with preaching the word and testifying that Jesus was the Christ.

So let’s just pause here and add up the ministry partners that God has provided to Paul. We’ve got Priscilla and Aquila. We’ve got Timothy and Silas. How important are those guys to the Apostle Paul? Especially Timothy! And also, remotely, you’ve got the church in Philippi giving Paul financial support. Is God good or what?

Listen, nobody has to do ministry alone! God is not asking us to be Lone Rangers for Jesus living in isolation from community. That’s not good for the Apostle Paul. That’s not good for us.

And the benefit of having this community of friends and helpers is going to become apparent in this next section. Because look at verse 6.

5 … Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Paul loses it with these rebellious Jews who refused to receive the news about their Messiah. Now let me just make an observation. This is the strongest, most condemnatory, statement that Paul has made towards the Jews. And I think it’s borne out of frustration. This statement lacks the tact and the persuasiveness of his speech at Mars Hill.

And even his statement, “From now on I will go to the Gentiles” is emotionally driven. It’s a knee-jerk reaction. It’s a reaction borne out of frustration and aggravation and maybe even exhaustion. And there’s a sense in which this is true, Paul does focus more and more on ministry to Gentiles. But his work among Jews is far from finished. Not even in Corinth, by the way! I’ll show you that in just a moment.

And yet here’s the grace of God that takes place despite Paul’s frustration. Look at verse 7.

7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue.

So Paul’s like, “You don’t like my message. You don’t like what I have to say in the synagogue. That’s fine. How about I move this operation next door!” And so, Paul starts meeting at the house of a man named Titius Justus.

And watch what happens next:

8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue [the leading Jew in the city], believed in the Lord, together with his entire household.

So Paul basically gives up on the Jews in Corinth, and that’s exactly when the leading Jew and his entire family get saved. Maybe Crispus was scared straight with Paul’s statement, “Your blood be on your own heads!” And he decided, “Hmmm, maybe I should take Paul’s preaching a little more serious?”

So Crispus gets saved. His entire household gets saved and baptized. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:14 that he baptized Crispus himself. And verse 8 states that after Paul’s frustration had led him to unleash on the Jews in the synagogue that…

many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.

Not just Jews, like Crispus. Not just Gentiles, like Titius Justus. How many Jews and how many Gentiles? Luke doesn’t say. He just says many Corinthians. Many Corinthians get saved, get baptized, and join the church. Revival breaks out in Corinth, while Paul was not at his best.

I personally find it fascinating that Paul was at his persuasive best in Acts 17 at the Areopagus and only a handful of people got saved. Most people mocked him. In Corinth, he was at his least persuasive, “Your blood be on your own heads!” And that’s where revival breaks out. It’s almost like God is the person who orchestrates salvation, not us!

Paul would even say later to the Corinthian church, “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with lofty speech and wisdom” (1 Cor 2:1). Like he did in Athens, right? “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling” (1 Cor 2:2–3). That’s insightful. Paul came to Corinth in weakness and in fear and in much trembling? What was he afraid of? Why was he trembling?

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Watch this. Because this is surprising. Here’s the situation. Paul had every reason to be encouraged at the end of verse 8. He just acquired some new ministry partners in Priscilla and Aquila. Timothy and Silas arrived from Macedonia with financial support. People are getting saved. Things are going great in Corinth.

Yet despite all that goodness, Paul falls prey to fear and spiritual discouragement. We know that’s the case, because God appears to him in verse 9 and says “Do not be afraid.”

Why would Paul be afraid? I don’t know, but maybe because every place he’s been in the last few years he’s either gotten chased out of or laughed out of. Yes, the church is starting to grow. Good things are happening. But we know the pattern in the book of Acts. When people get saved, when fruitfulness starts to emerge, that’s when opposition grows. And that’s when Satan mobilizes.

So I can imagine that Paul, in his weakened spiritual state — remember “I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling” — Paul starts fretting over the coming opposition. “O no, here we go again. I’m going to get another beatdown. They’re going to run me out of town again.” “It’s coming. It’s coming.”

And this is what God does in the midst of Paul’s fretfulness. Look at verse 9.

9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid,

This imperative is actually in the present tense, which means that God is commanding Paul to stop doing something he’s already doing. He’s not saying, “When you come across something fearful in the future, do not be afraid.” Instead He’s saying, “Stop being afraid, Paul.”

The implication is that God had to step into the situation with Paul and stem the tide of his fear and dread. Paul’s thinking to himself, “O no, people are getting saved. Something bad’s about to happen to me.” And the Lord says, “Stop being afraid, Paul.”

Paul’s doing something here that a lot of us do. He’s “borrowing trouble.” Have you heard that term before? “To borrow trouble” means to fret or worry or be anxious about something that hasn’t even happened yet. Paul is “borrowing trouble.” He’s fretting about something that will transpire in the future that hasn’t happened yet. Jesus said each day has enough trouble of its own, no need to worry about tomorrow (Matt 6:34).

That’s what Paul was doing, and God says, “Stop it! Stop being afraid!”

“Well, what do you want me to do, Lord?”

“Well, do this…”

9 … go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you,

Are those words of comfort right there? “I am with you!” “Don’t be afraid, Paul, I’m with you.” John Wesley’s final words before he died were this, “Best of all God is with us.” God’s words to Joshua before he entered the Promised Land were similar, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh 1:9).

I am with you [says Jesus to the Apostle Paul], and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”

So here’s what’s going on in this passage. God, in one of the darkest moments of Paul’s life, says, “No one will attack you. I’ll protect you. In fact, ‘I have many in this city who are my people.’” Who are “God’s people” in this city? Well, I think that’s a reference to those who have already gotten saved. But I also believe this is an implicit statement concerning God’s election. God has purposed to save many in the city of Corinth, and soon enough, through the preaching of the Apostle Paul, they’ll join the church too.

Now let me be clear about this. Because this is a dangerous verse taken out of context. God doesn’t say, “I will always protect you from harm.” Are we clear about that? That surely couldn’t be the case, because Paul has suffered much for Christ before he came to Corinth. And Paul will suffer much after he leaves Corinth. Paul is imprisoned several more times before his eventual execution at the hands of Emperor Nero. He dies a martyr’s death in Rome. So God doesn’t say to Paul, or to you for that matter, “I’ll always protect you from harm.” No. But God says, “As long as you are here in Corinth, for this period of time, I’ll protect you. I’ll keep you from harm.” God essentially promises Paul a temporary reprieve from all the suffering he’s endured over the last few years.

And verse 11 says that Paul made the most of this reprieve.

11 And he stayed a year and six months [in Corinth], teaching the word of God among them.

Paul preaches the Word. He grows the church in Corinth. He stays a year and a half. That’s an eternity for Paul! That’s like putting down roots for Paul. He stays and enjoys this season of respite, and God protects him. And it was during this time that Paul wrote the letters of 1 and 2 Thessalonians to the church in Thessalonica.

Now watch this. Because God’s promise is about to be tested.

12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal,

Here we go again. We’ve seen this before. Paul is going to get stoned and left for dead. Paul’s going to get beaten and brutalized. Paul’s going to get imprisoned or banished from the city! Something bad is about to happen. You can just sense it. “What about your promise, Lord? You said you would protect Paul in Corinth.”

the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.”

So this is a pretty tense moment here. The Jews take Paul to what’s called the “bema” seat. That’s the place of judgment in the city. And their accusation before the proconsul Gallio is ambiguous at best. They say “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” Contrary to what law? Roman law or Jewish law? It’s ambiguous. I get the sense that they don’t really care which way Gallio takes it. They just want Paul out of the city.

Now as far as the Jews were concerned, they did have the right under Roman law to practice their religion. And Christianity would have been viewed by the Romans as a sect of Judaism. In fact, we read earlier about how Priscilla and Aquila got thrown out of Rome when the Emperor Claudius banished all the Jews. That more than likely resulted because Christians and Jews were at odds with each other in Rome. Claudius got tired of the conflict and banished all the Jews, including Jewish Christians, from the city.

But here in Corinth, what the Jews are arguing is that Paul is advocating a worship that isn’t sanctioned under Jewish law. And therefore it isn’t allowable under Roman law either. Either way, this guy needs to be stopped.

In the past, it took even less of an accusation than this to get Paul and his missionary friends prosecuted or kicked out of the city. But watch what happens. Watch how God’s promise is fulfilled!

14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal.

How about that fulfillment to God’s promise? Did God come through or what? Gallio basically says, “I’m not going to be a judge over your religious disagreements. Get out of my courtroom!” Paul didn’t even have to say a word. Paul didn’t even open his mouth. Remember God’s words, “Do not be afraid,” Paul, “but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you” (18:9–10).

17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

Write this down as a second point from the message. We’re looking today at the goodness of God in the midst of a ministry crisis. We’ve seen already that God provides ministry partners to Paul in Corinth. Now we see that…

2) God fulfills his promises (18:9–17)

Now this is really important. Hear me on this. We need to be careful that we don’t take a unique set of circumstances and an isolated promise that God makes to Paul, and make that a universal promise that God makes to all of us. We can’t take God’s promise to Paul in Acts 18, “no one will attack you to harm you” and extrapolate that out as a universal principle for us. That would violate the context of this passage. That would take something descriptive here and make it prescriptive for us.

But here is a universal principle we can derive from this passage. Are you ready for it? God always fulfills his promises! Amen?

And let me give you a few promises from Scripture that you can count on. Go ahead and write these down in your notes. These are under the heading “Six Promises of God to Believers.”

1. He will never leave us or forsake us (Deut 31:6; Isa 41:10; Matt 28:20; Heb 13:5–6).

God’s promises to his people were patterned in the OT. God told the Israelites, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deut 31:6). The prophet Isaiah said, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you (Isa 41:10).

Jesus said in this NT era, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:20). Also, Hebrews 13:5–6: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” Indeed! What can man do to me?

To that you might say, “Well Tony, man can do some awful things to other men.” True enough. But they can’t touch your soul. And men can’t do anything outside of God’s sovereignty. And men can’t force God to leave you or forsake you.

2. He will bind up every wound (Ps 147:1–3; 2 Cor 4:17–18)

Psalm 147 says about God and his children that “he heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (147:3). If not in this life, then in the life to come. 2 Cor 4:17–18 says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” It’s a great comfort to me to know that our suffering is never wasted. God uses our suffering to refine us in this life and reward us in the life to come. He binds up every wound.

3. He won’t let us be tempted beyond what we can handle (1 Cor 10:13; Phil 4:19)

1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

4. He works all things for the good of his elect (Rom 8:28)

Romans 8:28 has brought a lot of comfort to Christians over the years. And rightfully so. Because God’s Word says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

5. He is coming back to take us to our eternal home (John 14:1–3)

John 14 says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (14:1–3).

6. He will judge all evil and establish perfect justice (Ps 96:13; Acts 17:31)

Psalm 96:13 says, “He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.” Acts 17:31 says, “he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” God will right every wrong. He will punish every evildoer. He will reconcile every account.

That last statement is a promise. But it’s also a warning. Every sin in this world has to be punished. Nobody gets away with evil. Either your sin is punished at the cross of Christ, or it is punished for eternity in hell.

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Let’s go back to our passage and finish up here. Verse 17 says,

17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

So instead of Paul getting a beatdown, they give the ruler of the synagogue a beatdown. And Gallio, either because he’s annoyed by this intrusion of his privacy or because he’s really an antisemite at heart, does nothing to stop it. This whole episode shows how very capricious the Roman government was. They prided themselves on law and order, but we’ve already seen a fair amount of vigilantism and hooliganism in the empire. He’s another instance of that.

Now let me say two things about verse 17. First of all, Gallio has set a precedent now for Christianity that it should be tolerated throughout the Empire. At least for a season, there is a reprieve from the persecution of Christians in Corinth and other major Roman cities. That’s good for the gospel. Persecution will return soon. But for now the church gets a reprieve.

Secondly, notice that Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue was beaten. He must have been the ringleader for this whole episode with Paul. Well, interestingly Paul writes in 1 Corinthians about our brother, Sosthenes (1 Cor 1:1). If this is the same Sosthenes of Acts 18, then this synagogue ruler, who was trying to bring about the demise of Paul, actually gets saved later and joins the church. How awesome is that? And as much as we might grieve the mob violence in verse 17 where Sosthenes gets publicly beaten, God may have used that to bring him to Christ.

If that’s the case, then the last two synagogue rulers in Corinth, both Crispus and Sosthenes, have gotten saved and have joined the church.

Look at verse 18.

18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

Here’s Paul’s journey after Corinth. He travels two-hundred and fifty miles straight west, across the Aegean Sea to Ephesus.

Paul goes to Ephesus

Ephesus was an even larger and more important city than Corinth in the Roman Empire. It’s possible that Paul tried to go here earlier when the Spirit prevented him and sent him to Macedonia. Now Paul is in Ephesus. But as we’ll see, he doesn’t stay long. And he leaves Priscilla and Aquila there to plant a church. We know this, because later Paul writes 1 Corinthians from Ephesus and he tells the church in Corinth that Priscilla and Aquila, “together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord” (1 Cor 16:19).

Look at verse 20.

20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. 21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church [this is the church in Jerusalem], and then went down to Antioch.

So again, here’s Paul’s journey after Ephesus. And by the way, God does bring Paul back to Ephesus, and his experiences there are wild. More on that in the weeks to come in Acts 19.

Paul goes back to Antioch

Paul goes from Ephesus to Caesarea to Jerusalem and then to Antioch, which for all practical matters is his home church. That’s the place where he was first commissioned with Barnabas. After he finished his first missionary journey, he goes back to Antioch. After finishing his second missionary journey, he goes back to Antioch. “There’s no place like home.”

And look at verse 23.

23 After spending some time there,

After getting rejuvenated, right? After some much deserved R&R. After spending “some time there,” Paul gets back to work on now his third missionary journey.

23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Here’s the thing. Here’s the final point that I want to give you from the text. Luke condenses Paul’s 1,500-mile journey from Corinth to Ephesus to Jerusalem to Antioch to about five verses. And that doesn’t even include Paul’s subsequent journey to Galatia and Phrygia. Those are the places where Paul and Barnabas planted churches a few years before this. I’m sure there were plenty of things that Luke could have commented on. But the primary thing that he communicates is this. Paul goes back to Antioch. He gets rejuvenated there. And then he gets back to work travelling again.

God graciously provides an opportunity for Paul to refuel and reenergize with his home church in Antioch. And it wasn’t long until Paul was back to work again.

Here’s the final point from the message:

3) God rejuvenates his servant for the work (18:18–23)

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The Goodness of God in the Midst of a Ministry Crisis:

1) God provides ministry partners (18:1–8)

2) God fulfills his promises (18:9–17)

3) God rejuvenates his servant for the work (18:18–23)

I’ll close with this. According to NT scholar Eckhard Schnabel, Paul’s second missionary journey would have involved an immense amount of travel, a total of 1,930 miles by foot and 1,280 miles by ship, during the period AD 49–51. This would have involved a total of 175 days of travel: 155 days of marching by foot and 20 days at sea. Why? Why? Why? Why would anyone subject themselves to this kind of grueling pace, brutal schedule, and the accompanying persecution that Paul experienced in those places?

Why? Because Paul was driven to preach the gospel to those who hadn’t heard it. He was absolutely obsessed with Christ’s mission to take the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth.

My prayer in light of this Scripture is “Lord, give me just a taste of that passion. If Paul can do that in the ancient world, then I can commit to making disciples here in San Antonio, Texas.” My prayer is, “God give us, Messiah Bible Church, just a taste of that passion, that drivenness, that kind of commitment to our Lord Jesus.”

Zechariah 10:1-12: The Blessings of Israel’s Redemption

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 20:11:31 GMT

Mike Morris

Associate Pastor/Elder

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

Last week, when we returned to our study, I previewed the remaining chapters of the book of Zechariah. Chapters nine through fourteen contain two oracles given to Zechariah, both burdens (‘massa’ in Hebrew) of severe judgment. In chapter nine, we saw God’s protection of Jerusalem and the promise of a coming King and Savior, the long-awaited Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Tonight, we’ll examine the blessings of redemption for the people of Israel.

This passage has an overarching theme: the work of Israel’s True Shepherd for His people, from 9.8 to 10.12.

We’ll cover this passage by starting where we must start, though it’s not in verse order. Turn your attention to chapter 10, verse 4.

The Messiah Comes

While this chapter is filled with God’s goodness toward His people, the beginning of it all is the Messiah Himself. We see in verse three that the pronoun “him” refers back to the tribe of Judah, and we know from Genesis 49.10 , Micah 5.2 , and Isaiah 11.1-5 that the Messiah would come from that kingly tribe. It’s confirmed in the NT in the genealogies and stated in Revelation 5, speaking of the opening of the scroll. 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “ Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals .”

Verse four describes this descendant of Judah in four unique ways. No one can fulfill this messianic prophecy except the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s look at the details.

From him shall come the cornerstone . The phrase “the cornerstone” is a well-known name for the Messiah in both the Old Testament and the New. We see it in Isaiah 28.16 . 16 therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone , of a sure foundation . The most crucial part of any building is, of course, the foundation.

Without a sure foundation, the superstructure built on it will not be stable or secure, and so it is with God’s people. The redeemed of both Israel and the Church could not exist without the perfect Cornerstone, who is Christ. The Holy Spirit speaks through Paul to the Church about this truth in Ephesians 2.12-22 . 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ , alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world . 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ . 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two , so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near . 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord . 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit .

Here in Zechariah, the Cornerstone is the basis for the redemption of Israel, but Paul applies that same work to the New Testament Church, and marvelously extends it to not just the saving of two very different peoples, but their reconciliation and integration into one. Jesus Himself speaks of this in John 10.16 as He says, 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd .

Christ is not only the savior and redeemer of Israel, but the NT assures us He will include the Church in the family of God also, alongside, not in place of, the Jews. Our mighty Lord is the savior of the nations, too, for we are His “other sheep”. Peter continues this thought in I Peter 2.6 as he quotes Isaiah 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame .”

Anyone, Jew or Gentile, who trusts in Jesus Christ will find a sure and certain salvation . He is the one Cornerstone, but if anyone rejects Him, to him or her He will be a different type of stone, a stone not of redemption but of judgment . I Peter 2.7-8 says 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe , “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” Here Peter quotes Psalm 118.22-23 . 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes .

We find this quoted by Jesus Himself in Matthew 21.42 . The “builders” here are the religious leaders of the Jews, the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus’s day. They rejected the precious Cornerstone, and instead stumbled over Him. And through their rejection, they tragically led God’s people away from the Messiah, rather than to Him. Yet their rejection is not the last word for God’s redemptive work. To His own, He is chosen and precious, the One Who unites the redeemed of all the ages, both Jews and Gentiles, and grows us up into a holy Temple in the Lord. blessed be the Name of the Lord!

from him the tent peg . from the well-known title, “Cornerstone,” we find a lesser-known but important messianic title. Here, the Messiah is also called “the tent peg”. The passage from the former prophets, Isaiah 22.22-24 , speaks of this truth. There, the text speaks in human terms of Eliakim, king of Judah, also known as Jehoiakim. But in divine terms, the greater fulfillment of this description is of Jesus Christ. Verse 22 says 22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. We find this language repeated and applied to the Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ, in Revelation 3.7 . 7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”

Make no mistake: the Lord and Messiah, Jesus, is the One in full view here. Then Zechariah continues in the imagery of Isaiah as he says, 23 And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father's house. 24 And they will hang on him the whole honor of his father's house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons.

This speaks not of a tent stake as we know them today, but of a tent peg , a sturdy piece of wood driven into the central upright of the nomad’s tent. It is a sizable and strong piece of wood. This is what Jael used to kill the enemy commander, Sisera, in Judges 4 . It was on the tent peg that all a family’s valuables would be hung, from small items to large. The idea is that Messiah is like a tent peg in God’s dwelling from which all of the divine glory is hung. As noted here, he will become a throne of honor to his father's house. 24 And they will hang on him the whole honor of his father's house, the offspring and issue . This is reinforced by Zechariah himself in 6.12-13 . 12 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne .

“The Branch” is another messianic title, and it is He who shall “ bear the royal honor ”. KJV says “bear the glory,” meaning to carry or hold up that which is weighty. Jesus Christ will bear the weight of divine glory and honor as the Anointed One of God, just as a tent peg bore the weight of all the vessels in the tent.

from him the battle bow . Clearly, a weapon of war, one of the most effective and commonly used weapons in ancient warfare. The term “battle bow” is used in the ESV only twice, here in Zechariah 9.10 and 10.4 . However, the two references are quite different: in chapter nine, the battle bow is said to be “cut off” by Yahweh as Messiah comes to speak peace to the nations. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth .

Referring to a time of great peace under Messiah’s rule. But here in chapter ten, the meaning is reversed. from him will come the battle bow . He is fully armed and will crush His enemies, just as Zechariah tells us in chapter nine, verse thirteen, God Himself will wield Israel as a bow and arrow against the adversaries.

from him every ruler—all of them together . This is an interesting description in Hebrew. The word rendered “ruler” is the Hebrew word ‘no-ges’ (nah-gos’), which doesn’t mean “king” (‘me-lek’)as we might think, but instead means “tyrant”, “oppressor”, “taskmaster”, “slave-driver”. It’s used in Exodus and the former prophets of those who oppressed the Jews in captivity, both in Egypt and Babylon. The sense is that from Him, from the Messiah, all those of all the ages who oppress and subjugate His people will be driven out, all of them together . Once and for all, the wrongful domination of the Jewish people, and in fact, all God’s people, will end, a thought we celebrate at Christmastime, when we sing “O Holy Night”: Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love, and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease. Hallelujah!

To review: what comes from the Messiah ? Because He is the Cornerstone , His people shall know stability and safety in the house of God; because He is the tent peg , His people shall know the honor, glory, beauty, and splendor of the King; because He is the battle bow , His people shall know victory over their enemies; and because He banishes all oppressors , His people shall finally know true freedom.

He will bless His people.

But those four blessings, as wonderful and glorious as they are, are not the complete story of God’s redemption of His people, Israel.

To cover this fully, I’ll have to go back a bit into chapter nine. This is one time the chapter break might have been differently placed. Let’s pick it up at chapter nine, verse eight. I’ll briefly cover these again, since I addressed them last week.

Security: 8 Then I will encamp at my house as a guard,
so that none shall march to and fro;
no oppressor shall again march over them,
for now I see with my own eyes.

This was fulfilled in the near-term when God intervened to ensure Alexander the Great did not harm Jerusalem in any way during his military conquests.

Peace: 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
    and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
    and he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
    and from the River to the ends of the earth.

This is still to be completely fulfilled when the Lord Jesus Christ judges the nations and initiates the Millennial Kingdom.

Freedom: 11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Based not on their faithfulness but on God’s covenant faithfulness, Israel will be set free from captivity.

Blessing in their land: 12 Return to your stronghold , O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. And once they are set free, they will return. There are two senses present here. One is Jerusalem as the stronghold of Zion, and the Jews will indeed return to Jerusalem, but more important is the meaning of “stronghold” in David’s psalms. David speaks not of Jerusalem as his stronghold, but the Lord Himself , as we see in Psalm 18.2 . 2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold .

Victory: 14 Then the Lord will appear over them,
    and his arrow will go forth like lightning;
the Lord God will sound the trumpet
    and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.
15 The Lord of hosts will protect them ,
    and they shall devour , and tread down the sling stones,
and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine,
    and be full like a bowl,
    drenched like the corners of the altar. The Lord God will fight the battles of Israel, protecting them and empowering them to overcome their enemies, walking over them as one walks over fallen stones from a sling.

Salvation: 16 On that day the Lord their God will save them , as the flock of his people ; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land . As a shepherd rescues his flock from predators, so will the Lord save His people, and they will reflect His beauty, shining with His glory as a royal crown.

Sustenance: 17 For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!
Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.

Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain , to everyone the vegetation in the field . In a society based on agriculture, this blessing is critically important. The Lord is always pictured as the provider of the early and latter rains, so essential to life in the region. The ‘yo-reh’ are the early rains, falling in October through December, during planting season, and the ‘mal-qosh’ are the latter or spring rains, falling in March and April, just before harvest.

He will punish the false shepherds.

The Lord is also concerned about the leadership of His people. Yahweh blesses His people even through conviction of sin. Here, the Lord reprises the now-familiar sins of both Israel and Judah. Idolatry that led to the deadening of the spiritual condition of the people, false prophecies, and divination that misled the people. The nations endured far too many incompetent and godless leaders, from kings to princes to priests and prophets. 2 Kings 17.14-15a . 14 But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false . As the leaders failed, the people suffered.
2 For the household gods utter nonsense,
    and the diviners see lies;
they tell false dreams
    and give empty consolation.
Therefore the people wander like sheep;
    they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.

3 “ My anger is hot against the shepherds ,
and I will punish the leaders ;
for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,
and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.

Idolatry was rampant in both Israel and Judah prior to the Babylonian captivity. Widespread idol worship and even divination led the people astray, and the leaders, far from moving the people back toward God, were themselves guilty of hypocrisy and devotion to the false gods of the nations around them. The proof of God’s love and care for His people was His punishment of their false leaders.

The former prophet Jeremiah says it well in 23.1-2 . “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord .

“Woe to the shepherds” indeed!

He will strengthen and save them.

The Messiah will take the initiative regarding His people, blessing them with strength and salvation.
5 They shall be like mighty men in battle,
trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;
they shall fight because the Lord is with them ,
and they shall put to shame the riders on horses.

6 “I will strengthen the house of Judah,
    and I will save the house of Joseph.
I will bring them back because I have compassion on them ,
    and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,
    for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.
7 Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,
    and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.
Their children shall see it and be glad;
    their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord.

Notice the first-person statements: “I will strengthen,” “I will save,” “I will bring them back,” “I will have compassion”. God was determined to bless His people, not based on their obedience but in spite of their disobedience. Though they failed in every point, God would keep His good word toward them because of His own faithfulness. See verse six: for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.

He will bring them home.

Finally, and graciously, God will restore His people and bring them home.

8 “ I will whistle for them and gather them in ,
     for I have redeemed them ,
     and they shall be as many as they were before .
9 Though I scattered them among the nations ,
     yet in far countries they shall remember me ,
     and with their children they shall live and return .
10 I will bring them home from the land of Egypt ,
    and gather them from Assyria ,
and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon ,
    till there is no room for them.

11 He shall pass through the sea of troubles
    and strike down the waves of the sea,
    and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up.
The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,
    and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.
12 I will make them strong in the Lord ,
     and they shall walk in his name ,”
declares the Lord.

Even a cursory reading of the OT makes it clear how important the land was to Israel. That’s one reason the captivities in Assyria and Babylon were so devastating to the people, for they were out of their land. This blessing is so important, for here the Lord promises that ultimately He will call for His people from all the places to which He has scattered them, and they and their children will come back home. His redemption and their return are foundational to all the blessings we see in this chapter. And all of this is the Lord’s work on Israel’s behalf.

Application

What do we learn? What do we do? I think there are two primary lessons here:

The greatness and glory of the Messiah
The goodness and grace of His blessings to His people

What do we do?

Praise: for He is good!
Petition: for we need Him!
Persist: for we must follow Him!

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Acts 17:16–34: “Athenian Apologetics” at the Areopagus

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 18:43:06 GMT

Tony Caffey

Senior Pastor

Messiah Bible Church

Application

Questions

Related Teachings

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Zechariah 9:1-17: Signposts - Prophetic Fulfillment.

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 19:59:00 GMT

Mike Morris

Associate Pastor/Elder

Messiah Bible Church

Related Teachings

We’ve taken a long break from the prophet Zechariah, but tonight we renew our study as we begin the final portion of the book.

To begin, let’s briefly review the structure and content of the book.

Following the prologue of 1.1-6, this book contains three distinct sections: the eight visions (from 1.7 through 6.8), beginning with “ and I saw ”. Three contemporary event narratives (6.9 through 8.23), beginning with “ the word of the Lord came to me ”. And finally, the concluding section, the oracles (9.1 through 14.21), beginning with “ the oracle of the word of the Lord ”. Those key themes are on the slide. To review chapters one through eight, go to www.messiahbible.org , click on “Teachings,” then Old Testament, and look for the series “The Twelve”.

While the oracle passage is incredibly rich in theological meaning and insight, especially as it relates to the Messiah, it has also been called “perhaps the most problematic six chapters in the Bible.” I wouldn’t disagree with that assessment.

The word “oracle” renders the Hebrew ‘massa’ or ‘burden’. It’s an uncommon word in the OT, and is only used in prophetic writings regarding severe judgment. It is used here in 9.1 and 12.1, and also by Isaiah and Jeremiah. It means something to be borne or carried, a heavy weight which the prophet must bear and speak, and that’s what it means here. These six chapters speak of judgment, first of the Gentile world powers, then second, of Israel itself .

Also, as we begin, I want to share with you a comment shared by David Baron and Dr. John MacArthur, who note that in the OT we see two principles regarding prophecy: one, that there is little sense of perspective in the NT. OT prophets don’t directly address it, which can compress our understanding of time, as the first and second advents of Christ are addressed without a break between them, making prophecies of shorter-term events appear in close proximity to those of longer-term events. Also, when God gives a prophecy regarding a longer-term event, He very often speaks of one or more nearer-term events as signposts which, as they are fulfilled, affirm the faith of God’s people, and assure the fulfillment of the longer-term prophecy. We see that in this chapter, and it’s why tonight is entitled “ signposts ”. Let’s begin.

Signpost #1: Alexander the Great, 334 to 331 BC

The first signpost is God’s protection from Gentile world powers , typified by Alexander the Great. This nearer-term prophecy, likely written sometime around 470 BC , predicted Alexander’s conquests as he defeated the Medo-Persian Empire in 334 to 331 BC . Alexander stormed eastward from Greece, through the ancient Near East from north to south, through Egypt, then turned eastward, and continued all the way to modern-day India, crushing the Medes and Persians, including the city of Babylon. Verses 1 through 8a are an exact description of the campaign from Assyria to Egypt, precisely fulfilling the prophecy given almost 140 years before .

1 The oracle of the word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach
    and Damascus is its resting place.
For the Lord has an eye on mankind
    and on all the tribes of Israel ,
2 and on Hamath also, which borders on it,
     Tyre and Sidon , though they are very wise.
3 Tyre has built herself a rampart
    and heaped up silver like dust,
    and fine gold like the mud of the streets.
4 But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions
    and strike down her power on the sea,
    and she shall be devoured by fire.

These verses describe the first half of Alexander’s sweep southward down the coast.

The “burden” I mentioned earlier is against the land of "Hadrach,” which Baron notes is a city in Syria, and against its surrounding villages, but it’s said to have its “resting place,” the focal point of the prophecy, in Damascus. The capital city was conquered by Alexander in 332 BC and provided a base from which to assault the coastal cities of Phoenicia and Philistia and, ultimately, Egypt.

Zechariah reminds us in verse 1 that this prophecy lives within the sovereign authority of God, as His eye remains “on mankind” but particularly on the tribes of Israel, for whose sake He arranges the affairs of men. the eyes of all humanity will be on the events of Alexander’s campaign, but only Israel will see it as the work of their God.

As Alexander approaches Phoenicia, the primary city, Tyre, is named, along with Sidon. Verses 3 and 4 are a short summary of a fascinating military defeat of the city fortress of Tyre. The once-destroyed but rebuilt city was constructed on an island at a distance of about a half mile from the mainland. This nearly impregnable merchant city was called the “queen of the sea” with walls 150 feet high. Shalmeneser, King of Assyria, besieged it for five years and failed, and Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian Emperor, failed in a siege of thirteen years to defeat the city. But in a matter of seven months, Alexander’s forces built an earthen causeway to reach the island and crushed the token resistance. Despite her unmeasured wealth, with silver as dust and gold compared to mud in the streets, Tyre fell, as foretold by the Lord 140 years before. behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire .

But make no mistake: while Alexander the Great was the instrument, the scripture is clear that it was the Lord who struck down Tyre and her great wealth . Great military and economic power cannot deter the Almighty God.

Now Alexander turns south toward the Philistines .

5 Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid;
     Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish;
     Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded.
The king shall perish from Gaza ;
     Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;
6 a mixed people shall dwell in Ashdod ,
    and I will cut off the pride of Philistia .
7 I will take away its blood from its mouth,
    and its abominations from between its teeth;
it too shall be a remnant for our God;
    it shall be like a clan in Judah ,
    and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.

Verses 5 and 6 describe the next phase of Alexander’s battle plan: the conquest of Philistia . Four of their royal cities are named here. After what Alexander had done in Syria and Phoenicia, especially to Tyre, the Philistines had no hope of escape or mercy. Most of these cities are not mentioned in the historical records of Alexander’s conquests, but the exception is Gaza. The very word means “strong,” but it was not strong enough to withstand Alexander. and he made a statement about the futility of resisting him when he took the king of Gaza, a Persian commander named Betis (or Babemeses), inserted leather thongs through the soles of his feet, and dragged him to death through the city behind a Greek chariot. Even this vicious detail is foretold in Scripture in verse 5.

There is, surprisingly, a ray of hope for the Philistines in verse 7. the text says that ultimately God will remove the abominations from the Philistine people, and they will be part of the remnant for our God ; even to the point of being received as some of the Jebusites were, those Canaanites defeated by David as he took Jerusalem; for more on that, see 2 Samuel 24 .

Now we reach the point where Alexander approaches Jerusalem, and Zechariah describes God’s purpose to protect the city.

8 Then I will encamp at my house as a guard,
so that none shall march to and fro;

God pledges that He will personally protect His house, guarding Jerusalem for the sake of His name. No one, including Alexander the Great, shall march to (north to south) or fro (south back to the north, after conquering Egypt) to harm Jerusalem.

Alexander intended to conquer Jerusalem on his way to Egypt, but he did not; the Jewish historian, Josephus, records that as he approached the city from the north, the High Priest, other priests, and townspeople met Alexander outside the city walls, and found favor with the conqueror; Alexander came into Jerusalem itself, and offered sacrifices to the Lord. The High Priest then showed Alexander the prophecies about him in Scripture, particularly the references to Greece as a powerful male goat in Daniel 8.5-8 . As he left, Alexander granted the Jews to live under their own laws and did not demand tribute in the seventh year. For more details, see Josephus, volume 11, chapter 8, sections 3 through 5. After this encounter, Alexander withdrew from the city and proceeded south to Egypt, which he conquered without military action.

Quick summary to this point: the first nearer-term prophecy signpost was Alexander the Great’s conquest of the ancient Near East, including his unexpected sparing of Jerusalem. God worked his will through the nation of Greece while protecting His capital city in the process from the Gentile world powers. This prophecy was fulfilled only 140 years after Zechariah wrote it, and the people of God in the days of Alexander would have seen the fulfillment of God’s word through Zechariah and Daniel as an assurance of the fulfillment of the rest of the prophecies to follow .

The Prophecy of the Messiah: The Triumphal Entry

Now we come to the main prophetic point, which Zechariah places out of chronological order, as we’ll see, but it is the key to the chapter, and it is the longer-term prophecy to which both signposts point. The prophecy of Messiah’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Verses 8b through 10 tell the story.

no oppressor shall again march over them,
for now I see with my own eyes.

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
    righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
    and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
    and he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
    and from the River to the ends of the earth.

We begin this section in the middle of verse 8 because that’s where the time jump happens. Verse 8a deals with Alexander, but verse 8b was not, and indeed is still not fulfilled, for oppressors attack and harass Israel to this day. But as God says, He has seen with His own eyes, and He’s seen enough. He promises that the day is coming, closely linked with the coming of the Messiah, when there will no longer be any enemies of God’s people, for He will see to it , and it begins with the entry of the Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday.

I see seven main points in this brief prophecy of the coming of Messiah.

The Precursor : Joy. Never before has there been a moment more worthy of scream-out-loud joy than the coming of the Messiah. Zechariah repeats the call to joy he gave in 2.10: 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord.

The Purpose : As verse 9 says, “Behold”. Look, pay attention. The Messiah is coming to His people as their King and Savior, as the Son of God, but He is also coming from His people as David’s greater Son. He is the King of Kings, but He is also uniquely the King of Israel. God is fulfilling the promise of a Redeemer who will “ save His people from their sins ” ( Matthew 1.21 ). Finally, the One prophesied in Genesis 3.15 as the conquering victor has come to His people and to the world.

The Character : Jesus Christ comes as the righteous King. He will not be like the deeply flawed kings and princes of Israel’s past, but He will be completely holy in every respect. He will also come having salvation . Jesus Christ is the only Deliverer from the power, penalty, and presence of sin. As we read in Acts 4.12 , And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Forgiveness, deliverance, and eternal life are found only in and through Jesus. And He is humble , as we see in Matthew 11.29 . The One who came that day declared Himself to be gentle and lowly in heart .

The Method : Christ entered Jerusalem in a most unexpected way. mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Today, we might not make much of the distinction between a donkey and any other way to enter the city, but there is great meaning and symbolism here. In OT times, riding on donkeys was reserved for rulers and wealthy people, but beginning with Solomon, horses replaced donkeys as the preferred ride for kings. By Jesus’s day, kings rode not just horses, but white horses. This prophecy speaks two messages : it emphasizes the humility of Christ, but it also emphasizes His peaceable mission .

The Action : Building on the symbolism of entering on a colt, the foal of a donkey, God declares that He will eliminate the weapons of war, because the need for war will be no more. The verb means to stop, to end, to separate, translated here as “cut off”. There will be a day when Christ will bring peace to the world. It’s not yet, but there will be that day . No weapons will be needed or tolerated. God Himself will cut them off from humanity.

The Speech : The message of Messiah will be peace. Today, there is peace within the hearts of those who belong to the Lord, as we see in John 14.27. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. But the day is coming when His peace will extend even further.

The Domain : For his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. This is another way of saying that the peace of Jesus Christ will one day extend throughout the universe. A Jew would have understood this globally, from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. There will be no place on earth where Jesus will not reign and rule, bringing God’s peace to a broken world.

Signpost #2: The Maccabean Revolt, 167 BC

The second signpost is God’s overthrow of Gentile world powers , typified by the Maccabean Revolt. This prophecy is also related to conflict in the ancient Near East, specifically involving Judah in 167 BC. Let’s set the stage.

Judah remains in their land, and while Greece is the dominant power in the region, Alexander dies suddenly in 323 BC, about 9 years after sparing Jerusalem. Daniel predicts in chapter 8 verse 8, and history records, the fracturing of the Greek empire following Alexander’s death into four parts, each given to one of his four senior generals; of the four, the one reigning over the land of Judah and the Greek lands to the east was Seleucus, giving his name to the Seleucid Empire; all were Greek in leadership and culture, and the empire endured until Macedon finally fell to Rome in 146 BC. Why does all this history matter? Because God included in His word a prediction of a historical event in Judah called the Maccabean Revolt. It is the second signpost and part of this passage where the Lord begins to promise the ultimate restoration of His people.
11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.

God’s assurance is based on “the blood of the covenant”. But which covenant? There were many, but it seems likely that the reference is to the first covenant involving blood, the covenant God inaugurated with God on behalf of Abraham and his children, recorded in Genesis 15 , when God promised Abraham the land later to be occupied by the children of Israel after their deliverance from bondage in Egypt; significantly, we hear the phrase “blood of the covenant” echoed in Genesis 24, the gospel accounts of the Last Supper, and doctrinally in Hebrews chapter 9.

Because of that divine covenant, Yahweh will set the prisoners – the people of Israel and Judah – free from the oppression of Gentile world powers that began with Assyria and continues to the present day, a period of time Jesus calls “ the times of the Gentiles ” in Luke 21.20-24 . And the people will return to God, their stronghold, in their land. Though they have received a double portion for their sins according to Isaiah 40.2, they will again be restored, returning in the hope of God’s grace, and the restoration will be double , befitting Israel’s identity as God’s firstborn nation (see Exodus 4.22 and Jeremiah 31.9 ).

See Isaiah 61.7 .

7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;
instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;
therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;
they shall have everlasting joy.

As a signpost pointing to the eventual overthrow of the Gentile powers, Zechariah prophesies a most unlikely military engagement.

13 For I have bent Judah as my bow ;
     I have made Ephraim its arrow .
I will stir up your sons, O Zion ,
     against your sons, O Greece ,
     and wield you like a warrior's sword .

God pledges to wield Israel’s warriors as His sword, and the sons of Zion will fight against the sons of Greece. This event in 167 BC is known as the Maccabean Revolt . The Seleucid king desecrated the Second Temple and tried to force the Jews to violate the laws of sacrifice and circumcision. A priest named Mattathias and his five sons refused and took up arms against Greece. Fighting an insurgency war, they prevailed over the superior Greek force, and won Jewish independence until Roman occupation began more than 100 years later in 63 BC. See Josephus volume 12 for more.

This wildly improbable victory is a type of the overthrow of the Gentile powers that will precede the coming kingdom of Christ. Zechariah speaks in figurative language about the victory of God and His people, both in the days of the Maccabees and in the future.

14 Then the Lord will appear over them,
    and his arrow will go forth like lightning;
the Lord God will sound the trumpet
    and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.
15 The Lord of hosts will protect them,
    and they shall devour, and tread down the sling stones,
and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine,
    and be full like a bowl,
    drenched like the corners of the altar.

16 On that day the Lord their God will save them,
    as the flock of his people;
for like the jewels of a crown
    they shall shine on his land.
17 For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!
    Grain shall make the young men flourish,
    and new wine the young women.

This passage describes the incredible blessing in store for the believing remnant of the Jewish people. While Israel, more than any other nation, has endured great persecution and suffering, they will also experience God’s great salvation, and like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.

The chapter closes with a benediction of praise: For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!

Application

What can we learn and apply from this text?

First , I want to call you – and myself – to be assured in your faith

Looking backward, God has proven His faithfulness as He has accomplished what He said He would do.

Looking forward, there is much left in God’s word that is yet to be fulfilled. Be assured that you can absolutely trust in the certainty of God’s promise. He sees the end from the beginning, and as all the prophecies of Jesus’s first coming were fulfilled, so all that He has said about His second coming shall surely come to pass.

Second , the future of God’s people is secure. More on that next week.

Third , the Savior-King who rode into Jerusalem on a colt will ride into our world again, this time on a white horse, conquering all His enemies. Revelation 19.11-16

As verse 9 says, we can rejoice greatly, for our King is coming again!

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