Shabbat Shalom, everyone. Let us please turn to the book of Acts. We're going to read today in Acts 23:12-35. The theme of this passage is the conspiracy to kill the Apostle Paul. And so listen to the verses and please follow with me. Verse 12: "And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And there were more than 40 which had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and elders and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

Now, therefore, ye with the counsel signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him, and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him." Verse 13: "And when Paul's sister son heard of their lying in wait, he went and he entered into the castle and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain, for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who has something to say unto thee." Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside, privately, and asked him, "What is that thou hast to tell me?" And he said, "The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou would bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly." "But do not thou yield unto them, for there lay in wait for him, of them more than forty men which have bound themselves with an oath,

that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him." "And now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee." So the chief captain then let the young man depart and charge him, "See, thou tell no man that thou hast showed these things to me." "And he called unto him two centurions, saying, make ready two hundred soldiers, to go to Caesarea, and horsemen three score and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night, and provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor." "And he wrote a letter after this manner." "Claudius, Lysias, unto the most excellent governor Felix, sendeth greeting: This

man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them.

Then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accuse him, I brought him forth into their council, whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing. And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers, also to say before thee what they had against him. "Fare will." Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and they brought him by night to Antipatris. "On the moron they left their horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle, who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was, and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, "I will hear thee," said he, "when thine accusers are also come." "And he commended him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall." "This is the end of the reading of the 23rd chapter of the book of Acts." "Interesting passage, brothers and sisters, because this passage really does not give us so much doctrine, does not give us so much teaching of something profound. But what it does show us, beloved brothers and sisters, how the Lord is preserving his servant, who is in the middle of a terrible situation.

How the Lord is helping his own servant, namely the apostle Paul, and delivers him away from those who seek to kill him. You remember when we read about the history of our people Israel, how God had promised to Israel, our nation, that he will go with them in every situation, in various trials, in various problems in the life of the nation, and he promised to them that he will watch over them, and he will protect them, and he will bring them through various situations in the history of the nation of Israel. Some verses come to mind that we find, for example, in Isaiah chapter 43, when God said to Jacob and to Israel, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with thee.

When you go through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. When you walk through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, and Ethiopia and Sibah for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee. Therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not," God said to Israel in Isaiah 43 and verse 5, "For I am with thee. I will bring thy seed from the east, and I will gather them from the west.

I will say to the north, give up, and to the south, keep not back. Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth," and so on. God made many promises to his nation Israel, but he also made many promises to individuals who were serving him and living for him. In the case of the apostle Paul, you remember the last verse in our study together in chapter 23. That was verse 11. The last verse we spoke about in our last ministry meeting. It was the Lord Yeshua the Messiah that appears in a special night vision to the apostle Paul, and he says to him, and if you look back in verse 11 of Acts chapter 23.

He says, "Be of good cheer, Paul, for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome." The Lord Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah, had made a promise to Shaul, to Paul, in order that he will have this encouragement. He's saying to him, "Be of good cheer. I'm going to take care of you. I will encourage you. I will support you. I will preserve you, Shaul, Paul. So just like you witnessed for me in Jerusalem, you will also witness for me in the city of Rome." But he didn't say that it will be easy. He didn't say that he will be without trial and without opposition.

In fact, he already said to him one time, and I please would like you to just for a moment, turn with me back to Acts 9. And you will see what the Lord of glory, the Messiah Yeshua said to Shaul when he became a believer in verse 15 and 16. He says, "Go thy way, for he," speaking to Ananias, to say to Shaul, Paul, "For he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel." And look what he says in verse 16, "For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." You know, Paul, Shaul was chosen as a vessel to serve the Lord, but even when he was elected and Hananiah came to him to tell him what he was going to be elected for, the Lord made sure to tell Hananiah that Paul was chosen to be a vessel, but that he will suffer for the name of Yeshua HaMashiach.

He will suffer for the name of the Messiah. So how many a times, beloved brothers and sisters, the Apostle Paul had experienced persecutions and sufferings, and in many times he even endangered his own life. One of those times that we see of him is being in danger of losing his life, being killed, is right here in chapter 23, and verses 12 to 35. In those verses we see, first of all, the plan of those who wanted to kill him. And then we see how his relative, his nephew, reported of this conspiracy. And then we find out how the chief captain gave a plan to deliver him out of those who wanted to kill Paul.

And finally we find the letter that the chief captain is writing to the governor Felix in Caesarea. And at the end of the chapter we find out the deliverance of Paul and the arrival to Caesarea. Those five things that we have here in this latter part of Acts chapter 23. So let's begin, first of all, with the plan to kill Paul by his very own brethren. Now, you notice that, beloved brothers and sisters, that the reason that the Jewish people wanted to kill these Jewish men by the name of Paul, Shaul, is because as far as they were concerned, he was introducing something that was not the way of God.

Now, we know very well that what Paul was introducing and teaching was definitely the ways of God. It was the way of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who promised that once upon a time the Messiah will come and he will die for the sin of this world and he will be rejected. That was promised by the God of Israel long before the church was born. These promises of the coming of the Messiah was given to our forefathers many years. But in time when it actually happened and the Messiah came, lived, died, was resurrected and ascended, the nation did not accept him. So now they also do not accept those that follow the Messiah, Yeshua.

You remember what Yeshua said? And I also want to point out to that, in the Gospel of John, in chapter 16, in the first three verses, the disciples of Yeshua heard this message from the Lord Jesus who said to them, John 16 verses 1 to 3, These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogue, yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he does God's service. And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me. That was a hard word that Yeshua the Messiah told his Jewish disciples, his followers in the city of Jerusalem, who loved the nation of Israel, who were part of the nation.

But he already warned them that because of their faith in him, they will be rejected. By the way, he noticed that in John 16, when Yeshua mentioned it to the disciples, it was long before he died, long before the church was born. He was already preparing the disciples for the time that will come for the church age, in which he knew, maybe they did not know immediately, that they will be rejected because they followed after him. And so they could identify with him. Whosoever going to kill you will think that he does God a service. And he spoke, of course, about his own people, the nation, because Israel, even up till today, when they reject us as believers in Yeshua, they think that they're doing God a service.

They think that those of us who are Jewish, like Paul, like Peter, like James, like Jude, and like many others, including ourselves who are Jewish believers. They think that we have deviated from the word of God. We have deviated from the promises to our fathers. They don't understand that the opposite have really happened. And that we have actually accepted what the Tanakh speaks of concerning the Messiah. And that by believing in Yeshua, we really submitted to what God had spoken in his word. And that they need to consider the person and the claims of Yeshua, the Messiah. So Paul, though he was not one of those disciples that Yeshua spoke to in John 16, though he was one of those people who persecuted the believers.

Now his turn is coming. And now the fulfillment of what was promised to him came to pass that they will seek to kill him and that he will suffer many things for the name of Yeshua, the Messiah. So here is the plan to kill Paul in verses 12 to 15 of Acts chapter 23. And when it was day certain of the Jews. Now notice it is the Jewish people, meaning that this was a story that had existed within the nation of Israel. Paul was Jewish and the religious leader was Jewish. Paul, as far as they're concerned, have gone astray. They got to deal with this false teaching as far as they're concerned.

Wrongfully, of course. When the day came, certain of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. In other words, you know, they made a vow, if you will. It says here the word, they bound themselves under a curse. The word here for a curse comes from the Greek word anathema. And anathema means simply devoted to destruction. What did they really say? They made a vow. They made, as it says here, they bound themselves under anathema, saying we have to deal with this thing that this man is teaching. And therefore they sought to slay him.

And so they say we are not going to eat anything. Neither we would drink anything until we have killed Paul. This is verse 12. And in verse 13, we see who were those that made this conspiracy and how many of them. It says in verse 13 that there were more than 40, which had made this conspiracy. Now, conspiracy, it's a plan. They had a plan. Their plan was they are going to deal with this man by the name of Paul and they are going to kill him. They are going to kill him. They are not going to eat. They are not going to drink until they are going to kill him.

Now, by the way, this happened almost 2000 years ago. But over church history, this kind of thing has happened to many believers among the Gentile world. And many lost their lives among the nations of the world, whether it is in Africa, whether it is in communism, Russia, whether it is in China. Many believers, because their faith in Yeshua, the Messiah, were killed and lost their life by their own countrymen because they made a decision to follow the Lord. Many lost their life. In this case, of course, it happened in first century because everything began from Judea, from Jerusalem, and then went to the rest of the world.

Because a Jewish man is being accused by his own Jewish brethren because of his faith in the Messiah. So they made this decision. The plan was to kill him by 40 persons who vowed and made a promise not to eat, not to drink anything until they would kill this man by the name of Paul. Now, he was a threatening to them because of what he taught. He was teaching that the Messiah had come. They did not accept that Jesus, that Yeshua was the Messiah. He taught that sins can be forgiven to anyone who would believe in the person of Yeshua, the Messiah. They were still under the law.

They did not accept the fact that the Messiah had come. There was two conflicting messages, if you will. The one was speaking about the waiting for the Messiah and the Messiah hadn't come. The other was saying the Messiah have come and Yeshua is his name. And the price that he paid for our sin was his death, burial, and resurrection. And so here is the ones that were pounding themselves with this purpose to kill the Apostle Paul. In verse 14 and verse 15, we see the conspirators, how they share their ambitions with the leaders of Israel. There were 40 of them. There were 40 of them. They may be Jewish people who came from the diaspora, from Asia Minor, who heard and knew what Paul was sharing, the message of the Gospel already in his three missionary journeys.

And they came to Jerusalem, they wanted to worship in Jerusalem and temple. And here now they have a conspiracy against him. And notice what they are doing. They are trying to involve the whole council, the whole Sanhedrin on that plan. And so in verse 14, the conspirators shared their ambitions with the leaders of Israel. It says they came to the chief priests and the elders and they said to them, we have bound ourselves under a great curse, under a great anathema, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. So they shared it with the leaders. They said to the leaders, the chief priests and the elders, that they want them to speak to the whole council and that together with the council, the Sanhedrin, the Sanhedrin, they will come about and fulfill their ambition to kill the apostle Paul.

And so in verse 15, we find out that the conspirators plan itself. Look at their plan. They said in verse 15, now, therefore, you, this is the leaders, you with the council, signify or make a sign to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow. As though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him. And we, or ever he cometh near, we are ready to kill him. So you know what these 40 people said? They said to the elders of Israel, he says, you know what? You call the captain, tell him to bring Paul as if you're going to ask him some question and bring him this time, not that you're going to the castle, but bring him out of the castle into the temple compound where the council is gathering in some of the sections there and have Paul in our midst.

And say to the chief captain that you want to inquire of Paul more perfectly concerning what he believes or what he's doing and what he's saying. And then we can be sure, he says, we, when he comes near, are ready to get up and kill him. And kill him. What a plan to kill the apostle Paul. But can you imagine, brothers and sisters, you know, it's said that in religion, whether it is our own people, the Jewish people historically, or whether it is Christianity or Christendom, or whether it is all sorts of religious groups around the world, all names that we can give today to many religious groups.

It is amazing how you can worship God, praise God, go to temple, if you will, or go to church meeting, and at the same time plan to murder. It seems to be like a contradiction. Instead of committing things to God, you are making a plan to kill someone by making a vow to do something that God is strictly command not to do. You remember one of the commandments that we have in the book of Exodus, "Thou shalt not murder." And yet, here's a plan. And the plan to do it with the religious leaders. And we don't have to talk about what happened over the generation, whether it is in church history, with the leaders of the time in the dark ages, and what happened in the name of God or the name of Yeshua, what happened in the name of other religions, whether it is Islam or Hinduism and so on, which we don't even have any ideas.

But in the name of religion, when God is not really submitted to, things have happened. And we fail in it so much. And here's the plan. You know, usually when you say, "I'm going to fast, I'm not going to eat, I'm not going to drink, it's because I have a burden for somebody." You know, sometimes we say, "I'm so concerned about the salvation of someone, or because of my family, or because of the situation in certain countries, I'm going to eliminate necessary things from my body in order to be so devoted to prayer and fasting that something that God will give an answer." But here, it seems to be the opposite.

I will not eat, I will not drink, and then I'll kill. It's not I will pray for him, I will ask God to restore him, but no, it's exactly the opposite. And again, I want to mention, while it is the context here is what happened historically to the Apostle Paul among his own Jewish brethren, these things is not to point to because it happened everywhere in church history, in other history of many other religions. It happened the very same thing. That just shows us the nature that man has. In sin, David says, did my mother conceive me. And all of us all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

And so here in the first verses 12, 13, 14, 15, the plan to kill Paul. But then look what happened, how God intervenes. And even though we don't see necessarily God speaking from heaven, but we see how things are working behind the scene. And here we find out that Paul's sister's son is reporting the conspiracy to Paul. Now you can see how interesting because it says in verse 16, And when Paul's sister son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle and told Paul. Now let's just pause here for a moment. Very interesting here because now what Paul's sister son is doing in this close high community, if you will, of the priests and the leaders of Israel.

How does he hear this conspiracy? It was supposed to be quiet only within the Sanhedrin or the council. How does he know that? Well, apparently, first of all, we know that Paul, Shaul, though he was from Cilicia. And if you remember that we read of him, that he was of Tarsus or Cilicia, was a Jew that he was born in Tarsus. But he lived and he grew up in this city, as he mentioned in chapter 21, when he says that I am a man which am a Jew. You remember, you remember, a city of Cilicia, a citizen of Nomin city, and so on. And he actually grew under the instruction of Gamliel in the city of Jerusalem.

And apparently he may have a family there that have lived in the city of Jerusalem. And we find also that he had a sister. We don't have her name here. And her sister apparently have a son, his nephew. And we don't read that any of his family became believers in our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. It seemed to be that he lost everything for the sake of the Messiah, including his own family. You know, there is a verse in Philippians chapter 3 and verse 8, where the Apostle Paul said, Yeah, doubtless, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of the Messiah, Yeshua, my Lord.

And then he said, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Messiah. You notice, Paul said, I have suffered the loss of all things. He have lost perhaps even his relationship with his family for the name of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. What a man he have been, this Shaul, Paul. But we find now, very interesting, that even though he may not have this connection or communication anymore with his family. And by the way, most of us who are Jewish believers experience this regularly as well. In a small way, of course. Many of our families do not want to speak to us anymore.

They don't want to hear about the message of Yeshua. They reject this message. They don't understand us. They think we have gone so wrong by believing that Yeshua, the Jesus, our Lord, is the Messiah. Some are opening to us a little. But in general, it's really something that happened to the Jewish believers throughout the last 2,000 years of church history. But you can see that even though Paul's sister might have had some link or some connection with the Sanhedrin or with the council. Because the very fact that he hears, her son hears that. It shows us that the family still had some dignity with respect to the word of God.

And when this young man heard about this conspiracy, perhaps he was thinking of the verse that we read earlier in Exodus chapter 23, where God said to his people Israel, "Thou shall not follow a multitude to do evil." Exodus 23 and verse 2. And what he was seeing, this nephew of Paul, he was seeing the multitude was going to do something wrong. They were going to do evil. They are planning to kill this man. And he did not want to follow that. There was some dignity you can see here. How beautiful to see. So what does he do? The nephew that heard that, he came and he told this to Paul.

Now how could he get in? He must have a way to get in. And he got to Paul, apparently, you see, because Paul was a Roman, so the chief captain had to give him some privileges. And because he was also, if you remember, he called himself, "I was a Pharisee of the Pharisees." He must have had some position in the past among the leaders of Israel. And so he, therefore, had his family could come in. And as we see in verse 16, when Paul's sister son heard of their laying in wait, he went and he entered into the castle. Now again, this is the Antonia fortress.

And he told this to Paul. Apparently, he could somehow get in, get the permission to get in. And he told to Paul. Well, there were 40 men who made a vow. And these 40 men put themselves under a curse. They said that they would neither eat nor drink until they are going to kill you, Paul. That's what his nephew had said to the apostle Paul. And so, immediately, when Paul heard this in verse 17 and 18, Paul requested from the centurion to bring his nephew, his sister's son, to the chief captain. So, we read here in verse 17 and 18, "Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and he said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain, for he has a certain thing to tell him." So, that centurion took him.

You remember, again, I want to suggest here today, beloved brothers and sisters, Because Paul was also a Roman citizen, he had certain privileges, certain rights. They could not bound him. They could not hit him. They would allow him to hear someone. They couldn't even accuse him. There was nothing to accuse him. They couldn't find any fault in him. So, the very fact that they kept him in a castle was, in a sense, still allowed him to have all these privileges. So, here, the chief captain now needed to hear what the young man said to the apostle Paul. So, we read that he took him, the centurion, in verse 18, and he brought him to the chief captain, and he said, "Paul, the prisoner, called me unto him, and he asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who has something to say unto thee." So, the centurion brought Paul's sister son, Paul's nephew.

He took him inside, even closer to the chief captain. And you notice how many times that particular chief captain is being mentioned. Because all this event, this chief captain, end up to spend a lot of time around this subject of what Paul believed, and what Paul stood for. And so, in those verses 17 and 18, the request from the centurion, and he actually brought him to the chief captain. He brought Paul's sister son to the chief captain. Here's the deliberation. It says here in verse 19, "Then the chief captain took him," this young man, "and he took him by the hand. He went with him aside privately, and he asked him, "What is that you have to tell me?" And so he said unto him, "The Jews have agreed to desire thee that you would bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would inquire something somewhat of him more perfect." By the way, you notice the word down.

It mentioned more than once the word down. Why? Because there were steps from the temple mound, the temple compound, steps in order to go to the castle. And there, in order to come out, he needed to come down. And this time, to bring him down from the castle, Antonia Fortress, to bring him into the temple mound, into the compound where he could be heard by the council. So, the young man saying to the captain, "You know, that is their plan." But, he said to him in the next verses, he said to him in verse 21, "But do not do so. Don't yield unto them, for there lay in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink until they have killed him.

And now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee." So, he told him the whole story. He told him the plan. He told him what happened. Now, it's interesting, brothers and sisters, that the captain were listening to this young man. You might say, "Ah, what does this young man have to say? Who believed? Maybe it's not true. Maybe he's just giving me all kind of story to try to help this man by the name of Paul." But, he listened to him. He heard what he has to say. And, apparently, he believed him, because in the next verse, in verse 22, the chief captain, he let the young man depart.

This is Paul's sister son. And, he charged him. He says, "See, thou tell no man that thou had showed these things unto me." So, apparently, he believed him. And, he charged him. He says, "Listen, you told me what the plan is. Go away. Don't tell anyone what you have told me." Again, brothers and sisters, I would like to suggest that this nephew of the apostle Paul have endangered himself. He have really made a decision, in a sense, to help his uncle. And, he endangered himself. Now, he may not have come yet to faith in a Messiah. We do not know what happened to Paul's family later on.

But, Paul, by virtue of trusting that Yeshua was the Messiah, lost a relationship, even with his very own family. That must have been so grieving to his heart. And, now, he is in danger of being killed. And, so, in those verses we have learned today about Paul's sister son report. And, how the chief captain really grasped it, believed it. And, now, you can see how he is going to act upon that. And, again, allow me to just mention that you can see the providence of God. You can see that behind the scenes, you know, God is working. And, like in your life and in my life, certain things happen to us in our lives.

And, we don't even realize that behind the scenes there is the providence of God. He preserved his own people. How many a time? Maybe we could have had, let's say, an accident, so-called accident. Whether it is a car accident. Or, whether it is a danger that has happened. And, how, by the grace of God, we have been preserved in a way that God has just, you know, just preserved us. Many people tell stories of, let's say, they were supposed to go on a plane. And, then, something happened. They delayed the plane. The plane flew. And, they did not go on the plane. And, then, what happened is that some accident happened in the plane.

Something had happened. And, they were preserved from those kind of things that would have happened today had they would have been on that plane. So, you can just see of the ways that God is dealing with us. And, so, this shows us that the verse in Romans 8 and verse 28. For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. We can see that even such an event as this, where Paul was endangered in his life as he followed the Lord. There was a danger to his life. You can see that it is also through the hand of the Lord.

And, we are now in chapter 23 of Acts. And, we continue now from verse 23 to verse 24. And, we can see how the chief captain really planned to deliver Paul from the hands of these individuals who have vowed to kill him. And, so, we find in verse 23 and verse 24, the plan. Now, this time, it is not the plan of those 40 Jewish people who wanted to kill Paul. Here, we find the plan of the commander, the chief captain of delivering the apostle Paul. It is found in verse 23 and verse 24. He, the chief captain, called unto him two centurions. And, he said, make ready 200 soldiers for to go to Caesarea, Caesarea.

By the way, Caesarea is about 65 miles from Jerusalem. It's about 100 kilometers, a little bit over 100 kilometers from Jerusalem. And, it is on the coast, on the Mediterranean. It is an amazing place to see where Caesarea was a Roman city. Apparently, at that time, it was a beautiful city. And, there, the governor, Felix, was there. And, that's where the place where the Romans had their station in that city. One of the stations in the land of Israel. So, it's about 65 miles from Yerushalayim. And, what is that chief captain is saying? He says, take 200 soldiers to go to Caesarea. But, he adds, listen. Take an horseman, 3 score and 10.

This is 70. And, then, he said, and a spareman, 200. Now, you take 470 soldiers to bring the apostle Paul 65 miles from Yerushalayim to Caesarea. 470. This is including, of course, the 70 horsemen that were to go. In other words, 70 horses and those that are horsemen sitting upon them. To bring one man from Yerushalayim to Caesarea. Can you imagine? 470. 570. Now, that shows to us how Sansei was this chief captain. And, how he really wanted Paul to be delivered out of the hands of those who sought to kill him. And, so, now he's telling them when they are to do that. Because, in verse 23, he said, at the third hour of the night.

Now, the Bible gives us the third hour of the day, but also the third hour of the night. You remember that the Bible shows us that there were division of the day and the night. You remember when the Lord Jesus, when Yeshua the Messiah died on the tree. We find out that in Mark 15, verse 25, that it was the third hour and they crucified him. Now, this is the third hour of the day. It's nine o'clock in the morning. They put the Lord on the tree at nine o'clock in the morning. And then, when it was the sixth hour, there was darkness over the whole earth.

This is verse 33 of Mark, chapter 15. The sixth hour was 12 noon. And then, it says, until the ninth hour. And in the ninth hour of the day, Yeshua cried with a loud voice, Elohi, Elohi, lama shvaktani. My God, my God, why have thou forsaken me? It was on the ninth hour. That was 3:00 p.m. about. By the time we get to the twelfth hour, that will be 6:00 p.m. Now, here we find out that when the Lord was on the cross, of course, it was the third hour of the day. But in the case of the Apostle Paul to be driven and taken away to Kessiah, it was the third hour.

But notice that the Bible had the third hour of the night. So, here we find out that it was about, and we give an approximate, 9:00 p.m. It was an evening session where he was going to get the Apostle Paul in a haste out of the city of Jerusalem, lest he be killed by those who made that vow. And so, we find out that this was the plan. And you notice what he did in verse 24. He provided them with beasts, verse 24, that they may set Paul on and bring him safe unto Felix the governor. So, what we have in those two verses is the plan of the chief captain to deliver the Apostle Paul from the hands of those who sought to kill him.

And sure, it's going to happen, 470 soldiers to take care of this situation. There was a lot of soldiers covering him, protecting him, in order to bring him into the governor that is in Kessiah by the name of Felix. Now, apparently, this governor that he's going to be standing before him, Felix, was the cruel man, apparently. He was a wicked man. He was the one that became the governor. And he ended up, of course, being the governor under which Paul had to stand and explain to him certain things. Why he believed in what he believed and why he was accused. And Paul was going to stand before him.

But first of all, that chief captain had to write a letter for the reason why Paul had to stand before him. And so, what does he do? He gave us the plan, verse 23 and 24. And then verse 25 to verse 30, he writes a letter to Felix, the governor. And notice, it was a nice letter, but he didn't tell him everything. It was kind of, you know, sometimes when we write a letter, we kind of make it a little nicer. We kind of change a few things just to make it appear a little bit nicer when we write something. So, look what he's writing in verse 25 to 30. And he wrote a letter after this manner.

In verse 26, we find out the first time what is the name of this man who was the chief captain. His name was Claudius Lysias. And you know, when we write a letter, we usually write a letter and we sign our name at the end of the letter, you know. We usually say in Messiah or Shalom, Gideon, Levitam. We today write and sign our name at the end. But in those days, the writer put his name first of all. He began, and so you can see, Claudius Lysias, unto the most excellent governor Felix, send us greeting. This man was taken of the Jews and should have been killed of them.

Then came I with an army, and I rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council, whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law. But to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the men, I sent straightway to thee and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. And he closed the letter with farewell at the end of verse 30. So here's that letter, verse 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30.

It's just a letter, a short letter. But if you notice, at least one thing that he was not writing correctly, because it says in verse 27, pointing to the rescue of Paul, He says, "This man was taken of the Jews and should have been killed of them. Then came I with an army and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman." But if you remember, he only understood that he was a Roman after he brought him into the castle, and after he bound him, and they were ready to hit him. And then Paul said, "Are you going to hit a Roman citizen?" And it was then that he found out that he was a Roman.

Just turn back for a moment to chapter 22, verse 25. "And as they bound him." And that's what happened before. "With tongues." Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned?" When the centurion heard that, he went and he told it to the chief captain, saying, "Take heed that thou, what you're doing, because this man is a Roman." And the chief captain came, and he said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" And he said, "Yeah." And the chief captain answered, "With a great sum obtain I this, freedom." And Paul said, "But I was free born." So you see what he did in verse 27 of our chapter, Acts chapter 23, in the letter that he was writing to Felix the governor, he was actually not telling the whole truth because he said, "I rescued him when I understood that he was a Roman." But the truth of the matter, you didn't know that he was a Roman.

You rescued him, yes. But you bound him, and you were ready to scourge him. And then Paul said to the centurion, "Are you going to scourge a man that is a Roman?" And he understood that they should not have bound him or accused him without anything that he was guilty of. And that's why he stopped doing all this to him. So he kind of paint the letter a little bit, makes it nicer for himself. You and I are sometimes doing this as well. We kind of write something, but we kind of change the words a little bit, change certain things just to make us appear a little better.

And you know what? He knew very well that by doing what he did, he shouldn't have done what he had done. And he didn't want to endanger himself any further. So he said in verse 27 that I understood that he was a Roman because then I rescued him. And so anyway, verses 25 to verse 30, we see that he's writing this letter to the governor Felix in Kessaria. Notice how he closed that letter. When it was told me that the Jews laid wait for him, I straightway sent him to you. And I gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they have against this man, against him.

Farewell. That's how he closed the letter. In other words, what he did, he moved the responsibility of decision making from himself in the castle, Antonia Fortress, to Felix, the governor, who was situated in Kessaria. And so now things have been shifting and moving now to Kessaria. And so the final verses is verses 31 to 35. And here we find how Paul was delivered and how he arrived to Kessaria. And we read in first of all in verse 31. And the soldiers, as it was commanded them, they took Paul and they brought him. And notice again, it was by night. If you remember, we read earlier that it was the third hour of the night, verse 23.

Here we find out that it was by night. How many times the apostle Paul had been delivered by night? How many times he was delivered by his own brethren in a certain situation who took him by night and took him away from various occasions where he experienced persecution. Here they take him by night and they move him. Notice they took him, they brought him by night to Antipatris. This is a city that is situated about 37 miles away from Jerusalem. The Hebrew name of this city is actually Afeq. And this city is situated just between Jaffo and Kessaria. So all this journey of 37 miles they have done that night.

Can you imagine 37 miles? And some of them were riding horses. Some of them were walking. And they were walking for this long journey by night all the way to the place that is called Antipatris. Afeq. Afeq. A city between Jaffo and Kessaria on the shore of the Mediterranean there in the land of Israel. And verse 32. It says here on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with Paul, with him. And they returned to the castle. You see, those that came returned. And the horsemen with the horses. I guess it's the rest of the 70 soldiers that came on horses. They were the ones that continued to follow, to take Paul all the way to Kessaria.

And the rest of them returned to the castle, to the city of Jerusalem. In verse 33. When they came to Kessaria, they delivered the epistle. This is the letter. To the governor. And presented Paul also before him. All that long journey that they have had overnight. The next day they continue. Arrive to Kessaria. And you remember that we said that Kessaria is about 65 miles. So they took a 37 mile. They needed to have about 28 more miles the following day. Long journey until they have arrived to the city of Kessaria. They gave the letter to this governor, Felix. And they presented Paul before him. And then we find that closing remarks here.

When the governor have read the letter. He asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia. He said, I will hear thee. When thine accusers are also going to come. And he commended that he will be kept in Herod's judgment hall. In other words. Phyllis did not yet start the court session. He said, I will wait until the accusers come. And if you remember brothers and sisters. The accusers. This is those that have accused that Paul did something wrong. From the city of Jerusalem. They would come to Kessaria. And they will stand before Felix. And they will stand before Felix.

Accusing Paul. Of what they believe. That he have done wrong. Now it's beautiful. Because when we take groups to visit the land of the Bible. One of the cities that we take them to see. Is Kessaria. And we can see much of the remains of the city of Kessaria. And it is extremely interesting to open those Bible passages. And to read those events that occur in this area. Such as Kessaria. Now in closing. I just want to make a few remarks here. Concerning the apostle Paul. And I think it's good for us to bear this in mind. You know Yeshua promised Paul suffering. Suffering is not something that the believers.

Any one of us like to experience in our life. We don't like suffering. In fact if you remember. When God had placed Adam and Eve. In the beginning of creation. In Genesis we read. In chapter 2 and chapter 3. He placed them in the garden. We call it in Hebrew. Gan Eden. The garden of delight. In a place where they had everything. They had so much blessings in this garden. All the fruit they could eat. All the vegetables they could eat. There was no suffering. No sin. No sorrow. They had all the blessings that men could ever wish. But as we have studied and talked about it.

Men decided to disobey the word of God. And to plunge the human race into sin. And we find by disobedience. Sin came. And when sin came. Death came. And when death came. Judgment came. And sorrow came. Upon this world. And upon each and every one of us. The experience of sorrows. And trials. And suffering. Became part of the human race. Everywhere you look today. You look to the Middle East. You look to the Far East. You look everywhere. To Europe. And North America. There are problems. And all sorts of trials. That happen here in this world. So God. Wanted to end this. And to bring us.

To a far higher place. Than even the Garden of Eden. And so he sent his son. The Messiah. And the Messiah. Came to this world. You would think that the world would say. Here is the Messiah. Here is Christos. Christ. We will accept him. And we will invite him. And we will have a change. Here in this world. But instead of accepting him. They rejected him. And they still reject him today. 2,000 years have passed by. And Yeshua. Is still rejected by men. And despised. By the human race. And those who follow him. Throughout these 2,000 years of church history. Those who follow him. Somehow. Have identified with his rejection.

Here in this world. And so the Apostle Paul. Became an example. Of believers. That if we follow the Lord. There will be a rejection. Here. In this world. The world. Do not want to hear. About the person. Of the Lord. Jesus the Messiah. But throughout. The history of the Apostle Paul. Who became this great example. He has suffered so much. Because of his faith. His faith. In the Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. The Messiah. Just in closing. Bear with me. Go back to a few verses. And I'm just going to read them. And move on. And we're going to close. In those verses. I want you to turn to Acts chapter 9.

First of all. In verse 22. We find out how. Again and again. The Apostle Paul. Have experienced. Persecution. In his life. As a follower. Of Yeshua. The Messiah. Verse 22. Of Acts chapter 9. And Shaul. Increased. The more. In strength. And confounded. The Jewish people. Which dwelt in Damascus. Proving. That this is the very Messiah. And after many days. Were fulfilled. They took counsel. The Jews took counsel. To kill him. But the laying in wait. Was known to Shaul. And they watched the gates. Day and night. To kill him. Then the disciples. Took him by night. And led. Led. Him down. By the wall. In a basket. This is the first experience.

That this man. Have experienced. The very time. That he became. Just a believer. Already. He was misunderstood. And rejected. By the very own. People. Whom he loved. So much. His own brother. Notice in verse 29. Of this same chapter. Acts 9. And he spake. Boldly. In the name of the Lord. Yeshua. And he disputed. Against the Grecians. And they. Went. About. To slay him. Here's again. The apostle. Is experiencing. Persecution. Those who seek. To slay him. Look at chapter 13. Of the book of Acts. In verse 50. And 51. Where we read this. About the apostle. We read. But again. It is his own brethren. Who misunderstood him. But the Jews.

Stored up. A devout. And honorable women. And the chief men. Of the city. And they raised. Persecution. Against Paul. And Barnabas. And expelled them. Out of the coast. You notice that. And they shook. The dust. Of their feet. Against them. And they came. Into. Again. You notice. That. The chief men. Of the city. Raised. The persecution. Against. Paul. And Barnabas. And expelled. Them. Out. Of. Their coast. This is. In chapter 13. Now notice. In chapter 14. Verses. 19. And 20. Where we read this. And they came. Thither. This is. To Lystra. Certain Jews. From Antioch. And. Paul. They drew him. Out of the city. Supposed. That he had been.

Dead. However. The disciples. Stood round. About him. He rose up. And he came. Into the city. And the next day. He departed. With Barnabas. To Derby. Again. You notice. In Lystra. Also. They stoned him. And they assumed. That he. Was. Dead. This is chapter 14. Verses. 19. And 20. Just turn to chapter 18. For a moment. And look at verse 12. What we read. We have gone over that. As well. In verse 12. It says. When Galios. As a deputy. Of Achaia. The Jews. Made. Insurrection. With one accord. Against Paul. And brought him. To the judgment seat. Saying. This fellow. Persuade. This man. To worship God. Contrary to the law. And when Paul.

Paul. Was now. About. To open his mouth. Galios. Said. Unto the Jews. If. It. Were. A matter. A wrong. Or wicked. With you. But. If it be a question. Of words. And names. Of your law. Look. Ye. To it. For I. Will be. No judge. Of such. A matter. Strayed. With them. From the judgment seat. And all. The Greeks. Took. The chief ruler. Of the synagogue. And beat him. Before the judgment seat. And Gaios. Cared for none. Of those. Things. And you can see. Here. They also. Were. Going. Against Paul. Because he. Preached. The message. Of Yeshua. The Messiah. And finally. In chapter 20. Where we have covered.

Already. Verse 19. We read. That. Serving the Lord. With all. Humility. Of mine. And with. Many. Tears. And. Testing. Or trials. Which. Befall. Me. By. The laying. Weight. Of. The Jewish people. Now. Again. Brothers. And sisters. I'm pointing. This out. To all of us. Because. Paul. Believers. Meshichim. Around the world. Suffering. From their own. Nations. And own. People. In many. Countries. In many. Lands. In many. Portions. Of. The world. Today. chapter 2. And. Verse. 14. Paul. Writing. To the. Gentiles. Believers. In. Thessalonica. And. He said. To them. Ye. Brethren. Became. Followers. Of. The churches. Of. God. Which. Are. In. Judah. Which. Is. In. Judea. Are. In. The. Messiah.

Yeshua. For. Ye. Also. Have. Suffered. Like. Things. Of. Your. They. Have. Of. The. Jewish. People. Now. Notice. That. He. Saying. To the. Thessalonians. In. Verse. 14. Says. You. Believers. In. Thessalonica. Suffered. From. Your. Own. Countryman. This. Is. A. Real. Thing. Beloved. Brothers. And. The. Life. Of. The. Believer. Our. People. Often. Time. Misunderstand. Us. Our. Families. Often. Time. Do. Not. Understand. Him. The. Brethren. Their. Own. People. And. Families. Did. Not. Understand. Him. Willing. To. Continue. To. Follow. What. You. Understood. Concerning. The. Person. Of. Our. Lord. Yeshua. The. Messiah. Well. May. The. Lord. Just. Help. Us. And. Preserve. Us. Because. It. Is. Easy. To. Read. The. Text. It.

Is. Easy. To. Talk. About. This. Text. But. It's. Another. Thing. To. Identify. Like. The. Apostle. Paul. With. A. Rejected. Messiah. In. A. World. That. Do. Not. Want. To. The. Lord. Bless. These. Thoughts. To. All. Of. Us. As. We.