God can bring you through it all for His Glory

When we last read about Paul, he stood trial, defending himself before Gov. Felix. Paul’s Jewish accusers, along with their hired lawyer Tertullus, brought false charges against him, accusing him of violating Jewish law, desecrating the temple, and being a religious ringleader creating sedition against Rome. None of those charges against Paul were proven, but Gov. Felix refused to give his judgment until Commander Lysias came down to Caesarea.

Gov. Felix kept Paul under guard and allowed him to have his friends to come and provide for him. After some days went past gov. Felix and his Jewish wife Drusilla would listen to Paul talk about faith in Jesus Christ. But when Paul began to reason about righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come, Felix became afraid, and told Paul to go away until a convenient time he would call for him. Sinners don’t mind hearing about the good things about Jesus, but they don’t want to hear about their sins and having to face divine judgment.

Gov. Felix kept Paul under guard and allowed his friends to come and provide for him. After some days had passed, Gov. Felix and his Jewish wife, Drusilla, listened to Paul talk about faith in Jesus Christ. But when Paul began to reason about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix became afraid and told Paul to go away until a convenient time, when he would call for him. Sinners don’t mind hearing about the good things about Jesus, but they don’t want to hear about their sins and facing divine judgment.

Gov. Felix continued to meet often with Paul, and not once did he come to repentance. He met with Paul only to see whether he would offer a bribe for his release. Felix knew that Paul was innocent of the charges against him, but, fearing the Jews, he left Paul in prison for two years until he was replaced by Governor Festus. Emperor Nero removed Felix because of a riot in Caesarea. As a result, he summoned Felix to return to Rome, and Festus took his place as the new governor.

We are told in Acts 25:1–3“Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.”

When Festus arrived in the province of Judea, he didn’t waste any time going from Caesarea to Jerusalem to meet with the high priest and the chief men, the powerful Jewish Sanhedrin. They were known for pressuring Rome’s political leaders to do their bidding. They were responsible for demanding that Pilate crucify Jesus. These political leaders would do anything to appease these Jewish leaders. As a new governor, Festus needed to meet with these Jewish leaders, build a rapport with them, and appease them.

When the Jewish religious leaders met with Festus, they presented their case against Paul. Because Festus was new to his position, they hoped he would do them a favor and agree to their request to have Paul brought to Jerusalem to face trial. Their real intention was to murder Paul as he traveled from Caesarea to Jerusalem. These religious leaders were wicked, and it shows what some people will do in the name of religion. They were still upset that their first plot to murder Paul two years earlier had failed, and they were determined to murder him by any means necessary. What they didn’t realize was that God had other plans for Paul.

The Jewish religious leaders when they met with Festus presented their case against Paul to him. They wanted Festus who was new to his position would do them a favor and would agree to their request to have Paul brought to Jerusalem to face trail. The reason behind their request was to murder Paul as he traveled from Caesarea to Jerusalem. These religious leaders were wicked and it shows you what some people will do in the name of religion. These religious leaders were still upset that their first plot to murder Paul two years earlier failed and they were determined to murder him by any means necessary. What they didn’t realize God has other plans for Paul.

Acts 25:4–5“But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. “Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him.”

Festus told these Jewish leaders that Paul would be kept at Caesarea and that he himself was going there shortly. If they wanted to bring charges against Paul, they could go down to Caesarea with him and accuse him there to see if he was guilty. Festus unknowingly protected Paul from being murdered. It was God working behind the scenes to protect Paul from being murdered by the Jewish leaders. God’s purpose was to keep Paul safe until he arrived in Rome, fulfilling what the Lord had told Paul 2 years earlier while he sat in prison, Acts 23:11, “But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.””

I want you to pay close attention to what I am going to tell you. No matter how bad your circumstances might be, God is at work behind the scenes, in full control, and He will accomplish His purpose that He has set out for you.

Acts 25:6–8“And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.””

Festus had spent more than 10 days among the Jewish religious leaders, and he returned to Caesarea. The next day, he took his place on the judgment seat known as the bema and ordered that Paul be brought out before him. The trial began when Paul arrived. The Jewish leaders who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and began to build their case against Paul by presenting many serious charges. But they were unable to prove any of those charges. This is reminiscent of the charges brought by Tertullus against Paul 2 years prior to Felix, which couldn’t be proven. In both trials against Paul, there were no witnesses who could testify that he had violated any Jewish laws, desecrated the temple, or was a religious leader attempting to cause sedition against Rome. Paul answered their false accusations and said, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.” Knowing that the lies about him were untrue, he didn’t fly off the handle, like many people do today when falsely accused. He remained calm, respectful, and truthful in his defense. He proclaimed that he was innocent of committing a crime against the law of the Jews, the temple, or Roman laws. When you are being falsely accused, don’t start yelling and flying off the handle to prove your innocence. Just remain calm, respectful, truthful, and trust that God will take care of you.

Acts 25:9 “But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?””

Festus knew that the Jewish religious leaders didn’t present enough evidence against Paul for him to condemn him. But if he let Paul go this would anger the Jewish religious leaders. Like many politicians today, he didn’t care about justice he wanted to do these influential Jewish leaders a favor who originally wanted Paul brought to Jerusalem, and he turns to Paul and asked him if he was willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trail before him and answer to the charges against him. 

Acts 25:10–12 “So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Then Festus, after consulting the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!””

Paul, sensing he didn’t stand a chance of a fair trial in Jerusalem, placed his trust in God and exercised his legal right as a Roman citizen to be judged in a Roman court. Once again, he proclaimed his innocence, stating that he hadn’t done any wrong to the Jews, something that should have been obvious to Festus. In a bold statement to Festus, he told him that if he had done any wrong, he wouldn’t object to being put to death. But if there is nothing in these charges of which these men are accusing him, no one has the right to deliver him over to them. Paul was dead set on not going to Jerusalem. I can’t blame him at all. He knew his outcome would not be in his favor; either he would be murdered before he reached Jerusalem, or, if he went to trial, he would be found guilty.

Paul, in a bold move, then tells Festus, “I appeal to Caesar.” Paul’s appeal to be tried in Rome prompts Festus to consult his council to determine whether it was permissible. Once he knows that, by law, an appeal to Caesar cannot be denied, he says to Paul, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

From a legal standpoint, this was a brilliant move by Paul. He knew his appeal to Caesar couldn’t be denied by Festus because he was a Roman citizen. His appeal to Caesar would also protect him from being murdered by the Jews. As a Roman citizen going to Rome, he had a better chance of getting a fair trial. The charges against him wouldn’t hold up, and he would be found innocent. This was something Festus recognized and would later tell King Agrippa (vv.16-19). 

From a spiritual standpoint, Paul’s appeal to Caesar proved once again that God’s sovereignty protected him from being murdered by the Jews. Early in Paul’s ministry, he wanted to reach Rome to preach the gospel (Acts 19:21, “When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, 'After I have been there, I must also see Rome.’”). But Satan did all he could to prevent him from reaching Rome with the gospel. Paul was beaten by a mob and held in prison, but in God’s providence, the Lord came to Paul (Acts 23:11, “But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.’”). However, before Paul could reach Rome, he was ushered from jail to Caesarea after it was learned that the Jews had plotted to murder him. He had to endure several court hearings to defend himself against his accusers before Felix, Festus, and later King Agrippa before reaching Rome. This lets us witness Paul’s unwavering faith in God and the amazing sovereignty of God, how He has complete control of every event in Paul’s life, and how God’s plans work in unusual ways, even through adversities. This should encourage you to have unwavering faith in God when you are facing trials in your own life. Knowing that God is in complete control of every event you are dealing with and God’s plans work in unusual ways, even through the adversities you are encountering, God can bring you through it all for His Glory.