As Paul, Barnabas and others were teaching God’s word in the flourishing church in Antioch Syria, men came from Jerusalem, men who wrongfully believed that Gentiles had to become Jewish before they could benefit from the salvation of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus. These men brought nothing but conflict and one lesson is “Don’t be them.” Don’t repeat their mistakes in doctrine and as troublemaking. Paul and Barnabas resisted them but the matter had to be brought to the apostles in Jerusalem and to Jerusalem they went.
Persons of Interest
We meet three kings in this chapter, each one a person of interest. The first two kings, Manasseh and Amon, are of interest to lost souls. These two are similar to the two outlaws on the cross next to Christ on His Cross. The first king, Manasseh, was an apostate butcher and anti-Yahweh, yet he gets saved. His son, King Amon is as evil but does not repent and dies young and lost. Lastly we meet King Josiah, a God send.
Do your Job
After Paul had been stoned and dragged from the city of Lystra, miraculously he got up and went back into that city. The next day he and Barnabas departed and went to Derbe where we are told they made many disciples. Then they returned to the places they had established churches and were also chased from. In spite of the hostilities they did their job as disciples of Jesus Christ and made more disciples, even in perilous times.
Prayer Defeats Fatalism
Hezekiah, one of Judah’s most righteous kings, became very sick. The prophet Isaiah went to him to tell the king that he would not recover from this illness. The king was devastated by the news and wept, crying out to Yahweh in a passionate prayer. Yahweh heard his prayer and told Isaiah to return to the king for Yahweh adjusted His will, extending the kings life for fifteen years. Later, the king, in pride showed off too much wealth to Babylonia envoys who came to celebrated his miraculous recovery. Isaiah chastened the king for this and prophesied the consequence which was fulfilled a century later.
Be Determined
Arriving in Lystra, the disciples go to work preaching the Gospel. Paul, in the midst of his sermon discerns a man in the congregation who has faith to be healed from a lifelong handicap. This results in his healing, but witnesses attempted to worship Paul and Barnabas, but they insisted against such worshiped. Satan failed to corrupt the church with false worship, then stirred the Jews from Antioch and Iconium to come to Lystra, instigating the Gentiles to stone Paul to death. But Paul recovered, determined to resist Satan, went back into the city, then headed to another city, determined to preach Christ.
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