Psalm 145:17-21
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
Acts 22:17-29
17 “When I (Paul) had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw him 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.’
21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
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.”
23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 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.
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?”
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.”
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.
There is a real seriousness to Roman road planning. The effects 2,000 years and more are rather amazing. More Roman road was discovered this last year in Israel. It was a High School Jewish Youth group spending the summer discovering about 2.6 miles of Roman road complete with coins of antiquity. The road was near, but not exactly to/from Bethlehem and went to Jerusalem.
So what are the details other than what we easily see?
How is God building these events in History?
These are the years that a donkey is well considered. Donkeys are amazingly affectionate and loyal.
Horses were more dramatic. To join the Roman army, social and wealth ranks were considered. The Gospels and early Acts mention Centurions. But a Military Tribune is specially appointed. A member of the equestrian rank in society. Each Legion had 6 Tribunes appointed. Each legion was composed of about 5,500 men, all professional soldiers who signed on for terms lasting 25 years.
In each Legion, ranked above the centurions were six tribunes. These were men from the equestrian class, the second highest class in the Roman aristocracy, underneath the senatorial class. One tribune was senior in rank to the other five, and was second in command of the legion; he was called the tribunus laticlavius, and was appointed to the post by the provincial governor. Many times Tribunes were about to run for election in the Roman Senate.
There was no Legion stationed in Jerusalem, Pontius Pilate was only the rank of Equestrian so he could not garrison a full legion under his command. Jerusalem was garrisoned by Cohors II Italica, it was only one Auxiliary cohort. Another, probably, at Caesarea.
Each of these auxiliary units would have been commanded by a tribune. There are 10 cohorts in a Legion and Judea had two cohorts.
Other opinions state: two cohorts were based in Jerusalem, one at the Antonia fortress and the other at the old palace, with another of the cohorts being based at Caesarea. Probably there was only two tribunes. When a legion is missing two Tribunes to auxiliary units - trouble is probably expected.
Judea was a suburb to Syria.
Our God is certainly making the Path of Paul memorable. The details are serious.
God has known for some time, Jesus revealed, The Church of Jesus was going to begin in Rome.
So Paul is meeting probably two Tribunes of the Equestrian Rank, since Pilate is equestrian. - these tribunes will probably run for the Roman Senate. In sixteen years, Claudius and Nero.
Tiberius Claudius Nero. Stepson of Augustus, (14–37)
Caligula, grandnephew of Tiberius (37–41) first Emperor god of Roman claims, few real records of Caligula survived, but these were unfavorable mostly.
Claudius, uncle of Caligula (41–54)
Nero, stepson of Claudius (54–68)
Christians started having problems with Judea during Caligula declaring himself a Deity. "Caligula" (meaning "little [soldier's] boot", the diminutive form of caliga) from his father's soldiers. You can bet the Tribunes were asked about their experiences. Three historians record there was a long letter from Pilate to Claudius about Jesus on Good Friday. Lost in history.
God is making sure Paul is going to meet Governor Felix. Governor Felix is correctly called Claudius Felix. His brother was a slave, brought up to freedman to be Secretary of the Treasury for Emperor Claudius. Felix is freed by Claudius and supported by him. He marries Herod Agrippa's daughter, who divorced a king to marry him.
What would seem to Paul's friends as a really incredible disaster is God's Plan.
Mark 4:39-41
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Paul met several storms. One was a shipwreck. All of the storms were in God's Plan.
Abba,
When Jesus went with Peter, Andrew and Phillip
Mark 8
22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even go to village.”
Jesus certainly was healing the man to avoid trouble. We do well to seek peace! With Your Help we will find Peace!
Father God, we ask You to Give us This Day all our days! For Your Kingdom, Power and Glory!
We Thank You for the Joy Jesus has given us to ask more of Your Good Will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven!
We would ask Your Blessings every day. To cover us and those we love in Jesus and His Name. We would have The Living Water of Jesus flow over all those You have given us. Believing You will send the Holy Spirit to sweep our Nation in Your Love and care as we Trust in You. Knowing Your Beloved Children pray in the Name of Jesus covering Your Good Creation daily.
In Jesus we will Rejoice. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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