March 16, 2022: Day 58 – Acts 25-28 and Psalm 2 and Proverbs 26

We come to the end of the Acts of the Apostles with Paul still under lock and key and on his way to Rome since he appealed to Caesar.  Paul continues to swear his innocence to Festus and Felix and now King Agrippa enters the picture as well.  King Agrippa was really the next Herod in a long line of Herod’s who was in charge of that region and actually was pretty active in persecuting Christians.  It is surprising that he would sit still and listen to Paul since he was so active in persecuting Christians historically.  

Paul makes his way to Rome and his boat shipwrecks, but he ends up saving the lives of all of the sailors because and angel of God told him to take courage, not a one of them would die.  As the men tried to flee the ship, Paul encourages them to stay on, and as a result they are all saved.  He does make it to Rome where he becomes an instant celebrity.  The story ends there, but it is thought that Paul eventually dies while a “prisoner” in Rome.  We read that he was able to live on his own with only one guard watching him.  Sounds like house arrest where he doesn’t have to really stay in his house.

Psalm 2 gives us a reminder that God is over not only the heavens and the earth, but also over all the kingdoms and he is the one who makes them rise and fall.  Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.  Proverbs was once described as a cross country trip with your mother-in-law.  Here the advice we are given is to keep an eye open for fools and don’t give them the light of day or else you will be counted in their company.  Pretty harsh advice, but I didn’t write it.