God’s Hidden Hand In Our Hardship
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Pastoral Prayer
Pray for Joe Cordova
Pray for those who may be suffering in silence.
Pray for forgiveness, cleansing, and repentance individually and corporately.
[SLIDE 1] Introduction
If you have your Bible, then please turn to Acts 23:12-35.
Illustration
Imagine an iceberg majestically floating in the ocean. Above the water's surface, we see a victorious athlete, basking in the glory of their accomplishments. The world applauds the medals won and records broken, seeing only the visible triumph.
[SLIDE 2] But underneath the water lies the hidden truth—the unseen hours of relentless training, painful sacrifices, and unwavering discipline.
The athlete endured the grueling workouts, pushed through the pain, and persevered when no one was watching.
Likewise, in our lives, we often experience suffering and hardship. Above the surface, we may feel overwhelmed by challenges, wondering why God allows suffering to happen to us. We might question His presence during our trials. We are unable to see the purpose behind our pain.
Yet, like the iceberg, God's hand is at work beneath the surface. In the depths of our suffering, He is molding us, strengthening our faith, and refining our character.
Additionally, God is working in mysterious ways we may never understand, but He is guiding us through the stormy seas of life.
Just as the athlete's hidden efforts can sometimes lead to visible triumph, God's hidden work in our suffering can sometimes lead to deliverance of His people.
[SLIDE 3] Today, I’m going to talk about God’s Hidden Hand In Our Hardship.
So, let me ask you two questions:
First, are you going through hardship right now? (or are you suffering?)
Second, what do you believe about God in your suffering?
Biblical Theology
God works in mysterious ways with His hand hidden, almost always behind the scenes.
This concept is known as God’s providence.
God’s providence means that “God mysteriously and sovereignly works out all events and details in this world to accomplish His ultimate purpose for His glory and for our own good.”
Throughout the story of the Bible, the providence of God is evident. For example:
The book of Ruth. God sovereignly gave Ruth to Naomi as her daughter-in-law so that Ruth would work in the field of Boaz, so as to deliver Naomi from destitution.
The book of Esther. God is not even mentioned once, but God sovereignly established Esther as the Queen of Persia for the purpose of saving the Jewish people from Haman’ evil plot.
In Acts 8, God put Philip in the right place at the right time to evangelize to the Ethiopian Eunuch so that he can come to know the Lord Jesus.
And this passage is no different.
Context
Paul is in the barricks of Jerusalem under arrest by the Roman authorities because the Jews made a couple of false accusations against Paul.
We recall earlier in Acts 23 that Paul was testifying and made his defense before the Sanhedrin, namely the Jewish council at the temple in Jerusalem.
However, Paul was about to be torn in pieces, and so the tribune brought him back into the barracks in order to protect him.
And now, Paul is about to be in trouble again.
His life was threatened outside the Jerusalem temple.
His life was threatened at the steps of the barracks.
His life was threatened before the Jewish council.
Now, his life is going to be threatened.
And it is in this passage that we’re going to learn about the hidden hand of God in delivering Paul in a rather odd way (if I’m allowed to say that).
As we begin the exposition of this passage, there are 6 points that you should consider as we think about the reality of God and hardship.
Exposition
[SLIDE 4] FIRST: The Plot From The Evil One (vv.12-15)
12 When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
So, there were at least 40 Jews that plotted to kill the Apostle Paul. If Paul were to walk from the barricks to the temple, the Jews plotted to ambush Paul in the narrow streets of Jerusalem
And in verses 12 and 14, these Jews bound themselves by an oath.
The word, “bound,” is a strong word. It comes from the Greek word, “anathema,” which means to be put under a curse.
These Jews invoked a divine harm upon themselves if they do not carry out what they have promised.
The detail of this extreme and probably rash vow is that they will neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
The rest of the story tells us that they don’t end up killing Paul, but did they truly end up starving to death?
I don’t know.
Those who break the vow would be under a curse.
In the Jewish tradition, it is possible to escape such a vow if it were not doable or fulfillable.
So, in verse 15, these 40 Jews, intending to kill Paul, tried to get the chief priests and elders to join them in their conspiracy.
The chiefs and elders were to notify the tribune (whom we know is Claudius) to bring Paul down to the Jewish council.
They want Paul to go on trial again before the Sanhedrin to determine his case more exactly (or carefully or accurately).
However, they weren’t interested in determining Paul’s case and his innocency.
They’re using the trial as an accuse to kill Paul before he comes near. This whole act is nothing but pretense.
Luke, the author of Acts, paints a great irony in this story.
While the Jews and the Council are passionate about keeping the law of Moses, they nevertheless are what Paul said to the high priest, “Whitewashed Wall.”
They’re hypocrites.
They’re violating the law that they’re supposed to be defending by breaking two of the 10 commandments: “You shall not murder and lie.”
Why are these Jews so hostile towards Paul? Why are they bent on killing this innocent man who has not been proven guilty by the Roman authority?
Let me take you all the way back to the 1st murder in the Bible: Genesis 4.
Adam and Eve - our 1st parents - had two sons: Cain and Abel.
Both Cain and Abel presented an offering to God, but God only accepted Abel’s offering instead of Cain.
[SLIDE 5] And Cain was very angry. And God spoke to Cain: “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
At the heart of human behaviour and motivation, it is sin that makes a person commit sin, like murder.
Sin is described like a predator that is crouching at the door, and it has a desire to rule over a person.
The Bible says in James 1 further explains that our sin is birthed out by our sinful desires.
It is our desires that is the source of temptation.
It is our sinful desires that spurs us into action, being drawn away and enticed by the temptation before us.
[SLIDE 6] Furthermore, Jesus said this in John 8:44
44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
First, these Jews are living a lie.
Second, these Jews are willing to kill.
Third, these Jews are enslaved by the devil (1 John 3:12) and doing the will of their father, the devil.
For these Jews, their desire is to see Paul dead.
They’re bent on doing the will of the devil, not the will of God.
They’re blinded by their own sins.
And they’re blinded by the god of this world.
As Christians, the evil one - the devil - is always plotting evil against us. The devil can use his people to do his dirty work or use temptation to lure us away from God.
Let me ask you a question, “Does the evil one take vacation or rest when you’re suffering?”
Guest what? They have zero compassion when we’re suffering. And, they’re not on break during our hardship.
When you’re suffering, they’re not going to wait for you to be better before they attack you.
I know that sounds rather harsh and insensitive, but that’s the truth and reality.
Therefore, by way of reminder, we should always be on our guard and always be sober.
[SLIDE 7] The Bible says this in 1 Peter 5:8-9
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
So, we learn the Plot Of The Evil One.
However, God providentially counters and frustrates the plan in an unexpected way.
Here’s the second point:
[SLIDE 8] SECOND: The Plan To Thwart The Plot (vv.16-22)
16 Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.”
In verse 16, we learn that Paul had a sister and a nephew.
We don’t know much about Paul’s family. It is possible that he was disowned by his family for following Jesus.
We don’t know if Paul’s sister and his nephew were together in in Jerusalem or if it was just the nephew.
We also don’t know much about Paul’s nephew. We don’t know his name.
But, what we do know is that Paul’s nephew was a young man, who may have been at least 20 years old and no more than 40 years old.
Now, how and where Paul’s nephew heard about the plot is peculiar because Luke doesn’t tell us, so we’re left to speculate the situation.
Perhaps, we don’t need to know.
God always works behind the scenes in working out His purpose and plan in our lives without us always knowing the process.
By the providence of God, He placed this young man at the right place at the right time so that he would indirectly rescue Paul.
So, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul about the news.
In verse 17, Paul calls for one of the centurions (a captain of 100 Roman soldier) and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.”
Seems like Paul is giving the centurion a command, which seems rather interesting because a prisoner can’t command a soldier.
[SLIDE 9] But look at how the centurion responds to Paul.
18 So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.”
The centurion has respect for Paul.
Probably because of Paul’s Roman citizenship.
It may have also been the same centurion that was about to flog him, but then back away in fear because he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen.
So, he took Paul’s nephew and brought him to the tribune (Claudius).
[SLIDE 10] We continue with the narrative whereby Paul’s nephew discloses the plot of the Jews and the Sanhedrin before the Jews approaches him.
19 The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” 20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. 21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.” 22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.”
Claudius, as an experienced soldier, knows that he has to take an immediate action and make critical decisions in response to the plot.
He tells the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.”
This information is only known between Claudius and Paul’s nephew.
It would be confidential (although we as the readers know about this! Luke somehow knew about this confidentiality by the Holy Spirit.)
Such confidentiality is critical in threefolds:
First, this was a way to protect Paul’s nephew in case this information spreads.
If people knews that the young man told Claudius about it, then it would get him into trouble with the Jews.
Second, if the Jews knew that Claudius was aware of the plot, then they would have abandoned the plan and perhaps try to figure out an alternative option to kill Paul.
Third, since this is confidential and nobody knows about this besides Claudius and Paul’s nephew, the Jews would not discover Claudius’ plan, motive and intention in changing Paul’s location.
This demonstrates that Claudius was a strategic and trained soldier.
Whatever Claudius and Paul’s nephew were planning at the human level was ultimately aligning with God’s sovereign will.
[SLIDE 11] God’s plan, working in mysterious ways, is going to thwart the plot. He does that for His people.
32 The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. 33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
[SLIDE 12]
1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
The question is: how will God’s providential plan thwart the plot of the evil one?
We learn about this in the 3rd point.
[SLIDE 13] THIRD: The Protection Of The Escort (vv.23-35)
23 Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. 24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.”
Claudius’ plan is to get Paul out of Jerusalem and send him to Caesarea. By doing so, it would thwart the plot.
As an able soldier and commander, Claudius wisely plans a safeguard, like an escort, for Paul.
He commands the centurions to:
Get ready 200 soldiers...
With 70 horsemen
and 200 spearmen
That’s like about 470 of the troops of the Roman army.
They’re to go to Caesarea at the 3rd hour of the night, which would be 9 PM. It would be dark in Palestine.
Claudius also instructed the centurion to provide mounts (perhaps horses, mules, or donkeys) for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor, which means Paul did not need to walk there.
Imagine Paul riding on the mount surrounded by soldiers on horses, making sure that he is escorted to the designated location safely.
[SLIDE 14-15] And then Claudius writes a letter to be delivered to Felix, the governor of Caesarea.
25 And he wrote a letter to this effect: 26 “Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. 28 And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. 29 I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. 30 And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.”
This letter essentially summarizes Paul’s situation, how Claudius views Paul, and why he’s sending Paul to Felix.
Claudius views Paul as an innocent man who was charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment (v.29), (just like Jesus Christ who was an innocent and blameless lamb of God.)
Furthermore, in the letter, he mentions the plot to Felix, but he kept his words by maintaining confidentiality without mentioning Paul’s nephew.
But, Claudius also notes the accusers will be sent to state their case before Felix.
However, we don’t know when Claudius did it, but perhaps by the time the letter reaches Felix, Claudius would have ordered the accusers to go to Caesarea.
[SLIDE 16-17] So, in verses 31-35, the soldiers followed Claudius’ instruction down to the dot and brought Paul down to Caesarea.
31 So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him. 33 When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. 34 On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod’s praetorium.
Now, I want you to put yourself in Paul’s shoes (or sandals whatever he was wearing).
Paul may not even have the slightest clue of what’s going on. He didn’t know Claudius’ plan. He possibly didn’t even read the letter.
He was possibly dragged out by the soldiers and sat him on the mount and went on his way. Who knows if he was dragged out of bed!
We know in verse 31, the soldiers brought him half way by night to Antipatris, which would have been about 60 KM, northwest of Jerusalem.
Caesarea would have been around 100 KM travel.
Travelling at night would not have been safe. So Antipatris would a little over half the trip.
Paul may have thought, “Oh why are we here in the middle of the night?”
Afterwards, some of the soldiers went to the barricks while the horsemen continued the journey because they were far away from the Jews and danger.
So, Paul travelled to Caesarea, and saw the glorious palace known as Herod’s praetorium where he’s being guarded.
This place was originally built by Herod the Great as his royal residence or palace.
It eventually turned into headquarters of the Roman government.
Paul is going to be kept in custody for two years, but not locked in the dungeon.
It’s usually a house arrest. Imagine, Paul is in prison and perhaps resting in the royal palace. Ironically, Paul is living like a king instead of a prisoner.
In verses 34-35, Felix asked which province Paul was from.
He asked because he wanted to know if Paul’s case came under his jurisdiction.
After finding out that Paul was from Cilicia, and also finding out that this legal issue took place in Judea, Felix deteremined that it was within his jurisdiction because both Judea and Cilia were a part of the Roman province of Syria.
So, the plot of the 40 assassins failed miserably.
God, in His divine providence, protected Paul from danger.
And Paul looks outside the window, staring at the Mediterranean Sea. And perhaps, he may have remembered something important, which is the fourth point.
[SLIDE 18] FOURTH: THE PROMISE FROM JESUS
Just before the Jews plotted to kill Paul, we remember that our Lord Jesus visited Paul in the night.
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ promised Paul that he would go to Rome.
Certainly, now that Paul is in Caesarea, he’s at least a bit closer to Rome, but still many, many miles away.
Also, many years ago, Jesus also promised in Acts 9:15 that Paul would testify for Christ before Gentiles and...kings.
Thus, in the following chapters, Paul will give his defense and testify for Christ before Governor Felix, Governor Festus, and King Agrippa.
Slowly, Jesus is fulfilling His promsies back in Acts 9.
And would He not also fulfill His promise that Paul would be His witness in Rome?
Like Paul, we need to begin to see the bigger picture of God’s promises. Not only that, we need to believe in...
[SLIDE 19] FIFTH: THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD
This is God’s hidden hands in Paul’s hardship in this scene. He certainly delivered Paul from his pending death in a mysterious and odd way.
However, please do not misunderstand that God in His providence will always remove suffering from His people.
The Apostle Paul wasn’t delivered from death when he’s a prisoner.
[SLIDE 20] However, Paul holds onto this truth in 2 Timothy 4:17-18
17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Ultimately, the providence of God will always lead His people safely back home to Himself, whether if it’s through suffering or not.
Gospel
Application
By way of consideration on the topic of suffering and hardship, we should consider the last point:
[SLIDE 21] SIXTH: THE PURPOSE OF SUFFERING.
Some of you may think that suffering is purposeless and meaningless. We would all wish that we didn’t have to go through suffering. Some of you may think suffering proves that God doesn’t even exist or He doesn’t care.
However, God does have a purpose for suffering.
Since God is sovereign and in absolute control of all things in life, including suffering, then He allows suffering to happen in our life for a purpose.
You may not see it at the moment. You may hate it at the moment. You may question God at the moment.
You may ask, “Will God deliver me from suffering? Does God always do that?”
Not always. At least on this earth.
But, He will take away suffering completely after you die and be in the presence of the Lord…that is only assuming that you have placed your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.
Nonetheless, suffering has a purpose.
In the book of Genesis, there was a character named Joseph. He suffered greatly when he was sold to slavery in Egypt by his brothers.
After all the hardships that he went through, Joseph became the governor of Egypt because God was with him.
And when Joseph was reunited with his brothers, Joseph recognized that it wasn’t his brothers that sent him to Egypt, but it was God who sent him.
[SLIDE 22] For what purpose?
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
God sent Joseph to Egypt for a purpose.
The purpose is not ultimately for him to suffer for the sake of suffering, even though he went through that.
The purpose is to that Joseph can become the governor of Egypt, provide wisdom and guidance to Pharaoh in addressing the great famine; thus, saving his family from famine and starvation.
Furthermore, God sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to save His people. How did Jesus do that?
He suffered on the cross for the purpose of redeeming His bride.
He suffered so that He can be the sympathethic high priest who can sympathize with us in our weaknesses.
What a great God whom we praise and worship.
Brothers and sisters, if you’re suffering or going through hardship, God has a purpose for you in suffering. I don’t know what that may be specifically, but let me summarize what the purpose could be from God’s word:
[SLIDE 23] Perhaps, God wants you to become more like Christ.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Perhaps, God wants you to fully rely on Him. It is easy to think we don’t need God when things are going well.
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
Maybe, God is using suffering and hardship as a warning sign for you to turn from sin and turn to Him.
C.S. Lewis once said this in his book The Problem Of Pain: “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Or, perhaps, God wants you to see His glory on display.
3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
[SLIDE 24] Conclusion
In summary, here are the 6 points that we have considered from this text as we think about the reality of God and hardship.
The Plot Of The Evil One
The Plan To Thwart The Plot
The Protection Of The Escort
The Promise From Jesus
The Providence Of God
The Purpose Of Suffering
And I’ll allow the 20th century reformed theologian, James Montgomery Boice, conclude our message:
“I cannot tell you what God is doing in your circumstances. I cannot see the future any more than you can. But God is doing something in your circumstances.
And if you are going through dark times, as Paul was, if you are discouraged, if the way seems dark, if you are weary with the struggle, the message of this chapter is to continue to trust in God and serve him regardless.
His purposes for you will be accomplished, the day will brighten, and the will of God will be done.”