Acts 16.13-34

Lady Justice is an allegorical personification of the moral force in judicial systems.  Lady Justice is most often depicted with a set of scales typically suspended from her left hand, upon which she measures the strengths of a case’s support and opposition.Since the 16th century, Lady Justice has often been depicted wearing a blindfold. The blindfold represents impartiality, the ideal that justice should be applied without regard to wealth, power, or other status.The  last distinctive feature is her sword. The sword represented authority in ancient times, and conveys the idea that justice can be swift and final.

In the Old Testement God repeatedly tells His people, the nation of Israel, to be impartial in their legal system as He Himself is impartial. In the New Testament God’s impartiality is seen in the Gospel message. In Romans 2.11 we read, “There is no partiality with God”, ( New King James Bible).

This is illustrated in Acts chapter 16 when the apostle Paul and his fellow evangelists met three distinct individuals at Philippi during his second missionary journey. Despite their differences each was in need of salvation: Lydia, the business woman; the demon possessed slave girl; and the barbaric jailor.

God’s methods of dealing with them varied according to their personality. Lydia, a seller of purple, received the Gospel as Paul and his companions spoke to her at the riverside, verses 13,14. The slave girl had to be exorcised, verse 18. The jailor required an earthquake for his conversion as he was “ a hard nut to crack”, verse 26. With the famous cricketer, C. T. Studd, it was the death of his brother that led to his salvation.

God is not restricted to space or time when He saves people. Lydia was saved at the riverside, on the Sabbath, verse 13. The jailor was saved in the prison at midnight, verses 25,26. Saul of Tarsus was saved on the road to Damascus at midday, Acts 26.13. No one needs to go on a pilgrimage at a certain time of the year to be saved. If you are not already saved, you can be wherever you are now.

Divine sovereignty and human responsibility come into play here. Lydia was the one “whose heart the Lord opened [completely]”, verse 14, whereas the jailor was told, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved”, verse 31. Compare the three parables in Luke 15. In the first two God takes the initiative as He seeks the lost sheep and coin, whilst in the third the prodigal son does so because he illustrates the repentant sinner.

In conclusion, we can say none are so good as not to need the grace of God and none are so bad as not to receive it.

Supposition

The Jews went up annually to Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Passover. Among them was the Lord Jesus with His parents, Joseph and Mary. He remained there as He was twelve years old. This was when the age of responsibility began in Israel. He was perfectly right to remain there of His own accord. His parents, however, were unaware of His decision, so they travelled homeward “supposing Him to have been in the company” (Luke 2:44).

Dr. M. Lloyd-Jones suggests why people today suppose that Jesus is in their company, i.e., that they are Christians. They may suppose that they live in a Christian country. “Wales is the Land of Song and Revival” they claim. Some suppose that their upbringing makes them a Christian: “I always went to Sunday School you know”. Others suppose that regular attendance at a Place of Worship qualifies them to be a Christian.

Faith is what God requires not supposition as is seen in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”. That’s what Mary and Joseph did. Within a day they realised that the Lord Jesus was not present. Some people drift through most of their life before having the same realisation. Mary and Joseph were diligent in their search for Him. Three days later they found Him in the temple courts.

May you respond to the challenge in Isaiah 55:6,7: “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteousness man his thoughts, let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, and He will abundantly pardon.”

Christians, therefore, are those who realise their need of the Lord Jesus and seek after Him. You can do so by attending an evangelical church. They will tell you that you must ask Him to forgive you of your sins for which He was punished on the Cross of Calvary. Otherwise one will perish eternally.

 

 

The Kindness of King David

Read  1 Samuel 20.14-17; 24.20-22; 2 Samuel  4.4; 9.1-13;10.1-6;19.24-30.

In 2 Samuel chapters nine and ten, we see David King of Israel, extending kindness to two men because of his friendship with their fathers. In chapter 9 he offers his kindness to Mephibosheth because of his friendship with his father Jonathan. In chapter 10 he offers it to Hanun the son of  Nahash the  King of Ammon.. Mephibosheth accepted the offer, but Hanun refused it. Here is an illustration of the contrasting response sinners give to the Gospel. One can either accept or reject the Gospel message, that is, we are all in need of God’s forgiveness which is available through believing that His Son, the Lord Jesus, died on the Cross for sinners.

I shall major on Mephibosheth.

In 2 Samuel 4.4 we read, “Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth”.

The fall of Mephibosheth reminds me of Adam who fell in the Garden of Eden; not literally, but morally. The Fall is a term used to indicate him succumbing to temptation by Satan and so forfeiting his position of supremacy on the earth.

2 Samuel 9.1. Mephibosheth was the grandson of Saul , who was the arch enemy of David, the King of Israel. We, too, are associated with God’s arch enemy, Satan. Compare 3.1.

In spite of this, David longed to show kindness to the house Saul. Likewise, God longs to bestow His kindness on sinful humanity on account of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 4.32 we read, “God, for Christ’s sake Has forgiven you”. Ephesians 2.7 states,” That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus”. Also, Titus 3.4 says, that “the kindness and love of  God our Saviour toward man appeared”. Many Psalms refer to the “kindness”, “loving kindness” and “mercy” of God in the King James Bible, though they are the same word in Hebrew.

David was keeping his promise to Jonathan when he displayed his kindness to the house of Saul about the very time Mephibosheth was born, 1 Samuel 20.14-17.

David heard that Mephibosheth was living in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo Debar, verses 4,5. Lo Debar means “place of no pasture”. This sinful world we live in has its attractions but they are fleeting. True satisfaction is in Christ alone. As the hymnist has put it,

“Now none but Christ can satisfy,
None other Name for me.
There’s love and life and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus found in Thee.”

To experience true satisfaction we must pray to God with all humility. As Mephibosheth compared himself to a dead dog, implying his unworthiness before David, so we must admit we are hell-deserving sinners before God, verses 6-9. Then, and only then, can we find true satisfaction. Compare Ruth the Moabitess’ attitude towards Boaz in Ruth 2.10,13; and the prodigal son’s attitude towards his father in Luke 15.19.

David also kept his promise to Saul that he would preserve his family, verses 7,9. Compare ! Samuel 23.17;24.20-22. He restored Saul’s lands to Mephibosheth his grandson. In Psalm 23.3 David says that God restores his soul. God is the God of restoration. Compare Ruth 4.9,10.

Three times David said Mephibosheth would eat at his table, in verses 7,10,11, 13. “He shall eat at my table as one of the King’s sons”, David added in verse 11.  Compare verse 13 and 2 Samuel 19.28. Likewise, we can be brought into God’s family and be at His table continually. A table in Scripture symbolises fellowship, 1 Corinthians 10.21.

”So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem”, verse 13. Jerusalem was the capital of Israel. He, therefore, was in the palace. Christians belong to the New Jerusalem, which is in Heaven. See Galatians 4.26;Hebrews 12.22;Revelation 3.12; 21.2. Well might hymn writer say

“Then will He own my worthless name
Before His Father’s face,
And in the New Jerusalem
Appoint my soul a place,

At the Cross, at the Cross,where I first saw the Light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away.
It was there by faith I received my sight
And now I am happy all the day”.

Mephibosheth is mentioned again in relation to David’s exile, when Absolom his son usurped the throne, 2 Samuel 19. In verse 29 David said to Mephibosheth on his return to Jerusalem that he and Ziba should divide his estate between them. Mephibosheth’s reply is very touching,”Yea,let him take all, forasmuch my lord the King is come again in peace unto his own house.”

Sadly, in 2 Samuel 10 we see David’s kindness spurned by Hanun. His princes said that David’s envoy who came to convey David’s sympathy on the death of his father, accused them of espionage. So the envoy’s had their beards half shaved off and their garments were were cut off and their buttocks. Such treatment  shameful to easterners. David told them to stay in Jericho until their beards were fully grown.

When the Ammonites realised that their treatment of the envoy was repulsive to David, they sought support from the Syrians. The Israelites, under the leadership of Joab, defeated all of them. In chapter 12 Joab invaded the Ammonites’ capital. In verse 26 we read, “Now Joab fought against Rabbah … and took the royal city”. The outcome was victory for David. Verse 30 is most notable, “Then he (Joab) took their king’s crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David’s head. He also brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance”.

In a similar way, the person who spurns the kindness of God, as it is presented in the Gospel message, must suffer judgement in a lost eternity.

I conclude with the words of William Rodgers. “The difference was that Hanun was not in a position of dire straits like Mephibosheth, having just succeeded to his father’s throne. Also, he was surrounded by princes that were evil advisers. And,worse of all, he was too proud to take a low place  Mephibosheth did. Not a few have lost their souls through similar causes”.

“ It is an interesting fact that Machir, who had sheltered Mephibosheth in Lo Debar, and had seen David’s kindness to him; together with Shobi, another son of Nahash King of Ammon, who had seen David’s judgement on his brother Hanun for rejecting his kindness; both united in showing kindness to David himself at his time of need. See 2 Samuel 17.27-29”.  (Fifty Two Bible Lessons, p.101, volume 1).