Never Satisfied
Application
- Acts 21:27-36 records two distinct actions against Paul while he is at the temple fulfilling obligations for purification from a vow.
- The accusation often inflicts more damage than a conviction. Work very hard to steer clear of knee-jerk reactions—they never can be undone!
- The commander’s intervention saved a life at that moment, but it changed the venue and the tactics—the desire to destroy him still was present, and not to be denied.
- Conclusion: The enemy continues to fight against God even though God always, always wins because the enemy only needs to win one time to “win back his place in heaven.” The enemy is “Never Satisfied,” and he will continue fighting to the bitter end!
Bible Text
(27) When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, (28) crying out, “Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” (29) For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. (30) Then all the city was provoked, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. (31) While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. (32) At once he took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. (33) Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. (34) But among the crowd some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. (35) When he got to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; (36) for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, “Away with him!”
-Acts 21:15-26