the acts of the apostles-第24部分

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earth　are　not　beyond　the　power　of　a　wonder…working　God。　If　those　who　are
workers　together　with　Him　will　be　men　of　opportunity；　doing　their　duty
bravely　and　faithfully；　God　will　convert　men　who　occupy　responsible
positions；　men　of　intellect　and　influence。　Through　the　power　of　the　Holy
Spirit　many　will　accept　the　divine　principles。　Converted　to　the　truth；　they
will　become　agencies　in　the　hand　of　God　to　communicate　the　light。　They　will
have　a　special　burden　for　other　souls　of　this　neglected　class。　Time　and
money　will　be　consecrated　to　the　work　of　the　Lord；　and　new　efficiency　and
power　will　be　added　to　the　church。

Because　Cornelius　was　living　in　obedience　to　all　the　instruction　he　had
received；　God　so　ordered　events　that　he　was　given　more　truth。　A　messenger
from　the　courts　of　heaven　was　sent　to　the　Roman　officer　and　to　Peter　in
order　that　Cornelius　might　be　brought　into　touch　with　one　who　could　lead　him
into　greater　light。

There　are　in　our　world　many　who　are　nearer　the　kingdom　of　God　than　we
suppose。　In　this　dark　world　of　sin　the　Lord　has　many　precious　jewels；　to
whom　He　will　guide　His　messengers。　Everywhere　there　are　those　who　will　take
their　stand　for　Christ。　Many　will　prize　the　wisdom　of　God　above　any　earthly
advantage；　and　will　become　faithful　light

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bearers。　Constrained　by　the　love　of　Christ；　they　will　constrain　others　to
come　to　Him。

When　the　brethren　in　Judea　heard　that　Peter　had　gone　to　the　house　of　a
Gentile　and　preached　to　those　assembled；　they　were　surprised　and　offended。
They　feared　that　such　a　course；　which　looked　to　them　presumptuous；　would
have　the　effect　of　counteracting　his　own　teaching。　When　they　next　saw　Peter
they　met　him　with　severe　censure；　saying；　〃Thou　wentest　in　to　men
uncircumcised；　and　didst　eat　with　them。〃

Peter　laid　the　whole　matter　before　them。　He　related　his　experience　in　regard
to　the　vision　and　pleaded　that　it　admonished　him　to　observe　no　longer　the
ceremonial　distinction　of　circumcision　and　uncircumcision；　nor　to　look　upon
the　Gentiles　as　unclean。　He　told　them　of　the　command　given　him　to　go　to　the
Gentiles；　of　the　coming　of　the　messengers；　of　his　journey　to　Caesarea；　and
of　the　meeting　with　Cornelius。　He　recounted　the　substance　of　his　interview
with　the　centurion；　in　which　the　latter　had　told　him　of　the　vision　by　which
he　had　been　directed　to　send　for　Peter。

〃As　I　began　to　speak；〃　he　said；　in　relating　his　experience；　〃the　Holy　Ghost
fell　on　them；　as　on　us　at　the　beginning。　Then　remembered　I　the　word　of　the
Lord；　how　that　He　said；　John　indeed　baptized　with　water；　but　ye　shall　be
baptized　with　the　Holy　Ghost。　Forasmuch　then　as　God　gave　them　the　like　gift
as　He　did　unto　us；　who　believed　on　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　what　was　I；　that　I
could　withstand　God？〃

142


On　hearing　this　account；　the　brethren　were　silenced。　Convinced　that　Peter's
course　was　in　direct　fulfillment　of　the　plan　of　God；　and　that　their
prejudices　and　exclusiveness　were　utterly　contrary　to　the　spirit　of　the
gospel；　they　glorified　God；　saying；　〃Then　hath　God　also　to　the　Gentiles
granted　repentance　unto　life。〃

Thus；　without　controversy；　prejudice　was　broken　down；　the　exclusiveness
established　by　the　custom　of　ages　was　abandoned；　and　the　way　was　opened　for
the　gospel　to　be　proclaimed　to　the　Gentiles。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　15

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Delivered　From　Prison


〃Now　about　that　time　Herod　the　king　stretched　forth　his　hands　to　vex　certain
of　the　church。〃　The　government　of　Judea　was　then　in　the　hands　of　Herod
Agrippa；　subject　to　Claudius；　the　Roman　emperor。　Herod　also　held　the
position　of　tetrarch　of　Galilee。　He　was　professedly　a　proselyte　to　the
Jewish　faith；　and　apparently　very　zealous　in　carrying　out　the　ceremonies　of
the　Jewish　law。　Desirous　of　obtaining　the　favor　of　the　Jews；　hoping　thus　to
make　secure　his　offices　and　honors；　he　proceeded　to　carry　out　their　desires
by　persecuting　the　church　of　Christ；　spoiling　the　houses　and　goods　of　the
believers；　and　imprisoning　the　leading　members　of　the　church。　He　cast　James；
the　brother　of　John；　into　prison；　and　sent　an　executioner　to　kill　him　with
the　sword；　as　another　Herod　had　caused　the　prophet　John　to　be　beheaded。
Seeing　that　the　Jews　were　well　pleased　with　these　efforts；　he　imprisoned
Peter　also。

144


It　was　during　the　Passover　that　these　cruelties　were　practiced。　While　the
Jews　were　celebrating　their　deliverance　from　Egypt　and　pretending　great　zeal
for　the　law　of　God；　they　were　at　the　same　time　transgressing　every　principle
of　that　law　by　persecuting　and　murdering　the　believers　in　Christ。

The　death　of　James　caused　great　grief　and　consternation　among　the　believers。
When　Peter　also　was　imprisoned；　the　entire　church　engaged　in　fasting　and
prayer。

Herod's　act　in　putting　James　to　death　was　applauded　by　the　Jews；　though　some
complained　of　the　private　manner　in　which　it　was　accomplished；　maintaining
that　a　public　execution　would　have　more　thoroughly　intimidated　the　believers
and　those　sympathizing　with　them。　Herod　therefore　held　Peter　in　custody；
meaning　still　further　to　gratify　the　Jews　by　the　public　spectacle　of　his
death。　But　it　was　suggested　that　it　would　not　be　safe　to　bring　the　veteran
apostle　out　for　execution　before　all　the　people　then　assembled　in　Jerusalem。
It　was　feared　that　the　sight　of　him　being　led　out　to　die　might　excite　the
pity　of　the　multitude。

The　priests　and　elders　also　feared　lest　Peter　might　make　one　of　those
powerful　appeals　which　had　frequently　aroused　the　people　to　study　the　life
and　character　of　Jesusappeals　which　they；　with　all　their　arguments；　had
been　unable　to　controvert。　Peter's　zeal　in　advocating　the　cause　of　Christ
had　led　many　to　take　their　stand　for　the　gospel；　and　the　rulers　feared　that
should　he　be　given　an　opportunity　to　defend　his　faith　in　the　presence　of　the
multitude　who　had　come　to

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the　city　to　worship；　his　release　would　be　demanded　at　the　hands　of　the　king。

While；　upon　various　pretexts；　the　execution　of　Peter　was　being　delayed　until
after　the　Passover；　the　members　of　the　church　had　time　for　deep　searching　of
heart　and　earnest　prayer。　They　prayed　without　ceasing　for　Peter；　for　they
felt　that　he　could　not　be　spared　from　the　cause。　They　realized　that　they　had
reached　a　place　where；　without　the　special　help　of　God；　the　church　of　Christ
would　be　destroyed。

Meanwhile　worshipers　from　every　nation　sought　the　temple　which　had　been
dedicated　to　the　worship　of　God。　Glittering　with　gold　and　precious　stones；
it　was　a　vision　of　beauty　and　grandeur。　But　Jehovah　was　no　longer　to　be
found　in　that　palace　of　loveliness。　Israel　as　a　nation　had　divorced　herself
from　God。　When　Christ；　near　the　close　of　His　earthly　ministry；　looked　for
the　last　time　upon　the　interior　of　the　temple；　He　said；　〃Behold；　your　house
is　left　unto　you　desolate。〃　Matthew　23：38。　Hitherto　He　had　called　the　temple
His　Father's　house；　but　as　the　Son　of　God　passed　our　from　those　walls；　God's
presence　was　withdrawn　forever　from　the　temple　built　to　His　glory。

The　day　of　Peter's　execution　was　at　last　appointed；　but　still　the　prayers　of
the　believers　ascended　to　heaven；　and　while　all　their　energies　and
sympathies　were　called　out　in　fervent　appeals　for　help；　angels　of　God　were
watching　over　the　imprisoned　apostle。

Remembering　the　former　escape　of　the　apostles　from　prison；　Herod　on　this
occasion　had　taken　double　precautions。

146

To　prevent　all　possibility　of　release；　Peter　had　been　put　under　the　charge
of　sixteen　soldiers；　who；　in　different　watches；　guarded　him　day　and　night。
In　his　cell　he　was　placed　between　two　soldiers　and　was　bound　by　two　chains；
each　chain　being　fastened　to　the　wrist　of　one　of　the　soldiers。　He　was　unable
to　move　without　their　knowledge。　With　the　prison　doors　securely　fastened；
and　a　strong　guard　before　them；　all　chance　of　rescue　or　escape　through　human
means　was　cut　off。　But　man's　extremity　is　God's　opportunity。

Peter　was　confined　in　a　rock…hewn　cell；　the　doors　of　which　were　strongly
bolted　and　barred；　and　the　soldiers　on　guard　were　made　answerable　for　the
safekeeping　of　the　prisoner。　But　the　bolts　and　bars　and　the　Roman　guard；
which　effectually　cut　off　all　possibility　of　human　aid；　were　but　to　make
more　complete　the　triumph　of　God　in　the　deliverance　of　Peter。　Herod　was
lifting　his　hand　against　Omnipotence；　and　he　was　to　be　utterly　defeated。　By
the　putting　forth　of　His　might；　God　was　about　to　save　the　precious　life　that
the　Jews　were　plotting　to　destroy。

It　is　the　last　night　before　the　proposed　execution。　A　mighty　angel　is　sent
from　heaven　to　rescue　Peter。　The　strong　gates　that　shut　in　the　saint　of　God
open　without　the　aid　of　human　hands。　The　angel　of　the　Most　High　passes
through；　and　the　gates　close　noiselessly　behind　him。　He　enters　the　cell；　and
there　lies　Peter；　sleeping　the　peaceful　sleep　of　perfect　trust。

The　light　that　surrounds　the　angel　fills　the　cell；　but　does　not　rouse　the
apostle。　Not　until　he　feels　the　touch　of　the　angel's　hand　and　hears　a　voice