Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
In the night at Corinth, when Paul was weary, discouraged and ready to leave a corrupt and opposing city, the Lord assured him of divine presence, protection and success and commanded him to remain, to lose fear and to keep speaking because God had many people there who would respond to the seed sown. Strengthened by that promise, he stayed a year and six months and gathered a large flourishing church of Jews and Gentiles, including converts from among the most dissipated who became monuments of cleansing mercy. The same assurance belongs to messengers in wicked and violent cities today, that God is with them, they need not be discouraged or silent, and many can still be taught to follow Jesus. It calls workers to fearless public witness beyond the churches, to speak when stirred in spirit without shrinking from danger or opposition, trusting that God gives the right words, restrains harm, and makes truth triumph.
Vision to Paul at Corinth
The words were spoken to Paul in his work at Corinth, a leading commercial city of the first century where people from many lands gathered and where God's truth could be established. He was anxious and discouraged in severe trial, distressed and uncertain, and nearly disheartened by the opposition and corruption around him. He had grown weary of the sights and sounds of that corrupt city, anguished by Gentile depravity and by Jewish contempt and insult, doubting the wisdom of building a church from such material. He counted Corinth a questionable field and determined to leave it for a more promising one, while anxious to know his duty, and still greater opposition from the Jews lay ahead.
In the night vision God answered that anxiety and discouragement with assurance of divine presence and support, promising safety and success and urging him to keep speaking and continue his work with renewed courage. The command not to fear but to keep speaking was understood as direction to remain in Corinth, with guarantee of divine presence, protection from harm, and success. He was guarded so he could continue his work and carry the gospel to the Gentiles. This was because God had many people there who would respond to the message and would give increase to the seed sown. The Lord thus strengthened him to continue preaching despite opposition.
Strengthened and encouraged, he stayed and labored there with great zeal and perseverance for one year and six months. A large church was gathered, a flourishing church composed of Jews and Gentiles. Among them were converts from the most dissipated Gentiles, who became true converts and monuments of God's mercy and of the power of Christ's blood to cleanse from sin. More Gentiles than Jews were converted, many truly brought from darkness into the light of the gospel, because the Gentiles were in a more favorable condition to receive the truth, not walled in by the maxims and traditions of priests and elders.
The same kind of divine reassurance came to him later in Jerusalem, when distressed and uncertain. There the Lord stood by him and promised that because he had testified about Christ there he would also bear witness in Rome. This shows that God strengthens His witness and assures him that his work is not finished, even though the journey ahead would be as a prisoner.
Call to Fearless Witness
The encouragement given to Paul in wicked Corinth belongs also to messengers proclaiming salvation in cities marked by wickedness, injustice, violence, and crime. God is with them in such places, and they are not to be discouraged or remain silent. Even there many people can still be reached with saving truth when given proper teaching. They can follow Jesus and accept Christ as personal Saviour.
The Lord's call to fearless public preaching at Corinth is the pattern for workers to branch out and make the world their field of labor rather than working for the churches only. They are to go from place to place preaching truth to those in the darkness of error. Paul proved the divine character of his mission in this way, laboring a year and six months at Corinth and raising up a flourishing church composed of Jews and Gentiles. More Gentiles than Jews were converted, many truly brought from darkness into the light of the gospel, because the Gentiles were in a more favorable condition to receive the truth, not walled in by the maxims and traditions of priests and elders.
The command in vision not to be afraid but to speak and not hold peace applies even when God's messenger is young and timid and faces danger of imprisonment and abuse in places where fanaticism has done the most evil. It means going by divine bidding to reprove those who are influencing others to wrong, while giving comfort and encouragement to the timid and conscientious who are deceived. There is to be no shrinking or pleading to be spared and sent by another, for the word tests faith, courage, and obedience. God gives words to speak at the right time, restrains those who would do harm, and sends an angel to stand by the speaker's side to direct when and where to go. The one who waits upon Him in humble confidence and faith is kept so that no man's hand is laid to harm him, and he escapes imprisonment and abuse.
To speak and not keep silence is to act when stirred in spirit, putting on armor and standing ready for battle. It is to go forth in the name of the Lord of Hosts to act in whatever part God assigns. The cause belongs to the Lord, truth will triumph, and God will not leave His children to perish. The prayer of such a witness is for God to lead forth victorious.
In the night at Corinth, when Paul was weary, discouraged and ready to leave a corrupt and opposing city, the Lord assured him of divine presence, protection and success and commanded him to remain, to lose fear and to keep speaking because God had many people there who would respond to the seed sown. Strengthened by that promise, he stayed a year and six months and gathered a large flourishing church of Jews and Gentiles, including converts from among the most dissipated who became monuments of cleansing mercy. The same assurance belongs to messengers in wicked and violent cities today, that God is with them, they need not be discouraged or silent, and many can still be taught to follow Jesus. It calls workers to fearless public witness beyond the churches, to speak when stirred in spirit without shrinking from danger or opposition, trusting that God gives the right words, restrains harm, and makes truth triumph.
Vision to Paul at Corinth
The words were spoken to Paul in his work at Corinth, a leading commercial city of the first century where people from many lands gathered and where God's truth could be established. He was anxious and discouraged in severe trial, distressed and uncertain, and nearly disheartened by the opposition and corruption around him. He had grown weary of the sights and sounds of that corrupt city, anguished by Gentile depravity and by Jewish contempt and insult, doubting the wisdom of building a church from such material. He counted Corinth a questionable field and determined to leave it for a more promising one, while anxious to know his duty, and still greater opposition from the Jews lay ahead.
In the night vision God answered that anxiety and discouragement with assurance of divine presence and support, promising safety and success and urging him to keep speaking and continue his work with renewed courage. The command not to fear but to keep speaking was understood as direction to remain in Corinth, with guarantee of divine presence, protection from harm, and success. He was guarded so he could continue his work and carry the gospel to the Gentiles. This was because God had many people there who would respond to the message and would give increase to the seed sown. The Lord thus strengthened him to continue preaching despite opposition.
Strengthened and encouraged, he stayed and labored there with great zeal and perseverance for one year and six months. A large church was gathered, a flourishing church composed of Jews and Gentiles. Among them were converts from the most dissipated Gentiles, who became true converts and monuments of God's mercy and of the power of Christ's blood to cleanse from sin. More Gentiles than Jews were converted, many truly brought from darkness into the light of the gospel, because the Gentiles were in a more favorable condition to receive the truth, not walled in by the maxims and traditions of priests and elders.
The same kind of divine reassurance came to him later in Jerusalem, when distressed and uncertain. There the Lord stood by him and promised that because he had testified about Christ there he would also bear witness in Rome. This shows that God strengthens His witness and assures him that his work is not finished, even though the journey ahead would be as a prisoner.
Call to Fearless Witness
The encouragement given to Paul in wicked Corinth belongs also to messengers proclaiming salvation in cities marked by wickedness, injustice, violence, and crime. God is with them in such places, and they are not to be discouraged or remain silent. Even there many people can still be reached with saving truth when given proper teaching. They can follow Jesus and accept Christ as personal Saviour.
The Lord's call to fearless public preaching at Corinth is the pattern for workers to branch out and make the world their field of labor rather than working for the churches only. They are to go from place to place preaching truth to those in the darkness of error. Paul proved the divine character of his mission in this way, laboring a year and six months at Corinth and raising up a flourishing church composed of Jews and Gentiles. More Gentiles than Jews were converted, many truly brought from darkness into the light of the gospel, because the Gentiles were in a more favorable condition to receive the truth, not walled in by the maxims and traditions of priests and elders.
The command in vision not to be afraid but to speak and not hold peace applies even when God's messenger is young and timid and faces danger of imprisonment and abuse in places where fanaticism has done the most evil. It means going by divine bidding to reprove those who are influencing others to wrong, while giving comfort and encouragement to the timid and conscientious who are deceived. There is to be no shrinking or pleading to be spared and sent by another, for the word tests faith, courage, and obedience. God gives words to speak at the right time, restrains those who would do harm, and sends an angel to stand by the speaker's side to direct when and where to go. The one who waits upon Him in humble confidence and faith is kept so that no man's hand is laid to harm him, and he escapes imprisonment and abuse.
To speak and not keep silence is to act when stirred in spirit, putting on armor and standing ready for battle. It is to go forth in the name of the Lord of Hosts to act in whatever part God assigns. The cause belongs to the Lord, truth will triumph, and God will not leave His children to perish. The prayer of such a witness is for God to lead forth victorious.