But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
After preaching boldly in Damascus and confounding the Jews with arguments from prophecy that they could not answer, Saul learned that his enemies were lying in wait and watching the gates day and night to cut off his escape and kill him. Because they could not withstand his wise and unanswerable setting forth of Christ, they counseled together to silence him by force and plotted again and again to assassinate him. God knew their intent and preserved him, assigning angels to guard and fight for him because he would not fight for himself, so that truth might triumph and he might live to continue his mission and suffer for Jesus' name. Driven to prayer, the disciples delivered him secretly by night by lowering him in a basket from a window over the city wall, in a humiliating manner that thwarted the plot. The verse shows unconverted men under Satan's use hunting souls with all their power as they crucified Christ, a persecuting work that without God's converting power will be repeated, and Saul's danger parallels the opposition faced by workers for the Lord as evidence that Satan is stirring men against them.
Damascus Plot and Escape
This verse belongs to the account of Saul's conversion and preaching in Damascus, when his change from persecutor to preacher strengthened believers, won new converts, and surprised the Jews who had known him as their ally. After returning to Damascus he preached boldly in the name of Jesus, confounding the Jews with wise arguments from prophecy that they could not answer or withstand. After first acknowledging Christ as the Son of God, he spoke with assurance because God had revealed knowledge of the Word to him in heavenly vision. In clear and unanswerable argument he set forth Christ as the resurrection and the life to all who would believe.
Because they could not answer him, his opponents counseled together to silence him by force and plotted to assassinate him, trying again and again to take his life. Saul learned of their lying in wait, while his enemies watched the gates of Damascus day and night to cut off his escape and catch or kill him as he left. They guarded the city vigilantly day and night to prevent his escape.
God knew their intent and preserved Saul, assigning angels to guard him so that he could live, continue his mission, and suffer for Jesus' name. Angels of God were on the ground fighting for him because he would not fight for himself, and though his life was sought truth bore away the victory. The Lord preserved him from harm in this danger. Driven to God in prayer with little sleep, the disciples arranged his deliverance and helped him escape secretly by night. They lowered him in a basket from a window over or through the city wall, in a humiliating manner that thwarted the plot.
Persecution Then and Now
The chapter presents Saul before conversion as used by Satan to hunt up souls in order to persecute them. The whole chapter stands as a lesson to all that unconverted men will use all their power to persecute. They act just as the satanic agencies in Christ's day crucified Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. Without the converting power of God coming to the soul, people will do the same persecuting work. History is to be repeated, for Lucifer's act to exalt himself will be a power exercised upon just such men in present and future experience.
Saul's enemies watched the gates of the city day and night intending to kill him, but the Lord preserved him from harm. His danger parallels the hostility faced by workers for the Lord. Such opposition is evidence that Satan is stirring people against their work.
After preaching boldly in Damascus and confounding the Jews with arguments from prophecy that they could not answer, Saul learned that his enemies were lying in wait and watching the gates day and night to cut off his escape and kill him.
Because they could not withstand his wise and unanswerable setting forth of Christ, they counseled together to silence him by force and plotted again and again to assassinate him.
God knew their intent and preserved him, assigning angels to guard and fight for him because he would not fight for himself, so that truth might triumph and he might live to continue his mission and suffer for Jesus' name.
Driven to prayer, the disciples delivered him secretly by night by lowering him in a basket from a window over the city wall, in a humiliating manner that thwarted the plot.
The verse shows unconverted men under Satan's use hunting souls with all their power as they crucified Christ, a persecuting work that without God's converting power will be repeated, and Saul's danger parallels the opposition faced by workers for the Lord as evidence that Satan is stirring men against them.
Damascus Plot and Escape
This verse belongs to the account of Saul's conversion and preaching in Damascus, when his change from persecutor to preacher strengthened believers, won new converts, and surprised the Jews who had known him as their ally. After returning to Damascus he preached boldly in the name of Jesus, confounding the Jews with wise arguments from prophecy that they could not answer or withstand. After first acknowledging Christ as the Son of God, he spoke with assurance because God had revealed knowledge of the Word to him in heavenly vision. In clear and unanswerable argument he set forth Christ as the resurrection and the life to all who would believe.
Because they could not answer him, his opponents counseled together to silence him by force and plotted to assassinate him, trying again and again to take his life. Saul learned of their lying in wait, while his enemies watched the gates of Damascus day and night to cut off his escape and catch or kill him as he left. They guarded the city vigilantly day and night to prevent his escape.
God knew their intent and preserved Saul, assigning angels to guard him so that he could live, continue his mission, and suffer for Jesus' name. Angels of God were on the ground fighting for him because he would not fight for himself, and though his life was sought truth bore away the victory. The Lord preserved him from harm in this danger. Driven to God in prayer with little sleep, the disciples arranged his deliverance and helped him escape secretly by night. They lowered him in a basket from a window over or through the city wall, in a humiliating manner that thwarted the plot.
Persecution Then and Now
The chapter presents Saul before conversion as used by Satan to hunt up souls in order to persecute them. The whole chapter stands as a lesson to all that unconverted men will use all their power to persecute. They act just as the satanic agencies in Christ's day crucified Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. Without the converting power of God coming to the soul, people will do the same persecuting work. History is to be repeated, for Lucifer's act to exalt himself will be a power exercised upon just such men in present and future experience.
Saul's enemies watched the gates of the city day and night intending to kill him, but the Lord preserved him from harm. His danger parallels the hostility faced by workers for the Lord. Such opposition is evidence that Satan is stirring people against their work.