Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”
23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”
A drug cartel boss was recently captured. Evil thwarted – at least for a while. A sting operation netted a human trafficker. Evil thwarted. A police raid netted a trove of documents detailing organized crime’s financial dealings. Crime bosses were sent to prison. Evil thwarted. Undercover agents intercepted communications about a pending terrorist attack. Arrests were made. Evil thwarted.
It just doesn’t seem to happen often enough. We pastors were talking today at our circuit meeting about crime. One person said, “Crime doesn’t pay.” Another said, “Crime does pay.” Too often it does.
Embezzlement, tax evasion, or terrorist plots are truly evil; not to mention human trafficking. And rather than try to compare those things to what is happening here, I want to celebrate when evil is thwarted in any arena.
The implications in the case of Paul’s imprisonment and the plot to kill him are far-reaching. Not only is his safety at stake, but the spread of the Gospel could be seriously set back if Paul’s enemies succeed in their plots. But their evil plans are thwarted first by Felix, then Festus, and now Agrippa stands in the way of those who want to see Paul silenced at all costs. They may not know they are agents of God. But they are. Paul will be saved from evil’s plans. Evil thwarted.
Any time evil is thwarted the implications go far beyond the immediate befit of those saved from evil’s plans. Certainly, the people who will not be subject to human trafficking are rescued when the traffickers are caught. And when fewer drugs hit the streets our children and grandchildren are better for it. But consider the far-reaching impact of drug addiction, or human trafficking. Think about the financial ruin of those who are robbed of their retirement savings.
If one is not robbed of his retirement savings, yet doesn’t hear the Gospel, is not called to faith in Jesus, and brought into the fellowship of the redeemed, the gain is for nothing. And what if a person sells drugs and is caught, but learns about Jesus in prison? No matter what may happen to him from there, the blessings of the Gospel echoes through eternity.
Evil will always collapse under its own weight. And when evil is thwarted we can rejoice that God has good things in store for us through his Son. Jesus and his eternally-good plans will not be thwarted.
David Bahn - Reflections 
Leave a comment