Acts 16
A Dream Gave Paul His Map
Paul and his companions, including Timothy, traveled to various towns to preach and strengthen the congregations. They attempted to go to Asia and Bithynia, but were led by the Holy Spirit to Troas. There, Paul had a dream about a man in Macedonia asking for help, so they went to Philippi. They met Lydia, a God-fearing woman who believed in Jesus and was baptized with her household. Lydia then invited Paul and his companions to stay with her.
This is a great chapter, I love how they are led by God's Spirit, we see their obedience in following the promptings and how they work out! It's also fun to note all the dreams that people are having and how accurate they are. If you listen around you will discover that this is still going on to this very day! There are people having dreams about situations and they listen and obey and the dreams end up being prophetic and true.
Beaten Up and Thrown in Jail
Paul and Silas were on their way to pray when they met a slave girl possessed by a spirit that enabled her to tell fortunes. She kept following them and shouting about them being servants of God until Paul commanded the spirit to leave her. The girl's owners were angry about the loss of their source of income and had Paul and Silas arrested and beaten.
They were thrown into jail, but at midnight, an earthquake broke open the doors and freed all the prisoners. The jailer was about to kill himself, but Paul stopped him and he and his family were baptized. The next day, the judges released Paul and Silas, who demanded a public apology before leaving the city. They visited their friends before continuing their journey.
“When the officers reported this, the judges panicked. They had no idea that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. They hurried over and apologized, personally escorted them from the jail, and then asked them if they wouldn’t please leave the city. Walking out of the jail, Paul and Silas went straight to Lydia’s house, saw their friends again, encouraged them in the faith, and only then went on their way.” Acts 16:38-40 MSG
This was a big deal, Paul's Roman citizenship was significant because it afforded him certain legal protections and rights that non-citizens did not have. For example, Roman citizens were not to be punished without a trial, and they had the right to appeal to Caesar if they felt they were being treated unfairly. When Paul was imprisoned and beaten, he asserted his citizenship to prevent the authorities from unlawfully mistreating him. This ultimately resulted in the authorities apologizing and releasing him and his companion Silas. Paul's citizenship also gave him a degree of credibility and respect in the eyes of some people, as Roman citizenship was highly prized and regarded as a mark of status and privilege.
Genesis 49
Genesis 49 records the final words of Jacob to his twelve sons, just before his death. Jacob prophesies and blesses his sons, speaking of their strengths and weaknesses, and what their futures will hold. He speaks of Judah, the tribe from which the kings of Israel will descend, and gives him a special blessing. Jacob also speaks about some of his other sons, including Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Gad, Asher, and Naphtali. After this, Jacob dies and is mourned by his family, and he is buried in the land of Canaan, alongside his forefathers.
Reuben - As the firstborn, Reuben was expected to have the rights and privileges of the firstborn, but he lost them by sleeping with his father's concubine. Jacob's blessing for Reuben was a rebuke and a warning.
Simeon and Levi - Jacob condemned Simeon and Levi for their violent temper and vengeful nature. He cursed their anger and said their descendants would be scattered in Israel.
Judah - Jacob's blessing for Judah was that he would be a leader among his brothers, and that the scepter would never depart from his tribe. This was a prophecy that the kings of Israel would come from the tribe of Judah, including King David and Jesus Christ.
Zebulun - Jacob blessed Zebulun with prosperity and a fruitful land near the sea.
Issachar - Jacob prophesied that Issachar would be a strong worker and a subservient tribe, but would enjoy the blessings of the land.
Dan - Jacob compared Dan to a serpent and predicted that his descendants would be judges in Israel.
Gad - Jacob blessed Gad with a strong army and victory over his enemies.
Asher - Jacob blessed Asher with rich, abundant produce.
Naphtali - Jacob prophesied that Naphtali would be a swift runner and a skilled hunter.
Joseph - Jacob blessed Joseph with fertility, abundance, and power. He also prophesied that Joseph's descendants would be strong and numerous.
Benjamin - Jacob described Benjamin as a fierce warrior who would enjoy prosperity and abundance.
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Prophesying the coming Messiah
“You, Judah, your brothers will praise you: Your fingers on your enemies’ throat, while your brothers honor you. You’re a lion’s cub, Judah, home fresh from the kill, my son. Look at him, crouched like a lion, king of beasts; who dares mess with him? The scepter shall not leave Judah; he’ll keep a firm grip on the command staff Until the ultimate ruler comes and the nations obey him. He’ll tie up his donkey to the grapevine, his purebred prize to a sturdy branch. He will wash his shirt in wine and his cloak in the blood of grapes, His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.”
Genesis 49:8-12 MSG
Genesis 50
the final chapter of the book of Genesis, which tells the story of the life of Joseph. In this chapter, Joseph's father Jacob has died, and Joseph and his brothers bury him in the land of Canaan, where Jacob had requested to be buried.
After the burial, Joseph's brothers become afraid that he may seek revenge against them for selling him into slavery many years earlier. However, Joseph reassures them and forgives them, saying that what they meant for harm, God used for good.
The chapter ends with Joseph living to a ripe old age and seeing his great-grandchildren before his death. Joseph reiterates his belief that God will keep his promise to bring the Israelites out of Egypt and back to the land of Canaan, and he asks his descendants to take his bones with them when they leave Egypt. The book of Genesis concludes with Joseph's death and his body being embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
“At the end, Joseph said to his brothers, “I am ready to die. God will most certainly pay you a visit and take you out of this land and back to the land he so solemnly promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.””
Genesis 50:24 MSG
Psalms 44
A prayer of lament, expressing the distress and anguish of the psalmist, who feels abandoned by God in the midst of national disaster. The psalmist remembers how God had given the Israelites victory in the past and saved them from their enemies, but now they are facing defeat and humiliation. The psalmist pleads with God to remember His covenant with His people and come to their aid. The psalmist does not understand why God has allowed them to suffer so much and begs God to intervene and save them. The psalmist declares that they have been faithful to God and have not turned away from Him, even though they have been afflicted and persecuted. The psalm ends with a plea for God to arise and redeem them from their enemies, so that they may praise Him and give thanks for His deliverance.
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