When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.

I sometimes like to rub it in that I was right, or was in the right. At first glance, it may seem as if this is what Paul was doing here. But in reality, I think he had something much more important that he was about. He wanted the city officials to understand that everything they did to him was illegal. Their power had been trumped and now he was “holding court” in their minds. And he wanted the city folk to see that these officials were now trying to appease them. Why? I think it was because they wanted them to literally have the fear of God in them.

I notice that they went to Lydia’s house just afterwards. And they encouraged the brothers and sisters there. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall there. Along with praising God for their deliverance, I think they encouraged them that they should not have any more trouble there. This is because Paul and Silas had intel they could report to the Romans regarding these wicked leaders. They could get into serious trouble for what they did to Paul and Silas.

Sometimes God provides in mysterious ways. It would seem that the stripes on their backs not only allowed them to participate in the sufferings of Christ, but also to clear a path for the unobstructed spread of the gospel.

Lord, sometimes it is unclear what your plan is. Sometimes the path is counter-intuitive to me. But your plans are so much greater than mine and don’t always involve my comfort. Your plans are designed to build your eternal kingdom and to rescue the prisoner and to set the captives free! All Hail King Jesus! All Hail The Lord of Heaven and Earth!