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Oded rescues captured women 1
King Ahaz (735-715 AD) became King of Judah at the age of 20. He turned his back on God to worship Baal and other false gods instead. Others in the nation followed his wicked example.
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In one day of fighting, the armies of Israel and Aram killed 120,000 of Judah’s troops. – Slide 4
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Zichri, a great warrior from the tribe of Ephraim, is mentioned as killing Maaseiah, the son of King Ahaz, along with the King’s administrator, Azrikam and the King’s second in command, Elkanah.


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King Ahaz survived the battle, but a large number of people were captured and deported back to Damascus in the land of Aram.
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However, the armies from Israel also captured 200,000 Judean women and children and tremendous amounts of booty.
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It did not matter that the women and children prisoners were fellow Jews. The army of Israel planned to take them back to Samaria in Israel to sell them as slaves. They also intended to steal their animals and treasures.


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Although this tribe has sent soldiers to fight, when the tribal leaders saw the women and children taken as prisoners, they knew this could not be the right thing to do.
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In the town of Samaria there was a prophet of God called Oded. God had a message for him to deliver to the triumphant troops. He bravely went out to meet the returning army.
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‘Look’ he exclaimed. ‘The Lord God was angry with Judah and let you capture them, but you have butchered them without mercy, and all heaven is disturbed.


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‘Are you going to make slaves of these people from Judah and Jerusalem? What about your own sins against the Lord your God? Return these fellow Jews to their homes, for the Lord is angry with you.’
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Some of the top leaders of Ephraim spoke out and supported Oded. These men were Azariah, Berechiah, Jehizkiah, and Amasa.
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‘You must not bring the captives here!’ they declared. ‘If you do, the Lord will be angry, and this sin will be added to our many others. We are in enough trouble with God as it is.’


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Amazingly, the army officers turned over the captives and booty to the tribe leaders to decide what to do. The four men immediately distributed captured stores of food and drink to the women and children
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They gave clothing and shoes to the prisoners who needed it.


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Then they put the elderly and sick on donkeys and led the prisoners back to Judah with an armed escort.
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And so, because the prophet Oded bravely gave God’s message, and the leaders of Ephraim supported him, over 200,000 women and children were rescued from slavery and set free.

Oded rescues captured women and children
The prophet Oded warns against the capture of women and children prisoners.
2 Chronicles 28:1-14

Paul's trial before Festus and Agrippa 1
When Porcius Festus took over as Governor from Felix, the Jewish authorities asked for Paul to be put on trial in Jerusalem (hoping to ambush and kill him on the way). Festus instead agreed to a fresh trial in Caesarea. Paul denied the charges saying, ‘I am not guilty of any crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government.’
Paul's trial before Festus and Agrippa 2
Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, ‘Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?’
Paul's trial before Festus and Agrippa 3
‘No!’ Paul replied. ‘This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried here. You know I am not guilty. If I have done something worthy of death, I should die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!’


Paul's trial before Festus and Agrippa 4
Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied, ‘Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!’
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A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus. They discussed Paul’s case together. ‘I’d like to hear the man myself,’ Agrippa said.Festus replied, ‘You will, tomorrow!’
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The next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Paul was brought in. Festus announced, ‘This is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, but in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome. But what charge shall I make against him?’


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Paul stood up and told them how he had encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus and become a Christian. Acts 26:1-23
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Suddenly, Festus shouted, ‘Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!’
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Paul replied, ‘I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the truth. King Agrippa knows about these things. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.’


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Agrippa interrupted him. ‘Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?’
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Paul replied, ‘Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.’
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Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. As they went out, they agreed, ‘This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.’Agrippa said to Festus, ‘He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.


Paul's trial before Festus and Agrippa
Paul's trial before Festus and Agrippa.
Acts 25:1-26:32

Paul warned not to go to Jerusalem 2
Here Paul and his companions boarded a ship heading for the coast of Phoenicia
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Paul and his companions went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem.
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When they returned to the ship the entire congregation, including women and children, left the city and came to the shore with them. There they knelt, prayed, and said their farewells.


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At Caesarea Paul stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to be deacons and distribute food. He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
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Several days later, a prophet named Agabus arrived from Judea. He took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. He then said, ‘The Holy Spirit declares that the owner of this belt will be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles. ‘
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When Paul’s travelling companions and the local believers heard this, they begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.


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But Paul replied, ‘Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.’ Paul refused to be persuaded so they gave up and said, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’
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When they arrived in Jerusalem they got a warm welcome from the Christians there.
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The next day, Paul met with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church and gave a detailed account of the things God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.


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After hearing this, they praised God but James warned Paul that many Jewish believers in Jerusalem had been told that Paul was teaching Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses
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James had a plan for Paul to prove that these rumours were false. He suggested Paul went to the Temple with four men who had taken Nazarite of vows of purification and join them in the ceremony.
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Paul agreed and the next day went to the Temple with the four men. He publicly announced the date when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them. Paul showed his support for them by paying for them to have their heads ritually shaved. To find out what happened next download ‘Paul faces a riot in Jerusalem’ from Free Bible images.

Paul warned not to go to Jerusalem
The prophet Agabus warns Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:1-26

Paul in bondage 2
In Caesarea, the prophet Agabus came to Paul. Agabus took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands. Then Agabus said that the Jews in Jerusalem would do this to Paul and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. Acts 21:8-11
Paul in bondage 3
Paul did not let fear of prison or beatings keep him from sharing the Gospel. He went directly to Jerusalem and then right into the most sacred Jewish meeting place of all, the temple grounds. Acts 21:26
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When some Jews recognized Paul in the temple grounds they were furious. They stirred up a mob by telling people lies that Paul taught rebellion against the Jews and the laws given by Moses. Acts 21:27-29


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The mob dragged Paul out of the temple grounds and proceeded to try to kill him. This was reported to the Roman cohort. Many in Jerusalem were upset. The soldiers quickly ran to rescue Paul and take him away. Acts 21:30-32
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According to the Roman officials Paul was to blame for the disturbance in the temple grounds. They allowed Paul to speak to the Jews in defence but this did not help. It only made them yell for Paul to be killed. Acts 22-23
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To protect Paul the Romans took him to the barracks. That night the Lord stood at Paul’s side and said ‘Take courage for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.’ Acts 23:11


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The next day 40 Jews gathered. Together they took an oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. Unknown to them a young man heard about the evil plan. This young man was Paul’s nephew. Acts 23:12-15
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The young man quickly told his mother and she sent him to Paul. When Paul heard about the evil plot he sent the young man to the Roman commander. The commander quickly made plans to save Paul from this conspiracy. Acts 23:16-22
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The Roman commander secretly gathered two hundred soldiers and took Paul out of Jerusalem at night. They traveled from the hill country of Jerusalem down by the sea to the Roman city of Caesarea. Acts 23:35


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In Caesarea Paul was held as a prisoner until he could face trial. There were many days that Paul spent in prison and his friends came to visit him. One trial after another did not seem to resolve Paul’s case. Acts 23-25:22
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Finally the day came when King Agrippa came with his wife Bernice with great pomp. Now Paul was given a chance to share his testimony with the king and a large audience. King Agrippa almost believed the Gospel. Acts 25-26:28


Paul in bondage 13
After Paul’s defence the king, Bernice and the governor went aside. They agreed that Paul was doing nothing worthy of death, but Paul appealed to Caesar so according to the law he must go to Rome. Acts 26:30-32
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Just as Jesus said, Paul was going to Rome to witness for Jesus just as strongly and boldly as he did in Jerusalem and Caesarea. And during the trip Paul was going to boldly witness to the men on the ship.


Paul in bondage
Paul is arrested in Jerusalem and held as a prisoner in Caesarea before being sent for trial in Rome.
Acts 21-26