THE LIVING CHURCH
Meditations in the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 16:26-34

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THESE verses tell of a most remarkable event. There is an earthquake which rocks the prison. The earthquake is not particularly remarkable. However aspects of the event are remarkable. The earthquake came at a most opportune time. The world would just say that it was coincidence, but the believer sees the hand of God - more of that in a moment. Then it is remarkable that the earthquake broke all the chains that held the prisoners and broke the locks on the doors, but the actual prison building itself remained intact. This is at least the implication of the narrative. This is remarkable because force is not selective in this way. If the doors were all opened and the stocks broken, one would have expected the building also to be damaged. Then we read that none of the prisoners tried to escape. Here again we might argue because of unbelief that the prisoners in question only referred to Paul and Silas, but this is not a natural way of interpreting or understanding the narrative. What we have is a natural event used by God in a supernatural way.

From these observations we can come to no other conclusion than that the earthquake was in the timing of God who orders all things in heaven and earth. We have here an illustration of the truth expressed by Paul in Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good for those who love God. No one could say that to be falsely accused, flogged and shut in prison is a desirable thing. It is not good, but in the case of Paul and Silas it worked together for good. The good specially here was the conversion of the jailer and his household.

Then we see illustrated that God is truly able to work everything according the council of his will. We have been brought to understand that the coming of people to faith is according to the sovereign purpose of God. Paul went to Macedonia according to God's will. He found in Philippi that Lydia had had her heart opened by the Lord. It is plain here that God's purpose was to save the Jailer. The means God used was the persecution of Paul and the earthquake, in order to bring the jailer to the point of desiring to know the Lord. We can put all these things down to coincidence, but this really will not do. God was evidently working according to his predetermined purpose. Nothing but the power of God could have caused all the prisoners, all without doubt unbelievers except for Paul and Silas, and also no doubt bad people, from escaping when they found the prison doors opened. They would have taken advantage of the situation in the normal course of events. Here they did not. God was in it to prevent them.

This really is a peep behind the scenes of life to see the truth about the church and believers. We are the children of God in the hands of God, and God works all things according to the council of his will and for our good.

Then we see how there is no hope in the world. The only option the world left open to this jailer was to commit suicide. The world has no mercy. No account would have been taken in the world that the jailer could have done nothing to stop the earthquake and the devastation that followed. He would have lost his job and no doubt his life because all the prisoners had escaped. There is only hope in Christ. This hopelessness is seen in the Jailer’s cry for help - What must I do to be saved.

There is much more in this cry than at first meets the eye. It was firstly a cry as to how he could avoid the authorities punishing him for the loss of the prisoners and the devastation to the prison. But he had already seen that some of his fear of the world had been removed by the miracle of the un-escaped prisoners. He had, however, come face to face with God, and realised he had taken part in opposition to God in Paul and Silas being treated so badly. God's power was awesome. In the light of this he began to feel something of his guilt before God. His fear and feelings were running riot and he did not know what to do.

This was the opportunity God had prepared for the Gospel. Notice what the Scripture tells us. The words of Paul "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" were simply the stepping stone for Paul to preach the Gospel of salvation in Jesus. Some preachers seem to imagine that it is sufficient to say believe on Jesus. This is not so. Paul pointed the Jailer to Jesus and then explained why. Faith comes by hearing and hearing from the Word of God as Paul explains in Romans 10. Christianity is not a mindless religion and not built on slogans or magical formula.

Then we see the miracle of grace. God had set his love upon this jailer and his household, and so we read in verse 34 that the whole family was filled with joy because they had come to believe in God. The jailer was not coerced to believe against his will. He was made willing in the day of God's power in his life. In fact you can coerce people against their will into certain actions and ways, but you can't coerce a person to believe what they do not want to believe. Nor is their any mind manipulation in God's grace. The mind is convinced of the wisdom and glory of the work of Christ in redeeming us sinners, and faith is a response to this appreciation of how the gospel answers all our need for righteousness and salvation.