In Acts 13 we find Saul and Barnabas sent on their ministries, they also take some of the disciples with them. Luke being one of them. Verse 1 and it reads.
Acts 13:1] Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Manaen was a foster brother to Herod. Remember God took Harod in Ch.12.
Acts 13:2] As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
This will create a double witness for the Lord, sending out two ministries.
Acts 13:3] And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Making both Barnabas and Saul Apostles.
Acts 13:4] So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
[5] And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
This would be Mark John. Notice that that they went boldly into the synagogues, as they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:6] And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus:
[7] Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
This is definitely something I want you to catch. What we have here is Satan at work. He will send people also to pervert the church in anyway, he can. Bar is “son of”, Jesus is “Yah’s savior”. This man is a false prophet, Jesus told us in Mark 13:21-22 and it reads.
Mark 13:21] And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
[22] For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Don’t overlook “if it were possible”, it’s not possible, for God will never leave us or forsake us. Back to Acts and verse 8 reads.
Acts 13:8] But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
Elymas is G1681 in the Strongs’, and means a wizard or “a wise one”. It is an Arabic word. This is Satan trying to turn away the apostles from the Word, or at the least to bring confusion. Let’s see how they handle him.
Acts 13:9] Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
First time Saul is called Paul. Paul means “small”. Now he looks directly into his eyes, boldly.
Acts 13:10] And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
Boldly he talks with the Kenite. This will be as an example to us for these end times. 1Cor.10:11.
Acts 13:11] And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
Was it Paul, no but the Holy Spirit within him that did this. This season is 3 months.
Acts 13:12] Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
[13] Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
Mark John went back to Jerusalem. Everything for a reason, we’ll see later.
Acts 13:14] But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
[15] And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
Why go to the synagogue? To hear the Word of the LORD.
Acts 13:16] Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
First to the brothers of Israel, then to the gentiles.
Acts 13:17] The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
Remember Steven was stoned for this very teaching. And they laid their coats at the feet of Saul.
Acts 13:18] And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
[19] And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
[20] And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
[21] And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
Paul is also of the tribe of Benjamin.
Acts 13:22] And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
This is the only man that God called after his own heart. And all the kings after would be judged after him. Whether they were righteous or not. And not many were righteous.
Acts 13:23] Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
Of the seed of David, this is known as “The Key of David”. The knowledge of the Serpents seed and the woman’s seed. Who are the Kenites and who are children of the Living God.
Acts 13:24] When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
[25] And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
[26] Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
The stock of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob which became Israel. These are the generations that Jesus Christ would come through. Salvation would come through this stock.
Acts 13:27] For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
They crucified our Lord just like it was prophesied.
Acts 13:28] And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
[29] And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
Paul just gave the testimony of Steven, from Moses to the crucifixion. This condemns the Kenites from Jerusalem, those that called themselves Jews but lied and are of the synagogue of Satan. Rev.3:9. And Psa.22. and Isa.53.
Acts 13:30] But God raised him from the dead:
[31] And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
Paul can also testify about this because he saw him on the road to Damascus.
Acts 13:32] And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
[33] God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
Let’s go to Psa.2 and read all of it.
Psa.2:1] Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
[2] The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
[3] Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
[4] He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
[5] Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
[6] Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
This being Jesus Christ.
Psa.2:7] I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
We just heard Paul quote this.
Acts 2:8] Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
[9] Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
[10] Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
[11] Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
[12] Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
A warning to the leaders of the world today. Will they listen? Back to Acts and verse 34 reads.
Acts 13:34] And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
Let’s go to Isaiah 55 and verse 3 reads.
Isa.55:3] Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Back to Acts and verse 35 reads.
Acts 13:35] Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
That would be Psa.16:10. And it reads.
Psa.16:9] Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
[10] For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
[11] Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Always good to go back to read what else we might get out of it. Gods pure pleasure, that is the Salvation of Jesus. Back to Acts and verse 36 reads.
Acts 13:36] For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
His body rotted in the grave.
Acts 13:37] But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
Jesus was transfigured and his body never rotted.
Acts 13:38] Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
That by repentance all is forgiven.
Acts 13:39] And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Belief justifies.
Acts 13:40] Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
[41] Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
This would be Habakkuk 1:5 and it reads.
Hab.1:5] Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
We must remember that these prophets prophesied many years before. Back to Acts 13:42 and it reads.
Acts 13:42] And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
[43] Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
[44] And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
When you teach the Word of God the church will increase. For the people are starving to hear the Truth.
[45] But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
The Jews became envious.
Acts 13:46] Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
For this reason, it was given to you first, but you did not receive so we then preach to the gentiles.
Acts 13:47] For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Here we go again, so let’s get some knowledge from the Lord. Isaiah 49 and picking it up with verse 5 and it reads.
Isa.49:5] And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
[6] And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
[7] Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
[8] Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
Awesome! Back to Acts and verse 48 reads.
Acts 13:48] And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
The gentiles received the word but the Kenites did not, don’t confuse these “Jews” with our brothers Judah.
Acts 13:49] And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
[50] But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
The Kenites expelled them, but those of Jacob and the gentiles received them, so then they moved on. Sent, but not to stay, for the Lord had a ministry for them to deliver the word to many.
Acts 13:51] But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
[52] And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
Shake off the dust when you or the Lord are not received. Just move on and plant the seed where you are received. Do not cast your seeds before swine. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible