Paul’s hearing before Festus—Change of venue leads to appeal to the highest court of the nation.

Acts 25:1-12

• Festus consults with the Jewish leaders and grants them another trial against Paul.
• Paul rejects the change of court venue to the lower Jewish courts.
• Paul’s appeal to the highest court of the nation is granted.

Festus consults with the Jewish leaders and grants them another trial against Paul.
“Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.” Acts 25:1 

As learned in the post on Acts 24:26-27, Porcius Festus replaced Felix as the Governor, where he ruled from Caesarea of Judea. The Roman Emperor, Nero, would have been the one who appointed Festus, and Nero was brutal in his persecution and killing of Christians. Three days after being appointed Governor, Felix went to Jerusalem, where the Jewish leaders wanted Paul kept imprisoned and executed.

In today’s atheistic culture, the government leaders are becoming increasingly intolerant of Christianity and the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Government leaders rule by the entity governing through their thoughts, feelings, words and behaviors. This entity replaces the conscience and spirit and oppresses the Holy Spirit to give life to the image of the beast to speak and live through them. They are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do. The only way for the United Nations to be established as the undisputable one world government of the beast is to have government officials in place who support their agenda and goals. These government officials rule in every city, state, and nation around the world.

Our Lord Jesus Christ says this, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Mark 8:36

“Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.” Acts 25:2-3

While in Jerusalem, Festus and the most important leaders of the Jewish people made Paul the focus of their discussions. The Jewish leaders felt very comfortable revealing to Festus their murderous intent against Paul. That’s because they all had something in common, their hatred of Christianity and the intent to exterminate Christians from the Roman Empire and Jewish culture. Today, Christian births are being exterminated as described in the post on Revelation 12.  “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’” Revelation 12:17

The Jewish plan was for Festus to summons Paul to Jerusalem, from Caesarea, and some of the Jewish people would ambush Paul and kill him. In today’s atheistic culture, those who live for the testimony of Jesus Christ are being ambushed in every way, to kill Christianity. On top of receiving negative feedback and social disapproval from every angle, Christians are shunned in other ways as well. The churches have already abandoned the Gospel of Jesus Christ to partner with the community agenda. Government lawmakers no longer integrate the values of the Bible in laws and policies. The educational system does not allow the Bible to be taught in classrooms, and the Gospel of Christ is not wanted in any sector of society.

Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “…beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake…Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:17-18, 21-22

“But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. “Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him.” Acts 25:4-5

Festus did not want to have any direct involvement in the conspiracy to kill Paul, an uncondemned Roman citizen. Especially not with the Jewish leaders. Likewise, there are no government politicians, especially in a state Governor position, that wants to have an image of conspiring to kill off Christianity.

However, Governor Festus did agree to hold another court trial against Paul, on a state level in Caesarea. This would be like a trial in a state supreme court, the highest level of court proceedings before appealing to Caesar, which is like the Supreme Court of a nation today. Festus called for the most authoritative Jewish prosecutors to lead the charge against Paul. Today, Christianity is being defeated in the court system, and really there are no cases heard about in defense or in prosecution of Christianity. Christians and the Gospel of Jesus Chist are being silenced before even reaching the courts at any level. That is how much of an atheistic society we live in today.

“It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” Revelation 13:7 The “him” in this verse refers to the beast of the image and mark of the beast. The “him” in this verse is the entity that gives thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors to every tribe, tongue, and nation. That is how authority is held over the global population. This entity gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people everywhere as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

“All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life…” Revelation 13:8 As born-again followers of Jesus Christ, our name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Paul rejects the change of court venue to the lower Jewish courts.
“And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.” Acts 25:6

In the previous section, Governor Festus conspired with the Jewish leaders to allow them to open up a new trial against Paul. Festus spent ten days with the most powerful leaders of the Jewish people, setting up Paul’s retrial. The trial began the next day.

The conspiracy against Christianity between today’s culture and the governing authorities is plain to see. Judgment has already been arranged against the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s because today’s culture and the governing authorities have already agreed that the foundation of society must be built on the entity that governs through thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors. In contrast, Christianity is to devote our body as the home of the Holy Spirit. “…what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.” 2 Corinthians 6:16

“When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove…” Acts 25:7

When Paul entered the courtroom, the high-powered Jewish leaders and prosecutors brought many serious charges against Paul. The intent was to find Paul guilty of an offense serious enough to imprison and execute him. This was also the hope of Govenor Festus, appointed by the Roman Emperor Nero [who brutally persecuted and killed Christians]. There was no evidence backing up the accusations against Paul.

The serious charge brought up against Christianity today is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ sabotages today’s atheistic society. In the future, living for Jesus Christ could be an imprisonable offense. The born-again experience through Jesus Christ gives life to the Holy Spirit within our heart, mind, and soul. That opposes today’s culture that has given their heart, mind, and soul to the entity that gives them what to think, feel, say, and do. There will never ever be any evidence of this because the governing authorities of today do not want it to come to the light. They do not want it to come to light that their culture, which is global, is the government of the beast as prophesied about in the Bible.

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:19-21

“…while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.” Acts 25:8

Paul’s defense speaks for Christians in every city across the globe. As followers of Jesus Christ, we do not speak against the laws of today’s culture, nor against the temple of the human body, nor against the governing authorities. We follow the Holy Spirit who says, “…be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” Titus 3:1-2

“But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?” Acts 25:9

Festus replied to Paul’s defense by trying to influence Paul to move his trial to a local court in Jerusalem. Festus knew this would lead to Paul’s imprisonment and death, but he wanted to please the Jewish powerbrokers [and Nero who appointed him Governor]. This is like a state’s supreme court refusing to hear a case and returning it to a local jurisdiction, for political reasons. In today’s atheistic culture, Christianity doesn’t stand a chance at the grassroots level of the courts. And the courts at the state level do not want to be seen as giving life to a “religion” that they see as being on the extinction list. Christians and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are being driven into extinction, as described in the post on Revelation 12.

“So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.” Acts 25:10

Paul knew he didn’t stand a chance in a Jewish courtroom, and the request of Festus to move his trial to Jerusalem was bonkers to Paul. As a Roman citizen, Paul held the legal right to be tried in a Roman courtroom, and Festus couldn’t legally coerce a Roman citizen to be tried by the Jewish laws. Paul said very plainly that Festus knew he did no wrong to the Jewish people. It was only because of the conspiracy of Festus with the Jewish people that Festus wanted to move Paul’s trial to Jerusalem.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we know if there is any hope for the legal rights of Christianity in this world, it will come through the higher courts, not the local courts. The higher courts are nearer to constitutional law, and the Supreme Court decides cases based solely on the constitution of the United States. The constitution is known for being founded on God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. There is a church built on just about every street corner of America. Unfortunately, we no longer have a Christian nation, nor a Christian congress. The values of the Bible are no longer integrated into laws and policies. Constitutions of nations across the globe are being “reinterpreted” to favor the agenda and goals of the United Nations.

Paul’s appeal to the highest court of the nation is granted.
“For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you will go!” Acts 25:11-12

In the previous section of Acts 25:6-10, Paul refused to have his trial moved from the state court in Caesarea to the lower court in Jerusalem. He knew being tried by the Jewish leaders would mean a guilty verdict and his eventual death. Paul said if he was guilty of any wrongdoing deserving of death, he would own up to it and would not appeal a death sentence. However, Paul was not guilty, and as a Roman citizen, no one could give him to a Jewish court system that had already found him guilty and deserving of death.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we do nothing against today’s culture, nothing against their laws, and nothing against the governing authorities. We have definitely done nothing deserving of death. We follow the words of the Holy Spirit who says to us, “… be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” Titus 3:1-2 Even then, today’s atheistic culture and the governing authorities have ordered the extinction of Christianity, as described in revelation 12.  “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’” Revelation 12:17 “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” Revelations 13:7

Paul knew he was innocent of the charges that the Jewish people brought against him, but there was no way he would ever get a legitimate trial in Jerusalem. As Christians, we know there is no ill-will in us towards others. We follow the words of Jesus who said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 2:37-40 Even then, today’s atheistic culture despises Christianity and want it eradicated from their social network.

As a Roman citizen, Paul used his right to appeal to Caesar, which would be like appealing to a nation’s Supreme Court, the highest court of the land. As followers of Jesus Christ, the only hope of ever being justly judged by the legal standards of this world is to appeal to the Supreme Court. They rule according to the interpretation of the constitution, which is founded on belief in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Even with that said, nowadays the lawmakers do not implement the values of the Bible in laws and policies.

The council that Festus conferred with was the high-powered Jewish leaders who brought charges against Paul. After conferring with them, Festus said, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you will go!” At Rome, where the supreme court was, Paul was imprisoned for two more years and then executed. This would have been pleasing to the Jewish leaders, Governor Festus, and the Roman Emperor Nero. Today, the atheistic community culture, their governing authority, and the global leaders are delighted when Christianity is judged against and driven into extinction. Jesus said this about the mourning of Christians, “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” John 16:20

The supreme courts of this world will not bring rejoicing to Christians, but only sorrow. However, there is the judgment to come beyond the grave. Then we will be resurrected to everlasting life and those of this world will be resurrected to everlasting contempt, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise swill shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:2-3

What happened to Paul was by the hand of God, who sent him this message, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” Acts 23:11 In these Godless times, we all pray, as our Lord Jesus did, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Matthew 26:39

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11