WebEnglish. He says, I dont know what they sang. By further reading Psalms 91:5, we are told not to be afraid of the terrors at night nor the arrows that fly during the day. 25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. Lets read from Exodus 12:42 The Lord kept watch that night to bring them out of Egypt. Share 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the The The Bible has presented the prayer from the jail of Paul and Silas from the Book of Acts in chapter 16:25. 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. Paul and Silas were singing to the Lord, praising his name. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! A seismic tremor tore open the jail entryways at noon, liberating the detainees. It is God manifesting Himself, letting the people know He is present and has the situation under control. As per their custom, Paul and Silas went to the synagogue and preached Jesus as Christ. Anonymous. Paul, Silas passed through Amphipolis, Apollonia and reached Thessalonica. Paul is demonstrating something very differenta God of infinite love to who even a lowly jailer is precious, and the welfare of a single man matters more than the dramatic clash of religious beliefs. Gods Power Is Manifested When His People Praise Him There is a counterpart passage of Scripture to these verses, which is found in the Old Testament. We take with us the gospel and we go to them. Midnight is a figuratively dark time. Being persecuted unjustly for Christ leads Paul and Silas to joy rather than sorrow (Luke 6:22-23). Yes, singing. Or we could have read that they cursed the men who beat The circumstances of the end are unclear and unknown. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyones chains were unfastened. Recall again James 1:1-2: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.. Prayed. The midnight hour does not find many folk praying. Were on a mission to change that. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. We all face it, but remember that God uses adversity to make us stronger. Proud member The third testimony comes from Jesus Christ who pointed out the evil forces ruling at night. So he works through our stuff, our possessions, our comfort and our riches. Read also: Who is Apostle Paul? I want to go back to verse 11 where we left off from last week and talk about what we can do by the grace of God. 1901 NW Blue Parkway WebAt midnight Paul and Silas prayed Doubtless, for their persecutors as well as for themselves; and sang praises unto God Notwithstanding weariness, hunger, stripes, How easily we could have read that Paul and Silas groaned at midnight. And everyone there rejoiced at the beautiful things that had happened in Philippi. WebPaul and Silas had songs given to them in the night time of their confinement, while the poor jailer was in agonies, and the magistrates who condemned were sadly troubled. I must bring them also.. While in jail, Paul and Silas sat with their feet in stocks, singing songs. I know what Id be singing: Rescue the perishing, care for the dying! But of course they werent asking for deliverance. During the midnight hours, the bodys immune system is at its lowest. Not one man came forward so the emperor left them there, huddled together in the cold. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every ones bands were loosed. implies he has already heard the prisoners proclaiming "the way of salvation" and their praying and singing. They were planning on going North, but God told them to throw out their printed itinerary from Mapquest and called them West into Europe. 35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, Let those men go., 36 So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, The magistrates have sent to let you go. Thank God, Christian, He opened yours. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 38 And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. Why do some people light a candle when praying at midnight? Euripides and Ovid, in particular, both told almost identical stories about other gods. Why was St Andrew crucified? What is the Story of Paul and Silas, and what did they do? Web25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that 16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone. . He was praising the condescension of the Athenians towards the gods. Web25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. By the demons powers, she is engaged in fortune-telling. You know, some clairvoyant work of fortune-telling or future-telling is just a hoax and other expressions of it are demonic. He answers their praise with a praise of His own: 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyones chains were loosed. And everyone there rejoiced at the beautiful things that had happened in Philippi. So we created doortoeden.com becausea city set on a hill cannot be hidden. All Rights Reserved. God in his mighty ways defeated the devil in their lives and they were blessed abundantly. Paul without prayer would have been Paul without his lofty heroism. Paul and Silas served together on the subsequent preacher venture (Acts 15-18). If worship were optional Paul and Silas would not have been singing with bloody backs in the Philippian dungeon at midnight. Paul and Silas were, however, certain of Gods love and Gods presence in their lives. Paul and Silas were in Philippi (a former city in present-day Greece), where they were arrested, flogged, and imprisoned for causing a public nuisance. 18 And this she did for many days. At midnight an earthquake shook the prison walls. get to know the Bible better! It is a name not like any other name as we can read from Philippians 2:10. This site is dedicated to all kinds of people. Immediately the doors were opened and everyone's bonds were loosed. Throughout the dark night, the men stayed close together, refusing to give up their faith in Christ for the temporary pleasures of this world. WebAt midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God. Paul and Silas did two things at the midnight hour which had much to do with victory in the morning. That just means that you go and serve the Lord wherever you happen to be, even though it may not have been your first choice. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. Around the year 320 AD, there were 40 men who faced midnight as brave soldiers in the famed 12th Legion of Romes Imperial Army. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. WebKing James Version 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And why? WebBut at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Who is Apostle Paul? They proclaimed Jesus as King and Messiah of Jews. 15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay. So she persuaded us. He gives us the ability to get through anything and everything. All they had to do was to come forward and the emperor would let them live. Midnight prayer is a spiritual highway where deep spiritual transactions take place. (3-5) Timothy joins Paul and Silas, and their work continues. 2. By the midnight hour, Paul and Silas were singing praises to God. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there came a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened and everyones chains were unfastened. This woman is possessed by a spirit of divination. She is possessed by a demon. You can visit Philippi today, including the site of the jail where Paul and Silas were imprisoned. God uses a crisis to save this jailer. Have a good day and may God be with you! It was a prayer and praise service going on in a Roman prison! Pharaohs stubbornness led God to take action and display his supreme power. Listen to them! At once all the doors opened, and the chains fell off all the prisoners. This is definitely one of the greatest praying at midnight testimonies that weve ever heard. Web129 views, 12 likes, 5 loves, 9 comments, 5 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Global Harvest Kenya: One Voice Potters Touch Worship Encounter Thats why youll notice that many sick people usually die during these hours. The officer in charge that night had been so moved by the entire scene that during his watch he had come to faith in Christ. Is it something that Christians should be doing? Take your Bibles and open to Acts, chapter 16. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.. David said he praises God seven times a day (Psalms 119:164). Acts 16:25-26 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; (Acts 16:25 NASB) Who could blame them if they were fearful, confused, and bitter over what had happened? Across the Holy Scriptures, we realize that most major prayers and freedom actions from the hands of the devil were carried out at midnight. See Details While the agents of darkness are making their patrols at this very hour, demonic creatures are roaming the Earth in search of who to devour. Midnight, also known as the hour of the third clock is a time when spiritual battles are launched in the heavenly places. The Philippian corrections officer, accepting they were free, realized he would be tormented and afterward put to no end. If Paul and Silas had triumphantly left the prison behind them and moved on, the story would be similar to other versions. After arriving at the sea port of Neapolis, they walk about 10 miles to Philippi where they will stay for a few days. Compiled & Edited by BibleStudyTools Staff, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete). From the Word they spoke, the sick they healed in the name of the Lord, for which they were punished and imprisoned in Philippi. Let them come themselves and get us out.. Such prayers lead to confusion in the kingdom of darkness. However, well write down a few of these praying at midnight testimonies to boost your faith and display the importance of praying at this particular hour. We visit them. They are arrested, beaten, and thrown into prison. This gives us tips on why did Paul and Silas prayed at midnight. And the faith from our hearts is materialized through the words and commands that we speak in the name of Jesus Christ. The great significance of this version, I think, is that it leads in a unique and unexpected direction. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles WebThe Song of Two Jail Birds in Acts 16. Worship in war-time! Their praises reached heaven and touched Gods heart who did not withhold the angel of liberation from setting them free and defeating the devil at midnight. Midnight prayers prevent Satan from proceeding with his plans. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. They sang the words over and over again, Forty Martyrs for Christ. One account of the event has this line as part of the song: Lord, we are forty who are engaged in this combat; grant that we may be forty crowned, and that not one be wanting to this sacred number. They sang at midnight. Webwhich was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Also, read our article on the benefits of night vigil. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. They had taken no pain killers, nor were they high on anything. A church that is full of wonderful worshipful music is magnetic. The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.. He also said that with a mature faith, men can move mountains and displace oceans. Picture this amazing scene. God takes the initiative in salvation. When he had brought them into the house, he set the table for them and rejoiced with all his home that he had believed in God.. The consciousness of a helper in heaven is a sustaining power. 2023 Henderson's First Baptist Church. Lets read from Luke 22:53 I was with you in the Temple every day, and you did not try to arrest me. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:11-12, about the persecutions he endured and he writes, And out of them all, the Lord delivered me. At midnight, Paul and Silas were singing hymns and praising God. And at noon Paul and Silas supplicated, and sang acclaims unto God: and the detainees heard them. Rather than facing the humiliation of his authorities, he plans to take his own life. Well also point out the reasons why they are considered superior to those carried out during the day. Paul and Silas, jailed, shackled, bruised and bleeding from having been beaten by rods, should be fearing for their lives. In Hebrews 12:2, the writer encourages us to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus endured adversity. And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." Webwhich is the current redemptive name of god in the church dispensation. Miracles of Jesus | What are the central miracles in the Bible? Number three: by Gods grace: Ray Stedman wonders what hymns Paul and Silas were singing. Hold that thought. Our God reigns. He was saved, very happy he trusted in God. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. And we were staying in that city for some days. He endured the cross for you and me. Paul and Silas were Roman citizens and therefore were exempt from the beating they received and for being thrown into prison without a trial, but the magistrates never took time to check into that. But rather than complaining, they are praying and singing hymns to God. And when we sing and worship God, it draws attention to Him. Rich Stratton, https://fbchenderson.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/23135529/2008.02.03.A-Singing-at-Midnight-Todd-Linn-26081218462.mp3. Perhaps, you were not aware but there is power in words. Paul and Silas were singing to the Lord, praising his name. He knew that if the prisoners got away that his life would be required. In the city of Hellenistic culture, Paul delivered a sermon before the Areopagus. About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs of praise to God, and the shut-ins were listening. Prayer, yes, but singing? 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. A couple of things struck me about these opening verses, about evangelizing appropriately. 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