Witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than
those which the prophets and Moses said would come"
ACTs 26:22
Paul previously has declared that his work of preaching and teaching among the Gentiles is simply a matter of obedience to Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate. He told the Sanhedrin in Acts 23:1 that he had lived in '"all good conscience.'"And he told Governor Felix that he had striven '"to have a conscience without offense toward God and men'" (Acts 24:16). Now, as he speaks to King Agrippa II, he makes another ringing declaration that he is simply a servant doing his duty. Having told the king what Jesus commanded him to do, he says, '"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision."" Indeed, his testimony is that, just as we have seen, he went right to work, calling Jews in Damascus, Jerusalem, and Judea, and then Gentile as well, to repent and to God through Christ.
Ironically, he tells the king, it was for his obedidnce to the Lord's commands that he was seized by the Jews and almost killed. He had been instructed by Israel's God to preach repentance, but the people of Israel did not want to head. Even more remarkable, Paul say's he was preaching nothing more than what Moses and the other old testament prophets proclaimed that the Messiah would suffer and die then rise from the dead and that His message would go forth to Jews and Gentiles alike. But just as Old Testament prophets were rejected and despised when they called the Jews to turn from wickedness to God, so Paul has been hated by his people.
Yet Paul is able to give a magnificent testimony of God's faithfulness and assistant through all his difficulties. We have seen for intances when Paul appears to have been fearful and anxious, and the Lord came to strengthen and encourage him (Acts 18: 9-10:23:11). Now Paul declared that God has been with him through all His work, enabling him to stand firm and make his witness before the small and great. Paul's implication is clear- without the Lord standing with him he have been crushed long before. He makes this assertion throughout his epistle and he makes it here in the court of the Roman governor, fearlessly and confident as ribing to the one true God his call and the strength to carry to carry, it out. This is Paul's good confession (1Timonty 6:12-13 his ringing testimony to the faithfulness of the one who called and has carried him.
"Repent!" Always has been the cry of God's messengers, from the prophets through John the Baptist, New us, the apostles, and contemporary men of God. Repentance is turning from sin to God, as David does in Psalm 51. As such, it is never complete. Examine your life for sins from which you need to turn. Make repentance to your Lord.
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