Daily Devotions
Ephesians
"Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
Text: Ephesians 6:13
IN THE EVIL DAY
How should we understand this phrase? Perhaps the following texts would help illustrate what Paul meant when he sought to describe the onslaught of the enemy.
Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand
to harass some from the church.
Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword,
and because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded
further to seize Peter also.
ACTS 12:1-3
But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women
and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against
Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
ACTS 13:50
1. An evil day is one where the good are slain meaninglessly
That evil day fell on the Church. The apostle James was slain by the sword. No charges were laid against James. He was executed by a despotic ruler who sought to harass the church.
2. An evil day is one where the ruler seeks to please the wicked
The shrewd king Herod, noted that his action of executing James pleased the Jews (and they were a difficult lot to please) arrested and jailed the apostle Peter.
3. An evil day is one when people succeed in opposing the spread of the Gospel
Paul and Barnabas had a successful ministry in Antioch, Pisidia. Just how successful they were may be read in the following text.
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city
came together to hear the Word of God.
ACTS 13:44
The Jews when they saw the multitude were terribly upset.
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled
with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed
the things spoken by Paul…
But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women
and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against
Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
ACTS 13:45, 50
The Church saw many an evil day, but triumphantly it withstood the attacks of the evil one. The early Church continued to stand though it suffered much.