12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”
16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him to the commander.
The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”
19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”
20 He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
Throughout the bible God is constantly using seemingly unqualified people to do his work. The people you least expect to be present at the most important moments. God used mere fishermen to become the first disciples of Jesus. God used a shepherd, youngest of 8 brothers, to become the next King of Israel in the Old Testament. God used Mary Magedeline and other women, who at the time were heavily underrepresented and seen as much lower than men, to be the first witnesses of Jesus' resurrection! God uses unlikely characters to show that with Him we are the most qualified, with Him we can accomplish things previously impossible.
The same happens in this passage. Paul here has just preached the Resurrection to a large group of Jewish leaders. One group, the Sadducees, did not believe in the Resurrection, so angered by Paul's proclamation they plotted to kill him. But again in unlikely fashion, Paul's young nephew is the one who overheard this plotting and was able to report it to Paul. Paul then uses him as a messenger to tell the centurions what was going on so that they could save his life. Not to spoil the rest of the chapter, but Paul makes it out of there alive.
Again here God uses a young man to do his work, to help Paul survive another day. They don't even mention his name! Yet he did very important work as Paul's ministry wasn't over yet. I think God works very similarly with us today. He takes those who are young, who are average or unqualified in society's eyes, and directs them to do important work in his name. He completes us, whatever we think is lacking in ourselves He provides. So lets not let our age, occupation or abilities stop us from doing great things for the Lord.
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