MIRACULOUS
and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. Acts 16:26
I’ve written a similar devotional to this last year, I think, or earlier this year, with regard to the miracles of the Lord Jesus recorded in the gospel accounts. The same applies with the miraculous events surrounding the acts of the Holy Spirit through the gospel preaching of the apostles. Our almighty God does not do things willy-nilly. Every particular arises from His eternal plans and singular purpose to be glorified through the exaltation of His Son, and Christ’s gospel thereby. The signs, wonders, and miraculous phenomenon were not merely for facilitating the preaching of the gospel, which indeed was a large part of it (for the normal and typical means for gospel conveyance was by the spoken word of redeemed sinners saved by grace); however, every miracle was itself a picture of some element of the gospel. In today’s instance, the great earthquake, shaking even the foundations of the prison represents the shaking of the foundations of one’s sin-imprisoned soul when awakened by the Holy Spirit to the truth of the gospel. This also exemplifies the grace of God in salvation, for just as a man cannot shake the earth by stomping his feet or by the thoughts of his imagination, neither can he awaken his own depraved soul to the eternal truth of heavenly righteousness by the works of his hands or by the sheer will of his mind. Moreover, it is only by faith in the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ that the prison doors incarcerating us to Satan’s dominion, and the worldly lusts therein, may be flung open; and by trusting in Christ alone may the bonds which held us captive to sin be unfastened unto freedom to follow Christ as a redeemed disciple. It is as the Lord Jesus said, it all testifies of Him (John 5:39). Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Yes, Christ does open prison doors,
His gospel shakes the earth,
He shook my soul right to its core
To save me by new birth.
