10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,
10 who delivered us from so great a death,
God directly intervened for Paul’s team to deliver them from immediate physical death. On behalf of Paul and his associates, God interceded in what was beyond their strength to handle.
and does deliver us;
God allowed Paul to continue his apostolic mission. He experienced what God would do in his present circumstances. This was a fresh experience with God.
in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,
Paul expected God to save him from persecution in the future. He was confident that God would continue to deliver him until God’s purpose for him was finished (2 Ti 4:7; 2 Co 4:8-14). There is a wonderful prospect for the Christian. The best is not in the past but in what is to come.
PRINCIPLE:
God delivers the Christian in three dimensions.
APPLICATION:
God has delivered the believer in the past. Since He did it in past and does it in present time, we can count on Him to do it tomorrow. Because He did it in the past, is doing it, He can do it again (Ps 34:4, 17, 19).
Confidence in God’s deliverance is not wishful thinking. God delivers those He governs (2 Sa 22:2; Ps 18:2-6; 40:17; 70:5; 72:12; 91:15; 140:7; 144:2; 2 Ti 4:16-18).
It is important to remember that God’s deliverance of us during our temporal existence is partial. He will ultimately deliver us from this present evil world when Jesus comes again or when we go into His presence.
