Acts 21:1-14

    After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

 

    We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

 

    After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, `In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.' "

 

    When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."

 

Luke really spends some time setting the stage for Paul’s trouble in Jerusalem. Emotional farewells, a steady march toward Jerusalem, Spirit-given warnings.

 

The Spirit-given warnings are the most confusing part of this whole thing. Paul is sure that the Holy Spirit is leading him to Jerusalem, even though he has misgivings about what will happen there (Acts 20:22). But in Tyre the disciples “through the Spirit… urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem” (21:4). And in Caesarea, Agabus gave Spirit-initiated details of what would happen to Paul in Jerusalem (21:10-11). Again, not only the disciples there, but also his traveling companions begged Paul not to continue to Jerusalem.

 

There were so many Christians against this journey. And Luke affirms that their misgivings and concerns were guided by the Spirit! There’s no attempt to say that they were being unspiritual or deceitful in their efforts to keep Paul from Jerusalem. Was Paul hearing something different from what they were hearing?

 

No. Paul, too, had misgivings and knew he was likely to face trials (20:22-23). But yes, Paul heard something from the Spirit that the other believers could not hear precisely because they were not Paul: Paul heard the Spirit’s clear call on his life (again, Acts 20:22): “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem.” The Spirit had not commanded Paul to go to Jerusalem through other believers; He had given Paul a personal and compelling assurance that He wanted Paul in Jerusalem.

 

How reassuring! With all the believers, including Paul, receiving messages from the Spirit that Paul would face danger in Jerusalem, Paul could have experienced tremendous misgivings. He could have understood all these messages as warnings, intended by God to tell him to avoid Jerusalem at all costs. But because the Spirit had personally compelled Paul to go to Jerusalem, the warnings instead served to prepare Paul. The Holy Spirit was giving Paul a prep talk for battle: “Paul, in Jerusalem you will be bound and handed over to the Gentiles. But I know this, and I am calling you there anyway. Go now, and you will receive further instructions when you need them.”

 

Father, thank You that Paul received His call and instructions from You. He could hear other people’s Spirit-given warnings and still follow the course You gave Him because YOU gave it to him, and Paul didn’t have to wonder about that. Help me and all of us who follow You still. Help us to hear Your instructions for our lives clearly, and help us to be assured they are from You. No matter what frustrations, pains, and trials we hear we will face as we follow Your lead, strengthen our resolve. Give us courage. Because we have heard from You, may we know what to do and do it.