Bible Study for Today

Why did Paul not heed all the warnings about going to Jerusalem?

The church in Tyre had been founded by some of those who fled Jerusalem after Stephen’s martyrdom (Acts 11:19)—a persecution Paul himself had spearheaded. When Paul arrived there, the disciples there told Paul “to not to go up to Jerusalem” (21:4). This was not a command from the Spirit for Paul not to go to Jerusalem. Rather, the Spirit had revealed to the believers at Tyre that Paul would face suffering in Jerusalem. Understandably, they tried to dissuade him from going there. Paul’s mission to Jerusalem had been given him by the Lord Jesus (20:24); the Spirit would never command him to abandon it.

Later, a prophet named Agabus (11:28) met Paul in Caesarea. Although it was located in Judea, the Jews considered Caesarea, seat of the Roman government, to be a foreign city. Old Testament prophets sometimes acted out their prophecies (1 Kin. 11:29–39; Is. 20:2–6; Jer. 13:1–11; Ezek. 4; 5), and Agabus’s action of binding his hands and feet with Paul’s belt foreshadowed Paul’s arrest and imprisonment by the Romans (Acts 21:11).Though falsely accused by the Jews (vv. 27, 28), Paul was arrested and imprisoned by the Romans (vv. 31–33).

Hearing these warnings, it is not surprising that both Paul’s friends (Luke and the others traveling with him) and the Caesarean Christians pleaded with Paul to not go. Paul’s response is to say, “I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (v. 13). Jesus’ name represents all that He is. That said from Paul, his friends response was, “The will of the Lord be done” (v. 14)—a confident expression of trust that God’s will is best (1 Sam. 3:18; Matt. 6:10; Luke 22:42; James 4:13–15).

Reading for Today:

2 Chronicles 34:1–36:23Psalm 86:1-5Proverbs 21:13-14Acts 21:1-17

Notes:

2 Chronicles 35:3 the holy ark. The ark of the covenant which was to remain in the Most Holy Place had been removed, probably by Manasseh who set a carved image in its place (33:7). The law for the carrying of the ark during the tabernacle days, when it was portable, called for poles to be place through rings on the sides and Levites (Kohathites) to carry it by the poles without touching it (Ex. 25:14, 15). Now that the temple was built and the ark had a permanent place, it no longer needed to be transported in the old way.

Chronicles 35:21 God commanded me. Necho is referring to the true God—whether he had a true revelation or not is unknown. Josiah had no way to know either, and it is apparent he did not believe that Necho spoke the word of God. There is no reason to assume his death was punishment for refusing to believe. He probably thought Necho was lying and, once victorious with Assyria over Babylon, they would together be back to assault Israel.

2 Chronicles 36:11–21 The reign of Zedekiah, a.k.a. Mattaniah (ca. 597–586 B.C.). Jeremiah prophesied during this reign (Jer. 1:3) and wrote Lamentations to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 B.C. Ezekiel received his commission during this reign (Ezek. 1:1) and prophesied from 592 B.C. to his death in 560 B.C.

Acts 21:2 finding a ship…Phoenicia. Realizing he would never reach Jerusalem in time for Pentecost if he continued to hug the coast, Paul decided to risk sailing directly across the Mediterranean Sea to Tyre (v. 3).The ship they embarked on would have been considerably larger than the small coastal vessels on which they had been sailing. The ship that later took Paul on his ill-fated voyage to Rome held 276 people (27:37); this one was probably of comparable size.

Acts 21:9 virgin daughters. That they were virgins may indicate that they had been called by God for special ministry (1 Cor. 7:34).The early church regarded these women as important sources of information on the early years of the church. prophesied. Luke does not reveal the nature of their prophecy. They may have had an ongoing prophetic ministry or prophesied only once. Since women are not to be preachers or teachers in the church (1 Cor. 14:34–36; 1 Tim. 2:11, 12), they probably ministered to individuals.