Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Traffic Signs

 


Acts 21:10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.

As Paul made his way back to report to the Jerusalem church what had been taking place in the ministry to the Gentiles, he kept getting warning signs from his fellow believers. In the opening paragraph, when he and his team arrived at Tyre, they told him to stop, to not to go to the Jerusalem. In the paragraph above, when he got closer, in Caesarea, prophecy was given that Paul would end up a prisoner, so they begged him not to go on to Jerusalem, but do a u-turn.  But Paul proceeded to go, and getting close to Jerusalem, he stopped to see James, who warned him to proceed with caution, giving him a way to not look so radical.  Paul pressed on, and entered into the city, into the temple.  He was recognized, and through a case of mistaken identity, some Jews thought he had brought Gentiles into the temple court to worship. There was a near riot, and Paul was taken into protective custody.  This also gave him a "captive audience." We will see what he said tomorrow. 

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