Into Harm's Way

The Prophecy of Agabus

When we heard these things, both we, and they of that place,
besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.—Acts 21:12

As Paul approached the end of his third missionary journey, he stopped at Tyre .and Caesarea on his way to Jerusalem. As with his second missionary journey, the completion of his journey was marked by returning to the church at Jerusalem.

The ship that the apostle was aboard sailed from Patara in Asia minor to Paphos on the Isle of Crete before arriving at the Syrian city of Tyre, the port where its cargo was to be unloaded. There fellow-Christians greeted the apostle Paul. Paul resided with the brethren in Tyre for seven days, no doubt having fellowship and praising the Lord. It had been quite some time since he had ventured this way, so doubtless it was a joyful reunion.

Some of the disciples had been warned by the holy spirit that Paul would be in jeopardy should he go to Jerusalem. At this time, there was a faction in Jerusalem seeking to do harm to Paul should he return. Knowing the conditions in Jerusalem, these disciples warned Paul about venturing to the city. But Paul, seemingly ignored their advice and proceeded on his way to Caesarea.

Doubtless it was a touching scene when the men, their wives, and children all followed Paul out of the city to the place where he was to catch the ship to the south. They parted after kneeling down on the beach and praying together and then said their final farewells to Paul and his companions.

From there, the ship sailed a short distance to Ptolemais where Paul was able to meet with the brethren and abode with them for a day. He then boarded the ship and sailed south to Caesarea, his final port of call on this journey.

In Caesarea, Paul went to the house of Philip, an evangelist of that day. Philip had four virgin daughters, all of whom were said to have the gift of prophesying. We are not told specifically how long Paul stayed with Philip and his family, but the Scriptural account says it was for many days. Paul, realizing that he could not possibly make it to Jerusalem in time for Passover, lingered in Caesarea.

Agabus Arrives

After tarrying with Philip’s family for many days, a prophet named Agabus journeyed up from Judea to visit Paul and to inform him of a vision he had seen. Agabus was another early church member who had received the gift of prophecy and he came to give Paul a warning. Agabus acted out the vision given him by the holy spirit by taking Paul’s belt (girdle) and binding his own hands and feet. Then he said that the holy spirit had said that in like manner the Jews in Jerusalem would have him bound and delivered to the hands of the Gentiles. This form of illustrating prophecy by acting was common in the early church. Agabus knew that the conditions in Judea were ripe for this scenario to unfold, as the Jewish leaders were keen to squash this new religion which threatened their place of power and prestige.

Hearing of this vision, the brethren in Caesarea advised Paul not to venture to Jerusalem, where this fate awaited him. Surely a change of course seemed a wise decision. After all, why should the apostle expose himself to such a trap? Agabus had been given a vision by the spirit and traveled a long distance to warn Paul of the danger.

Why then did Paul say that he must go? Was Agabus an undependable prophet? Quite the contrary. Though at this end of the age we would be skeptical of one claiming to be a prophet, in the embryonic stage of the early church, members of the church were given special gifts of the spirit. Though we understand that they are not required or given at this end of the age, we also understand that they were necessary for the protection, growth, and development of the early church.

Agabus may possibly have been one of the seventy disciples that Christ sent out two by two (Luke 10:1). Several years earlier he was moved by the spirit to warn of a famine in the land (Acts 11:28). According to the historical record, the following year there was a general famine. His warning helped the Christians in the land prepare for the food shortage. It should be noted that during the fourth year of Suetonius Claudius there was a famine that spread over all Palestine. According to Josephus, Queen Adiabene sent to Egypt to purchase corn for them. Paul was also instrumental in alleviating their poverty by bringing money from the church at Antioch to the brethren in Jerusalem.

A Schism in the Church

During this period, there was a schism developing between the Jewish church in Jerusalem and the Gentile churches in other cities. This was significant because the apostle Paul, trained as a Pharisee, yet understanding the freedom that is in Christ, was to be instrumental in healing this rift and setting an example that stands to this day. The Christians in the church at Jerusalem were also being humbled by a degree of impoverishment that allowed the other churches to provide alms to assist them in their time of need. These were two reasons why Paul knew he must continue his journey to Jerusalem.

The brethren in Caesarea pleaded with Paul not to go, but Paul resolutely responded that he would go. It broke Paul’s heart, for he loved the brethren deeply and was touched by their concern for his well-being. Yet, he knew it was the Lord’s will that he go to Jerusalem. There was much work to be done, and his course was not yet finished. He responded to the brethren by saying that their weeping was breaking his heart. But while he knew that he might be bound and even die in Jerusalem, for the Lord’s sake he was willing and able to do this. Put in this light, the brethren let him go.

Paul was reminding the brethren of the vow which each of them had taken to do whatsoever their hands found to do, regardless of the consequences. This was the vow of sacrifice that they realized was the destiny of each and every footstep follower. What a wonderful example Paul set, being firm but compassionate in his response. Paul’s life has continued to be a living epistle to inspire and motivate footstep followers even to our day.

Was Paul’s Decision Made Rashly?

Was Paul making a spontaneous and foolish decision? We think not. As evidenced in Acts 19:21,22, the apostle stated that he was bound by the spirit to go to Jerusalem. This was at the time when he was saying farewell to the elders at Ephesus. So why would the holy spirit tell Paul to journey to Jerusalem and at the same time tell Agabus to tell Paul what awaited him in Jerusalem? At first these two seem at odds, but we realize this was permitted so Paul would be an example to the believers. Not only did Agabus warn Paul of what awaited him, it came true as prophesied; yet Paul fulfilled his obligations with joy.

Agabus’ prophecy clarified what awaited Paul in Jerusalem. But the apostle knew that his life was in the hands of the Lord and that the matter would be overruled to the good and edification of all involved. Paul had made the transition from faith unto faith. His response should not have been a surprise to those who knew him. The point at which he fully surrendered himself to God occurred many years before on the road to Damascus when he said to Jesus as he appeared to him, “What wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). This was when Paul made the decision to follow the Lord, and from that time on the focus of his life was this one thing. As a result, his decision to go to Jerusalem was irrevocable.

What did Paul have to fear in Jerusalem? The Lord had warned him of his adversaries there so he could be prepared for their trap. Did this protect him from any harm? Hardly. He was beaten, bound, and arrested just as Agabus had warned. Paul knew by experience the concept of being physically and mentally persecuted. After all, he had already been plotted against, imprisoned, run out of town, beaten, stoned, and left for dead. In each case the Lord overruled the affairs for the good and edification of the body of Christ. Paul knew that his life was to be an example for all believers. He knew that although the lessons he was learning were for his good, they were also for the good of others.

Why Paul Continued to Jerusalem

Paul had to go to Jerusalem for a number of reasons. This is why he was so firm and unflinching in his resolve. First, the holy spirit had directed him to Jerusalem. Fully confident and faithful in the guidance of the heavenly Father, he would consider no other choice in the matter. Second, he was on a mission to deliver love and relief to the brethren at Jerusalem from the churches in Asia Minor. This was one of the things he was charged with during his third missionary journey. Third, there was a growing rift occurring between the Christian Jews in Jerusalem and the Christian Gentiles elsewhere. The customs and traditions of the Jewish law were creeping back into the minds of the church at Jerusalem, and Paul was the one who had the credibility, being trained as a Pharisee, to correct the matter. But he would have to be there to set the record straight. Finally, Paul knew that the Lord had still greater works for him to accomplish. In following the Lord’s will, Paul was able to continue his ministry for several more years; in his final journey to Rome, the gospel was spread, and it prospered even more.

Paul served as an example to the early church until they were more firmly rooted and founded in the faith. As a result of events which unfolded after the events in Jerusalem, many more yearning hearts were brought into “The Faith,” and many of the most touching books in the New Testament were written. This was all possible because Paul took the leap of faith and journeyed to Jerusalem. Paul continued on his journey to Rome and was eventually exonerated, only to be later arrested once again and executed in an attempt to stamp out the early Christians.

The apostle Paul summed up his mind-set for the elders at Ephesus. He knew that these were to be his farewell thoughts to them: “And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God” (Acts 20:25-27, NASV).

Yes, the apostle Paul did not shrink from his duties or responsibilities. Quite the contrary, he was joyous in his infirmities, and, like Jesus, asked the heavenly Father what he would have him do. His concern was not for himself but for the church. He conveys this concern, that we all might be founded in the whole purpose of God, in his closing thoughts of his second letter to the Corinthians: “Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11).