The Apostle Paul, having the aura of death hanging over him at all times, has traveled to more than 20 cities on his second missionary journey, preaching in their synagogues and encouraging all who had determined to worship, believe and obey the Lord to fight the good fight of faith and to be prepared to suffer the consequences for doing so. Picking up with chapter 21 we find the apostle and his companions forging ahead on their mission for the Lord.

Verses one through seventeen: Paul and his companions were once again on the move, traveling from city to city where they preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God to Jews and Gentiles alike. After arriving in Tyre they found some disciples and went unto them. Note that whenever Paul entered a city he normally did two things: He preached in the local synagogue and sought out the local church. The saints in each place, though normally not a large group, were known by the local people so that they were easily located. Why were they well known? Because they were “peculiar,” “strange” and totally different from those around them. This should tell us that if a professing Christian is not known as peculiar and strange because of his obedience to God’s word; if he is not hated and rejected on the spiritual level by “the church,” HE DOES NOT BELONG TO THE LORD. There is no exception to this Scriptural rule–GOD’S PEOPLE ARE DISPISED ON THE SPIRITUAL LEVEL BY THE WHOLE OF CATHOLICISM/PROTESTANTISM. In 2 Timothy 3:12 the Lord brings out this fact graphically, leaving no room for misinterpretation or exception: “ALL who will LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION.” Jesus Himself addressed all who call themselves by His name in Matthew 10:22: “And you shall be HATED BY ALL MEN for My name’s sake (obedience to Him), but he who endures (rejection by the church) to the end (of life or this age) shall be  saved (upon His return–see Hope and Salvation).” See Persecution.

In verse 4 we find Paul being warned by the disciples of Tyre about the danger that awaited him in Jerusalem. There has been some misunderstanding about the wording of verse four. The Lord was not telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem, but that he had a choice–to obey or not to obey Him. This is the choice we all have in every situation. For Paul who was totally dedicated to Him, there in reality was no choice for him–he would obey God and suffer the consequences.

Leaving Tyre, Paul traveled to Caearea (vss 12-14) where God sent to him a prophet named Agabus who warned him about the danger awaiting him in Jerusalem–the Jews would bind him and turn him over to the Romans. Because the Jews had been conquered by the Roman Empire, they had no legal power to carry out the death sentence. As in the case of Jesus, they were forced to depend on the Romans to do their dirty work. Overriding the warnings from those who loved him was the voice of the Lord. Paul was being drawn like metal to a magnet. Next stop: Jerusalem, the “city of peace” where his Lord and Savior had died at the hands of the same power that would eventually kill him–the Roman Empire. L.J.