The beloved physician Luke wrote how, “Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus says the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse twelve of the book of Acts Luke shared when he and the fellow disciples of Paul, “heard these things” they “besought him not to go up to Jerusalem” where we read:
And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place,
besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
The verse begins, “And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when we heard these things” which means “and at the time and moment we, Luke, Paul and the men traveling with them, were endowed with the faculty of hearing, perceiving and understanding the words of Agabus”, “both we” or “both we, Luke and the men traveling with them”, “and they of that place” which means “and the believers in Jesus who belonged to the city of Caesarea” did the following. Luke shared at the time and moment “Paul, Luke, the men traveling with them and the believers in Jesus who lived in “Caesarea” understood what was told concerning “Paul”, they did the following.
The verse goes on to say, “... besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.” Luke continued with the words, “besought him not to go up” which means “begged, summoned and beckoned Paul not to ascend” “to Jerusalem” or “toward Jerusalem whose name means set you double peace and is the capital of Palestine”. Luke shared how he, the men traveling with “Paul” and the disciples in “Caesarea” begged “Paul” not to go to “Jerusalem”.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how those around “Paul” reacted to the news that he would be “seized” by the Jewish people in Jerusalem and turned over to the “Gentiles”. They begged “Paul” not to go to “Jerusalem”, and although he would go there anyway, we perceive “Paul's” determination to obey the will of the Holy Spirit of God to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. God loves people, and He wants to forgive their sins so they may be in a personal relationship with Him. He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of the world, and He raised Him from the dead three days later to provide eternal life to every person who believes and trusts in Him. Let all who read these words yield themselves to Jesus Christ who used the travels of “Paul” so people would have the opportunity to surrender their lives to Him.
Next time Luke shares how Paul asks, “what mean you to weep and to break my heart?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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