After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. (Acts21:10-12)
When many people see this chapter, especially the fourteenth verse, they may misunderstand that Paul went his own way to Jerusalem alone against the will of the Holy Spirit. In fact, Paul did not go his own way, nor did he want to violate the will of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, Paul was determined to obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because what the Holy Spirit revealed to the people in each city was the bondage Paul would face, not that they should stop Paul from going to Jerusalem (cf. 20:23, 21:11).
Before Paul went to Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit had already indicated in cities many times that he would inevitably encounter chains and tribulations in the journey ahead of him, and even his life would be in danger. On the way to Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit revealed people many times and finally revealed Agabus, the prophet who had predicted a great famine in Jerusalem. He told Paul about the bondage he would face in Jerusalem. So, there was such a scene, the people who loved Paul did not want Paul to be bound and urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
Paul knew that he was going to be stranded in Jerusalem, and even though everyone tried to persuade him, he was still unwaveringly obedient to the Holy Spirit and went to Jerusalem. Because Paul didn't care about his life and obeyed the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he had the opportunity to testify before the ruler and King Agrippa, and finally went to Rome to preach the gospel.
Paul's experience was very similar to that of Jesus. For the first time, Jesus told his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. When Peter heard Jesus say this, he took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you." Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you don’t have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” (cf. Matt 16:21-23) Because Jesus had the things of God in mind, he firmly obeyed God’s will. Although Jesus was arrested and killed in Jerusalem, God's plan was completed. He was the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Peter's dissuasion of Jesus seemed to be well-intentioned, but they had the things of man in the mind, and not the things of God. Similarly, those who tried to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem had things of man in mind, not the things of God. This kind of self-dissuasion also exists in our lives today. Although these people have good intentions, they often do not consider God's will. Counsel that does not consider God's will often prevent us from following God and obeying God's will.
Christians know that following God and serving Him will inevitably lead to many difficulties, and we may even suffer persecution and injury. So nowadays some young people know that if they serve God they will go through many difficulties, but they are still willing to dedicate themselves to serve God. Often they will be hindered by their parents who worry that their children have many difficulties if they serve God full-time. Although this is an exhortation of love, they have the things of man in mind, not the things of God. So they block God's will.
It is important to avoid being discouraged by these well-intentioned people because it will cause us to deviate from God's will. First of all, you must first seek God's will, and then clearly understand God's leadership. Only in this way can you walk in God's will, not by your own flesh and blood. After that, we should follow Jesus and Paul to obey God's leadership and follow God's call, even though the road ahead is difficult. When you firmly obey God's will, God will also be with you to help you complete His plan.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
使徒行传灵修系列：警惕“善意”的劝告 我们在那里多住了几天。有一个先知，名叫亚迦布，从犹太下来，到了我们这里，就拿保罗的腰带捆上自己的手脚，说：“圣灵说，犹太人在耶路撒冷，要如此捆绑这腰带的主人，把他交在外邦人手里。”我们和那本地的人听见这话，都苦劝保罗不要上耶路撒冷去。（使徒行传21:10-12） 很多人看到这一章，特别是第十四节经文的时候，很容易就会误以为保罗为何要违背圣灵的旨意，一意孤行要上耶路撒冷去。其实保罗并非一意孤行，也不是要违背圣灵的旨意，相反保罗是坚定的顺服圣灵的带领。因为圣灵在各城向众人启示的内容，并不是要他们去拦阻保罗不要上耶路撒冷去，而是将保罗所要面临的捆锁启示他们（参 徒20:23,21：11）。 关于这点保罗在还没上耶路撒冷之前，圣灵就早已各城多次的指示他前面的行程必然要遭遇到捆锁与患难，甚至有性命之危。在上耶路撒冷的途中，圣灵又多次启示众人，最后更是启示亚迦布这位曾经预言耶路撒冷有大饥荒的先知，告知保罗在耶路撒冷所要面临的捆锁。于是，就出现这样的一幕，众人因着爱戴保罗，不愿意保罗遭遇捆锁，就都苦劝保罗不要上耶路撒冷去。 保罗在明知道自己会在耶路撒冷遭遇捆锁，甚至众人也苦劝他，但是他仍然是坚定不移的顺服圣灵的带领，去到耶路撒冷。正是保罗连性命都不顾，都要顺服圣灵的带领，才有机会在官长和亚基帕王面前作见证，最后上到罗马去传讲福音。 细看保罗此次的经历，与耶稣的一个经历也是极为相似。当时耶稣第一次向门徒们预言自己必须要上耶路撒冷去，受长老、祭司长、文士许多的苦，并且被杀，第三日复活。彼得听见耶稣说这话的时候，就拉着他，劝他说：“主啊，万不可如此！这事必不临到你身上。”耶稣转过来，对彼得说：“撒但，退我后边去吧！你是绊我脚的，因为你不体贴神的意思，只体贴人的意思。”（参 太16:21-23）因耶稣体贴神的心意，所以坚定的顺服神的旨意，虽然耶稣在耶路撒冷被捕，被杀害，但是神的计划却完成了，那就是借着耶稣在十字架上为罪人设立了挽回祭。 彼得对耶稣的劝阻看似好意，可却是出于人的私意，并不是体贴神的意思。同样那些劝保罗不要上耶路撒冷的人，也是出于人的私意，而不是体贴神的旨意。现今在我们的生活中也同样存在这种出于私意的劝阻，虽然这些人是出于好意，但是往往却会因着这些好意，而不体贴神的旨意。这些不体贴神的旨意劝告，往往都是在拦阻我们跟随神，拦阻我们顺服神的旨意。 基督徒都知道跟随神，服侍神必然会经历许多艰难，甚至要遭受许多逼迫与伤害。所以现今有些年轻人明知道服侍神，会经历许多艰难，但是他们仍然愿意奉献出来自己去服侍神时。往往却会遭到父母的拦阻，因为作父母的担心自己的儿女服侍神经历许多艰难，就会劝自己的儿女不要全职服侍神。虽然这出于爱的一种劝告，但这却是出于人意的，并非是在体贴神的旨意，反而因此拦阻了神的旨意。 要避免自己被这些因着出于人意的劝阻，导致自己偏离神的旨意。首先自己要先寻求神的旨意，清楚明白神对自己的带领，只有这样才能走在神的旨意当中，而不是凭着自己的血气。之后，便是效法耶稣与保罗的样式，即使前面的道路有多么艰难，都要坚定的顺服神的带领，按照神的呼召去行。当你坚定的顺服神的旨意时，神也必然会与你同在，使你完成祂的计划。 （注：本文作者为福建一基层教会同工）
After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. (Acts21:10-12)
When many people see this chapter, especially the fourteenth verse, they may misunderstand that Paul went his own way to Jerusalem alone against the will of the Holy Spirit. In fact, Paul did not go his own way, nor did he want to violate the will of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, Paul was determined to obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because what the Holy Spirit revealed to the people in each city was the bondage Paul would face, not that they should stop Paul from going to Jerusalem (cf. 20:23, 21:11).
Before Paul went to Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit had already indicated in cities many times that he would inevitably encounter chains and tribulations in the journey ahead of him, and even his life would be in danger. On the way to Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit revealed people many times and finally revealed Agabus, the prophet who had predicted a great famine in Jerusalem. He told Paul about the bondage he would face in Jerusalem. So, there was such a scene, the people who loved Paul did not want Paul to be bound and urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
Paul knew that he was going to be stranded in Jerusalem, and even though everyone tried to persuade him, he was still unwaveringly obedient to the Holy Spirit and went to Jerusalem. Because Paul didn't care about his life and obeyed the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he had the opportunity to testify before the ruler and King Agrippa, and finally went to Rome to preach the gospel.
Paul's experience was very similar to that of Jesus. For the first time, Jesus told his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. When Peter heard Jesus say this, he took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you." Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you don’t have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” (cf. Matt 16:21-23) Because Jesus had the things of God in mind, he firmly obeyed God’s will. Although Jesus was arrested and killed in Jerusalem, God's plan was completed. He was the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Peter's dissuasion of Jesus seemed to be well-intentioned, but they had the things of man in the mind, and not the things of God. Similarly, those who tried to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem had things of man in mind, not the things of God. This kind of self-dissuasion also exists in our lives today. Although these people have good intentions, they often do not consider God's will. Counsel that does not consider God's will often prevent us from following God and obeying God's will.
Christians know that following God and serving Him will inevitably lead to many difficulties, and we may even suffer persecution and injury. So nowadays some young people know that if they serve God they will go through many difficulties, but they are still willing to dedicate themselves to serve God. Often they will be hindered by their parents who worry that their children have many difficulties if they serve God full-time. Although this is an exhortation of love, they have the things of man in mind, not the things of God. So they block God's will.
It is important to avoid being discouraged by these well-intentioned people because it will cause us to deviate from God's will. First of all, you must first seek God's will, and then clearly understand God's leadership. Only in this way can you walk in God's will, not by your own flesh and blood. After that, we should follow Jesus and Paul to obey God's leadership and follow God's call, even though the road ahead is difficult. When you firmly obey God's will, God will also be with you to help you complete His plan.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
