Agabus

Agabus the prophet

ACTS 21 COMMENTARY ◄
Acts 21:7-9 Ptolemais

Acts 21:10-14 Agabus

Acts 21:15-22 Mnason

ACTS 21:10 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

Who is "Agabus" (Acts 21:10)?
Agabus was a "prophet ... from Judea" (Acts 21:10) who came to Philip the evangelist's house in Caesarea while Paul and his companions were staying there "many days" (Acts 21:10).

ACTS 21:11 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the gentiles.’ ”

Does Agabus share his opinion about what God wants to say?
Agabus delivered above a direct quote and even a demonstration from God about Paul.

Who are "the gentiles" (Acts 21:11) to whom the Jews will deliver Paul?
The Romans.

ACTS 21:12 12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.

Why did everyone believe Agabus' prophecy?
Agabus had credibility. Years earlier in Antioch, Agabus had prophesied about the Great Famine that came to pass during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius: "And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar" (Acts 11:27-28).

ACTS 21:13-14 13 Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

Is Paul defying the Holy Spirit's warning given via Agabus?
The Holy Spirit did not tell Paul to not go to Jerusalem. He had Agabus tell everyone gathered the danger than awaits Paul.

Then why does the Holy Spirit keep communicating the harm that awaits Paul in Jerusalem?
Most likely to prepare Paul, as well as the disciples so that when Paul is bound and later martyred in Rome, they will know that his suffering and death weren't in error but in God's will.

Why would God want Paul to die?
"... For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). Imagine the steam that puffs up when you open the lid on a pot of stew. Seen from eternity, that puff of steam is in effect the duration of our life on earth, the purpose of which isn't to make that puff last a little bit longer, but to expend all of its energy to serve and glorify Christ: When He [Jesus] had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it" (Mark 8:34-35). To those who truly believe in Christ, death on earth equals promotion to heaven.

Was Paul ready for his promotion?
"... I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 21:13).

Are you ready for your promotion?