The disciples are all telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem. We are told they are speaking through the Spirit. What’s going on?

Paul was warned by believers not to go to Jerusalem. I don’t think God was telling Paul not to go. We hear one specific prophecy about how they knew he would be arrested. I don’t think they are telling him not to go because God told them to tell him not to go. I’m thinking they were prophesying things like his arrest and urging him not to go.

We don’t choose suffering, but we choose the Lord’s will, and in the end, they put Paul into God’s hands and say, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”

Sometimes Paul let others direct his steps, like sneaking him out through the window in a basket. But Paul knew he was supposed to go to Jerusalem. Others weren’t going to change his mind about following God.

Why the prophesy? Why would God do that? Paul already knew he would face opposition wherever he went. I think it only helped confirm and establish Paul in his conviction that he knew this was the right place and all that would happen there was God’s will.

Paul is back with the council folks. He doesn’t face the council, but he’s meeting with James and the elders. They have a “brilliant” idea to keep the Christian Jews from being upset that Paul is back after converting so many Gentiles. They want Paul to fulfill the vow law to show he’s law-abiding.

The plan backfires.

Jews see Paul in the temple and accuse him of defiling the temple. They want to kill Paul and start beating him.

God uses the Romans to rescue him from the moment.