On the way to Jerusalem—Cargo unloaded, Christians out of the city, prayers on the sandy beach, and warning of the persecution to come.

Acts 21:1-14

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.

• At Tyre, cargo unloaded, Christians out of the city, and prayers on the sandy beach.
• At Caesarea, prophecy of the persecution to come.

At Tyre, cargo unloaded, Christians out of the city, and prayers on the sandy beach.
“After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo.” Acts 21:1-3

The places mentioned in the verses above are seen circled in red on the map below. Miletus is the top red circle in the middle of the image; this is where Paul and his companions depart to begin the journey to Jerusalem. Cos [Kos] is southwest of Miletus; Rhodes is south and a little east of Cos; and Patara is east of Rhodes. They caught a ship from Patara that was heading to Phoenix, and when they finally saw Cyprus [east and a little south of Patara], they sailed past and went on to Syria to a place called Tyre [southeast of Cyprus].

The ship Paul and his companions were sailing on from Patara had to unload its cargo in Tyre, which was an economic hub that fed the prosperity of the surrounding cities and provinces.

 “We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.” Acts 21:4-6

In the previous verse [Acts 21:3], the ship that Paul and his companions were sailing on unloaded cargo at the economic hub of Tyre. Paul and his companions left the ship and chose to look for those following the way of Christ who were in Tyre. They stayed with them for seven days. As followers of Jesus Christ, we choose the family of Jesus Christ over the economic prosperity and material wealth of today’s culture, which is global, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 We will choose that narrow and difficult way seven days a week, with our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.

Through the Spirit, the followers of Jesus Christ urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. They loved Paul with the love of God found in Jesus Christ and wanted him to stay with them. However, Paul and his companions had to be on their way. They were following the will of God, even though they might not have known for certainty what God had in store for them in the days to come. God planned for Paul to be a witness in Rome, as a prisoner for preaching the Gospel of Christ. As followers of Jesus Christ, we may not know the details of what God has in store for us, but we know the will that human beings have for us is not the same as God’s will for us. After Paul’s trial before the two-party congress of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, Paul learned he would be delivered to Rome, “But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” Acts 23:11

In today’s world, the entity with power over physiology is able to give us feelings and thoughts to motivate what we do, or what we feel we have to do [Like departing from one place to go to another]. That beast is atheistic and has no intention of motivating our behavior in the name of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The god of this world is not the God of Jesus Christ.

When it was time for Paul and his companions to leave, all of the brothers and sisters in Christ, along with their children, followed them out of the city. As part of the family of Jesus Christ, we are led out of the city of today’s culture, which is global. We willingly follow the flock away from the atheism of mainstream society, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

“Out of the city” is a beach, a sandy shore, a place with no social integration into today’s culture. This is a place of worldly insecurity, belittling of self-worth, and the inability to achieve any level of success within the atheistic community. What we do have is the Spirit living in us, our prayers in the Spirit, and Jesus as the intercessor of our prayers, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27 “He always lives to make intercession for [us].” Hebrews 7:25

 “After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.” Acts 21:4-6 According to the will of God, we each have a direction in life we must follow in the name of Jesus Christ in the presence of the holy Spirit. For Paul, it would be imprisonment for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and eventually execution. For the Christians in Tyre, it would be to return home. Paul was an influencer that caused the way of Jesus Christ to grow, and his punishment was very severe. The Romans and Jewish culture would cut off the leaders from the flock to leave them without a shepherd to guide them. That is also happening in today’s culture, which is global.

Paul and his companions would move on to Ptolemais, which is just south of Tyre and north of Caesarea and Jerusalem.

At Caesarea, prophecy of the persecution to come.
“We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.” Acts 21:7-9

As seen on the map at the top of the page, Ptolemais is a tiny bit south of Tyre and Caesarea is just south of Ptolemais. Paul desired to unite with brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ everywhere he went. That is the desire of the Holy Spirt working within us, to unite with those living for Jesus. Paul stayed with fellow Believers in Ptolemais for a day and needed to move on towards Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit working within us guides us when it’s time to move on [not to be confused with the atheistic entity that influences behaviors to move us away from one place to the next]. Wherever we are led, let’s keep the Holy Spirit living in us to keep our Lord Jesus the center of our heart and soul.

Leaving from Ptolemais, Paul and his companions reached Caesarea, the last stop before arriving at Jerusalem [Jerusalem is just southwest of Caesarea]. They stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, who is quoted as being “one of the Seven”. Those “Seven” were chosen to be head waiters in serving food at Jerusalem, as described in Acts 6:1-6. Philip also brought multitudes to Jesus Christ in Samaria, as described in Acts 8:5-8. Philip is also the one who brought the Ethiopian to Jesus Christ through the “scarlet cord” of the Old Testament, as described in Acts 8:26-40.,

Philip also had four unmarried daughters who prophesied, and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelations 19:10. If we want to know where the world is within prophecy, we only need to see where Jesus Christ is within the world. Philip was working as a waiter while raising four daughters in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Philip’s daughters were unmarried.

In today’s world, gathering in the name of Jesus Christ, marriages in the bond of the Spirit of Christ, and relations of all types [rooted in the bond of the Holy Spirit] are opposed and fought against. Today’s culture only recognizes relationships formed through the bond of the entity giving them what to feel for each other, think about each other, say to each other, and how to behave towards each other. Relationships are bonded by unbelief in God, the rejection of Jesus Christ, and fighting against the presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s impossible to have a relationship with these people when we live for the testimony of Jesus Christ, who is the source of the spirit of prophecy. Click here for a post on the “Bear with Three Ribs Dangling from Its Mouth” from Daniel 7:1-8.

“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.’” Acts 21:10-11

After Paul and his companions had been in Caesarea for several days, a prophet named Agabus came to them from Judea. Agabus is also mentioned in Acts 11:27-30 as the one who prophesied about the great famine that came “throughout all the world” [Which came under the Roman Emperor Claudius Caesar]. Agabus also prophesied about the arrest and imprisonment of Paul in Jerusalem. In his prophesy, Agabus took Paul’s belt and tied his own hands and feet as a demonstration of what would happen to Paul.

Today, the Bible is filled with prophecy of Christianity being bound hand and feet to prevent the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ summed it up in this way when He said the night is coming when nobody will be able to work, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:4-5 Revelations 12 describes the extinction of Christian births. “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelations 12:17

“When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” Acts 21:12-14

The “we” in this verse includes Luke, Timothy, Silas, and the people in Caesarea. They all pleaded with Paul [even his closest companions] not to go to Jerusalem, realizing the persecution waiting for him there. As followers of Jesus Christ, the Bible continuously warns Christians of the persecution to come, and that we must consider the cost of following Him, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost…” Luke 14:27-28 Jesus made it quite clear that we who follow Him will be persecuted, the same as He was persecuted, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you…. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:18, 20

Paul’s response to those pleading for him not to walk into the Jewish death trap was, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” That must be our response as well. Through the Holy Spirit, God’s ways are above the compassion, love, and goodwill of human beings have for one another. We must carry on in the will of God through Jesus Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

More important than emotions, feelings, and human love is our devotion to God through Jesus Christ. The beast that has power to form emotions and feelings wants to use those against our devotion and dedication to the work of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

With Paul, we must say, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18 This is not easy to say when we are actually confronted with hostile intentions towards us. Even our Lord Jesus prayed with sweat like “great drops of blood” when He asked God to spare Him from being crucified on the Cross. Even so, God’s will is more important than the sufferings to come, “…He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:41-44

Our faith in God must be like that of our Lord Jesus, and like Paul in his immovable and steadfast faith in Jesus Christ, so that people give up trying to dissuade us from following the will of God for our life, “When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

After this, Paul and his companions started on their way to Jerusalem.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11