Atos 21

Atos 21

William MacDonald - This means they were gifted by the Holy Spirit to receive messages directly from the Lord and to convey them to others. Some have inferred from this verse that it is permissible for women to preach and teach in the church. However, since it is expressly forbidden for women to teach, speak, or have authority over the men in the assembly (1 Cor. 14:34, 35; 1 Tim. 2:11, 12), it can only be concluded that the prophetic ministry of these four virgin daughters was carried on in the home or in other non-church gatherings. (Believer's Bible Commentary) Jack Andrews makes a good point commenting that "We know that these ladies didn’t take it upon themselves to teach or take authority over the men in the church—case in point is in the following verses. The prophet Agabus came down from Judea and there the Spirit led him to prophesy before the church and to Paul! The Lord is not the author of confusion and His Spirit does not contradict His word!" (Ibid) Acts 21:10 As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. KJV Acts 21:10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. As we were staying there for some days Acts 21:4,7; 20:16 a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea Acts 11:28 Acts 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries As we were staying there for some days - Luke does not tell us how long but we know that the time had to be limited by the date of the Pentecost which Paul desired to celebrate in Jerusalem. A prophet named Agabus came down from Judea - This is an unusual name so that this is almost certain the same Agabus Luke had mentioned earlier. One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. (Acts 11:28) Agabus had proved himself a prophet as the great famine had occurred in 46 A.D. and was part of the reason Paul was bringing a collection from the saints at Macedonia for the Jerusalem church. So again he is acting as a "forth teller" predicting events that would come to pass (and again as the subsequent chapters demonstrate, he was once again accurate). Prophet (4396)(prophetes from próphemi = literally to tell beforehand in turn from pró = before, in front of, forth, on behalf of + phemí = speak, tell) is primarily a forth-teller or one who speaks out God’s message, primarily to their own generation, usually always calling the people to God's truth for them at that moment, often using the phrase "Thus saith the Lord." Although we commonly think of the prophet as predicting future events (foretelling) generally this was secondary to his work of forth-telling. When they functioned as predictors or prognosticators, the Biblical prophets foretold the future with 100 percent accuracy. And so if they were correct on the first coming of Messiah, they will be correct on His second coming and on the coming of the antichrist. In sum, forth-telling dealt with current events and fore-telling with future events, but in both the goal is the same -- to call us to trust the Lord and submit to His will for our lives, living in conformity with His Word. Jack Arnold points out that "The early church needed prophets for the New Testament had not been written yet. There are no prophets or prophetesses in the New Testament sense today, for we have completed written revelation in the New Testament." (Acts 21:1-14 The Will of God) Prophetic Warnings I. INSTANCES OF — 1. Joseph warning Pharaoh (Genesis 41:32, 33). 2. Moses warning the Israelites (Exodus 4:29-31). 3. Moses warning Pharaoh (Exodus 9:29, 30). 4. Joshua warning Israel (Joshua 3:9-13). 5. Nathan warning David (2 Samuel 12:7-10; 1 Kings 1:22-25). 6. A prophet warning Ahab (1 Kings 20:38, 39). 7. Elisha warning Jehoshaphat (2 Kings 3:11-13). 8. Jonah warning the Ninevites (Jonah 3:4; Matthew 12:41). 9. John the Baptist warning the Jews (Matthew 3:1, 2; Luke 3:3). 10. Agabus giving warning of a famine (Acts 11:28, 29). 11. Agabus warning Paul of danger (Acts 21:10, 11). II. INSPIRED BY — 1. The visions of God (2 Chronicles 26:5; Ezekiel 1:1). 2. The writing of God (1 Chronicles 28:19). 3. The Word of God (Luke 3:2). 4. The words of God (Jonah 3:1; Habakkuk 2:2). 5. The Spirit of God (1 Samuel 10:6; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:4). 6. The various agencies of God (Hebrews 1:1). III. NATURE OF — 1. A gift of Christ (Ephesians 4:11; Revelation 11:3). 2. Christ usually the subject of (Acts 10:43; 1 Peter 1:10, 11). 3. Concerning the need of repentance (Mark 1:4). 4. Regarding present safety (Acts 21:11). 5. Concerning eternal salvation (Revelation 14:13). 6. Regarding future events (Genesis 49:1; Numbers 24:14). (S. S. Times.) Acts 21:11 And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" KJV Acts 21:11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands 1 Sa 15:27,28; 1 Kings 11:29-31; 2 Kings 13:15-19; Jer 13:1-11; 19:10,11; Ezek 24:19-25; Hosea Acts 12:10 This is what the Holy Spirit says Acts 13:2; 16:6; 20:23; 28:25; Heb 3:7; 1 Peter 1:12 In this way the Jews at Jerusalem Acts 21:33; 22:25; 24:27; 26:29; 28:20; Eph 3:1; 4:1; 6:20; 2 Ti 2:9; Heb 10:34 deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles Acts 28:17; Mt 20:18,19; 27:1,2 Acts 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A DRAMATIC ILLUSTRATION WITH DIVINE INSPIRATION And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands - Talk about a dramatic word picture! Orientals would often illustrate truth in a dramatic, visual way. Agabas, like the OT prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel, acted out his revelation. "Old Testament prophets often employed symbolic deeds (1 Kings 22:11; James 2:2; Jeremiah 13:1-7; Ezekiel 4:1-6). Jesus interpreted the symbolism of Peter's girding himself (John 21:18)." (Robertson) A T