Much can be said regarding Paul going into the temple at Jerusalem, with the four men, to pay their expenses according to the vow of a Nazarite.
The reason it is a very controversial event in scripture is that some would debate whether Paul compromised to the council of James and the elders instead of having, as with Peters hypocrisy, stood upon the received revelation given unto him inwardly by Jesus. That circumcision of the heart by the Spirit of God and not of mans hand.
Having heard diverse interpretations on the passage I am not entirely sure myself on what would be the correct vantage point. Having no strong personal convictions on it nor awareness of the Spirits leading on it.
There are paradoxes in scripture, such as election and whomsoever, and maybe this event has a dimension that transcends orthodoxy and enters the realm of mystery, upon which Gods love holds all answers.
My thinking upon Pauls revelations in general has been challenged once when a respected and Spirit filled teacher highlighted Pauls humility in presenting it to the establish Church in Jerusalem. His main point was to show that as individuals we are subject to the Church and the established teaching, and that it is very arrogant and unscriptural to come with revelation that has not been subjected to the Church body corporate. That we are a part of a body and not detached individuals.
The above paragraph itself is a great launching pad for diverse thoughts concerning a whole raft of challenging questions concerning are personal walk with God and walking in unison with others. Church history is full of fresh moves of God, hence its rich tapestry; Anabaptists to Methodists to Pentecostals to name a few. And have they not each been distinct and had origins that stem from that upper room two thousand years ago.
Paul certainly, shows in this passage that he is submitted to the Church, despite having come back from his travels as the established apostle to the Gentiles. How much of that which flowed from Pauls pen up to this point that latter became scripture I do not know. Certainly, we know that Paul understood Ephesians Ch 1 & 2.
But that this event was central to all of Gods eternal purposes is not open to debate, as from this juncture God mysteriously and Sovereignly carries Paul, as a chosen vessel unto the whomsoever, of kings and gentiles.
It is of note that Paul professes his absolute clear conscience in respect to adherence to the laws of God prior to his encounter upon the Damascus road, as part of his forthcoming testimony, from this pivotal event. And that the offering in the temple almost mirrors the ceremony in which a child is dedicated unto the Lord and declared holy, Luke Ch 2 v22-v40. (Akin to Simeon, Paul had been appointed to see the Lord Jesus Christ)
Scripture notes that Jesus returns to the temple for the Passover at his entrance into adulthood, having grown in the grace and favor of God in Nazareth. Passover certainly has a Lamb offering, and Abraham unto whom Paul concluded was justified by faith prior to the covenant of circumcision, certainly found a Ram offering, that his young ewe Son was enabled to go free. And as Abraham was a prophet and Father of the faith, the ‘pivotal’ place of his (life) obedience to the word of God and the leading of the Spirit of God, directing him to the very spot of all of Gods provision. The Father, Jerusalem above the ‘mother’ of us all (Holy Spirit baptism?) & Jesus the ewe, inherently one of three.
The rock of sacrifice, behind the veil, the inner sanctuary, four solid walls concealed the mystery that had not been hidden in type from Abraham. Had vision permitted, a Chinaman walking through the Himalayas could have seen that hand halt, near to the Dead Sea. And latter Ananias has an open vision, as one of four, culminates with Gods living Word ordaining the clean, and the sanctified.
Was Jesus a Nazirite? Perhaps unto his coming unto John! Perhaps the symbolism of his baptism was the completing of that vow: ‘Behold the lamb of God’. Having been willing to ‘touch’ death so that others may have new ‘ewe’ life again! The Fathers voice heard from an open heaven.
Jesus was baptized in the very same river of all those sinners who had confessed their sins. Was not the flesh life that he carried into those water more powerful that all the corporate flesh that had washed in Jordan.
Scriptures certainly suggests that Jesus was not a Nazirite during his ministry, as he was contrasted with Johns disciples and accused of being a wine bidder, despite having always been 100% sober.
A Nazarite could not end his vow unless he could make his offerings in the temple, hence if the temple is removed the vow is ongoing.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazirite:
“While a saying in (Matthew 11:18–19 and Luke 7:33–35) attributed to Jesus makes it doubtful that he, reported to be “a winebibber”, was a nazirite during his ministry, the verse ends with the curious statement, “But wisdom is justified of all her children”. The advocation of the ritual consumption of wine as part of the Passover, the tevilah in Mark 14:22–25 indicated he kept this aspect of the nazirite vow when Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” The ritual with which Jesus commenced his ministry (recorded via Greek as “baptism“) and his vow in Mark 14:25 and Luke 22:15–18 at the end of his ministry, do respectively reflect the final and initial steps (purification by immersion in water and abstaining from wine) inherent in a Nazirite vow. These passages may indicate that Jesus intended to identify himself as a nazirite (“not drinking the fruit of vine”) before his crucifixion”.
The veil was torn in two. And the dead rose from tombs long buried time and times ago.
Jesus having become sin, having taken all uncleanness into the grave. When he rose again, within three days, the temple sacrifice symbolism was fulfilled as a type. Peter later exhorted the believers in his first penned letter ‘but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct’. 1 Peter Ch 1 & 2.
Should a Christian drink alcohol? Gods word states only that the mind must be prepared for action fully sober, abstaining from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
Is license liberty.
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
At are works mid week Christmas works do, I was bought an alcoholic beverage. I did not drink it, as I know that it would lead me to the reverse affect of action in sobriety unto abstaining from the passions of the flesh! Rather be filled with Gods Holy Spirit!
Have I license to drink in scripture, yes, but obedience to living free means I choose action in God: And was not Samson a man of action when he kept his vow and was not Samuel a mighty prophet called of God, who opened the doorway into the temple, that light may come in, as a youngster, ‘ewe’.
The Macedonian call, I view as being the 5th vision in the sequence of Acts, it immediately follows Paul having taken Timothy under his wing. In it I view the hidden mystery being revealed of the ransomed Church taken from out of the second Adams pierced side: Having cried ‘It is Finished’, the sabbath of his rest. The water & the blood. Cleansing, and the redemptional life shared/imparted – His life is in the blood.
It culminates with an interchange, with Priscilla and Aquila more perfectly expounding unto Apollos the way of God more accurately. Then Paul ministry births a ‘new Jerusalem’ from above in Ephesus (12 men baptized in the Spirit).
And then prior to his re-entrance to the mother ship at Jerusalem, having passed through Macedonia and Ephesus again (never by chance is the guiding geographic inspiration of scripture), (having also touched the dead) Paul comes to Caesarea.
The second one appointed to serve tables chosen by the people and appointed to the task by the 12 apostles in Jerusalem. The last having been of Antioch, the very first place of Church multicultural. This critical linage and lineage from Jews unto Gentiles, Male and female, had four daughters who spoke the ministry of Jesus: ‘Worship God’. When we ‘Worship God’, The Word of God, is being demonstrated as Faithful and True.
A New Heaven and a New Earth.
Paul entered the temple again, with four other men who had taken a vow. The inspiration of scriptures has four daughters, before the four men, God never takes a regressive step ever, he is always calling men to see the original blueprint in its brightest tapestry yet. Which we see more clearly as all prejudice is torn in two and the original gold reflects the beauty of Immanuel’s land.
What was running through Pauls minds as he did this? All he had taught, all he had stood for, and suffered for. All he had been freed from, and loads he had been lightened from.
Obedience, humility, submission, subject to Church authority, this great apostle of the Gentiles who came behind in no Spiritual gifting.
Did Paul know? That that which was spoken by Agabus was a word from God. Was it like being led as a lamb unto its shearer, who opened not his mouth.
Paul had been given great riches in the Spirit and perhaps his willingness to go, ‘Here I am Lord, sent me’, ‘What shall I do Lord’ mirrored the practice of providing for the poor who could not afford the gifts of sacrifice to fulfill the vow of a Nazarite.
Acts Ch 22 v5 – the law only came due to the fall. Punishment can only be merited religiously if laws have been broken. Paul consistently states that he was blinded by the light of Jesus, and clear in conscience concerning his commitment to the law. What a paradox, what a mystery: Blind to the very Word of God which you are striving to serve with a pure conscience: ‘Who are you Lord’? Many will say ‘Lord, Lord we did this in your name’.
The law only came due to the fall. Due to the fall man cannot correctly perceive the heart that administered the law.
The issue concerns nature. The issue concerns regeneration. The issue concerns a transformation by love, the essence of Gods nature.
Acts Ch 22 v6: this is great gospel light after Ch 21 v26. It’s as if God himself would not allow the purpose and foundation of Calvarys ‘Go’ to cease. Paul from this place is taken onwards into the journey of truth and grace, his likeness: Ch 22 v36 ‘Away with Him’! Echoes of Calvary.
Ch 22 v6 Echoes of David guarding his fathers sheep upon the hills of Bethlehem. Echoes of wisdoms vision, from distance lands whence first the dawn of day. The desire for wisdom is only satisfied through the heart intertwine within Immanuel’s land. One Lord, One Faith, One Body.
Ch 22 v6: Elijah & Elisha.
- God wanted a clear pure witness for the Jews, Syrians and afar (Queen of Sheba etc).
They cried against Paul because they thought he had brought Greeks into the temple.
Verse 7: Straight away Paul is introduced to a nature and a person.
Verse 8: Paul knew the light and voice was the LORD, despite having never seen him.
Acts Ch 25 v8 Protestantism in the sense of Tindale, Martin Luther before the Pope. In respect of personal conscience and personal testimony unto a living and relational God. No veil of priesthood coming in-between.
Ch 25 v 21: God fulfilling his own word by sending Paul to Rome & Gentiles.
Paul refers to himself as a prisoner because he was a prisoner – OF GRACE TO THE GENTILES, JEWS AND KINGS.
Pauls final salutation to the Romans should also be noted for its torn veil regarding the Church. Starting with Phoebe.
In these passages from Pauls arrest to his being sent to Caesar, is the core of Gods purpose in a life concerning testimony.
What is striking, is that at each step of the way, people are engaged by it. People of diverse backgrounds and positions. People of rank and file. One disfigured former Pharisee, deemed appropriate to send to Caesar in Rome! It is a full circle, with Christ having been born in Bethlehem, prophesied hundreds of years before, and fulfilled due to Caesars edict that all the world be registered.
Born to save all men from their sins.
Before Christ, no hope and strangers to the promises of God. After Christ, joint heirs of the covenant promises.
Acts Ch 26 v8 – Transformed by love, a dead man filled with raging fury pursing the life of others even unto foreign cities.
And does not the fulfilled vow of a Nazirite, touch the void in every man.
Light shone though the gentile court and then the women’s as it passed into those four walls through the torn veil and revealed the mystery of the Holiness of God.
The Ram – Abraham
The Lamb – Passover Egypt
The Ewe – you, me, new borns. Future generations.
Certainly, a family in the offerings.
Behold your Son, Behold your Mother.
My Father and your Father, My God and your God.
Go and tell my disciples, I am risen indeed.
Followed by a ‘Peace offering’, the Father himself having made peace, through the sacrificial sin (ewe) offering of his Son, for us!
Ephesians Ch 2 v11-18.
The burnt offering – Romans Ch 12 v1-2 – his nature in us.
The Ram, Lamb and the Ewe: Paul obeyed the request and revealed that all the types and figures are fulfilled in Christ. This was the last time Paul is recorded in scripture as having been in the temple at Jerusalem. Not many years before the temple was destroyed. Akin, to Daniel, Paul took the message of the 2nd coming of Christ to the heart of empire.
Today, I was on an early shift 7am to 2pm. In the afternoon I helped one of my brother taking various items to the rubbish tip. We completed more than we had expected in the time until dump shut, and it dovetailed for all parties individual days, as I had to borrow mums car.
While loading the car up, my brother had playing in the house a message by a preacher I am not familiar with, but who I was enjoying listening too. While passing the actual blue tooth speaker I stopped for a few minutes as a question caught my attention and I was particularly interested in how the minister would answer. Prior to this I was aware that the Lord had given me some understanding on this verse, despite at the start of writing having honestly claimed no vantage point. I had intended to focus more on the subsequent chapters on the wonder of this mans testimony being the bread and the wine missing from the structure of religion and political/military society. But was greatly encouraged to have a confirmation through YouTube.
John MacArthur Bible Questions & Answers Part 65 50 minutes in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOeWyEmpjdM
Last Sunday evening locally, the Lord directed me to a Baptist Church, the speaker preached a very good word.
He started with Isaiah Ch 8 v17. Which was a hat-rick as are local speaker had spoken much from Isaiah in the morning service.
He stated that the reason God gave this man a prophesy concerning his day which speaks to us in our day was this: He waited for the Lord.
eternalrays 