Acts 18:18-22<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters\u00a0and sailed for Syria,\u00a0accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.\u00a0Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae\u00a0because of a vow he had taken.\u00a019\u00a0They arrived at Ephesus,\u00a0where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.\u00a020\u00a0When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined.\u00a021\u00a0But as he left, he promised, \u201cI will come back if it is God\u2019s will.\u201d\u00a0Then he set sail from Ephesus.\u00a022\u00a0When he landed at Caesarea,\u00a0he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cPaul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters\u00a0and sailed for Syria,\u00a0accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.\u00a0Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae\u00a0because of a vow he had taken.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0The Lord had gifted Paul to be without abuse in his time of ministering at Corinth (Acts 18:9-11<\/b>).\u00a0\u00a0Paul was triumphant during trials because of his faith that the trials were of the will of God and that they brought about greater blessings than the trials brought hardship (Romans 5:2-4, Romans 8:18<\/b>).\u00a0\u00a0Like the church grows under persecution, so we grow under trials.\u00a0\u00a0How odd that we feel as if something is askew when we face opposition since not having opposition was a rare luxury to Paul.\u00a0\u00a0Really, we ought to wonder if something is askey when we do not face opposition.<\/p>\n
Paul sailed toward Syria.\u00a0\u00a0Most likely, his goal was always to head to Jerusalem.\u00a0\u00a0It is thought that he wanted to be in Jerusalem in time for a festival, probably Passover.\u00a0\u00a0Some find it odd that Luke seems to write that Paul was sailing to Syria, but instead ended up in Jerusalem.\u00a0\u00a0However the word \u201cfor\u201d in \u201csailed for Syria\u201d may also be translated \u201ctoward.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0If understood that way then we see how he sailed toward Syria, then down to Caesarea and then to Jerusalem.\u00a0\u00a0There is some thought that Paul would, besides reporting to his supporting church at Syrian Antioch, he would also report to the Apostles and brothers in Jerusalem.\u00a0\u00a0Of course there is another possibility to consider, that Paul intended to go to Syria (Antioch) but then the Holy Spirit led him to Jerusalem (John 3:8<\/b>).\u00a0\u00a0It wouldn\u2019t be the first time that the Paul wanted to go one way but the Holy Spirit sent him another way (Acts 16:6-7<\/b>).<\/p>\n
Most think that Paul cut his hair because he was either ending or starting a Nazarite Vow.\u00a0\u00a0This was a voluntary vow that was usually in gratitude for blessings from the Lord that had already been received, or for blessings in the future.\u00a0\u00a0Numbers 6<\/b>\u00a0reveals the Old Testament rules of a Nazarite Vow.\u00a0\u00a0It was not required of anyone to do take and perform the vow.\u00a0\u00a0Some are alarmed that Paul would take this Old Testament vow.\u00a0\u00a0However\u00a0Numbers 6:1-2<\/b>\u00a0states \u201cThe\u00a0Lord\u00a0said to Moses,\u00a02\u00a0\u201cSpeak to the Israelites and say to them: \u2018If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication\u00a0to the\u00a0Lord\u00a0as a Nazirite\u2026<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0The Nazarite vow (taken by men and women) was not a mandatory vow.\u00a0\u00a0It was a vow of dedication and not for salvation. Christians have times of fasting and prayer, not to be saved, or\u00a0more<\/i>\u00a0saved (no such thing), but rather as a time of dedication and seeking of understanding.\u00a0\u00a0Paul, a \u201cHebrew of Hebrews<\/i>\u201d (Philippians 3:5<\/b>) was still a very Jewish man who had his Jewish religion fulfilled in finding Jesus Christ his Savior.\u00a0\u00a0It was not odd for him to take this vow.<\/p>\n
It is possible that Paul was ending a Nazarite Vow?\u00a0\u00a0That has troubles in that the vows were usually ended in Jerusalem and the shaved hair presented to a priest to be ceremonially burned.\u00a0\u00a0During the vow the hair was not cut and at the end of the vow the hair that had grown was a symbol of their dedication time to the Lord and so, it being cut showed the end of the dedication time and was ceremonially burned by the priest.\u00a0\u00a0So it is likely that Paul would have wanted to end the vow and shave his head in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
It may seem more likely that he shaved his head as he was starting a vow and then the hair on his head at the end of the vow would all be hair from his time of dedication.\u00a0\u00a0Also, since the vow was often a time of gratitude for past blessings and, or, a prayer for future blessings, this would have been appropriate for Paul as He was ending his second missionary trip, but still intending on continuing ministering.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey arrived at Ephesus,\u00a0where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.\u00a020\u00a0When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0At Ephesus Paul took a different path than Priscilla and Aquila.\u00a0\u00a0They stayed there to continue ministering.<\/p>\n
Paul did go to the synagogue to reason with the Jews.\u00a0\u00a0He found them willing to hear as they asked him to stay and wanted to hear more about what Paul was preaching.\u00a0\u00a0However, though blessed by the Ephesians, the Holy Spirit was leading him and so he could not stay.\u00a0\u00a0It is a lesson for us today.\u00a0\u00a0Even today sometimes we are being called elsewhere in the midst of a ministry being greatly blessed.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In our time we see that happen, examples would be pastors such as Francis Chan and Charles Swindoll who both left thriving churches to move on as God lead them.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut as he left, he promised, \u201cI will come back if it is God\u2019s will.\u00a0\u00a0Then he set sail from Ephesus.\u00a0\u201d\u00a0Then he set sail from Ephesus.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Tomorrow is promised to no one and our ability to be anywhere is not totally dependent upon us.\u00a0\u00a0James 4:13-15<\/b>\u00a0\u201cNow listen, you who say, \u201cToday or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.\u201d\u00a0<\/i>14<\/a>\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/span>Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.\u00a0<\/i>15<\/a>\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/span>Instead, you ought to say, \u201cIf it is the Lord\u2019s will, we will live and do this or that.\u201d<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Luke 12:13-21 \u2013 (20)<\/b>\u00a0\u201c\u201cBut God said to him, \u2018You fool!\u00a0This very night your life will be demanded from you.\u00a0Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?\u2019<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Family, we ought not be so bold as to think we have any control of our life that God does not give us. Even our Free Will is a gift from Him.\u00a0\u00a0We ought to always honor God and His position above us by saying we will do it if God wills.\u00a0\u00a0It is great reminder who is our God and Lord to us and all.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he landed at Caesarea,\u00a0he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Paul landed and then went up to Jerusalem.\u00a0\u00a0It was said that when one goes to Jerusalem that one goes \u201cup\u201d to Jerusalem because it is on a mountaintop.\u00a0\u00a0I like to think it also means that we spiritually journey up to God\u2019s Holy City, the city God has blessed and does bless.\u00a0\u00a0Antioch was north of Jerusalem.\u00a0\u00a0Yet Luke says that Paul later went down to Antioch.\u00a0\u00a0Usually when travelling to the north one thinks of travelling up.\u00a0\u00a0But when one is leaving Jerusalem to go anywhere else it is always going down.\u00a0\u00a0Selah (think about it).<\/p>\n Jerusalem is the City of Peace.\u00a0\u00a0It is where the Temple was and so it was where the Holy of Holies was and so it was where people went to offer sacrifices to God and to be right with Him.\u00a0\u00a0It is where Jesus offered up His body in payment for our sins.\u00a0\u00a0Now God does not dwell in buildings but in those who are washed clean by the blood (sacrifice) of Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:19<\/b>).\u00a0\u00a0So let\u2019s consider that since the Holy Spirit now dwells in us we have no need to travel to a city to be washed and blessed.\u00a0\u00a0However let us always be mindful that God still has His eyes on Jerusalem, that He is not done with it, and that the future of the entire world will be played out around Jerusalem.\u00a0\u00a0Pray for the Jews.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s honor God and witness to all that God is most high and in control as we say of the future \u201cif the Lord wills.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0God is good to us and He loves us, praise God!<\/p>\n Psalm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/i><\/p>\n Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear\u00a0me.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0He has shown You, O man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; And what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God<\/i>.<\/p>\n Numbers 6:24-26<\/b>\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0Lord\u00a0bless you and keep you; 25\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0turn His face\u00a0toward you and give you peace.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Acts 18:18-22\u00a0–\u00a0Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters\u00a0and sailed for Syria,\u00a0accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.\u00a0Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae\u00a0because of a vow he had taken.\u00a019\u00a0They arrived at Ephesus,\u00a0where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[82,129,1700,100,106,94,1874,1871,17,10],"class_list":["post-1919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-acts","tag-corinthians","tag-james","tag-john","tag-luke","tag-micah","tag-numbers","tag-philippians","tag-psalm","tag-romans"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1919","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1919"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1919\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1920,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1919\/revisions\/1920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}