The city of Jerusalem is named 141 times in the New Testament.
Even though about a quarter of those follow Acts 23, only a handful are direct historical/geographical references.
In the next two chapters we hear the word “Jerusalem”, but they references TO the city not so much statements ABOUT the city.
To show you what I mean, please turn to Acts 25:
But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.
And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.”
Eventually there will be some reference to the “New Jerusalem.”
But this is it as far as the Old city of Jerusalem is concerned.
I would like to build a few points of application upon this fact.
This is Paul’s final departure from what had once been his favorite city in all the world.
Let’s use five somewhat contradictory adjectives to describe and analyze that departure:
Maybe it’s the city of their birth, or a city where they took a memorable vacation, or where they spent a significant part of their lives.
My favorite city in all the world is Vancouver, BC, even though I lived there for only the first year of my life.
Probably if I lived there again, my opinion would change, but that’s it for the moment.
That was the place where Abraham offered up Isaac, before there ever was a city.
That was the city of David and the place that Solomon made the richest and most beautiful in the world.
And of course that was the place where the Lord Jesus accomplished His great work of salvation.
Even though Paul’s home church was in Syria, and his birthplace was in Cilicia, he kept being pulled back to the city of David, again and again.
But, to the best of our knowledge, this was the last time that he would ever see the walls of Jerusalem and the temple which was there.
I know that I might be stretching my point to the place where it might snap back in my face,
but when Paul leaves the city, it was almost as if the Lord was pulling the plug on the people there.
Yes, I know that there was still a church in the city, but I’m not sure that hadn’t passed its prime.
I’m not sure that it wasn’t so filled with itself and with various forms of false doctrine, that it’s genuine significance was past.
The Book of Revelation suggests that every one of the Lord’s churches is a candle or a candelabra.
It’s not that the world will go dark,
but He has never promised that any single local church will survive until the day of His return.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee;
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate:
and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say,
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
is leaving the church in that city for the last time, and apparently with her blessings.
but at the same time they probably quietly said that it would be much easier to go on without the problems that Paul had been causing them.
If only he had been able to use the testimony of his life among the Pharisees of Jerusalem,
there might have been a few more Pentecosts like the one in chapter two.
Paul’s departure from Jerusalem, humanly speaking, was lamentable.
At the top of the page in my Bible that event is called “Jesus’ Triumphal Entry.”
Do you remember how, in order to fulfil scriptures the Lord sent two of his disciples into the city to borrow the colt of an ass?
The loan of that donkey was virtually miraculous, but it was according to the plan of God.
And then Jesus’ rode into the city on the back of the foal of an ass on streets paved with palm fronds.
In a reverse, mirror-sort of image, one of Jesus’ greatest servants RODE out of the city.
Notice the details:
The Chief Captain called in two of his Centurions – officers with a hundred soldiers under them.
What a coincidence that he order them to prepare two hundred soldiers for a quick trip to Caesarea.
In addition to the 200 swordsmen, they were to get seventy cavalry and two hundred spearmen.
Nearly 500 hundred armed guards were commissioned to whisk Paul out of the city.
It’s not for me to say, but I wouldn’t be surprised that when Festus came to the city, he may have not had any more honour given to him than Paul had given to him.
The third hour of the night made their departure about 9:00, well after dark.
They were to travel as quickly as the well-armed and armored infantry could, forty miles to the city of Antipatris.
I am told that this was one of the most beautiful areas of Judea.
It was a city built by Herod and named in honor of his father Antipas.
By the time that they reached Antipatris it would have been morning,
while the rest of the party on horseback could finish the rest of the 30 miles down to Caesarea.
The word translated “spearmen” is “dexiolabos” ( dex-ee-ol-ab’-os ) and refers to people who use their right hands.
These were spearmen who specifically carried and threw their spears with their right hands.
I have no proof of this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there weren’t companies of Roman soldiers who were lefties and who had special responsibilities.
It is reminiscent of the fact that one of the tribes of Israel was primarily left handed.
What should we make of the command to get beasts (plural) for Paul?
Was that for Paul and his luggage?
Or was it so that he might be chained to one or more guards during the whole time?
Some commentators even suggest that there were extra animals provided for Luke and others among Paul’s friends.
I suppose that we really shouldn’t try to guess.
But if, as was the case for Jesus’ Triumphant Entry, beasts have to be a part, then Paul’s departure from the city was “triumphant” as well.
It was built by Herod the Great on the site of the old city of Strato’s Tower and named in honor of Caesar Augustus.
It had become the great Gentile city of Palestine, with an artificial harbor, lots of beautiful buildings and all the adornment of any other capital city.
It was here that Cornelius the centurion was converted, and in a sense here was the place where the gospel was first presented to the Gentiles.
Here was the residence of Philip the evangelist
And here before the last trip up to Jerusalem, Agabus came by for a visit.
Acts 21:8 – “And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
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.”
For over two years Paul was there, and as we shall learn, he enjoyed some liberty.
And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.”
Philip had been a missionary to the Gentiles,
I’m sure that there were other Roman soldier who had been saved and baptized there.
Did they discuss the problems that they saw spreading out of the church in Jerusalem?
They had both spent much time in the big city, but perhaps now they were both glad to be away.
And like the prophesies of all of God’ servants, it was completely and accurately fulfilled.
At first “when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.”
But now, here was Paul safe and sound and in some ways ministering to the church in Caesarea for two full years.
I wonder if the brethren there didn’t look back on the day when Agabus first uttered his prophesy and smile.
“Yes, it came to pass, it was completed just as the man of God said, but we were wrong in our assessment and opinion about it.”
Nine times out of ten, our worries and reactions to potential bad situations are very similar to this one.
But this stay in the Caesarea Hilton may have been just what the doctor ordered for a number of patients.
Who is to say that the missions in Macedonia and Asia didn’t need to be weaned from their beloved missionary?
And who can say but that Paul had been worn nearly to death in his constant travels and ill-health, and that this stay in Caesarea wasn’t like an extended vacation in a health spa.
I am told that Beruit, Lebanon used to be one of the vacation destinations of Europe.
And there was Paul in the midst of that wonderful part of the world.
And, even though Paul’s ministry in Jerusalem had come to an end, this was just like a slingshot in sending him toward Rome and points farther west.
His departure from Jerusalem was a conclusion of one ministry and the commencing of another.
It was a step forward.
We could talk about the way that He blesses and glorifies His servants.
But the thing that I’d like you to see is the way that the Lord Himself was glorified.
All the prophesies came to pass, just as we expected.
Perhaps it would be good to notice that nothing was prophesied about Paul’s death – just bonds and affliction.
The reference to “bonds” is very easy to understand – Paul was tied up.
The word “affliction” is usually translated “tribulation.”
Was Paul afflicted? Yes, he was.
Was Paul scourged? No, he wasn’t.
In fact all things were working together for the glory of God and for the good of His servant.