Paul didn’t have to walk to Caesarea! He was given a horse to ride, a pure luxury in his day. A modern-day comparable would be to be flown in a private Gulfstream V jet. Paul was also protected by a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen. Then Paul was kept under guard in Herod’s palace. Paul’s circumstances were rather pleasant compared to his past.
Prior to this, the Holy Spirit had said thru a prophet that took a belt and tied his feet and hands, ‘In this way, the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” All this was fulfilled.
The believers had concluded that the Holy Spirit was saying that trouble and possibly death awaited Paul in Jerusalem. Neither happened. They assumed and implied things that never happened.
Why did the Holy Spirit only reveal Paul’s arrest? Why didn’t he reveal that Paul would then be rescued and experience the easiest and safest traveling that he experienced in his Christian life? These are the wrong questions to ask. Instead ask, “Why did the disciples assume the worst outcome for Paul?*
I believe that all humans as part of our fallen nature often take what God reveals out of context and meaning. For example, the apostles while Jesus walked this earth often either did not understand what he was saying or misunderstood him (Mark 9:32; Luke 2:50, 9:45, 18:34; John 8:27, 10:6, 12:16, 20:9). Then they acted on their false belief, assumptions, and understanding.
Here too the believers incorrectly understood what the Holy Spirit was telling Paul. They added to the word. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why God reveals little about personal futures. Also, what is important to God is that I have and express faith, hope, and love. With these no matter what he has planned I am prepared in thoughts, heart, and being.
