Agabus was a prophet of God. He is mentioned twice in the book of Acts, chapters 11 and 21. In chapter 11, he is the foreteller of “a great famine all over the world.” Author Luke, under the Spirit, goes on to tell us that this prophecy happened during the reign of Claudius [Caesar].

It is surmised that Agabus spoke these words in A. D. 42. Claudius was already reigning at the time. There followed several famines during Claudius’ reign. Taken together they would encompass the entire Roman world for sure, and perhaps outside the Empire. The famine of A.D. 45-48 was especially severe for the Judeans, and Acts 11 ends with the believers coming together to help them.

Agabus has spoken the Word of God.

Now I ask, having introduced Agabus as a true prophet with a winning track record of predictive prophecy, do you think Luke would, later in his book, suggest that perhaps Luke could make mistakes, that he was “fallible”?

Charismatics of our generation have often tried to suggest that Old Testament prophets and New Testament prophets are of a different character and expectation. They tell us that in the Old Testament days, a prophet would be stoned for a false prophecy, but that we live in an age of grace, and mistakes in the prophetic world are to be expected and accepted as the norm.

Yes? No.

And their proof? Acts 21. Again, Agabus.

We are in Caesarea now, north of Judea where Agabus lives. Hearing that Paul is on his way to Jerusalem, and having received a word from the Lord, Agabus hurries to Caesarea to confront the endangered apostle.

As the prophets of old, Agabus is inspired to make his message clear by a visible demonstration. He picks up Paul’s sash and wraps it around his own (Agabus’) hands and feet. We must erase from our minds the idea of a man’s belt today or a woman’s girdle today. This was a very long and wide piece of material that was wrapped around the waist to fasten together the robe underlying it, much like one might wear a bathrobe in our time.

The extreme length of this sash lets us know how Agabus could tie both hands and feet with it. And we must also surmise that Paul has laid it aside somehow. We must not imagine, I think, that Agabus ripped it off Paul’s body, though perhaps that might have hinted at even greater accuracy of detail.

Notice the prediction now (Acts 21:11). It starts out with the same authoritative introduction that an Isaiah or a Jeremiah or an Ezekiel might have used, essentially, “Thus says the Lord!” Here it is, “This is what the Holy Spirit says.”

Serious matter here. Would Agabus dare to claim to be speaking for God if he were not? If he were a prophet-in-training? Agabus is speaking the very word God has given him. You see, prophets of old or new dispensations have the same responsibility laid on them: Speak only what God says or pay a serious price.

Agabus goes on to say that the Jews in Jerusalem, where Paul is headed, are going to (1) bind Paul in this same way, and (2) deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

Did it happen? Oh yes. Let’s begin with the second part first. Paul himself is witness to the truth of the prophecy of Agabus. In Acts 28, Paul, a prisoner of Rome, is relating to Jewish leaders what has happened to him. Though he had done nothing against the Jews, he “was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.” (Acts 28:17)

Pretty clear, yes? Pretty accurate, yes? Any mistakes here? None. Agabus said it. It happened.

The problem comes – seemingly – in the same chapter where the prophecy is given (21), and where it begins to be fulfilled. Agabus says that the Jews are going to bind Paul in the same way as Agabus was demonstrating, but v.33 says that when it actually came to pass, it was the Romans who bound Paul, not the Jews! And not with a sash, but with chains!

The modern interpreter says, no problem. New Testament prophets make mistakes. Deal with it. Don’t condemn. Keep trying. Grow into your gift.

Please!

Verse 30 shows how Paul is attacked when he comes into the Temple, for what the Jews believe is a nefarious reason. They take hold of him and somehow drag him out of the holy building. Then they are seeking to kill him. The beatings have already begun.

It is here that the defenders of fallible prophecy make an assumption from silence. They assume that the Jews did not do the very same thing Agabus had done. Is it not possible that with Paul’s own sash, the enraged mob first tied him up, and then commenced to drag and beat the captive man? Otherwise, could Paul not have managed somehow to run out from their midst?

The Romans who then took over the proceedings did not use cloth to tie their prisoners. They used chains. When they rescued the apostle, they quickly undid the work of the crowd and placed their own restrictions on him.

Thus did the Jews hand over Paul to the Romans, by tying and beating him, holding him down until they had to release him to Rome.

The prophecy stands. Agabus did not make a mistake. He spoke from the Holy Spirit. We simply are not told all the details of what happened on that awful day.