Where did God take Paul to receive his revelations instead of Jerusalem?
God took Paul into Arabia—likely Mount Sinai—and into the desert, keeping him away from Jerusalem and the Twelve. There, likely alone for three years, the Lord revealed to him the doctrines of grace, rather than having him confer with flesh and blood or learn from Peter, James, and John.
Les explains that the logical human move would have been for Saul/Paul to go back to Jerusalem and consult Peter, James, and John, who had been with the Lord for three years. But Paul makes the point by inspiration that he did not confer with flesh and blood. God wanted to keep him as far from the Twelve as possible so the revelations given to Paul would not be mixed with what the Twelve already understood. Instead, God took him out into Arabia, which Les thinks was Mount Sinai, and there, likely alone for three years, the Lord revealed to him the tremendous doctrines of grace found nowhere else in the Bible. This was by revelation, not seminary training in Jerusalem or research from the apostles' notes.
Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
More Questions
Why didn't Paul go to Jerusalem to be taught by Peter, James and John after his conversion?
After his conversion Paul did not go up to Jerusalem to confer with those who were apostles before him (Peter, James and John), even though that would have been the logical thing to do; instead God took him out into Arabia.
Where did Paul go after his conversion instead of going to Jerusalem to the apostles?
Immediately after his call, Paul did not confer with flesh and blood nor go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before him, but went into Arabia.