Why did God keep Paul from having contact with the twelve apostles after his conversion?
God deliberately kept Paul from the twelve so he would not receive their kingdom message about Jesus as Israel’s Messiah and King. Instead, God sent Paul into Arabia, where the ascended Lord gave him revelations directly, preparing him to preach to the Gentiles.
Les explains that as soon as God saved this Jewish religious zealot, He did not permit him to have contact with the twelve. Paul conferred not with flesh and blood and did not go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before him; he went into Arabia, where Acts 15 indicates he spent three years receiving revelations from the Ascended Lord to take to the Gentile world. Les says God purposely kept him from the twelve because, had Paul returned to Jerusalem, they would have drummed into him what they had been preaching: Jesus was the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God, crucified but raised, still willing to be King of Israel if Israel would repent. But God told Paul, no, that was not where He wanted him to learn; He would show him these things from His own position in heaven, sending him down to Mount Sinai in Arabia for those revelations.
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
Did Paul have contact with the twelve apostles in Jerusalem before receiving his revelation?
Paul had no contact with the 12 men at Jerusalem, and the Holy Spirit prompted him to write this definitively.
Did Paul go straight to Jerusalem to check with the twelve apostles after his conversion?
Galatians does not say that Paul immediately went up to Jerusalem to check his revelation out with the twelve.
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.