Paul went into Arabia for about three years, where God revealed to him the doctrines of grace, rather than going up to Jerusalem.
Paul did not immediately confer with flesh and blood or go to Jerusalem after his conversion. He went into Arabia, and Les Feldick identifies this area with Mount Sinai based on Galatians 4:25. For three years, Paul was alone with his ascended Lord as God revealed the doctrines of grace to him before his public ministry to the Gentiles.
Galatians 1:17 — This verse directly states that Paul went into Arabia instead of going up to Jerusalem.
Galatians 1:16-17 records Paul's own testimony: when it pleased God to reveal His Son in him so he might preach among the Gentiles, he immediately conferred not with flesh and blood, neither went he up to Jerusalem, but went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus. Galatians 4:25 tells us that Mount Sinai is in Arabia, saying, "For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia." Galatians 1:18 then marks the length of the stay: "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days." Scripture does not give a detailed itinerary of what Paul did day by day in Arabia, but it clearly places him there for roughly three years.
Les Feldick teaches that after Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus, God supernaturally removed him from Damascus through a threat to his life, leading him to escape over the wall in a basket. Paul then went down to Arabia, which Les identifies with Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula, based on Galatians 4:25. There, for three years, Paul was alone with his ascended Lord in what Les calls a private seminary, as God poured out on him the doctrines of grace that would go to the Gentile world. Les emphasizes that these doctrines were totally new and different, and that they were revealed at the very mountain where God had given the Law to Moses. After the three years, Paul left Arabia and, according to Galatians 1:18, went up to Jerusalem.
Paul himself writes in Galatians 1:16-17 that when God revealed His Son in him, he immediately conferred not with flesh and blood, neither went he up to Jerusalem, but went into Arabia. Les explains that God took supernatural means to get Saul out of Damascus, using a real threat to his life so that his friends lowered him down in a basket at night. From there, based on the geography in Galatians 4:25, Les says Paul made his way down to Mount Sinai in Arabia.
Galatians 4:25 plainly says, "For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia." Les points to this simple geography to show that the Arabia Paul went to was the area of Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula. He says Paul went down from Damascus to Mount Sinai, and he connects this to the fact that Sinai was the mountain where God gave the Law to Moses.
Galatians 1:18 marks the timeframe with the words "then after three years." Les teaches that these three years were spent alone with the ascended Lord at Sinai, as God poured out on Paul all the doctrines of grace that were going to go to the Gentile world. Les describes this as a private seminary, a three-year training time, and he compares it to Moses receiving the Law at Sinai—at the same mountain, Paul received the doctrines of grace.
Galatians 1:17 says that after going into Arabia, Paul "returned again unto Damascus." Then Galatians 1:18 says, "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days." This shows that the Arabian period was a distinct, three-year block before Paul's first recorded visit to Jerusalem after his conversion.
Paul's Call and Immediate Response
Les shows from Galatians 1 that Paul was called by grace to preach to the Gentiles and did not confer with flesh and blood, setting the stage for his move to Arabia.
Mount Sinai in Arabia
Les uses Galatians 4:25 to show that Arabia was the region of Mount Sinai, and he describes Paul's three years there as a private seminary for receiving the doctrines of grace.
Supernatural Departure to Arabia
Les explains that God used a death threat to get Saul out of Damascus, and that Saul then went down to Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula for three years alone with the ascended Lord.
The Geography of Galatians
Les points to the plain geography of Galatians 4 to show Paul went down to Mount Sinai in Arabia, not up to Jerusalem.
Revelation at Sinai
Les connects Paul's 'I went into Arabia' with Mount Sinai, the same mountain where the Law was given, emphasizing that God revealed the doctrines of grace to Paul there.
Three Years of Divine Revelation
Les says God took Paul to the desert alone for three years and revealed the tremendous doctrines of grace that are not found anywhere else in Scripture.
Training for the Gentile Mission
Les describes the three-year Arabian experience as training that made Paul skilled in proclaiming the message to the Gentile world.
Three Years in Arabia
Les repeats that Paul was probably in the area of Mount Sinai for three years, as indicated by Galatians 1:18, before the next step in his journey.
Galatians 1:17: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
This verse directly answers the question by showing Paul went to Arabia instead of going up to Jerusalem.
Galatians 1:18: Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
This verse shows the three-year duration of Paul's Arabian period before he visited Jerusalem.
Galatians 4:25: For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
This verse identifies Mount Sinai as being in Arabia, which Les uses to locate Paul's Arabian stay.
Galatians 1:16: To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
This verse shows Paul's immediate response after his call—he did not consult other people before going to Arabia.
Les teaches that Paul was in Arabia, in the area of Mount Sinai, for about three years. This is based on Galatians 1:18, which says 'then after three years.' During those three years he was alone with the Lord, receiving the doctrines of grace.
No. Galatians 1:16-17 says Paul did not confer with flesh and blood nor go up to Jerusalem, but went into Arabia. Les says Paul was taught privately by the ascended Lord during those three years, not by the twelve apostles.
Galatians 4:25 says Mount Sinai is in Arabia. Les points to this geography and to Paul's own statement that he went down to Arabia to conclude that Paul spent his three years at Mount Sinai, the same mountain where Moses received the Law.
Les teaches that God revealed to Paul the doctrines of grace—the truths connected with the present age of grace—during his three years in Arabia. These were totally new and different and were meant to go out to the Gentile world.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Went to Arabia: The Revelation of Grace