The beloved physician Luke wrote how Paul began to give defense for himself before a hostile Jewish crowd in Hebrew by saying, “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as you all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest does bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished. And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come near unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecute you me? And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me”, and in chapter twenty-two and verse ten of the book of Acts Luke shared how Paul, “said, what shall I do, Lord?” where we read:
And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus;
and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do.
The verse begins, “And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus;” Luke began with the words, “and I said” which means “and I, Paul, uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked”, “what shall I do” or “what should I, Paul, make ready, perform or produce”, “Lord” which means “One to whom a person or thing belongs about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title given to God the Messiah”? “And the Lord said unto me” or “and the One to whom a person or thing belongs about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title given to God the Messiah uttered, declared and proclaimed to me, Paul”, “Arise” which means “rise, stand and get up”, “and go into Damascus” or “and proceed, travel and journey toward Damascus whose name means silent is the sackcloth weaver and was one of the most ancient and most important cities of Syria lying in a most lovely and fertile plain at the eastern base of the Antilibanus”. Luke shared how “Paul” asked Jesus what He wanted him to “do”, and Jesus instructed him to “stand up” and journey into the city of “Damascus”.
The verse continues, “and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do.” Luke added the words, “and there it shall be told you” which means “and within Damascus what Paul was to do would be declared and told to him” “of all things” or “pertaining to each, every, the whole and everything” “which are appointed for you to do” which means “that has been put in order, stationed and assigned to you, Paul, to make ready, perform and produce”. Luke shared how “Paul” said “Jesus” told him to “get up” from where he was, journey into “Damascus” and there his assignment would be disclosed to him.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Paul” answered “Jesus” by referring to Him as “Lord”, and he understood that “Jesus” had an assignment for him as well. “Jesus'” special visitation to “Paul” within the “brilliant light” was to reverse “Paul's” complete direction. Rather than opposing “Jesus”, “Paul” was to receive direction from the “Lord” that would align Him with His desire to offer salvation to every person in the world. “Paul” would receive his assignment in “Damascus”, and because “Paul” obeyed “Jesus'” directive, we are reading about him to this day. God loves everyone, and when a person receives His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life with Him. Let all who read these words appreciate the submission and willingness of “Paul” the apostle to fulfill the assignment given by our loving “Lord Jesus”.
Next time Luke shares how Paul tells what happened when he, “could not see for the glory of that light”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
No comments:
Post a Comment