Luke the physician wrote how, “Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute: it is hard for you to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what will you have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man”, and in chapter nine and verse eight of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “Saul arose from the earth; and … he saw no man” where we read:
And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man:
but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
The verse begins, “And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man:” Luke began with the words, “and Saul arose from the earth” which means “and Saul whose name means desired and was the Jewish name of Paul rose up from the country, arable land and ground”; “and when his eyes were opened” or “and at the time and moment Saul's physical eyes stood open”, “he saw no man” which means “Saul observed, beheld, noticed and discerned not one person”. Luke shared how “Saul” rose up from the ground and was unable to “see” anyone when he opened his eyes.
The verse goes on to say, “but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.” Luke continued with the words, “but they led him by the hand” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover the men who traveled with Saul guided him with their physical hand”, “and brought him” or “and carried and brought forth Saul” “into Damascus” which means “into the city of Damascus whose name means silent is the sackcloth weaver and was one of the most ancient and important cities of Syria lying in a most lovely and fertile plain at the eastern base of the Antilibanus”. Luke shared how the men with “Saul” guided him “by the hand” and carried him into the city of “Damascus”.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Saul” was blinded by the “brilliant light”, and he was now in need of someone to lead him to his next directive from God. “Saul”, who was once proud and purposed, was humbled and without complete direction. “Saul” needed to be stripped of himself before God could use him mightily, and as we see the humility within “Saul”, let everyone reading these words understand the first step to having a relationship with God is to “submit” themselves to His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”.
Next time Luke shares how Saul, “was three days without sight”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
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".
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