The physician Luke wrote how two servants and a soldier of Cornelius went to Joppa to find Peter. After arriving at Simon's house where Peter was staying, they met Peter and convinced him to go see their master Cornelius. After entering Cornelius house, Peter found many people gathered there, and he said, “You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent you have sent for me? And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God”, and in chapter ten and verse thirty-two of the book of Acts Luke shared how Cornelius tells Peter how the voice said, “send therefore to Joppa, and call here Simon” where we read:
Send therefore to Joppa, and call here Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he comes, shall speak unto you.
The verse begins, “Send therefore to Joppa, and call here Simon, whose surname is Peter;” Luke began with the words, “send therefore to Joppa” which means “dispatch and assign then, wherefore and on this account to Joppa or Japho whose name means beautiful and was a city of Palestine on the Mediterranean, lying on the border of the tribes of Dan and Ephraim”, “and call here Simon” or “and summon or invite to your house, Simon whose name means little rock or stone”, “whose surname is Peter” which means “who was called and known as Peter which means a little rock or stone and was one of Jesus' disciples”. Luke shared how “Cornelius” told “Peter” how “the voice” instructed him to dispatch people to the city of “Joppa” to summon “Simon” who is also known as “Peter”.
The verse goes on to say, “he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he comes, shall speak unto you.” Luke continued with the words, “he is lodged in the house” which means “he, Peter, is living and dwelling within the home, abode and habitation” “of one Simon a tanner” or “belonging to a man named Simon who tanned the skins of animals” “by the sea side” which means “beside or along the large body of water known as the sea”: “when he comes” or “at the time and moment he, Peter, arises and appears”, “shall speak unto you” which means “will utter articulated sounds, words and speech to you, Cornelius”. Luke shared how “Cornelius” relayed to “Peter” how “the voice” told him that “Peter” was staying in the sea side home of “Simon” who was a “tanner”, and that “Peter” would “speak” to him when he came to his home.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Cornelius” informed “Peter” of his “vision” of “the angel”, and he relayed what “the angel” told him to do. God knew these things, but “Peter” only received the information as “Cornelius” told him. God the Father was using people to expand the message of His “gospel through His Son Jesus”, and “Cornelius” and “Peter” were being employed to continue His work. God loves people, and He desires to have a personal relationship with them through His Son Jesus, and anyone, regardless of where they are in the world, may be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life when they submit to Him. Everyone who reads this testimony of “Cornelius” should realize God's efforts to “save” him and understand God desires to “save” them through His Son Jesus as well.
Next time Luke shares how Cornelius tells Peter, “immediately therefore I sent to you”, 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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