The physician Luke wrote, “there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber”, and in chapter nine and verse thirty-eight of the book of Acts Luke shared how the disciples told Peter, “that he would not delay to come to them” where we read:
And forasmuch as Lydda was near to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there,
they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
The verse begins, “And forasmuch as Lydda was near to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, ...” Luke began with the words, “and forasmuch as” which means “and since and being that” “Lydda” or “ the town which is nine miles (15 km) from Joppa, and is the first town on the northernmost of the two roads between that place and Jerusalem whose name means strife” “was near to Joppa” which means “was imminent and close to Joppa 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 the disciples had heard” or “and the students, pupils and attendants of Jesus were endowed with the faculty of hearing, perceiving and understanding” “that Peter was there” which means “that Peter whose name means a little rock or stone and was one of Jesus' disciples was in Joppa”. Luke shared how the village of “Lydda” was close to “Joppa” where the “disciples of Jesus” in “Lydda” “heard” that Jesus' apostle “Peter” was located there.
The verse continues, “... they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.” Luke added the words, “they sent unto him two men” which means “the disciples of Jesus in Lydda dispatched and assigned to Peter two fellow disciples”, “desiring him” or “addressing, speaking to and entreating Peter” “that he would not delay to come to them” which means “that Peter would not hesitate or be slow to travel to the disciples in Lydda”. Luke shared how the disciples of Jesus located in “Lydda” sent two of their fellow disciples to “Joppa” to request of “Peter” that he not hesitate in coming to where they were.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the fellow disciples of “Dorcas” in “Lydda” decided to go to “Peter” who they knew was located in “Joppa”. They believed “Peter” could help “Dorcas”, and we shall see what he does in our next verses. For now, let us realize there is a beauty in fellowship of believers in Jesus. The “disciples at Lydda” knew “Peter” was in “Joppa”, and because they were all disciples of Jesus, they could rely upon one another. God loves people, and His desire is to have a family of believers in His Son Jesus. When people yield to Him, they will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life. They also become a “family” of believers who may depend upon one another when difficulties come into their lives.
Next time Luke shares how Peter was brought, “into the upper chamber”, 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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