The beloved physician Luke wrote as Paul was making his defense before King Agrippa, he asked, “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, ...”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse thirteen of the book of Acts Luke shared Paul told King Agrippa, “at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven” where we read:
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun,
shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
The verse begins, “At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, ...” Luke began with the words, “at midday” which means “at the interval between sunrise and sunset”, “O king” or “O leader, prince, commander and lord of the land, Agrippa”, “I saw in the way” which means “I, Paul, beheld, perceived and observed along the traveled road” “a light from heaven” or “and illumination from the sky”, “above the brightness” which means “superior and beyond the brilliancy” “of the sun” or “belonging to the sun in the sky”. Luke shared how “Paul” told “king Agrippa” that he observed a “brilliant” illumination from above whose shining was far superior to the brilliancy of the sun in the sky.
The verse continues, “... shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.” Luke added the words, “shining round about me” which means “illuminating all around me, Paul” “and them which journeyed with me” or “and around the men who were traveling alongside Paul to the city of Damascus”. Luke shared how “Paul” told “king Agrippa” the “brilliant illumination” surrounded both him and the men who were traveling with him.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Paul” was relaying the story of his conversion to Jesus Christ to “king Agrippa”. As we observed in Acts chapter nine, the road to “Damascus” became the venue where Jesus Christ interrupted “Paul's” travels and plans, and became the place where “Paul” submitted himself to the Lord. God does not give every person this type of experience, but He continually offers His salvation from sins and eternal life to every person who believes and trusts in His Son Jesus. Those who are wise yield to Jesus, and allow Him to alter any act, work or deed that is in opposition to Him and His plan to offer forgiveness of sins to the world.
Next time Luke shares how Paul tells King Agrippa the voice said, “it is hard for you to kick against the pricks”, 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".
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