Acts 22:6-10

 

Acts 22:6 (KJB)

And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

 

Then Paul explains to them the contact he had with the Lord Jesus Christ. As he was on his way to Damascus, a great light had shone from Heaven. Notice that he stated that it was noon, which would have been the brightest and hottest time of day. The light from Heaven which had shone around him was so bright, it was easily distinguished from the light of the sun. What Paul had experienced was the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am sure there were many among the crowd who wondered what turned Saul the persecutor into Paul the Apostle.

 

Acts 22:7 (KJB)

And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

 

Paul was no doubt overwhelmed at the brightness he was experiencing and that caused him to fall to the ground. Paul was qualified to see the Lord Jesus Christ or else he would have been consumed by His glory. (Heb 1:3 KJV) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Jesus then speaks to Saul but not in a manner of threats. He asks Saul why he is persecuting Him? Now Saul came on the scene after the Lord Jesus Christ went back to Heaven so Saul could not have been personally attacking Jesus. It was because Saul was attacking the believers and since Jesus indwells the believers through the Holy Spirit, the attacks were not just against individual Christians but against Jesus Himself. Jesus takes it personally when His children are attacked for the sake of the Gospel and this is going to be one frightful event in every unbeliever’s date at the Judgment Seat of Christ when Jesus asks them why they were persecuting Him.

 

Acts 22:8 (KJB)

And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

 

Paul then asks the voice who is he? Notice that Saul uses the term “Lord.” He knew he was speaking to someone from Heaven and used the right term. Then Jesus identifies Himself, not as the Son of God but by one of His earthly names, in fact, it would have been the name which would have been used as a term of derision. (John 1:46 KJV) And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Nazareth had a bad reputation, yet at this point Jesus identifies Himself with it. Jesus then repeats Himself stating that Saul is persecuting Him. (Psa 51:4 KJV) Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Whenever anyone sins, it is directly aimed at God because all sin is rebellion. Unsaved man does not rebel against man but against God. Saul was sinning against the church and since the church is the body of Christ and He is the head, the sins were directly aimed at the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Acts 22:9 (KJB)

And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

 

Those who were traveling with Paul had seen the light and were definitely afraid. In fact, the word in the Greek for “afraid” carries with it the meaning of “terrified or frightened.” I can just imagine how terrifying it would be to experience a light from Heaven brighter than the noonday sun and if you notice, Jesus did not destroy any of the people who were with Saul. They did not hear the voice of the Lord speaking with Saul. (Acts 9:7 KJV) And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. In the actual event in Acts 9, Paul had recorded that the men heard the voice. Now this is not an error but a question of word meaning. In 22:9, the word “heard” carries with it the meaning of hearing with understanding.” So they had heard the voice as stated in Acts 9, but as stated in Acts 22, they did not understand the voice. Jesus was specifically speaking to Saul, one of His Elect. Just like at the tomb of Lazarus, if Jesus did not specifically call the name of Lazarus, then every dead person in the world would have been resurrected. Jesus deals in specifics. (John 10:3 KJV) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. That day, Saul was lead out of unbelief and spiritual death.

 

Acts 22:10 (KJB)

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 thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

 

Appointed - To determine, establish, or set in place

 

Saul then asks the Lord what shall he do? The Lord then tells him to continue his journey to Damascus, but, of course, not for the same reason. When he arrives there, he will be met by other believers and he will then be told all the things which he will do. If you notice the wording in this verse is very important. It says “things which are appointed for thee to do.” It does not say that you will just get up and go and do whatever you think is good for that day. No, Saul has works that are appointed for him to do. The idea that any Christian does not have a reason of existence and is not involved in a ministry is just plain rebellion on their part. Every Christian has a reason because every Christian has been appointed to some ministry. (Eph 2:10 KJV) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Woe unto any Christian who thinks going to church is their calling. One may work within the church by calling, even if it is to direct traffic or even clean the church the following day but all Christians have some type of calling and it is important that we fulfill those works which God has for us. Paul’s ministry was not only to preach but also to establish churches and disciple new Christians plus he wrote the majority of books in the New Testament. Every Christian has benefited from the ministry of Paul.

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