God's Answer

While reading over the story of Saul of Tarsus in the book of Acts one more time before moving on, some things occurred to me.  Saul knew the light that knocked him off the horse was God.  That was a no-brainer.  But he asked anyway.  I’m supposing it was one of those irrational responses to the unexplainable thing that was occurring in his normally rational life.  Of course, he learned very quickly that Jesus was indeed God and that he took the persecution of his followers personally.

Saul thought of himself as a servant of Yahweh.  He had a vision of who God was and what God wanted him to do.  So God took away his sight for 3 days.  During that time, he formed a new vision of who God was and was finding out what God really wanted him to do.  Saul was ‘Charles in charge’.  He had it all – and then he had nothing for 3 days.  Stripped of his dignity and leadership, he was led by the hand into the nearest town.

We learn later in the book of Acts that Saul was a pupil of Gamaliel, a member of the Sanhedrin, who had advised them to step back from their persecution of Jesus’ disciples, noting that the cause would die of itself if it was not from God and they couldn’t stop it if it was.  And yet, his star pupil was going after the movement with a fury.  This is the man we find wandering blindly in the home of Judas on Straight Street.  

It is evident in this passage that the whole community of believers in that town knew who he was and what orders he carried.  I’m sure they were not displeased with the thought that he was blind, helpless and refusing to eat anything.  I am sure they knew that it was an act of God that put him there in that condition, but I don’t think they understood it at all.  I feel fairly confident in saying that they thought the judgment of God had fallen on Saul and saved them from his wrath.  What they did not yet know was that God had a much greater plan for this. God had orchestrated every part of this event not to destroy but to change Saul.

And so, there was a disciple named Ananias.  God said “Go see Saul and give him his sight back.”  Ananias explained to God why that was not a good idea!

Acts 9: 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.  I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again.  He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. 

Here are a few observations based on this and the rest of the passage in Acts 9. 

- God knew Ananias did not understand but he was firm in insisting that he ‘GO!’ anyway.

- Saul was destined to be a preacher for the name he had tried to wipe out.

- God assured Ananias that Saul would be persecuted and suffer much.

- Ananias did not hesitate after that.  He did not stop to reason or reduce the command of God to being some self-produced idea he could discard.  For some reason, I get a strong parallel to the Prophet Jonah here, but I'm not prepared to go there yet.

- Saul still had his papers, his authority, his soldiers.  But God changed his conviction and the others were powerless without that.

- God did not stop working –ever!  And he usually works in extraordinary ways.  I’m sure the entire community of believers, along with those in Damascus, was praying that Paul would be stopped.  I’m sure that someone had called out “Stop him before he even enters Damascus.”  But none, certainly not Ananias, had any idea of how that prayer would play out.