Acts 11:13

And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, Acts 11:13

Peter just explained that the Spirit had told him to go and not doubt and that six men accompanied him. Upon arriving at Caesarea, they all entered his house. With that stated, he now explains what occurred with Cornelius, beginning with, “And he told us how he had seen an angel.”

Rather, it is “the angel,” or “the messenger.” What Peter had heard as a rumor from the men sent to collect him from Joppa is now a definite claim by Cornelius. And further, the angel was “standing in his house.”

The words are from an aorist participle. More correctly, it reads, “having stood in his house.” The angel was there, and he was clearly positioned in the house. The thought of the words is not unimportant. If an angel, a messenger from God, had stood in the house of Cornelius, it could not be that Peter could then refrain from entering the house as if it was defiled. And more, it could not be that those gathered together could charge him with wrongdoing either.

A messenger from God is a holy messenger. To refuse entry after such an appearance would be as if Peter was claiming a holiness greater than the angel himself. Grasping this truth, Peter next continues, saying “who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa.’”

Again, it is an aorist participle. It more appropriately reads, “having said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa.’” The narrative is very direct and clear in how it is presenting each word. The angel gave very specific instructions as well. Cornelius was in Caesarea and yet the angel is directing him to send men to a city quite some distance away with a particular intent. That intent was “and call for Simon whose surname is Peter.”

This clearly settles the matter that Simon Peter is the object of the discourse and that his actions were wholly in accord with the will of God. To identify a particular person in a particular city in a vision from God can mean nothing other than his presence is needed, it is called for, and what will afterward transpire is wholly in accord with the will of God.

The narrative will continue, but it will do so with the understanding that Peter is the key point of focus and that what he does is fully acceptable to the Lord, even if it was somehow unacceptable to those he was speaking to.

Life application: Peter was specifically called to go into the house of a Gentile. This occurred after a vision that specifically showed him that God had declared all the animals and birds clean before him. The law had set up barriers between Israel and the people of the world for a set and specific purpose and those barriers were now removed with the completion of Jesus’ work.

In Job, it asks –

“How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?” Job 25:4

In and of ourselves, this is impossible. However, because of Jesus, it is not only possible, it has come about. God is looking for people of faith. He is not at all concerned about deeds accomplished by people who are unclean before Him. Their deeds, no matter what they are, are unacceptable to Him because the people are already defiled.

However, for those who are cleansed by the shed blood of Christ, God can now look upon us and have a relationship with us. Our deeds, when done in faith concerning the Lord, are acceptable to Him. A new standard is introduced, and it is one that places us in a completely different category than we ever were before.

Being “in Christ” is to be united to God, once and forever, as adopted sons of God. Let us remember this as we live out our lives. We may fail Him, but He is no longer counting such things against us. However, He is reckoning our deeds of faith to an account that will bring eternal rewards. Think about this and be pleased to rest in the wonderous position you have now been granted. God has accepted you. Thank God for Jesus who has made this possible!

Most glorious and gracious heavenly Father, thank You for what You have done. We were Your enemies and yet You sent Jesus. We stand in awe of Your great love with which You have loved us. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.