Acts 22:7

Saturday, 25 November 2023

“And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ Acts 22:7

In the last verse, Paul was approaching Damascus when a gleaming light shone around him. Next, it says, “And I fell to the ground.”

The light overwhelmed him, and as happens at other points in Scripture where someone encounters the glory of God. Regardless of how He reveals Himself, it is a natural reaction to beholding His glory. An example of this is found in Peter’s encounter with Jesus –

“But Simon answered and said to Him, ‘Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.’ 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’” Luke 5:5-8

This doesn’t mean that Peter recognized Jesus as God, but he did recognize the miracle as having come from God. Thus, Peter understood that Jesus had been a divinely appointed Messenger of the Lord. The miracle leveled him because he discerned his utterly contemptible nature before such greatness.

Paul is now overwhelmed in a different but comparable way. The glory of the risen Lord was too much for him to bear, and the event, likewise, leveled him. With that having occurred, it next says, “and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul.’”

The Greek Saoul, Saoul is transliterated from the Hebrew name Shaul, or Saul, meaning Asked For. Further, the call is personal, having been repeated twice as so often occurs in Scripture. It is a way of bearing verbal emphasis. Further, it is generally used in a way that demonstrates intimate familiarity. For example –

“So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, ‘Jacob, Jacob!’

And he said, “Here I am.”

3 So He said, ‘I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.’” Genesis 46:1-4

The Lord was emphatically calling Jacob, intimately identifying with him, and demonstrating that He knew what would come to pass. In this, He was reassuring Jacob concerning the future, the events of which were completely within the control of His capable hands.

As for the encounter between Jesus and Saul, the words continue, saying, “why are you persecuting Me?”

The accusation is personal as well – “Why are you persecuting ME?” An attack against believers is an attack against Christ Himself. If the church is “in Christ,” then it is “in” Christ! Of interest is that the noun “voice” is in a different case than in verse 9.

The same is true with Acts 9:4 and Acts 9:7. The reason is certainly to show that the others heard a sound, but it was not speech to them. The Lord was only speaking to Paul.

Life application: In Isaiah 66, it says –

“Thus says the Lord:
‘Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,’
Says the Lord.
‘But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.’” Isaiah 66:1, 2

The word of God, meaning the Holy Bible, reveals who God is. It speaks forth His intentions for the people of the world. God says that He looks favorably upon the one who trembles at this word. Does this reflect your state before God?

It is certain that you cannot tremble at a word you don’t read. Nor can you tremble at a word that you read in which you are looking for personal earthly gain. But this is how much of the church treats the word because this is what they have been taught about the word.

You might be looking to get rich, and so you look to the Bible as a talisman to make that happen. There is no trembling and reverent fear in this. There is only the expectation that the Great ATM in the sky will be paying out in the days ahead.

The word of God is supposed to appeal to our souls, convict us of our sins, reveal to us His greatness, demonstrate our need for His mercy and grace, etc. These things are what we should find when we open the word and look into it. Let us consider this as we reflect upon this sacred and precious word.

Glorious Lord God, we stand in awe of Your splendor and majesty. We thank You for the grace and kindness You have shown to us, even in our fallen state. And we thank You that because of Jesus, we are now reconciled to You for all eternity. Be glorified in our praises to You, O God. Amen.