15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) 21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God in me. (NKJV).
I cannot underscore enough how important it is to know the history and the chronological order of events and to discover the faithfulness of our God and Savior. Don’t just assume that history happened. Take time to research history and get familiar with all of the advents associated with a particular historical event. The Scriptures give us the “Macro” of God’s plan from creation to the promise of eternal life.
History helps us develop a better understanding of the plan for our lives and how God’s plan worked in the lives of others. You can’t build a framework on which to base your life without understanding how things work in the world and in the Kingdom of God. History paints for us a detailed picture of how life worked in the past so we can better understand how life is working now. History repeats itself because of “human nature.”
It is important, as believers, to become very familiar with the Old Testament. It gives to us the “Macro” of God’s plan and purposes. The Old Testament establishes the supernatural side of the prophetic word of God (see Revelation 19:10) in relation to history. There is a beginning, and there will be an ending in terms of time and space. Many believers fail to be able to fully embrace the New Testament revelation because they have not been fully taught the Old Testament Prophetic picture in the midst of secular history. The Old Testament is the New Testament revealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament fulfilled.
` Let’s take a few minutes and look at the history which Paul is describing of his own journey.
(cf. Acts 9:19-31) NKJV
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. Consider that the very city he was headed toward was with the purpose of persecuting the Church in Syria. Instead of persecution, when Saul arrived, he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the “Son of God.” Now, that is conversion. (20 At once, he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.) As I mentioned last time, Saul was being moved by the Holy Spirit through grace that was given to him revelation about Jesus. Only the Holy Spirit can truly reveal Jesus as the Son of God. When I say “reveal,” I am not speaking about just giving information to another. I am speaking of supernatural knowledge that Jesus is the “the Son of God. The kind of information and understanding that moves one to immediately begin to preach the message, Jesus is the Son of God.
21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
The knowledge of Saul’s threats is fresh in the minds of the believers. His reputation was known, a persecutor of the “Way.” One who inflicts damage upon people who confess Jesus as the Christ. He is one that imprisons believers who are trusting Jesus the Christ for their salvation.
22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
The more Saul began to understand the Old Testament in regard to Christ; he grew stronger and stronger in his faith. My observation and experience teach me that the fuller the knowledge one has of the Old Testament concerning Christ as it looks forward to Christ’s first advent will produce a stronger faith and a more robust ability to preach and teach Christ. Those Jews in Damascus were “baffled” by Saul and his clarity about Jesus as the Christ. “How this could be concerning Saul,” no doubt was their conversation. It just did not make sense to those Jews.
23 After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan.
Over time, the Jews recognized that Saul had indeed been converted to the Way. He must be stopped. They reasoned that only one way would do, kill him. This has been history from the death of Stephen that Paul oversaw, and the death of countless numbers of Saints in the Coliseum. And then there is the rest of history, much of which has been recorded and reported in Fox’s Book of Martyrs. In the nineteenth century through to the present, millions have been put to death for their faith in Christ the risen Lord. Saul learned of their evil plan.
Day and night they kept a close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. Is your faith developed to the degree that you can trust God in spite of the threats against your life? In spite of the knowledge that people are watching for your escape from their evil plans.
25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
This story locked into my mind when I heard it in Sunday school as a small child. Maybe it was because God knew that I would one day travel to nations that are known for the killing of Christians, especially leaders of God’s people. I have been snuck in and, in the same manner, snuck out. I was not allowed to go out into the community. I could not use the outside bathroom facilities, so they made provision inside for my team. In Hotels in larger cities, we could not speak freely but had to develop code words for our communication with our Christian hosts.
26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
Even at Jerusalem, the disciples were afraid of Saul. Thank the Lord for Barnabas, a man of courage and consolation. Barnabas trusted God more than man. Barnabas knew how to hear from God. Barnabas knew by the Spirit of God, that Saul was no ordinary man. He discerned Saul’s apostolic calling. He recognized Saul’s unusual courage and boldness in the presence of danger, preaching Christ and Him crucified, dead and buried, but risen from the dead and seated at the “right hand” of the Majesty on High.
27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
It was Barnabas that introduced Saul to the apostles. Barnabas bore witness to Saul’s conversion to the faith and his fearless preaching in the name of Jesus.
28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Note the six areas that helped to convince the apostles and others of Saul’s legitimate conversion and his calling to preach. First, he stayed with the apostles. We must get to know one another. It takes time to be knit together and become one in the spirit in our cause for the gospel. A relationship forged in the face of danger. In those relationships, Saul found freedom to move around freely in Jerusalem because of these relationships. He spoke freely in the name of the Lord. He also talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. These experiences became the groundwork for “the brothers” getting Saul out of Jerusalem into what they hoped to be a safer place by sending him to Tarsus.
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit; it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord (NIV).
This is a beautiful ending to this part of the story of Saul’s journey in verse 31. The end result of any ministry should be peace in the church. This is an excellent testimony throughout the regions mentioned in verse 31. Notice that the Holy Spirit’s presence was what “strengthened” and “encouraged” the believers. Church growth came from Holy Spirit activity. It was a time of God’s people living in the fear of the Lord. That is a “reverential” fear of God. It was a time of “awe” because of God’s Holy presence.