Revisiting the Account of Sha'ul's Vision
The third account of the Apostle Sha’ul concerning his conversion can be found in Acts 26:13-19. In this the account is that he saw in the way of light from heaven, shinning round about both him & them that journeyed with him. At which they all were fallen to the earth, not just him alone. & At that point, he heard in the Hebrew tongue, that he persecuted his Lord. No blindness mentioned.
But to this account, he was commanded to arise & stand on his feet, that he may minister in this, his DIVINE purpose & mysteries that would be revealed to him.
Delivering him from both the people, & from the Gentiles unto where he was sent toward with this revelation of forgiveness & inheritance among them which are sanctified by the faith.
No blindness is mentioned on this recount of the vision, but rather that they were all together surrounded in the light, & fell to the earth. This brings me back in mind of them fallen by the wayside, & that which was sown in them was caught away, thus seeing not, & hearing not, neither do they understand.
“For I would not brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” -Romans 11:25
“I counsel thee to by of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; & white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, & that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; & anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke & chasten: Be zealous therefore & repent.” - Revelations 3:18-19
Sha’ul is commanded to stand on his feet, that he may minster. In this do we find his calling into graceful abundance. In this we can see that although he did offend through persecution, his rooted understanding & obedience to the law made him a more suitable vessel for what became his expansive ministry. His own zeal of the law proved both his root upon stony ground as well as his capability to endure among thorns, & to eventually reach his calling. Despite his offense on the wayside.
& so, as Ha-Mashiyach is the remission of that law toward grace, this was the mission of Sha’uls pursuit. As a guardian of that grace from the law.
“For better it is that it be said unto thee, come up hither, than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.” -Proverbs 25:7
“For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, able indeed to bridle in the whole body.” -James 3:2
& so through this, we can see how the foundations of Shaul’s ministry & Apostleship are rooted within the vision & revelation of Ha-Mashiyach with-in him. These things were not by the hands of man.
but I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. -Galatians 1:11
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, & wasted it:
& profited in the Jews religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
but when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, & called me by his grace,
To reveal his son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; Immediately I conferred not with flesh & blood.
Neither went I to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia & returned again into Damascus. -Galatians 1:13-17