Gladly Acts

Rise Peter Kill and Eat

Acts 10:9-16
  On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
  And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
  And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
  Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
  And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
  But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
  And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
  This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

In the Bible lands people would go up onto their flat housetops to pray in order to be close to God. News was also passed from house to house by people from their housetops. "Shout it from the housetops" is a saying that has its roots in this practice.

While the people in the house were preparing food, Peter received revelation from God. The phrase "fell into a trance" is a very misunderstood one. When we think of someone falling into a trance we think of losing control and being unaware of what is happening. Peter was wide awake, in complete control, and very aware. God was showing him a vision - a picture that was to help him understand that which was about to happen.

God showed Peter birds, animals, and creeping things that the law of Moses indicated were not to be eaten by the children of Israel. Then God told Peter to kill and eat them. Peter responded that he had NEVER eaten anything common or unclean. Even though Christ had fulfilled the law, and this was many years after the day of Pentecost, Peter and the other Judean believers were still practicing the law of Moses. When Peter responded to God that according to the law it was wrong for him to eat these things, God told him that He [GOD] had cleansed these animals. God showed him this vision 3 times! God was preparing his heart to understand a revolutionary idea - the mystery of the one body of Christ in which Judeans and Gentiles have been given all that is available by grace without having to keep the law of the Old Testament.

Acts 10:17-23
  Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,
   And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
  While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
  Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
  Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?
  And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
  Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

Verse 17 confirms that this was a vision - a picture from God and not a "trance" as the word is used today. The timing of God is perfect. God showed Peter the picture. Immediately afterward as Peter was considering the meaning of the vision, the men from Cornelius arrived. The three men from Cornelius explained how God had told Cornelius to send for Peter.

God spoke to Cornelius and had him send for Peter. God showed Peter the vision. Then the men arrived and God told Peter to go with them and doubt nothing for He [God] had sent them. Look at all that God did to prepare Peter's heart to minister His Word! After all this Peter knew something BIG was about to happen. In order to verify all that was to happen Peter took six Judean believers with him when they departed the next day. He knew that speaking the Word to Gentiles was a violation of the law of Moses and that the believers in Jerusalem would question him about it. Therefore he took six Judean witnesses with him. (The record in Chapter 11 tells us there were six of them.)

Gladly Acts

Chapters 10 & 11

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