“Who art thou, Lord?” (Acts 9:5). This question was asked by Saul of Tarsus when his journey to Damascus was interrupted by a light “above the brightness of the sun” (26:13) and by a voice “saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (v. 14). At the time of this encounter Saul was no heathen, but rather a zealous, religious Jew. He was earnestly following the traditions of his forefathers, who had for generations worshipped God according to the Old Testament. As he later described himself, he was “above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers” (Gal. 1:14).
In Saul’s time, something new arose in addition to the Jewish religion. Those who believed in this new way were referred to by their opposers as “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5), because of Jesus of Nazareth. Saul was enraged at the claims of this “sect” and alarmed at the number of Jews who were being converted to it. He was determined to stamp it out. Both men and women who held such beliefs were arrested and dragged into prison.
Saul was en route to Damascus, authorized by the high priest to bring back to Jerusalem any he found who were “of this way,” so that they might be punished. While he was carrying out this self-assumed commission, he was suddenly confronted by that very Nazarene, calling to him by name from heaven. Saul’s reply was, “Who art Thou, Lord?” Someone who knew his name but whose name Saul did not know visited him from heaven, causing him to fall to the earth, trembling and astonished.
To Saul the sky was opened. Heaven was opened. The heart of God was opened. From that time on, Saul began to see something not of or from the earth but from the heavens. He referred to this seeing as “the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19).
What a sharp contrast this was to Saul’s previous view of things! All his zealous concern for the Jews’ religion came from beneath, not from above. He had been brought up “at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God” (Acts 22:3). Yet those teachings and traditions were earthly. Never before had he heard a voice from heaven.
Saul was a seeker of Christ. Before the journey to Damascus, his pursuit of Christ was negative. The heavenly voice asked, “Why persecutest thou me?” The Greek word for persecute is the same as that translated “follow after” and “press” in Philippians 3:12 and 14. It means “pursue.” Before his heavenly encounter, Saul pursued Christ in hatred, with the intention of wiping Him out by destroying His followers. Afterwards, though, he said, “I pursue toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14, Gk.). His pursuit of Christ became one of love.
At what point in Saul’s journey to Damascus did he repent? It was when he changed his direction. His whole mentality was focused in one direction, but when the light shined upon him and he fell to the ground, his course was turned around. He repented.
While he still lay on the ground, he called on the name of the Lord. Why did he call this One Lord when he did not know who He was? He realized that One calling him from the heavens must surely be the Lord. Saul, then, firstly repented and then was saved by calling on the name of the Lord.
The Lord has a way to make us change our direction. Saul of Tarsus was bold and aggressive, but he fell before the One whom he was pursuing in hatred. Suppose he had simply gotten up again, determined to continue on his way and disregard the voice from the heavens. If he had kept his eyes toward Damascus and refused to look heavenward, surely the Lord would have intervened in an even stronger way to compel him to desist. However determined we may be to press on in our own conviction, we cannot prevail against this One who speaks from the heavens. Deep in my spirit is the prayer that the Lord will keep me from heading toward Damascus against His will.
Home | First | Prev | Next