A Study in the Book of Acts

Part 15

 

We are continuing our study in Acts. We remain in Acts 13. We talked last week about fasting. The takeaway for that is fasting is a way to seek God. It is giving up something, mostly food, to spend time seeking God. It should be led by you need to hear specifically from God in any area. It does not change God. It changes us. It helps us obtain clarity in our ability to hear God. It is making a bodies a living sacrifice to him, bringing our flesh under control, to exclude extraneous worldly interference's so that we can hear what God has to say to us.

 

We see this clearly in Act 13.

Acts 13: 2.  As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.''

 

This is a clear example of God giving clear direction to believers on specific things. The Holy Spirit said.. separate to Me…for the work I… Clearly the Holy Spirit was revealing the will of the Father. Fulfilling the directions of Jesus in Act 1.

 

Acts 1: 8.  "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'

This is the beginning of the fulfillment of Jesus’ will. As these leaders in the church ministered to the Lord and fasted, they received specific instructions. To separate Barnabas and Saul.

 

I have done some research on this. Some teach that in the original Greek, we can tell who the prophets were and who were the teachers. Barnabas because he is listed first is at this time a known apostle/prophet and Saul, (not yet referred to as Paul) is a teacher being last on the list.  I just found this interesting information.

 

We do know that at the time, He is still call Saul. They get the direction to separate them, from the Holy Spirit. When a prophet gives you a word, it should always be a confirmation of what the Holy spirit has been dealing with you about prior to this. In other words, a true prophecy from God will confirm what you have received from God while you pray, read the Word and seek him. It should never be something “out of the blue..” that you have not already suspected.

 

Acts 13: 3.  Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.  4.  So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.  5.  And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.  6.  Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7.  who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.  8.  But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.  9.  Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10.  and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?   11.  "And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.'' And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.  12.  Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

 

So, they obeyed the Holy Spirit, laid hands on them, confirming the appointment, the separation for the work of the Gospel and sent them out.

 

The first missionary trip is to the Island of Cyprus. It is 63 miles off the coast of Syria. They start in the east end and travel to the west end. Barnabas and Saul went to the Jewish synagogues first, to share the Gospel. We do not see any reports of acceptance or conversion until they reach Paphos, the Roman capital of the area. Which leads us to believe the Gospel was rejected by the Jews wherever they went.

 

The proconsul, that is the governor or military leader of Cyprus had heard of Barnabas and Saul and sent for them, to hear the Gospel. However, he had a Jewish man as advisor. This man was Jewish by nationality only, not being what we would consider a spiritual Jew. As it states he was a sorcerer, a false prophet and a magician. He pretty much had denounced the teaching of God or so perverted it to meet what He believed that He was not a Godly Spiritual man. It is not explained why he was with the proconsul, but we do know that he did not want him to hear the word of God. The Word describes the Proconsul as an intelligent man.

 

I had not really understood what Elymas the sorcerer represented in the spiritual world. He represents the religious leaders of the Jewish nation. They lead the people astray with false religious teachings. Hiding the truth of God’s word in so many rules and regulations that it overwhelmed the average Jew. He represented those in the Jewish leaders who DID NOT want the gospel to spread. He is the open representation, example of what is occurring in the Church today. He is described as a false prophet. I am not going to call names, but we have so many well know leaders, who now deny the truth, sanctity and holiness of the Gospel. They preach what people want to hear, not the truth of the Word. So Elymas represents what is wrong in established religion in Paul’s time and in our time today. It is sad that we have so watered down the Gospel that people are led to sin, because they are not told what sin is. It is also sad that people can sit in a Word oriented Church, that does preach the truth of God’s Word and still choose to sin in certain areas of their lives. I know I was there once, Praise God in Heaven for evermore, I have been delivered from those chains and am A free Woman of God!

 

I pray today that you do not rationalize the Word of God so badly that you can sin with no remorse. God does not change, nor does His Word.

So, we see God dealing with the sinful deceitful spawn of Satan. The Word tells us several things here. Saul is referenced in verse two, and verse seven, but in verse with no real explanation, in verse nine, he is referred to as Paul. There have been many opinions on why. I believe as many teachers do, that Saul had gone through Cyprus teaching to the Jews, and now he is in the presence of Gentile, who God is sending him to, so in deference to that, God’s calling, Saul chooses his Gentile name, Paul, signifying that he is the Apostle to the Gentile, being rejected by the Jews.

 

Paul will always minister to the Jews, knowing that most will reject his teaching,

Romans 10: 1.  Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.  

Yes, Paul will always offer the truth throughout his ministry to the Jews, while interpreting the teachings and work of Christ for the Gentile believers. He is generally not successful, but it does not stop him.

 

So, we see Elymas as a spiritual example of the state of the Jewish nation then and us today. He perverted the truth of the word of God and sought to turn the proconsul from the Faith. Wow. That is huge but it is a truth we need to recognize and accept. People are turned away daily by worldly opinions, worldly definitions of what good is. Of what is right and wrong. We know this a fulfillment of prophecy as is the personification of Elymus was, who Paul referred to as “son of the devil, enemy of righteousness, one who perverts the straight way of the Lord.” Can’t get any more specific than this.

 

Now, as I researched this, I have seen many teachings and sermons stating Paul struck Elymus blind. But this is simply not true.

 

Acts 13: 9.  Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him  10.  and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?  11.  "And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.'' And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.  

 

Paul states specifically that “the Hand of the Lord is upon him.. and you shall be blind, not seeing the son, and immediately Elymus is blinded by a mist over his eyes.

That was clearly the working of the Holy Spirit through Paul. Not Paul at all. It is yet another example of the power that comes upon us when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit. Not the ability to strike people blind, but the ability to do miracles as the Holy Spirit wills. What was the result of this act? Yes Elymus was struck blind, but what else happened?

The proconsul was saved!

 

Acts 13: 12.  Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

 

He believed based on what he saw, the calling out of pure evil and the miracle of Elymus being struck blind. It is miracles and the teaching of the word that draw the unbeliever to Christ. You have heard me say this before.

 

He heard the Word, Paul calling out empowered by the Holy Spirit, the pure evil in the situation, the act of God in the blinding and then further teaching of the word, to acceptance of the Gospel message.

 

This is a short passage, with very little in the way of explanation, and at first I was tempted to just by pass it, but then as I studied, I saw the importance of the event. Praise God.