Digging For Truth : Acts 26: 12 - 18 > Saul on road to Damascus

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Saul on the road to Damascus

Similar Scripture in Acts 9: What Jesus said to Saul of Tarsus . . .

Acts 26: 12 - 18 ( King James Version )

verse 12 > Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

verse 13 > Re At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

verse 14 > And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue. Saul, Saul why persecutest thus me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

verse 15 > And I said, "Who art thou, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest."

verse 16 > But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee,

verse 17 > Delivering thee from the people , and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

verse 18 > To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to ight, and from the power of Satan into God, that they ma receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Acts 26: 12 - 18 ( New International Version )

verse 12: On one of these journeys i was going to Damascus with the authority ad commission of the chief priests.

verse 13: About noon, O King, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the Sun, blazing around me and my companions.

verse 14: We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads."

verse 15: Then I asked, "Who are you Lord?" I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting" the Lord replied.

verse 16: Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you.

verse 17: I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles I am sending you

verse 18: to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they nay receive forgiveness of sin and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

Text Quoted in Spirit of Prophecy

While the light continued to shine round about them, Saul heard, “a voice speaking ... in the Hebrew tongue” ( Acts 26:14), “saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” { AA 114.2} Read entire Chapter 12

As the weary travelers neared Damascus, the eyes of Saul rested with pleasure upon the fertile land, the beautiful gardens, the fruitful orchards, and the cool streams that ran murmuring amid the fresh, green shrubbery. It was very refreshing to look upon such a scene after a long, wearisome journey over a desolate waste. While Saul, with his companions, was gazing and admiring, suddenly a light above the brightness of the sun shone round about him, “and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” { 3SP 306.2 }

As Saul journeyed to Damascus, with letters authorizing him to take men or women who were preaching Jesus, and bring them bound to Jerusalem, evil angels exulted around him. But suddenly a light from heaven shone round about him, which made the evil angels flee and caused him to fall quickly to the ground. He heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” Saul inquired, “Who art Thou, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” And Saul, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” And the Lord said, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” { EW 200.1}

As the weary travelers neared Damascus, the eyes of Saul rested with pleasure upon the fertile land, the beautiful gardens, the fruitful orchards, and the cool streams that ran murmuring amid the fresh green shrubbery. It was very refreshing to look upon such a scene after a long, wearisome journey over a desolate waste. While Saul, with his companions, was gazing and admiring, suddenly a light above the brightness of the sun shone round about him, “and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” { LP 22.1 }

As Saul journeyed to Damascus with letters of authority to take men or women who were preaching Jesus, and to bring them bound unto Jerusalem, evil angels exulted around him. But as he journeyed, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him, which made the evil angels flee, and caused Saul to fall quickly to the ground. He heard a voice saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Saul inquired, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And Saul trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said, Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. { 1SG 90.1 }

As the weary travelers neared Damascus, the eyes of Saul rested with pleasure upon the fertile land, the beautiful gardens, the fruitful orchards, and the cool streams that ran murmuring amid the fresh green shrubbery. It was very refreshing to look upon such a scene after a long, wearisome journey over a desolate waste. While Saul, with his companions, was gazing and admiring, suddenly a light above the brightness of the sun shone round about him, “and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” { SR 269.1}

Paul had a terrible awakening when the light of heaven flashed upon him, and a voice said to him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? Paul answered, “Who art Thou, Lord?” and Christ answered, “I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” And the Lord said, “Arise, and go to the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” The Lord always gives the human agent his work to do. Paul was to work in compliance with the divine command. If Paul had said, “Lord, I am not in the least inclined to follow your directions in working out my salvation,” then had the Lord have showered upon him a light ten-fold as bright, it would have been useless. It is man’s part to co-operate with the divine. Here is where the conflict is to be sternest, hardest, and most fierce, in yielding the will and way to God’s will and way, relying upon the gracious influences which God has exerted upon the human soul throughout all the life. The man must do the work of inclining. “For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do.” The character of the action will testify what has been the nature of the resolve. The doing was not in accordance with feeling and natural inclination, but in harmony with the will of the Father in heaven. Follow and obey the leadings of the Holy Spirit; obey not the voice of the deceiver, which is in harmony with the unsanctified will, but obey the impulse God has given. This is what the heavenly intelligences are constantly working to have us do,—the will of the Father which is in heaven. { BEcho November 1, 1893, par. 8 }

Paul had been educated by the most learned teachers of the age. He had been taught by Gamaliel. Paul was a rabbi and statesman. He was a member of the Sanhedrin, and had been very zealous for the suppression of Christianity. He had acted a part in the stoning of Stephen, and we read further of him, “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.” But he was stopped in his career of persecution. As he was on his way to Damascus to arrest any Christians he might find, “suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.” { RH March 6, 1900, par. 3 }

While the light continued to shine about them, Saul heard “a voice speaking ... in the Hebrew tongue,” “saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” { RH March 16, 1911, Art. A, par. 8 }

No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the One who spoke to him was Jesus of Nazareth, the long-looked-for Messiah, the Consolation and the Redeemer of Israel. And now Jesus, who during his earthly ministry had often spoken in parables, likened the work of Saul, the persecutor, to kicking against the pricks. “Saul, Saul,” he inquired, “why persecutest thou me? ... It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” Every effort to stay the onward progress of the gospel results in injury and suffering to the opposer. Sooner or later his own heart will condemn him; he will find that he has, indeed, been kicking against the pricks. { RH March 16, 1911, Art. A, par. 16 }

Paul had a terrible awakening when the light from heaven flashed upon him, and a voice said to him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Paul answered, “Who art thou, Lord?” And Christ said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” And the Lord said, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” The Lord always gives the human agent his work to do. Paul was to work in compliance with the divine command. If Saul had said, “Lord, I am not in the least inclined to follow your directions in working out my salvation,” then, should the Lord have showered upon him a light tenfold as bright, it would have been useless. It is man’s part to cooperate with the divine. Here is where the conflict is to be sternest, hardest, and most fierce—in yielding the will and way to God’s will and way, relying upon the gracious influences which God has exerted upon the human soul throughout all the life. The man must do the work of inclining. “For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do.” The character of the actions will testify what has been the nature of the resolve. The doing was not in accordance with feeling and natural inclination, but in harmony with the will of the Father in heaven. Follow and obey the leadings of the Holy Spirit; obey not the voice of the deceiver, which is in harmony with the unsanctified will, but obey the impulse God has given. This is what the heavenly intelligences are constantly working to have us do,— the will of our Father which is in heaven. { ST February 12, 1894, par. 7 }

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Acts 26: 12 - 18 > Saul on road to Damascus

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