Acts 9:32-43 – As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
“As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.” We see that Peter did not use a lot of words, he merely said that “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Then the man was healed and did as Peter instructed. Words filled with faith in God need not be many, they just need to truly be words faith that come as the Holy Spirit leads.
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.” She was doing what the disciples deemed as good. (James 1:27). She is named by Luke as being a disciple and therefore identifying her as a believer. Tabitha’s name in Greek is mentioned, but not before her birth name. Both Tabitha (Aramaic) and Dorcas (Greek) mean gazelle. She was likely a Jew.
“About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.” Tabitha died from an unnamed sickness. Then, something unusual was done with her body. It was washed and placed in an upstairs room. This is not what they did when someone died. They would prepare the body for the funeral and surround it with spices to cover the stench of the rotting of the flesh. But they did not do that. They washed her and placed her in an upstairs room. The upstairs room was likely either a bedroom or a place to eat. This would not have been what a Jew would have done. Why did they do this? What follows showed what they were having faith to happen.
“Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.” Peter was nearby (about twelve miles away) and so the friends of Tabitha quickly sent for Peter to come. When Peter arrived he was taken to where Dorcas (Tabitha) was lain. Her friends showed him how she had been kind and provided for the widows. Peter would have noted that Tabitha had not been prepared for a funeral. It was quite evident what they were hoping for.
“Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.” Peter knew the monumental and humanly impossible thing that that these believers were hoping for. He sent them out of the room and wasted no time in getting on his knees to pray to Jesus, the only person he knew of that this task was not impossible to. After praying for an unknown amount of time Peter turned to Tabitha and merely said “Tabitha get up.” Short, succinct, and packed with the power of faith. What was Peter thinking when she opened her eyes? Was he blown away or did he, having prayed in faith, watch what he fully expected to happen? How would we react? Could we pray in faith and expect the dead to rise so that it would be no surprise when the dead arose? Jesus presented her to the believers. If per chance Peter had not been sure of the miracle, they were fully expecting the miracle of her being brought to life. They were praying and no doubts their prayers were a part of the miracle. There surely was a lot of praising God going on!
“This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.” As per the pattern of God, a miracle was done, people saw it or found out about it, praised God and were saved.
V43 was likely mentioned to lead into what would happen in Chapter 10.
Family, God has not and will not ever change. He has done miracles through His people in His timing and as He chooses. It is done to point people to God. It has always been effective. There truly is no scripture that states that this Apostolic Dispensation would be the last of the miracles and supernatural. No, God has given us a rich history of God continuing to work supernaturally through His church in the past and there is much evidence that He continues to do so. The result of these miracles, through believers with right hearts, is Jesus being glorified and souls being saved. May we also pray for the sick, and perhaps even the dead, and believe that God may indeed answer the prayer. Our God does not change and is faithful. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.