Acts 26:12-14 – “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 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.’
“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.” Paul is continuing his testimony of how he was called to Jesus and why he preached and taught what he did.
Paul had received his authority to persecute the followers of Christ not only from the high priest, but here he states “priests.” In Acts 22:5 Paul’s testimony is that the high priest and the council is where he got his authority. We can understand that the Jewish leaders supported what he did and gave him authority to do it as they signed off on his persecution of the Church.
“About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.” It was noon when Paul had his “come to Jesus” moment. Or rather, when he was confronted by Jesus. It is important to note that this event happened at noon when the sun was shining its brightest.
He saw a light and he identifies it as coming from Heaven. Let’s believe that it was coming from Heaven, but for the more skeptical, we can agree that it was coming from a point in the sky and that he could not see the origin of the light. So in the midday brightly shining Middle Eastern sun a light that was immensely brighter than the sun was suddenly surrounding Paul. Definitely a supernatural event!
We must remember that Paul was not alone. Paul had witnesses. These witnesses could verify his story or contradict it. None of them are ever recorded as contradicting Paul’s testimony. It is interesting that people who have lived hundreds of years, or thousands of years, find themselves ready to challenge what happened when those who were there did not. They are a fine example of hubris.
“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.’” Scholars think the word Aramaic could also mean Hebrew. If in Aramaic, then the language is expressing a Hebrew dialect of Aramaic. What we do know is that the Lord was speaking in a language for Paul to recognize as Hebraic in language or dialect and therefore Paul would know that he was listening to a Hebrew.
Jesus asked Paul “Why do you persecute me?” Jesus did not ask Paul (Saul) why he was persecuting the church, Jesus asked why Paul was persecuting Him. The truth is, when someone is persecuting God’s people, it is God whom ultimately is being opposed. (Matthew 18:6-7) Family we are loved by God and zealously watched over by Him. Praise God! We should feel, and more importantly know, that we are safe in His care!
Jesus’s statement about kicking against the goads is referring to how cattle are moved along. A goad is a long spear like instrument that is to keep oxen from stopping too soon, or to keep them from veering off. It was (is) a way to keep them going and to keep them along the chosen path. Therefore the Lord’s statement is likely a very pointed statement to the work that the Lord was already doing in His life. It has been thought that Paul, at that point, was already suffering from a guilty conscience. We remember that he pointed out that he was at the murder of the saint Stephen, whose face, at the time of his stoning shone like an angel. Stephen had unbelievably asked God to forgive his murderers. This had to have impacted Paul. He certainly never forgot it. (Acts 22:20)
So two lines of thought concerning that point in Paul’s life when the Damascus encounter with Jesus occurred. Paul was already under conviction. His conscious was guilty and bothering him. It can be contended that the murdering of Stephen, and the other killings were weighing him down. He likely was wondering if what he was doing was really the will of God. We know that God is fully able to bring about His will. He had a purpose for Paul. He is omniscient and so He knew Paul’s heart and that Paul would come to him. Paul belonged to God and so he was foreknown and predestined by God. (Romans 8:29, 11:2) In stepping in, God did not violate the free will of Paul, instead, the Lord acted on the innermost desires of Paul to be right with God and to fully serve Him. Sure, Paul was on the wrong path, but weren’t we all? The Lord answered the need in Paul’s heart and revealed Himself to Paul in answer to Paul’s prayers to know and serve God and in fulfillment of the will of God. We, or course, understand that God is able to do that and no-one, not anyone else can do that like God can. Praise God! So if we realize we have gotten off path, we know that God is fully able to restore us to a right one. He did it for Paul and He’ll do it for us. That’s who He is, He is Savior and Lord! Oh, 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.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”