EXCERPTS FROM THE MINISTRY

A VISION OF AN ANGEL

Acts 10:3 and 4 say, “He saw clearly in a vision about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him and saying to him, Cornelius! And looking intently at him and becoming terrified, he said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and your alms have ascended for a memorial before God.” Cornelius was one of fallen mankind, sinful and condemned before God as all others, yet God accepted his prayers and his alms, whereas Cain’s He rejected (Gen. 4:3, 5). This must have been due to the fact that God, based upon Christ’s eternal redemption and in view of his believing in Christ in the ensuing days, forgave him (v. 43) according to His foreknowledge.

According to 10:3, an angel of God appeared to Cornelius and spoke to him. An angel was also used by God in the case of the Ethiopian eunuch. In that case “an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Rise up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (8:26). The angels in these two cases indicate that these cases are extraordinary. The preaching of the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch was the bringing of the gospel to a Gentile. Likewise, the preaching of the gospel to the house of Cornelius was the preaching of the gospel to a Gentile family. Since this was an extraordinary case, an angel was involved. However, neither in the case of the Ethiopian eunuch nor in the case of Cornelius and his household was the angel commissioned to preach the gospel. The reason for this is that only human beings who are believers in the Lord Jesus have the privilege of bringing the good news to others.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER

After the vision of Cornelius (10:1-8), we have the vision of Peter (10:9-16). Acts 10:9 says, “And on the next day as they were journeying and drawing near to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the sixth hour.” Cornelius received a vision in prayer (v. 30), and Peter also received a vision (vv. 17, 19) in prayer, through which God’s plan and move were carried out. Man’s prayer is needed as a means of cooperation with God’s move.

In chapter ten of Acts there is a strong emphasis on the importance of prayer. First we have Cornelius’ prayer and then Peter’s prayer. The prayers of these two men became the means for the Lord to come in to open the door for the Gentiles. While Cornelius, a devout man, was praying, a vision came to him. Likewise, it was while Peter was praying that the vision recorded in this chapter came to him. From this we see that we all need to learn to have a prayer life, for a prayer life always prepares the way for the Lord’s move and opens the gate for Him to spread. As those who are here for the Lord’s recovery, we must learn that the Lord can use only those who have a prayer life, a life of contacting Him in prayer.

We are not told for what Cornelius and Peter were praying. The record does indicate, however, that they set aside certain times for prayer, that they prayed according to a schedule. Acts 10:3 says that Cornelius was praying at the ninth hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, and 10:9 says that Peter was praying at the sixth hour, at twelve o’clock noon. From this we see that they had a prayer life and even prayed at scheduled times. If we in the Lord’s recovery have such a prayer life according to set times, we shall be used by Him in opening the way for the spread of His recovery.

PETER’S VISION OF A GREAT SHEET

According to 10:10 Peter “became very hungry and desired to eat; and while they were preparing, a trance came upon him.” Peter’s hunger here signifies the seeking after the things of God (Matt. 5:6). God fills this hunger (Luke 1:53). The Greek word rendered “eat” is usually rendered “taste.”

In an Ecstasy

The Greek word translated “trance” is ekstasis, which means being put out of its place; hence, referring to a state in which a man passes out of himself and from which he comes to himself (12:11), as in a dream, but without sleep. It differs from a vision, as in verses 3, 17, and 19, in which definite objects are visible to human eyes. In this ecstasy— trance—Peter saw a vision (11:5).