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The Story of Redemption
He came to save, and as having risen from the dead and ascended
into the heavens. In that terrible moment he remembered that the
holy Stephen had been sacrificed by his consent, and that through
his instrumentality many worthy saints had met their death by cruel
persecution.
“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.” No doubt entered
the mind of Saul that this was the veritable Jesus of Nazareth who
spoke to him, and that He was indeed the long-looked-for Messiah,
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the Consolation and Redeemer of Israel.
When the effulgent glory was withdrawn, and Saul arose from
the earth, he found himself totally deprived of sight. The brightness
of Christ’s glory had been too intense for his mortal sight, and when
it was removed, the blackness of night settled upon his vision. He
believed that his blindness was the punishment of God for his cruel
persecution of the followers of Jesus. He groped about in terrible
darkness, and his companions, in fear and amazement, led him by
the hand into Damascus.
Directed to the Church
The answer to Saul’s question is, “Arise, and go into the city, and
it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Jesus sends the inquiring
Jew to His church, to obtain from them a knowledge of his duty.
Christ performed the work of revelation and conviction; and now
the penitent was in a condition to learn of those whom God had
ordained to teach His truth. Thus Jesus gave sanction to the authority
of His organized church, and placed Saul in connection with His
representatives on earth. The light of heavenly illumination deprived
Saul of sight, but Jesus, the great Healer, did not at once restore
it. All blessings flow from Christ, but He had now established a
church as His representative on earth, and to it belonged the work
of directing the repentant sinner in the way of life. The very men
whom Saul had purposed to destroy were to be his instructors in the
religion he had despised and persecuted.
The faith of Saul was severely tested during the three days of
fasting and prayer at the house of Judas, in Damascus. He was