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The Truth About Angels
me to do?” the Saviour placed the inquiring Jew in connection with His
church, there to obtain a knowledge of God’s will concerning him....
While Saul in solitude at the house of Judas continued in prayer
and supplication, the Lord appeared in vision to “a certain disciple
at Damascus, named Ananias,” telling him that Saul of Tarsus was
praying, and in need of help. “Arise, and go into the street which
is called Straight,” the heavenly messenger said, “and inquire in the
house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth....
Ananias could scarcely credit the words of the angel; for the reports
of Saul’s bitter persecution of the saints at Jerusalem had spread far
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and wide....
Obedient to the direction of the angel, Ananias sought out the
man who had but recently breathed out threatenings against all who
believed on the name of Jesus; and putting his hands on the head of
the penitent sufferer, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that
appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou
mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
“And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales:
and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.”—
The
Acts of the Apostles, 120-122
.
Paul Leaves Damascus
As Paul preached Christ in Damascus, all who heard him were
amazed.... The opposition grew so fierce that Paul was not allowed to
continue his labors at Damascus. A messenger from heaven bade him
leave for a time; and he “went into Arabia” (
Galatians 1:17
), where he
found a safe retreat.
Here, in the solitude of the desert, Paul had ample opportunity
for quiet study and meditation.... Jesus communed with him, and
established him in the faith, bestowing upon him a rich measure of
wisdom and grace.—
The Acts of the Apostles, 124-126
.
Paul’s labors at Antioch, in association with Barnabas, strength-
ened him in his conviction that the Lord had called him to do a special
work for the Gentile world. At the time of Paul’s conversion, the Lord
had declared that he was to be made a minister to the Gentiles, “to
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open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the
power of Satan unto God, that they may receive the forgiveness of