The Gentiles (14)

It was a strange sight to say the least.  A sheet was being let down from heaven with all kinds of animals on it.  Then it was taken back up.  It happened that way three times.  Fortunately, this was not a literal event, but a vision!

Of course it had its purpose, but before we explore that let us examine the setting of the spiritual sight.  A man by the name of Cornelius was praying (but it wasn’t him who received the vision). 

“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.”  (Acts 10: 1&2)

As Cornelius was praying one afternoon he saw a vision (not the one mentioned earlier), it was of an angel of God who spoke his name, “Cornelius.” 

“And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, what is it, Lord?”  (Acts 10: 4)

The angel spoke and told him that his “prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God”.  Cornelius was instructed by the angel to send men to Joppa and “call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:  He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.”  (Verses 4-6)

When the angel left, Cornelius sent two servants and a soldier to Joppa to get the apostle Peter.  The next day they as they were approaching Joppa, Peter was on the roof of the house… it was about noon and Peter grew hungry as he prayed.  While lunch was being prepared it happened.  Peter fell into a trance and saw the afore mentioned sight.  “Heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth”. 

The point of the vision was to show Peter, who was a Jew and did not eat the kinds of animals on the sheet, that “what God hath cleansed, call that not common.”  He was told to “Kill and eat.”  There was something else Jews didn’t do… they wouldn’t come into company with Gentiles… Italians if you would.  Peter, because of his religion, would not associate with Cornelius.  That is, until God spoke to him… but it took three times!

All of this was happening so that the door to the last region of gospel propagation could be opened… “the utter most parts of the earth.”  Jesus was biding Peter to break tradition and fulfill the promise made to Abraham two thousand years earlier that all the families of the earth (Gentiles and Jews alike) would be blessed.

As Peter considered the vision, the three men arrived at his door and the Spirit told Peter that they were there and to go with them, not doubting anything.  The men spoke to Peter and said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee”. 

As Peter would later recount the story to those who “were of the circumcision” (Jews) and told them that Cornelius sent men to Joppa, and called for him.  Cornelius described Peter as the man “who shall tell thee words, where by thou and all thy house shall be saved.”  (Acts 11: 14)

While Peter was coming to meet with Cornelius, the family and friends of the centurion gathered together to hear what Peter was going to say.  It should be noted here that the description of Cornelius was that of a prayerful, giving, and good man… but he still needed saved (according to his own words… and the word of God… “For all have sinned and have fallen short”).  Peter was there with words that were going to save, not only Cornelius, but his whole household as well!

As Cornelius explains to Peter the events that precipitated their meeting he told him, “Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come.  Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.”  (Acts 10: 33)

“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons…  and we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:  Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us (the apostles), who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.  To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”  (Acts 10: 34-43)

Peter is addressing the spiritual needs of Cornelius and all his house, but not only theirs, but of all humanities as well.  It was determined early in this writing that the sin nature (as well as specific “sins”) needed removed from the creation of God called “man”.  Here we see Peter sharing with people who were not the chosen nationality of God how to have the sins and the sin nature removed from their being.  Not by means of natural death that comes to all, but by means of a spiritual “type” of death that can send the sin “before (physical death) to judgment”.  That spiritual type of death is through the typology of the gospel: the death, the burial, and the resurrection.  Peter is preaching that remission (removal) of sin is now available through faith in the name of Jesus.  This is such great and exciting news to these gentiles that something happens… faith arises in their hearts and they immediately receive a type of resurrection:

“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them which heard the word.”  These were filled with the Spirit of Resurrection before they were even baptized… before Peter even finished his message!  The men who had journeyed with Peter to witness these things were astonished because they saw the Holy Ghost fill these gentiles!  And, like Simon the Sorcerer they were able to observe Cornelius and his family receiving the Holy Ghost!

This time scripture tells us how they knew they received the Spirit:  “And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.” (Verses 45 & 46)

Peter, in his recount of the story to the Jews in Jerusalem, confirmed that what happened to Cornelius and his house was the same experience that came upon the 120 in the upper room as they initially waited for, and received, the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost.  In Peter’s own words, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.”  (Acts 11: 15)

At this point it is clear that by the description of his life and character Cornelius was a repentant man… the gospel type of death had then been fulfilled.  They of his house all received the gift of the Holy Ghost thus fulfilling the gospel type of resurrection.  This leaves only one more leg of the template we are using for establishing a consistently preached and taught salvation message… and one more gospel precept to be accounted for… burial… water… baptism (as we have studied:  all representing the different symbols of the same thing).  For the fulfillment of the types, and for the obedience to the gospel… including calling on the name of the Lord, we would expect to see baptism be part of the story of Acts chapter ten as the door to the gentiles is opened to the gospel… and salvation!

“Then (after they received the Holy Ghost) answered Peter, can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”  The gentiles now had the complete salvation experience… and we have our complete salvation doctrine once again being confirmed.

The sheet carrying the animals that were in the vision had made its point.  Peter took the gospel to the gentiles for the first time.  The door to the uttermost parts of the earth was opened.   A man and his family were saved.  And, the elements of the gospel and of our template have remained intact and consistent.  Again, the words of Jesus ring loud and true… the scriptures cannot be broken!