Companions Hear And Fear

And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Acts 9: 7 

There are three responses offered to us in this single Scripture verse. Two are obvious as they are stated openly in the text. One is only given and received by faith, through the Spirit Himself.

Lack of Speech – Speechless

And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless.

What then are we told about the companions of Saul, at his miraculous, life-changing time? You may say that nothing much has been told to us. You may even say that what we have been told is natural, an ordinary human response at such an experience. True, but when faith is fed, and our spiritual senses are sharpened, we are made companions of what is taking place. We ourselves receive of the work of the Spirit. 

The companions of Saul stand speechless. Isn’t this interesting? A light suddenly engulfs the one with whom you are travelling, and he falls to the ground. He is speechless for this brave, bold, Pharisee of Pharisees, never utters a word until he is spoken to by Jesus. Here is the point. The companions of Saul, share the response of speechlessness, in the Presence of Jesus. Jesus has personally come to Saul but He never excludes Saul’s companions from experiencing lack of speech. Jesus comes, and in His Presence He has power to loose tongues and to grant speech, or He binds tongues, to make people speechless. Is that not miracle on both sides? 

God is wise and He knows exactly what He is doing. He may not come directly to you, but if you are journeying with one to whom He has directly visited, He will never exclude you.  Just as He makes the one whom He wishes to serve Him speechless, at His wondrous works, He will graciously give you the same response. 

Hearing but not Seeing – Hearing ears, but non-seeing eyes.

And the men who journeyed with him were hearing a voice but seeing no one.   

What more are we told about the companions of Saul, at his miraculous, life-changing experience? The companions of Saul were without speech, because what they were witnessing was out of this world. They were hearing the voice most audibly. It was distinctly a voice, not an echo, a recording or any such thing. It was a live voice right there with them, but there was no person with the voice. Voice without vision. This was truly a jaw-dropping experience, if ever there was one. Doesn’t it smack of tinges of what Moses experienced on the back side of Mount Horeb? There, he saw the bush and the fire, but he did not see the bush burning up. Only God works in such utterly human-defying ways. This continues to be interesting and intriguing, for these companions of Saul continue to be drawn, more and more, into what is happening. Keep ever in mind that this is all Jesus’ doing. It has absolutely nothing to do with Saul’s organizing, planning, or ordering. Once again, as with their hearing, it’s all God’s doing.

Note again. Jesus has personally come to Saul, but He has included the companions of Saul in causing them, not just to be speechless, but to receive the same hearing that Saul has received. The voice Saul heard is the same voice his companions heard. This was no exclusive, reserved hearing. Jesus wanted them to hear His voice also. Jesus comes, and in His Presence, He has power to give hearing and take hearing. Is that not miracle, whichever way you take it?

Our Lord is never at sixes and sevens about what He is doing. He always knows the way He takes, the methods He uses and what is even more amazing, He always knows the outcome. He may not come directly to you, but if you are journeying with one to whom He has directly come, He will never omit you. He never feeds one without the other. Just as He makes the specific one, able to hear Him so He will, by His grace, give you the same response. 

Speaking, Hearing, Seeing

Earlier, a pronouncement was made about the text, which was related to Saul’s men who journeyed to Damascus with him.  Here’s the text again. And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Acts 9: 7. It was explained that two of them were obvious, as they were openly stated in the text. One however, was only given and received by faith, through the Spirit Himself.

Here is the third response, which is so true of every single one of us who so often travel with God’s chosen and only know partial responding. 

Here is where truth and wisdom bear their perfect fruit.

Here is where the Living Word becomes flesh in all who have ears to hear.

We conclude our three-day pass tomorrow.