Posts by Yong Joo Park:
Peter’s vision and its meaning
Acts 10:9-16
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
14 ‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
Message
We studied ‘uncleanness’ and ‘cleanness’ last week. In addition to this, let us learn Peter’s vision to understand the issue better.
I. Peter’s Vision
To understand Acts 10:9-16, Acts 10:1-8 and Acts 10:17-48 should also be read. However, let us start from verse 9 to kick-start the study today.
In Peter’s vision, a voice told him to get up, kill and eat unclean animals (Acts 10:11-13). Peter refused (Acts 10:14). The voice spoke, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ (Acts 10:15).
II. The Meaning of the Vision
In the Law, the Jews are not to eat unclean creatures but to eat clean ones (Leviticus 11:1-46).
First, the above vision does NOT abolish the Law written in Leviticus 11:1-46.
This vision was shown to Peter to let the Gentiles saved. The meaning of the vision is shown in Peter’s statement in Acts 10:28.
28 He said to them: ‘You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.
So, this vision is not asking us to eat unclean animals. The vision is asking us not to call anyone impure or unclean.
The Law does NOT say whether a person would become unclean if he/she touches live animals unclean to eat.
But the Law says a person becomes unclean till evening if he/she touches or picks up the carcass of any of them (Leviticus 11:26-28).
The Gentiles eat them in their ignorance. However, we should not consider them unclean because of their food (Acts 10:28, Romans 14:14, Mark 7:14-23).
‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ (Acts 10:15).
Therefore, we should evangelise them regardless of their food as God enables this.
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Our guilt of uncleanness Jesus died for
Leviticus 5:2-3 2 ‘ “If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground) and they are unaware that they have become unclean, but then they come to realise their guilt; 3 or if […]
Zaphenath-Paneah
Exodus 41:45a Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. I. Background Joseph was one of twelve sons of Jacob (Genesis 35:22b, Genesis 35:24). His brothers sold him to merchants for some silver due to their jealousy (Genesis 37:27-28). The merchants sold in Egypt Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard (Genesis […]
From darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God
Acts 26:15-18 15 ‘Then I asked, “Who are you, Lord?” ‘ “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the Lord replied. 16 “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue […]
God vindicates His servants
Scripture: Isaiah 54:1-17 Keyword: Isaiah 54:17 17 no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the Lord. It is good to learn the New Testament first if you are […]
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son has made Him known
See John 1:18. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. I. No one has ever seen God (18a) Moses closely encountered God, but was not allowed to see His face, but only His back (Exodus […]
What spirit do you have? How to accept Jesus?
Previously, we learnt that one’s ‘hearing’ God would show one’s ‘belonging’ to God (John 8:47). ‘hearing’ God or not was the test to know where one belongs. Today, let us learn about another test to know where the spirits are from. I. How to test the spirits whether they are from God 1 John 4:1 […]
The importance of ‘listening to’ Jesus
‘Hearing’ is prerequisite of ‘believing’ (Romans 10:17). I. It is God’s will (command) for us to listen to Jesus. See Matthew 17:5. 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’ […]
The Importance of ‘knowing’ truth
I. Truth sets us free from sin. See John 8:31-32. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ This freedom is freedom from slavery to sin (John 8:34-36). The Condition […]
Defining ‘Truth’
Today, let us define ‘Truth’ in John 1:17b (“grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”) The Reality as opposed to a shadow The law is mere a shadow of the reality, but truth is the reality (Colossians 2:17, Hebrews 10:1) [2]. What reveals and assures what grace does Grace always forgives and gives, and truth […]
