Acts 9:17-19 (ESV Strong's)
So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.
Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues
For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.
Subject: Illumination of the Scriptures
As believers we believe in the Divine illumination of the Scriptures. Simply put, the Word of God CANNOT be understood by the mind of a non-believer unless God chooses to open their eyes to the truth of the Scripture. Notice what Paul, the one being converted in the above verse, has to say later in his life about his coming to Christ.
Galatians 1:16 (ESV Strong's)
was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;
And, he would eventually write to the Philippian believers:
Philippians 3:15 (ESV Strong's)
Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.
In the above story in Acts, Paul was blinded by the light of the Lord on the road to Damascus. Ananias was sent by God to heal Paul's vision. When the scales fell from his eyes, Paul could not only see physically, but spiritually. Look at the next few verses as it records Paul's sudden grasp of Scripture:
Acts 9:20 (ESV Strong's)
And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
God not only opened his eyes to see man, God opened his eyes to see Jesus, through God's Word. The same Word he earlier used as a reason to persecute the church. He needed the Illumination of Scripture through the Holy Spirit to understand the way of Christ. We all do.
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