A LIGHT BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN

In the book of the Acts of the Apostles we read the account of Paul, an arrested apostle, giving his defense before King Agrippa. Paul speaks of his persecution of Christians and his encounter on the road to Damascus:

“Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities. One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, O King, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.” ‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.  Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future.  And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’” (Acts 26:11-18; also 9:1-17; 22:1-16)

Paul saw Jesus in his Shekinah glory! The brightness of his presence! He saw The Light. “I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light…” (Acts 26:18) We are all blind until we see the light that is brighter than the sun.

“I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.” 

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Jesus