Paul’s Revelation Journey

By Pastor Jim Greenawalt

On the road to , :13-31, two men were walking and talking about just being crucified. Jesus joined up with them, but they didn’t know it was Him because their eyes were “holden” (KJV-v.16). They were kept from recognizing him. In Luke 24:17-21 (GW) the Word says, 17 Jesus asked them, "What are you discussing?" They stopped and looked very sad. 18 One of them, Cleopas, replied, "Are you the only one in who doesn't know what has happened recently?" 19 "What happened?" he asked. They said to him, "We were discussing what happened to Jesus from Nazareth. He was a powerful prophet in what he did and said in the sight of God and all the people. 20 Our chief priests and rulers had him condemned to death and crucified. 21 We were hoping that he was the one who would redeem Israel. What's more, this is now the third day since everything happened.

They were hoping for the Glory days of King David and King Solomon when they were free, their enemies were defeated, and they were the richest nation in the world. One of the Jewish people’s mistakes and misunder- standings of the scriptures pertaining to the Messiah was that they got the first and second coming mixed together. He will come to be the conquering King at His second coming, then set up his kingdom quickly. Here, though, Jesus gives an explanation of His incarnation or first coming. (Luke 24:25-27 NKJV) 25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. That is one teaching on the Old Testament Prophets that I would like to listen to over and over again.

Jesus revealed to the two men out of the OT scriptures what was supposed to happen to the Redeemer. Paul, the and had knowledge of the Old Testament, but not the insight. It took the Holy Spirit revelation through Paul and the other Apostles to bring out the full “Rhema” of God’s Word.

I heard a quote a while back that I would like to mention, "The in the Old contains, the Old Testament in the New explains." That’s what’s happening here.

After Paul’s conversion in Acts 9 and his infilling of the Holy Spirit in verse 17, Paul goes to Arabia, according to Galatians 1:11-17. There, he receives special revelation from God. Galatians 1:11-12 reads, “But I make known to you, brethren, that the which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Paul stresses the point that this wasn’t hearsay or second hand information from Peter, John, James, or the rest. This revelation was straight from God. Paul searches the Old Testament Scripture and with the Holy Spirit’s guidance and receives a new understanding of the Grace of God plus, along with the Works of Jesus Christ. Three years after receiving these revelations and preaching in and around Damascus, Paul finally meets Peter and James in Jerusalem. He stays with them for 15 days, but comments in Gal 2:6 (GW), 6 Those who were recognized as important people didn't add a single thing to my message. (What sort of people they were makes no difference to me, since God doesn't play favorites!)

Next month, we will continue discussing “Paul’s Revelation Journey.” For now, we have completed some interesting introductory thoughts.