Grace, Hope & Peace, Friend;
As Peter was on the rooftop praying, he fell into a trance in which he saw an object being lowered from heaven with all kinds of animals, crawling creatures and birds on it. (Acts 10:9-12)
A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.
Acts 10:13-16
Peter was understandably perplexed. (Vs. 17) The Law was very specific about which animals the Jews could eat and which were forbidden because they were ‘unclean.’ (Leviticus 11) Yet here was God telling him to ‘kill and eat.’ Was God changing the Law? Or was it something more profound?
First, God does not change! (Hebrews 13:8) What we may think of as change is God fulfilling His eternal, prefect plan for humanity. Satan tries to deceive us saying, “See, God is changing.“
The answer to Peter’s confusion is in God’s response when Peter said, “No way, Lord.” He said, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” (Vs. 15) The animals were no longer ‘unclean!’ How did God cleanse the animals? Maybe Jesus’ sacrifice cleansed a lot of the stain that sin had brought on creation. John wrote,
He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:2
By the end of the chapter, we see that Peter understood. God was sending him to Cornelius’ house; He told Cornelius “You yourselves know that it is forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner; and yet God has shown me that I am not to call any person unholy or unclean.” (Acts 1:27-28)
Later Peter said to the apostles and elders, “He (God) made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:7-8)
Malachi wrote, “The Sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” (Malachi 4:2)
Jesus’ resurrection brought healing to creation. I may be perplexed, but I have to trust God’s wisdom.
Elohim HeChacham – Only wise God – Thank You that You do not change. Help me understand Your love.
He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5
Perplexed but secure,
Words of Encouragement 