Great Themes of the Bible
Vision 245 without distinction of age—both your young men and your old men shall see visions and dream dreams. In them they shall receive divine revelations which shall be communicated to the Church. This power shall be given without distinction of outward condition—even the servants and handmaids shall receive of the Spirit and shall prophesy.
In the beginning of the age of prophecy in the Old Testament there were schools of the prophets. And, before that, the spirit of prophecy came upon the elders of Israel appointed to the government. But now the Spirit shall be poured out upon persons of inferior rank, and such as were not brought up in the schools of the prophets. For the kingdom of the Messiah is to be purely spiritual.
6. THE VISION OF SAUL OF TARSUS
It was when the Spirit took possession of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus that he saw a vision—a vision as spectacular as that which Isaiah saw and which we have given in detail as an example of vision in the Old Testament. Paul, on recounting the experience before King Agrippa, gives a detailed account of his experience (Acts xxvi. 12ff.). He saw a heavenly vision. From the circumstances it was clear that this was no delusion. It was without doubt a divine appearance. He saw a great light, a light from heaven, such as could not have been produced by any art, for it was not night but at midday. It was not in a house, where tricks might have been played on him. It was "in the way'', in the open air. It was such a light as was "'above the brightness of the sun''. It outshone and eclipsed the sun. This could not be the product of Paul's own fancy, for it "'shone round about them that journeyed with him''. They were all aware of being surrounded with this inundation of light, which made the sun itself to be in their eyes a lesser light.
The force and power of this light appeared in the effects of it. They all fell to the earth upon the sight of it, such a mighty consternation did it put them into. Christ was in that light. They that travelled with Paul saw the light only, and not Christ in the light. For this was Paul's vision, and his alone.
Great Themes of the Bible
SERMON OUTLINE
VISION
THE VISION OF IsarAH (Isa. vi) (a) The Purpose of the Vision (i) To confirm the prophet's faith (ii) To quicken the prophet's reverence (b) The Nature of the Vision (i) He saw the Throne of God (ii) He saw the temple filled with glory (iii) He saw the choir of seraphim (iv) He saw the house darkened with smoke THE VISION OF JOEL (Joel ii)
II.
(a) The Spirit Poured Out upon all Flesh (b) The Spirit Bestowing the Gift of Prophecy THE VISION OF SAUL OF Tarsus (Acts xxvi) (a) The Reality of the Vision (6) The Glory of the Vision (c) The Effect of the Vision
Ill.