God speaks in multiple ways as He interacts with Cornelius, the Gentile Roman officer, and Peter to guide and reassure them. It is a blessing that the Lord continues to speak to us today in multiple ways.
Cornelius was a devout, God-fearing man who came to know the Lord when deployed in Israel. He was a person of prayer who interceded for the needs of others and gave generously to the poor. Acts 10:3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.[1]
Scripture gives us insight into who angels are. Hebrews 1: 14Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation. [2] On this day, an angel came to Cornelius in a vision to care for him supernaturally with specific insight and instruction.
An Angel Gave Cornelius Direction.
The angel gave Cornelius instructions in a vision. Acts 10:4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel. And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! 5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.” [3]
Cornelius was a Roman soldier who was used to receiving orders, and now, a messenger from God gave him a message requiring obedience. God’s word makes it clear that God speaks to His children in a way we can understand through different means. God speaks in multiple ways: angels, the Holy Spirit, His Word, people, circumstances, and any other way the Lord chooses.
God Spoke to Peter in a Vision and Through the Holy Spirit
Cornelius sent men to bring Peter back, and just before they arrived, God spoke to Peter in a vision. God told Peter through the images in the vision that no food was unclean. When Peter objected, God had the answer. Acts 10: 15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.[4] To emphasize His point, God repeated the vision a total of three times.
As the Gentile messengers sent by Cornelius approached the house, God had told Peter that he would have to change his mind about what he considered unclean. A good Jew would never invite Gentiles into his home or eat with them. When the messengers knocked, Peter had a decision to make: would he let them in?
God made sure Peter was getting His message and had the Holy Spirit speak to Peter. Acts 10: 19 Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them.”[5]
To this point, Jewish Christians assumed Gentiles had to become Jews to become Christians. Peter would now come to realize that Gentiles could also become Christians. The question is not whether God speaks to us but whether we will listen. Will you choose to follow the Lord’s guidance? Take time to listen to God today. Quiet yourself and receive the gift of a heavenly conversation with your Father. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/double-visions
[1-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.