“And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads’” (Acts 26:14).
How many times have you read this verse and thought: what in the world is a goad? Well, a goad is a sharp spiked stick typically used to prod animals along. So kicking a goad, especially in sandals, is probably rather painful.
Some biblical commentators speculate that Paul’s conscience had been convicted by the testimony of Stephen. While he was being stoned, Stephen claimed to see Jesus, and in his final moments screamed, “Lord, forgive them!” And since Paul was the one leading the stoning of Stephen, I have to believe this had a profound impact on him.
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Posted in A Word from the Pastor by admin