Day: August 11, 2025

Monday, August 11, 2025

“On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,…” (Acts 10:9,10 KJV).

What can we really learn from this Bible passage?

It is a real shame that almost everyone in Christendom misunderstands Acts chapter 10—whether the charismatics who gravitate toward the “pouring out of the Holy Ghost” and speaking in tongues, or the shallow dispensationalists who fail to see the full worth of the passage because they are not pure Pauline dispensationalists.

Cornelius was not a proselyte (Gentile convert) to Judaism (“uncircumcised” according to Acts 11:1-3). He even engaged in pagan idolatry such as human worship (Acts 10:25,26). Nevertheless, he still possessed more spiritual light than most other Romans and non-Jews of his time. For example, he was familiar with, and obeyed, the Abrahamic Covenant about materially blessing Israel to be blessed of God (Genesis 12:3; Acts 10:2,4,22,31,35). He wanted additional spiritual understanding, and, apparently, prayed for it (Acts 10:2,4,6,31). Israel’s God responded by first sending an angel to Cornelius with a message and then using a vision to direct Peter to Cornelius’ house.

Here is some useful geographical information. Caesarea (Cornelius’ home—Acts 10:1) is on the Promised Land’s Mediterranean Coast, some 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Joppa (where Peter is staying with Simon the tanner—Acts 9:43; Acts 10:5,6). God works with Cornelius and Peter separately to bring them together. Firstly, to repeat, an angel tells Cornelius he will hear words of salvation from Peter (Acts 10:22,32; cf. Acts 11:14). Secondly, obeying the angel’s instructions, Cornelius sends three men to lead Peter from Simon’s house and back to Cornelius’ house (Acts 10:7,8). As those three men make their way from Caesarea to Joppa, Peter in Joppa receives a message from God in today’s Scripture.

As Peter resides with Simon the tanner (animal-hide preparer), Peter goes up on the housetop to pray around noon—lunchtime—and he feels quite hungry! Here, he has a vision of unclean animals, which prepares him for those three special visitors….