Apostles are His in Obscurity There is always a time of obscurity before manifestation in the life of the apostle. Apostolic Type: Moses Moses was this great man who was heir to the throne of Egypt, a great strong man who was educated and had the doctorates of Egypt. This man was brilliant. But you know what he ended up doing? Looking after sheep in the backside of the desert. Here you have this great Doctor, Reverend, Ph. D., C.C.F.F., M.D. (whatever) Moses standing there in the backside of the desert with a stick in his hand, looking after sheep! Apostolic Type: Jesus What about Jesus, born to be the Son of God, the Savior of the world? The prophecies were given over Him. The shepherds came. The wise men arrived with their gifts. He was born to be the Savior of the world. But you do not hear about Him until the age of twelve, and then He disappears until about the age of thirty. What happened to Him during that period? Who knows? We do not know. He was hidden away in obscurity. Do you want to be an apostle of God? Have you got the call? Are you ready to go? Well, the Lord’s called me. He’s told me I’m called to be an apostle. Where do I start advertising? Do I go on national TV now? No, go disappear for a while. But how will people know that I’m there? They’re not supposed to. You’re going to have to be in obscurity before you can be manifested to the world. Apostolic Type: Paul Paul Immediately after his conversion retired into the solitudes of Arabia: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them [the twelve] which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then AFTER THREE YEARS I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. Then FOURTEEN YEARS after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. (Gal. 1:17-18; 2:1), Perhaps of Sinai in Arabia, for the purpose, probably, of devout study and meditation on the marvelous revelation that had been made to him. A veil of thick darkness hangs over this visit to Arabia. Of the scenes among which he moved, of the thoughts and occupations which engaged him while there, of all the circumstances of a crisis which must have shaped the whole tenor of his after-life, absolutely nothing is known. Immediately, says St. Paul, I went away into Arabia. The historian passes over the incident [comp. Acts 9:23 and 1 Kings 11:38, 39]. It is a mysterious pause, a moment of suspense, in the apostles history, a breathless calm, which ushers in the tumultuous storm of his active missionary life. - Unknown. Coming back, after three years, to Damascus, he began to preach the gospel boldly in the name of Jesus (Acts 9:27), but was soon obliged to flee from the Jews and betake himself to Jerusalem.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 21:58:45 +0000
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