The Holy Spirit guided Paul, and led him from the beautiful island of Cyprus, which by rejecting the gospel of Christ had isolated itself, to the barren region of Antioch of Anatolia, where signs of the Spirit´s working appeared. The whole city was moved through the apostles’ testimony. During a period of seven days, from Sabbath to Sabbath, Paul and Barnabas spoke much to people who were hungering for righteousness. They proclaimed to them new hope in Jesus, so that the field of the Lord in Antioch became ploughed and irrigated. When the elders of the synagogue saw that many of the Gentiles were racing to their synagogue, not to submit to the law or convert to Judaism, but to receive remission of sins through faith in Him who had been raised from the dead, they blasphemed against Jesus, rejecting the gospel. How terrible to see hundreds of spiritually hungry people waiting for the message of salvation, while the elders of the Jews shout against Paul and contradict him, in order that he might not be able to speak or continue his message!
The apostle then stopped speaking and began to address the Jews directly, saying with an emphatic but bleeding heart: “The Holy Spirit guided me to you in order that you first should hear the message of salvation, for you have a share and right in Him by God´s choosing of your fathers. Nevertheless, you do not consider yourselves worthy to receive the life of Christ, and therefore you continue in your spiritual deadness, as servants of the law. You live without forgiveness, believing wrongfully in self-redemption; therefore, you will fall to a severer judgment with God. As your brothers in Jerusalem rejected the true Christ of God, so also do you.
We are not bound, however, only to members of the Old Testament, for Christ sent us also to the Gentiles. Through this world-wide proclamation we fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, who testified that Christ would be a Light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 49: 6) and the founder of salvation to the ends of the world.
With strong faith Paul had the courage to understand that this prophecy concerned him, who had received his office as the apostle of the Gentiles through this prophecy of Isaiah the prophet. Paul was “in Christ”, and did not radiate his own light, but the light of Christ in him. The Savior has used Paul´s preaching to save hundreds of millions until now. No one ever clarified to us the meaning of justification, sanctification, and redemption in Christ as this apostle did, who was led by the love of God.
The great multitude listened carefully to the condemnations and reproaches flowing between the two apostles and the Jews. They saw that the Jews were charged with zeal, hatred, anger, and blasphemy, while Paul and Barnabas remained peaceful, filled with humility, love, sorrow and gravity. They made clear that not only Jews are chosen for salvation, but also every believer in Jesus Christ who truly trusts in him. These listeners felt the love of God in the speakers, and trusted in the Spirit speaking through them, even if they didn´t have a full understanding of the deep and great things they were saying.
Many Gentiles joyfully took hold of the testimony of the two apostles, believing that salvation was prepared for all men. They greatly rejoiced, even though they were not all mature unto a strong and prudent faith. The early zeal of some diminished. Only those who penetrated deeply into salvation continued on in Christ, committing themselves completely to the Savior. They were all invited, but few were chosen. Luke explained this mystery, a mystery in which God alone knows the hearts, and only those who are prepared receive everlasting life. No one comes to Jesus unless the heavenly Father draws him. We know that God desires all men to be saved. But they do not all come. Every believer contains in himself a great mystery. Our faith is both a gift and a privilege from God. Do you thank Jesus for it? Do you know that all unbelief is an offense, and that whoever rejects Jesus will be condemned on the Day of Judgment?
Those who were filled with salvation spread the joy of the Holy Spirit from the center, at Antioch, into all their surroundings. Every manifestation of revival starts in some fashion with preaching like this. It was obvious that those who testified to the gospel did not receive any payment, nor did anyone guide them to a special location. It was the Holy Spirit who was working and guiding those who followed Christ.
Yet the satanic spirit was also spontaneously working in the professors of religion, those who pretended to keep the law. The Jews at Antioch of Anatolia zealously came to the Antioch women and influenced them to bring pressure on their husbands to drive out of their city those who had gone astray. Artifice and authority are opposite means to oppose the spread of the gospel. But the Spirit of the Lord triumphed in the believers, who patiently endured the persecution. Amid the pressure they were strengthened in the joy of the Holy Spirit.
Paul and Barnabas left the city, shaking the dust off their feet against it, just as Christ had commanded his disciples to do when they were rejected. They were to deliver those who rejected them to the judgment of God. Are you filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit? Or do you reject the salvation of Christ, knowing that you will fall into the judgment of God?