Updated:- Monday, November 6th, 2023
What God Hath Cleansed – Is Cleansed!
The Lord told Simon Peter, what God hath cleansed – that call not thou common. Was he discussing food? If you miss the significance of this, then you will miss the object lesson that the Lord was teaching Apostle Simon Peter.
Today, I continue with our Book of Acts Bible study and I am at Acts 10:9-22.
In our last Bible study, I looked at Cornelius’s encounter with the Lord and how Gabriel had instructed him to send for Apostle Peter, for he was in the nearby city of Joppa.
According to Gabriel, on his arrival, he would instruct Cornelius and his household on what they should do.
In our last session, the focus was on Cornelius the Centurion. In this session, it’s on Simon Peter, the Apostle of Jesus Christ.
If you prefer to watch the video of this Bible Study, click this link!
The True Word of God
I’m going to read the scriptures from Acts 10:9-22. I shall be using the King James Version of the Bible, I always use this version.
I think it’s the true word of God so I always use it, and I use it probably because I started studying the Bible by using the King James Version.
That might have influenced my choice, however, I did a Bible study on this, and I shall leave a link to it in the description below this video.
“On the morrow, as they went on their journey, [they here refers to the three men Cornelius sent to Peter] and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:”
Acts 10:9
So this was the Lord’s doing. Folks, Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith. From start to finish, He writes it.
what God hath cleansed
Jesus The Author of Our Faith!
Jesus writes our faith from start to finish. He directs it. He orchestrates it. Thus, observe how the Lord operates through Simon Peter to ensure that he goes to see Cornelius.
That’s the whole purpose of this encounter, for Peter to go see Cornelius and his household. Peter is a Jew, and Cornelius is a Gentile.
They shouldn’t be together, but the Lord is bringing them together. So this whole thing that we’re going to read about now is orchestrated by the Lord, every bit of it.
So as the three men Cornelius sent to get Peter approached Joppa, the Holy Ghost moved upon the spirit of Simon Peter and moved him to pray.
Sometimes You Should Retreat To Your Rooftop to Pray!
As a result, he went to the roof of the house to accomplish this, and this roof is flat, so you could walk on it, like the majority of houses in Brooklyn, New York.
It is a flat roof. He went to the roof to pray. But his desire to pray was motivated by the Lord. It was during the day, and the scripture tells us that it was the sixth hour.
Therefore, it was the sixth hour of the day, and that should be about midday according to Jewish times.
“And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance.”
Acts 10:10
what God hath cleansed
What Was The Lesson The Lord Taught Simon Peter?
This too is the working of the Lord. Take note also that before he went to the roof he wasn’t hungry. It’s just this sudden hunger that came unto him. The Lord motivated that, the Lord made him hungry.
Note too that he wasn’t even tired, but when he went up there he fell into a trance, that too is motivated by the Lord.
So this sudden urge for food is also the work of the Lord, the Lord made Peter hungry to teach him an object lesson about the power of salvation.
What Was The Purpose of Peter’s Trance?
Thus he communicated his desire for food to the household and they started to prepare his meal. It took a long time before it was ready, and the Lord intervened once again in Peter’s routine.
He caused Peter to fall into a deep trance. Now, this is not sleeping. Peter wasn’t sleeping, but he was in a state of awareness between being asleep and awake, and that’s a trance, so he wasn’t sleeping.
So Peter falls into a God-induced trance and we will see the reason for this shortly. So each step of the way the Lord is intervening in Peter’s life.
This Is One of The Ways The Word Of God Comes To Us!
“And he saw heaven opened, [so while Peter was in a trance he saw heaven open] and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and led down to the earth:”
Acts 10:11
I’ve been telling you that all of Peter’s experiences so far, on this day, were orchestrated by God. His desire to pray, becoming hungry, falling into a trance, and now his vision of heaven. These are all acts of God, for He directly caused them.
He Went to Pray But Didn’t
Keep in mind that even up until the end of this experience, Peter had not prayed. He has not started to pray, so you see the Lord just moved on his spirit to pray, but he went up there and he didn’t pray because the Lord never wanted him to pray.
The Lord wanted to deal with Peter in a certain way. Know that this great sheet, knit at the four corners that came down on Peter was from God.
“Wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.”
Acts 10:12
What God Hath Cleansed Could Be Together
Now, this combination of animals tells me that this is the work of God. Because nowhere else on earth would you find all these animals together in one place.
All manner of four-footed beasts of the earth. Wild beasts, creeping things and fowl of the air, are not animals that you will find together.
Not at all. They’re talking about creeping things like snakes and lizards, crocodiles, and alligators. Wild beasts like lions, tigers, zebras, and fowl of the air; you just think of any fowl of the air and put them together. These wouldn’t be together in a sheet, so the Lord put these together to address Peter.
“And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.” Acts 10:13.
Who Was Speaking to Peter?
The next verse of scripture provides the answer.
“But Peter said, Not so, Lord; [so the Lord was talking to Peter, that voice that said rise Peter kill and eat, that was the Lord and Peter recognized that this was the Lord he says] for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” Acts 10:14.
what God hath cleansed
What God Hath Cleansed Is Neither Common Nor Unclean!
Note something here, he says common or unclean. Therefore Peter confirmed that the voice speaking to him was the Lord.
From Peter’s reply, we can deduce that the animals in the sheets were not those the Jewish people would eat, not at all.
Wild beasts, creeping things, and fowl of the air, no, so from that we know, and then based on the tone of this conversation, we know too that Peter would never eat anything in that sheet.
Being a Jew and being instructed by God to eat dedicated food, Peter was saying, not me Lord, I would never eat anything from that sheet.
But all this conversation is not about food, no, it’s not about food, then what is it? Let’s continue, I’ll reveal that.
“And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” Acts 10:15.
Peter Equates Common With Unclean
This was done thrice and the vessel was received up again into heaven. I think this was done three times because Cornelius sent three men to Peter.
Peter equates common with unclean. Consequently, the Lord showed him the sheet three times, because three unclean men were coming to him.
Remember that the Jews consider people who are Gentiles as uncircumcised and unclean.
Peter didn’t yet know about these three men that were coming to him, but the Lord knew. So the Lord was preparing Peter’s heart and Peter’s way of thinking to receive these men.
Not only to receive them into his house, because they shouldn’t be together, Jew and Gentile based on their tradition but to go to their home.
So he was entertaining them and he will be entertained by them, and that’s against the Jewish tradition, and that was what the Lord was trying to teach Peter.
Peter, I have cleansed these people, don’t see them as unclean anymore because I’ve cleansed them, go with them.
He Soon Realizes What God Hath Cleansed Is Not Common!
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Let’s resume with our Book of Acts Bible study, now I am at Acts 10:17.
“Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,”
Do you see how impeccable God’s timing is? While Peter was wondering about the meaning of this vision by then three men were at his gate already.
What God Has Cleansed – Is Clean Forever!
“And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.”
So Peter had a vision of the sheet but he didn’t understand it, but while he was thinking about it the Lord instructed him.
“While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.”
“Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.” Acts 10:20.
Did You Know That The Holy Ghost Speaks?
Did you know that the Holy Ghost could speak? He spoke to Peter and instructed him what to do and not to be doubtful.
Has the Spirit ever spoken to you; what did He tell you? I am curious, share your experience in the comments below this Bible study.
So, the Holy Ghost sent the men and not Cornelius. I told you that the Lord works through people. Cornelius called these men and dispatched them for Peter, but now the Bible is telling us that the Holy Ghost sent them and not Cornelius. I’m telling you, that’s how the Lord works through us.
Why Did Cornelius Send For Simon Peter?
“Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?” Acts 10:21.
“And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.” Acts 10:22.
And that’s the end of our scripture for today. Let me conclude.
Conclusion
The conversation between the Lord and Simon Peter may sound like it was about food, but he wasn’t talking about food.
He started what appeared to be a regular day but it was anything but regular. He was a praying man, but he didn’t know that the Lord had impressed upon his Spirit to pray that day.
You know there are some times you feel like praying and you ignore it, you should never ignore it. Anytime you’re urged or you’re prompted by your spirit to pray, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, just say a prayer, silently too, if it’s possible. It’s a good thing. I’ve been practicing this too.
So his vision wasn’t about food, because none of those animals the Jews ate, that’s the first thing. Nevertheless, the Lord wanted Peter to understand that if he had cleansed all those animals in the sheet from heaven, then he could eat them.
He wanted Peter to understand that what God has cleansed is not common.
What God Has Cleansed Is No Longer Common!
That’s the first thing we need to realize, that the Lord was telling Peter. Even though you’re a Jew and I said you should only eat these foods, the Lord was telling Peter, if I have cleansed all these animals in the sheet, then you can eat any one of them.
But that wasn’t his main lesson, thus the vision was used to compare how the Jews view the Gentiles with how they see unclean animals.
That’s it you know, they saw them as unclean and separated from God.
That’s how the Jews view the Gentiles. Now, the Lord is using this vision to show Peter that they are no longer unclean.
I have cleansed them so now you can accept them, and indeed we were until we were unclean as a people until Apostle Philip preached Christ in Samaria. That was the beginning of the times of the Gentile.
Saul of Tarsus
Saul of Tarsus was in Jerusalem persecuting the church. Some of the Apostles fled from persecution and went down into Samaria, Philipp was among them.
He preached Christ to them, they believed, and they got baptized in Jesus’ name, but they didn’t receive the Holy Ghost.
But Apostle Peter and John went down and they agreed, together lay their hands on them and prayed, and the Lord gave the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles for the first time,
so that’s where our cleansing started. Now we are both cleansed by God, the Jews are cleansed and we are cleansed.
His vision was about the Jews’ realization and acceptance of Gentile believers. He wanted Peter to realize that he had granted repentance and forgiveness of sins to the Gentiles too, even though he had taught them this, but he wanted Peter to grasp that because Peter’s way of thinking was still in the old way.
What God Has Done For The Jews He Has Done For The Gentiles Too!
Thus now they could enjoy eternal life with Christ just like the Jews could, and because the Lord has cleansed us we are not common or unclean.
Instead, we are righteous in his eyes and the Jews should see us as such. That was the lesson the Lord wanted to teach Simon Peter.
Finally, who God has cleansed, he or she is righteous in his eyes. He or she is a prince and a king before God, because of the cleansing of Jesus Christ.
Have you accepted the cleansing of Jesus? Because we’ve been cleansed already you, but we need to accept Christ to inherit it.
Have you accepted Jesus Christ in your life? Have you taken on his name? Did you receive his Spirit? Do that today, accept Christ as Lord and Savior. Then get baptized in water by immersion, calling on the name of Jesus.
Soon after you shall receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The Lord is waiting on you; heaven is waiting on you; the rest of the world is waiting on you to manifest the power of Christ.
In closing, thanks for your time, have a good day. The blessings of the Lord are on you. I bless you in the mighty name of Jesus and if the Lord will’s, I’ll see you in another video. Bye.
