Early Writings
by Ellen G. White
The Conversion of Saul
As Saul journeyed to Damascus, with letters authorizing him
to take men or women who were preaching Jesus, and bring them bound to Jerusalem,
evil angels exulted around him. But suddenly a light from heaven shone round
about him, which made the evil angels flee and caused him to fall quickly to
the ground. He heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
Me?" Saul inquired, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And the Lord said,
"I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the
pricks." And Saul, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what wilt
Thou have me to do?" And the Lord said, "Arise, and go into the city,
and it shall be told thee what thou must do." {EW 200.1}
The men who were with him stood speechless, hearing a voice,
but seeing no man. As the light passed away and Saul arose from the earth and
opened his eyes, he found himself totally deprived of sight. The glory of the
light of heaven had blinded him. They led him by the hand and brought him to
Damascus, and he was three days without sight, neither did he eat nor drink.
The Lord then sent His angel to one of the very men whom Saul had hoped to take
captive and revealed to him in vision that he should go into the street called
Straight, "and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of
Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias
coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight." {EW 200.2}
Ananias feared that there might be some mistake in this
matter, and began to relate to the Lord what he had heard of Saul. But the Lord
said unto Ananias, [201] "Go thy way: for he is a
chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the
children of Israel: for I will show him how great things he must suffer for My
name's sake." Ananias followed the directions of the Lord, and entered
into the house, and putting his hands on him, said, "Brother Saul, the
Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent
me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy
Ghost." {EW 200.3}
Immediately Saul received sight and arose and was baptized.
He then taught in the synagogues that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. All who
heard him were amazed and inquired, "Is not this he that destroyed them
which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that
he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?" But Saul increased the
more in strength, and confounded the Jews. They were again in trouble. All were
acquainted with Saul's opposition to Jesus and his zeal in hunting out and
delivering up to death all who believed on His name; and his miraculous
conversion convinced many that Jesus was the Son of God. Saul related his
experience in the power of the Holy Spirit. He was persecuting unto death,
binding and delivering into prison both men and women, when, as he journeyed to
Damascus, suddenly a great light from heaven shone round about him, and Jesus
revealed Himself to him, and taught him that He was the Son of God. {EW 201.1}
As Saul thus boldly preached Jesus, he exerted a powerful
influence. He had a knowledge of the Scriptures, and after his conversion a
divine light shone upon the prophecies concerning Jesus, which enabled him
clearly and boldly to present the truth and to correct any perversion of the
Scriptures. With the Spirit of God resting upon him, he would in a clear [202]
and forcible manner carry his hearers down through the prophecies to the time
of Christ's first advent and show them that the scriptures had been fulfilled
which referred to His sufferings, death, and resurrection. {EW 201.2}
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