SAUL OF TARSUS AND HIS MISSING HORSE

I’ve seen the picture in the bible of Saul of Tarsus being thrown from his horse when Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. I’ve heard sermons about it all my life. Preachers will say things like, “God had to knock Saul off his horse to get his attention” and “Saul was knocked off his high horse.” I’ve heard words like these time and time again. Where does this teaching come from? The Bible doesn’t say anything about him ever being on a horse at any point in his life.

In verse 58 of Acts chapter 7, we're introduced to Saul of Tarsus. He began persecuting the church and putting Christians in jail. He thought he was doing God’s will because he believed Jesus was a false Messiah.

In chapter nine, Saul went to the high priest and asked for letters to take with him to the synagogues of Damascus, so he could bind and bring to Jerusalem, anyone who was following the teachings of Jesus. In Acts 9:3, as he was nearing Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shined all around him. Look at the next few verses carefully.

Acts 9:3-8 
3. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 
4. And he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? 
5. And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute: it’s hard for you to fight against the goads. 
6. And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what do you want me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do. 
7. And the men which journeyed with him STOOD speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 
8. And Saul got up off the ground; and when he opened his eyes, he could not see: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

Notice the missing horse. He didn’t even mention it. Notice also, the men who were traveling with Saul, STOOD speechless. Then in Acts 22, Saul, who is also called Paul, (Acts 13:9) tells this story of his conversion to the people at Jerusalem.

Acts 22:6-11 
6. And it came to pass, as I made my journey, I came near Damascus about noon. Suddenly a great light from heaven shined round about me. 
7. And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? 
8. And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. 
9. And they that were with me saw the light and were afraid, but they did not understand the voice of him that spoke to me. 
10. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Get up and go into Damascus; and there you will be told of all things which are appointed for you to do. 
11. And when I could not see because of the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

Same story. This time straight from Paul who it happened to, and still no mention of falling off a horse. He tells the story again in Acts 26, verses 12-18.

Acts 26:12-18 
12. As I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 
13. At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me. 
14. And when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me, in the Hebrew tongue saying, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? 
15. And I said, Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. It is hard for you to fight against the goads. 
16. But get up, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen, and of those things which I will show you; 
17. Delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I now send you, 
18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith that is in me.

There you have it. The same story, three different times, and no mention of falling off a horse. In fact, it says right the opposite. Notice again what the Bible says.

Acts 9:3. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus:…
Acts 9:4. And he fell to the ground…
Acts 9:7. And the men who journeyed with him STOOD speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

Acts 22:6. And,… as I made my journey, I came near Damascus about noon. 
Acts 22:7. And I fell to the ground…

Acts 26:18. As I went to Damascus….. 
Acts 26:13. At midday, I saw… a light from heaven, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me. 
Acts 26:14. And when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me,

Saul and those who were traveling with him appear to have been walking and they ALL fell to the ground. Then when Jesus left, they all got up and Saul was blind.

Acts 9:8
8. And Saul got up off the ground; and when he opened his eyes, he could not see: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

Then they LED him BY THE HAND into Damascus. Surely if any horses were involved Saul, being blind, would have been allowed to ride instead of having to walk. And how could they lead him by the hand if any of them were riding a horse? We can safely teach that the Bible does not say Saul (Paul) fell off a horse. They were walking before Jesus appeared, and they continued walking afterward. Always remember, It’s just as important to notice what the Bible DOES NOT say, as what it DOES say.

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6 DAYS OF CREATION OR 6000 YEARS?

“In the beginning, GOD created the heaven and the earth.” That’s the introduction line to the creation story from Genesis, the first book in the Holy Bible. In the article titled *IN THE BEGINNING, we saw what the Bible means by “In The Beginning.” It refers to the time when God created our solar system, with the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the planets, including the earth, and everything in it. In the article called *IS THE BIBLE REALLY GOD’S WORD? We also established that the Bible really was prepared for us by God, and has been preserved for us for about six thousand years. The men who wrote the Bible were inspired to do so by the Holy Spirit of God, and he inspired them with what to write (2 Timothy 3:16 & 2 Peter 1:21).

For this study, we’ll look at the Six Days of Creation. There are several beliefs about the beginning of our world. You’ve probably heard all of them that I have, but only one of them can be true. I believe God created everything just like the Bible says, so I reject the Evolution Theory, and that’s all it is; a theory. If you believe in Evolution, please stay with me. I want you to see that the Bible can be trusted, and so can God. By the way, I once believed in Evolution, but God led me to the truth through his word.

The strange thing is, I believed in God as well as evolution, and I saw no conflict with believing in both. Then, I started studying the Bible, and it all made perfect sense. Today, many Christians, who love God, are embracing Evolution as a possible way for our world to have become populated. This lessens God’s role and really makes him just another god among many. Some have embraced the teaching that each day of the creation week lasted a thousand years. Others believe the six days were just extended periods of time, which could have been millions of years. Neither group believes these were six literal, twenty-four-hour days. These beliefs and teachings are destroying people’s faith in God and the Bible, and it’s being done from within the church as well as from without.

How do we fix this problem? Well, I truly believe the main problem is that people don’t read and study the Bible. Some may listen to a preacher speak once or twice a week, but never study to see if what they’re being told is true or not. This is happening more and more. The solution is for everyone to grab a Bible, and start reading and studying so we can all understand for ourselves what God has to say to us in his Holy Book.

The Apostle Paul said the people who lived in the town of Berea studied the scriptures daily to see if what they were being taught was true (Acts 17:11). That’s exactly what all of us need to be doing today. It’s the only way to avoid being deceived.

Using less than ten references from the Bible, we’ll see that the creation week WAS six literal days, and NOT six thousand years, or any extended period of time.

2 Peter 3:7-9
7. But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Psalms 90:2-4
2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or before you ever had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
3. You turn man to destruction; and say Return, you children of men.
4. For a thousand years in your sight are only as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

Neither of these scriptures says a thousand years IS a day.
The “thousand years are AS one day” simply means God is not restrained by time. God is everlasting, and has always existed and always will. In his scope of time, a thousand years is only a moment. That’s what these verses mean. The following verses show that the six days of creation week WERE literal 24-hour days.

Genesis 1:1
1. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.
2. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4. And God saw the light, and saw that it was good: and God separated the light from the darkness.
5. And God called the light Day, and he called the darkness, Night. And the evening and the morning was the first day.

8. ….And the evening and the morning was the second day.
13. And the evening and the morning was the third day.
19. And the evening and the morning was the fourth day.
23. And the evening and the morning was the fifth day.
31. And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning was the sixth day.

Evening and Morning = Night and Day = A literal day.

The next verses give even more proof.

Exodus 20:8-11
8. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work:
10. But the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God: in it, you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor the stranger that is within your gates:
11. Because in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything that is in them, and he rested the Seventh day: Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 31:16-18
16. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: because in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the Seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

When we obey God and keep the Sabbath every week, we’re not celebrating to commemorate the fact that God created everything in 6,000 years. No, these verses tell us that he created the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them, in six literal days. Then he rested on the Seventh-day. This is where the seven-day week comes from. So we see from the Bible that God created the heavens and the earth, actually our solar system, in six literal days.

*IN THE BEGINNING

*IS THE BIBLE REALLY GOD’S WORD?

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https://teddylynn.wordpress.com

© 2014 Teddy Lynn – All Rights Reserved

My books are available in paperback and digital format on Amazon @  https://www.amazon.com/Teddy-Lynn/e/B01MZDB6L6