Paul saw the light and heard the voice - 19 October 2026
Imogen Campbell
'About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, "Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?" "Who are you, Lord?" I asked. "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting," he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not under" the Lord said, "and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do." My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.'
The Apostle Paul, arguably, had one of the most incredible conversions in all of Scripture. Paul’s calling came post-crucifixion where he met the Lord on his way to persecuting more Christians. Talk about being stopped in your tracks.
Blinding light engulfed him, a voice spoke and he fell to the ground. Did he have a holy confrontation with the Lord, or what? Paul, a Hebrew of Hebrews, literally blinded by the brilliance of the light, had to be led away by his companions.
The voice identified himself as Jesus of Nazareth, the designation used of him at several significant moments in Scripture, one being Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost – the beginning of the church age. (Acts 2:14-41)
Markedly, it appeared as the inscription on the cross as instructed by Pilate. Jesus was also addressed that way at the time of his arrest.
One day, Blind Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, and literally begged Jesus to have mercy on him. That day, a blind beggar received his sight. His faith had healed him. (See Mark 10:46-52) John Newton’s Amazing Grace comes to mind: "Amazing grace (how sweet the sound), that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see."
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoJz2SANTyo&list=PLqAaxjrofZ64GiMLpk65jPpGNOhiC8cDK&index=4 – one of the most beautiful versions!)
Paul’s religious zeal had blinded him to the light of Christ’s life and mission. The Light exposed the darkness of his error. He needed time to process it properly. Jesus could have said that he was the King of kings, Lord of Lords, or any other title, yet he was simply Jesus from a backwater town. What a stark difference!
In the end, Paul suffered much for the Name. Ultimately, tradition has it that he was beheaded outside Rome. To the very end, his anguish was always for believers’ Christlikeness (Galatians 4:19).
Paul met Jesus, the Word of God, personally that day in Damascus. Likewise, taking stock of our lives by looking intently into the mirror and light of God’s Word can help us to see our hearts clearly. Have you seen the light?
Prayer: Father God, help us to desire being moulded into the likeness of your Son. The men you chose to advance the kingdom suffered a great deal to make it possible. Amen.