Acts 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.

Paul was making his defence before King Agrippa. He recounted his past manner of life before his conversion to Christianity. Then, he was a devout Jew and like many others, did not believe in Jesus. He couldn’t believe someone could die and be raised from the dead. He thought then it was absurd (Acts 26:9). But everything changed when the person who was supposed to die appeared to him while he was on the road to Damascus to persecute the Christians (Acts 26:12-15).

Paul could not resist the heavenly vision. He was convinced about this man whom he had persecuted was the Christ, the only begotten Son of God, had indeed risen from the dead (Acts 26:23). That vision from God revolutionized and transformed his whole life. He obeyed as was told.

Obedience or disobedience to the heavenly vision makes all the difference between heaven and hell. Obedience means becoming right with God and living a life that is pleasing to Him. The result is eternal life in heaven. Disobedience means remaining under God’s wrath and living a life that is at variance with His will. The result is eternal condemnation in a lake of fire (John 3:16-18).

Paul obeyed the heavenly vision and went on to preach about it. We need to keep on preaching about the heavenly vision. The world is in need of the heavenly vision. In the midst of a world of seven billion people living today, there is a greater urgency for every Christian to preach and teach about the heavenly vision. The Great Commission is given to all Christians and not just to the apostles or preachers: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

The course of Paul’s life from the Damascus Road until his death some thirty-five years later was determined by this vision given by God. That vision became his mission (Acts 9:15). He spent the rest of his life trying to do what God had told him to do in the vision. Before his death, he could boldly declare: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith,” (2 Timothy 4:7).

We must likewise make that heavenly vision our mission. What is that heavenly vision? It’s not about Christ appearing to anyone in the middle of the night. Christ don’t do that anymore and those who tell you that Christ appeared to them are liars.

That heavenly vision I am referring to is about Christ and the heavenly abode. Paul saw the heavenly vision of Christ. He obeyed it. He lived it and preached about it (Philippians 1:21). His goal is to live eternally in the heavenly vision with Christ: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day” (2 Timothy 4:8).

He had gone on to join with the faithful patriarchs who had seen and received the heavenly vision: “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:16).

Yet, many Christians are so caught up in this world as to miss the heavenly vision they once believed: “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful,” (Mark 4:19).

Many today want a view of heaven before they can believe it exist. They are lacking in faith; faith in the word of God. The patriarchs were honoured because of their great faith: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

They saw the heavenly vision of their eternal home. They obeyed the heavenly vision and went on to receive it. Can you see the heavenly vision? “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God ” (Hebrews 11:10).

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.