Disappearing Acts – Acts 9:20-25

Every three months or so, I get an envelop in the mail, inviting me to join the “Mystery Lover’s Book Club.”

I’m not sure how I got on this list, but it probably has something to do with the fact that I’m a mystery lover.

I like books and stories that contain questions that aren’t answered until the last chapter.

I like a suspense; I find that mysteries are entertaining.

On the other hand I am delighted that there is no mystery about my salvation.

I am delighted that “all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

When it comes to the really important things, I don’t want any mystery whatsoever.

But in the not so important stuff, mystery can be fun.

This evening let’s think about some things that disappear, and other things that don’t.

My purpose is not to entertain, but to edify.

May our faith grow because of these disappearing acts.

Doesn’t it tickle your curiosity that SAUL DISAPPEARED for about three years?

Don’t you find it just a little mysterious that Paul and Luke haven’t told us anything about those 3 years?

Let me take you back to Galatians 1:13-18 once again:

“For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.”

I’ve been doing a little research about those three years.

I learned for example that there are some commentators who think that those 3 years were really only 2.

They say that according Jewish custom a couple months in any year was considered to be a whole year.

For example, if someone got a job in November 2000, and he quit in March 2002,

the Jews might have said that he worked for that company for three years – 2000, 2001, and 2002,

but actually it was only 17 months, considerably LESS than two full years.

That is what SOME commentators say, but I THINK that Saul was in Arabia for about 36 months.

And coincidentally, Acts 9:23 says “After that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him.”

I Kings 18:1 says, “And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.”

Just as the many days of Acts 9:23 were actually three years, so were the many days of I Kings 18.

Some of those same people think that Saul was preaching in Jewish synagogues throughout Arabia during that time.

While that is certainly a possibility, the Bible doesn’t directly say that it was so.

But then again, the Bible doesn’t really tell us WHAT Saul was doing during that time.

How many Jews and Jewish synagogues were there in Arabia?

I have never heard or read any studies about that subject.

There are some of those commentators who say that Arabia extended from the Sinai peninsula all the way up to Damascus on the eastern side of the Jordan River.

Those people say that Paul merely left Damascus and went out into the desert around the city to meditate and pray.

Why would they say that?

Since the only evidence that we have about this mystery is found in Galatians, I think that we need to let that little letter fill in as many of the blanks as possible.

In chapter 4 of Galatians Paul uses an allegory about Sarah and Hagar

Listen to what he says beginning in verse 21: “Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.”

I think that Paul tells us that when he talks about Arabia he is referring to Sinai.

And what was Saul doing in Arabia?

As I’ve suggested, there is some wild speculation.

But let me ask you what Paul’s purpose was in writing the Book of Galatians?

The theme of that book was to destroy the heresies of the Christian Jews, who were telling the Gentiles that they needed to become Jewish proselytes as well as believers in Christ.

And the reason that he described his conversion in chapter one was to say:

“Brethren, that . . . gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.”

I think that there is evidence enough in Galatians for me to say that Saul’s three years in Arabia was primarily for the purpose of his spiritual edification.

And I am not embarrassed to say that it probably was in the area of Mount Sinai.

So Saul may have dropped from the radar screen for a while, but he didn’t really disappear.

There are OTHER INSTANCES of this sort of thing in the Bible.

Of course there was Philip’s disappearing act there in Acts 8; highly mysterious.

And there is the family of the Lord Jesus.

Turn to Matthew 2:13 – “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

V.19 – “But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Don’t you find the sojourn of Joseph and his little family in Egypt just a little mysterious?

It’s very strange that Matthew mentions this trip, but Luke skips over it as if doesn’t exist.

But then again he seems to have a habit of doing that sort of thing.

How long was the family there in Egypt?

I’ve read some articles about that visit, but never met anyone who has done the math.

How did they support themselves?

Where exactly was it? Alexandria would be a good guess, but only a guess.

Disappearing acts: Elijah had a couple of them.

I’ve already referred to his flight from Jezebel and his stay on the slopes of Mount Sinai.

This may have been the same place where Saul some time during his three years.

Both men met with the Lord and learned a few things about themselves and about Him.

And there was also another three year absence during the life of Elijah.

While a famine raged throughout Israel, the Lord hid Elijah from Ahab and Jezebel for three years.

He moved around some and was fed by God in some mysterious and miraculous ways.

But as diligently as he tried, the King of Israel could not find the mysterious prophet of God.

Perhaps if we thought about it, we might be able to think of some more of these disappearing acts.

But I think that we’ll find three general reasons for these things:

Education, protection and for the sake of the ministry.

Sometimes it’s a combination of all three.

So sometimes God makes his people seem to disappear for a while, and we see it here in the scripture,

But there is something else here:

In some ways, the effect of OUR WORKS DO NOT DISAPPEAR.

This is a huge subject, so I’m only going to touch the hem of the garment this evening.

Go back to Galatians, and this time to chapter 6 and verse 6:

“Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”

The word “communicate” in this case is referring not to speech but to sharing.

Paul says, “As your teachers share God’s Word with you, need to share God’s bounty with them.

They are giving you the bread of life, and you need to make sure that they have plenty of whole wheat bread in order to feed their families. But remember as you give to your teachers, you’ll be blessed by God for it.”

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

The principle of sowing and reaping is Biblical.

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

“Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

This is not about making spiritual investments:

It’s not about buying spiritual stock and praying for the market to increase.

This is about serving God with your substance, without thinking about the rewards, and the Lord will reward you in His time and in His way.

Give to the work of the Lord in order to be repaid with interest, and you might starve to death.

To serve the Lord and to give to the Lord’s work is both an obligation and a privilege.

But it isn’t a mathematical formula guaranteeing earthly wealth.

And there is another side to the equation: there are rewards for sin as well as service.

“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.”

The Jews of Damascus tried to kill Saul after he started preaching that Jesus was the Christ.

And the Jews of Jerusalem went about to slay him after just a few days in that city.

And then there were the heathen in Lystra and Derby, and the Greeks in Ephesus and Philippi.

Everywhere Saul went he was faced with hatred and murderers.

It is impossible to calculate how much of that was due reward for the hatred and murder that he had brought upon God’s saints in Jerusalem.

The Lord can sovereignly over-rule his rule, but there is such a thing as sowing and reaping.

And what sort of rewards ARE YOU GATHERING for yourself?

When will they be paid? It might be in glory, and it might be tomorrow.

What sort of rewards will they be?

Exactly the same as the seed that you’ve planted?

Or will it be something special that the Lord has selected just for you?

Whichever and whenever, the Bible clearly demonstrates that planting good seed is a good idea.

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

As far as disappearing acts go, we can count on the Lord never disappearing for eternity.

The same scripture which says that the Lord will bless the saint who worships with his tithes and offers,

also says: “I am the Lord, I change not.”

Many Christians quote the scripture which says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, & for ever.”

Are you familiar with the context of that quote?

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

The passage which mentions the consistency and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus is actually an exhortation to us to be faithful in caring for the needs of others.

But yes, the Lord is faithful.

Elijah disappeared from view for three years, during Ahab’s famine, but the Lord faithfully and miraculously fed him.

And that same prophet disappeared from sight ending up at Sinai.

The Lord not only revealed Himself in the still small voice,

But He also miraculously fed him along the way.

People come and go, and the men of God are only here for a while, but the Lord is the eternal, unchangeable Sustainer of His promises and His people.