1:15-19 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. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
“And when he willed, he who separated me from the womb of my mother
and called me by his grace to manifest his Son in me to evangelize him among the people. I straightway manifested not with flesh and blood: and went not to Uri Shelem to the apostles from before me: but I went to Arabiya and returned again to Darmesuq. And after three years I went to Uri Shelem to see Kepha and abode with him fifteen days: and I saw none of the other apostles, except Yaaqub, the brother of our Lord.” (Aramaic New Covenant – used by permission)
“And when Elohim well—approved — who set me apart from the womb of my mother and through his charism, called me to unveil his Son in me to evangelize him among the goyim;I neither straightway counseled with flesh and blood: nor ascended to Yeru Shalem to them who were apostles preceding me; but I departed to Arabia and returned to Dammeseq. Then after three years I ascended to Yeru Shalem to inquire of Petros and abode with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles, except Yaaqovos, the brother of Adonay.” (exeGeses parallel BIBLE – used by permission)
This series of verses has probably meant as much to me personally as any other throughout the whole counsel of scripture. There are a number of things we see in these next five verses.
First, it pleases God Himself to separate us unto Himself so that He can reveal something. This word “pleased” in Greek carries the meaning “to be well pleased with, take pleasure in, and to be favorably inclined towards one.” This is an astonishing portrait of God’s love toward those whom He chooses and elects. The Scriptures teach us that we have been accepted in the Beloved.
The Father separated Paul from his mother’s womb. This word is “aphorizo” and it means something awesome. It is “to mark off from others by boundaries, to limit, to separate, to appoint, set apart for some purpose.” We must of necessity be set apart for the purposes of God. Notice, even when Paul was in his mother’s womb God marked him off for His purpose. This is amazing because our entire lives must revolve around the centrality of God’s ordained purpose. That purpose is found in the Son.
There is a crystal clear distinction in those who our Father has chosen. We are those who can no longer mix and mingle with the world’s mind. We are to come out from among them and be separate where He alone will receive us for Himself.
He called us by His grace. This grace speaks great volumes to our inner man. The depth of understanding His grace comes as we dwell in unison with Him. We are to walk in the harmony with His living person down on the inside of us. The scriptures well testify of the vast depth of the Lord and our need to live from there.
The grace of God allows us, through the blood of Jesus Christ alone, to live in harmony with God Himself every moment of our lives. In our separation unto God we are alone and yet never alone. His eternal purpose is unfolded continually and it advantages us to harmonize with Him in us.
This separation sounds just like Jeremiah.
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
“And so be the word of Yah Veh to me, saying, Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you; and ere you came from the womb, I hallowed you, I gave you, a prophet to the goyim.” (exeGeses parallel BIBLE – used by permission)
How absolutely awesome this is! We see from this passage that not only was Jeremiah set apart from his mother’s womb, but before he was even formed in his mother’s womb, God already knew him. “To know” means, “to be acquainted or familiar with.” The Lord knew us before we were ever conceived in our mother’s womb. We can rest in sweet confidence and assurance that the Father loves us in such a way that we can be secure in Him every moment of our days.
Read slowly the meaning of this word “separate”. It means “to mark off from others by boundaries, to limit, to separate.” We will be marked off from others in this hour. There will be boundaries and limits to our life. At times it will seem like we have been shut up away from the world and its activities. And indeed this will be the case. Why? Because we are coming to a place of revelation. And just what is this revelation? Is it about the gifts of the Spirit? Church growth? The five-fold ministry? Evangelism?
No. None of these.
“To reveal his Son in me.”
This is the revelation! The Son is revealed inside of the true believer.
The word “reveal” here means, “to uncover, lay open what has been veiled or covered up, disclose, make bare, to make known, make manifest, disclose what before was unknown.”
The Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, is being uncovered within us as our very life! He is being made known to His people.
Paul said this;
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11).
“— except this gain, I reckon loss because of the Meshiah: also, I reckon all loss to me because of the Rabbi Priesthood of the knowledge of Yah Shua the Meshiah my Lord — because of whom I lose all and reckon as manure to gain the Meshiah — and be found in him — when not having justness of my soul by the torah but by the trust from the Meshiah, having the justness of God, in knowing Yah Shua and the power of his resurrection and to partake in his sufferings and likened to his death — that I be able to attain to the resurrection from the house of the dead.” (Aramaic New Covenant – used by permission)
“But what was gain to me, I deemed loss for the Messiah. Yes indeed, I still deem all loss for the superiority of the knowledge of Messiah Yah Shua my Adonay: for whom I lost all and deemed to be hound dog droppings to gain Messiah and to be found in him — not having my own justness, of the torah, but through trust of Messiah, the justness of Elohim on the trust: to know him and the dynamis of his resurrection and the communion of his sufferings — being conformed to his death; if somehow I attain to the resurrection of the dead.” (exeGeses parallel BIBLE – used by permission)
Notice once again what Paul says. “To reveal his Son in me.” This word “in” here is “en” denoting being or remaining within, with the primary idea of rest and continuance. It is also “emanating from within, passing on to union and fellowship.”
That speaks volumes, doesn’t it?
We are to have the revelation of the Son of God within us.
“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily” (Colossians 1:25-29).
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Now this revelation of the Son in Him caused him to evangelize the Gentile world. But the revelation of the Son was what he gave the nations. Paul’s priority was Christ. Christ alone. We see that Paul received this revelation of the Son through a way we are not very familiar with in the world. He “immediately conferred not with flesh and blood.” He goes on to tell us “Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia.”
This word conferred is “to lay upon in addition to.” The Lord revealed Himself to Paul. Man had no part in this. There was no need for Paul to add man’s wisdom and understanding to this foundation of Christ Jesus. Actually, no man knew the depth of what the Lord revealed to Paul.
We are in great need of the revelation of Jesus Christ as our life. Man cannot do for you what the Lord can. We must go on to perfection as Hebrews Chapter Six exhorts us to do so. We must rely more on the Holy Spirit and the sacred scriptures than ever before. Do not take man’s word over God’s truth. The truth will prevail in this hour but we must be found in Him. Only there can we remain undeceived.
If you are listening to a man, make sure he is good and DEAD. That is, that he gives you Christ and Him crucified.
Wrap yourself around your Lord and stay there. Fix yourself firm in the faith. Allow the Spirit of God to establish you in the truth. Waste no time in doing this.
© 2008 www.OnTheRock.Net – Dr. Bill Stephenson. Permission is granted for non-commercial (free) distribution provided this notice appears.
