On the morrow, as they went on their journey and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. Acts 10:9
Our text introduces a scene in which Peter has a most unusual vision. He is about to see a sheet containing all manner of animals descend from Heaven, with instructions for him to kill and eat. When Peter refuses to eat unclean animals, he is rebuked for refusing what God has cleansed. One of the most interesting aspects of this marvellous vision is the time at which it occurred. Peter had gone up to the housetop at noon. And at noon, a company of men was approaching Joppa from Caesarea on their mission to seek Peter. Before they arrive, Peter experiences his vision. After the vision is complete, the men from Caesarea arrive at the door and as for him. Before they arrived, Peter was not ready or willing to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. As they arrived, his eyes were open to the need and opportunity for the Gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. What a coincidence! No, it was not a coincidence.
This is a great watershed moment in the history of Christianity. Until this moment, the Gospel was being preached only to Jewish people and to their half-breed cousins the Samaritans. But the Great Commission that the Lord Jesus gave His disciples had imposed no such restriction on the spread of the Gospel. Jesus had told them, ‘Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth’ (Acts 1:8). With Jerusalem, Judaea and Samaria covered, it is time to tackle the uttermost part of the earth. So, just before Peter is to preach his first Gospel message to a Gentile audience, God makes sure that Peter is ready to do so. Without the vision, Peter might well have turned the Caesarea delegation away empty handed. Without the vision, you and I might still be waiting to hear the Gospel. But God’s timing was perfect and what appeared to be a coincidence was part of His great plan for us. For this we are very thankful. And plenty of examples of God’s perfect timing abound today.
It is true that the timing of Peter’s vision had a great impact on the entire outreach to the Gentiles. But it is just as true that the timing of events in each of our experiences brought us to acceptance of the Gospel message. You will hear many examples of such so-called coincidences as you listen to Christians giving their testimony. Time and again, you hear of folks who experience unusual events or circumstances, as God moved to make them available to hear the message and to respond to it.
God’s great plan of salvation is so much more complex and wonderful than the simple availability of the Gospel. That availability is flooded with examples of God’s perfect timing as He deals with each of us, to miraculously bring us to Himself. -Jim MacIntosh