While Peter’s first miracle was one of the healing of the lame man (Acts 3:11-12), Paul’s first miracle was one of a ‘blinding a Jew,’ pointing clearly to Israel’s rejection and “fall,” with the resultant reconciliation of the “Gentile” (cf. Acts 13:6-12). This account is prophetically significant ‘in typology’ for Paul’s most important ministry. It metaphorically predicts Paul ending the age of the Israel under the Law and introduce ‘the age of grace for all men of all races.’ We here below quote the account in its entirety, praying you would see its significance.

“And when they [Paul and Barnabas] had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, A JEW, whose name was Bar-Jesus. “Which was with the [Gentile Roman] deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who “called for Barnabas and Saul, and desiring to hear ‘the word of God.’

“But Elymas the [Jewish] sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the [Gentile] deputy from the faith.

“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and Thou Shalt Be BLIND, Not Seeing the Sun For A Season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

“Then the [Gentile Roman] deputy, WHEN HE SAW WHAT WAS DONE, BELIEVED, BEING ASTONISHED AT THE DOCTRINE OF THE LORD” (Acts 13:6-12 KJV).

Here the scene outside Jerusalem, away “the land of Israel” altogether as it is focused in Syria, on Gentile soil. This incident foresees and foretells what was to take place dispensationally: the blinding (Rom/ 11:25) and “fall of Israel” (Rom. 11:11) and “salvation going to the Gentiles” (Rom. 28:28).

The name of the Jew, “Bar-jesus” actually means “son of Jehovah-Savior” and this is a clear testimony to the place Israel was intended to fill before the nations (i.e., the gentiles). But the Nation Israel failed in its calling, just as Paul declares “Bar-jesus” was in reality the “child of the devil” — exactly what Israel in her rebellion had become by rejecting their Messiah. Thus, “Bar-jesus” became blinded “for a season” and left to helplessly wandering about. Luke tells us, “Then the [Gentile] deputy, when he saw what was done, BELIEVED, being astonished at the doctrine of [teaching concerning] the Lord.”

This “doctrine [teaching] of the Lord” points to what is set forth here in Romans 11:

“I [Pau] say then, Have [Israel] they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather THROUGH THEIR [Israel’s] FALL SALVATION IS COME UNTO THE GENTILES, for to provoke them [Israel] to jealousy.”

“For I [Paul] would not, brethren [Israel], that ye should be ignorant of this mystery [secret plan of God], lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that BLINDNESS In Part Is HAPPENED TO ISRAEL, UNTIL THE FULNESS OF THE GENTILES BE COME IN.”

“For as ye [Gentiles] in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their [Israel’s] unbelief: Even so have these [Israel] also now not believed, that through your [the Gentiles] mercy they also may obtain mercy.

“For God Hath Concluded Them ALL IN UNBELIEF, That He Might Have MERCY UP-ON ALL” (Rom. 11:11, 25, 30-32).

The “doctrine” of Paul’s first miracle is clearly foreshadowed the rejection and fall of Israel and the reconciliation of the Gentiles. Accordingly, the Jew was blinded “for a season [i.e., temporarily]”and we see Sergius Paulus, a Gentile, who hears the word of Paul as “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13), being saved as the result of believing!

Later in this same chapter it is Paul who introduces into the record for the very first time in Scripture the proclamation of justification by faith alone, totally apart from the law, as the basis of these special further revelations committed to his trust:

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man [Paul] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

“And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could NOT be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38-39. cf. Rom. 3:21-28).

So, Paul’s first miracle allegorically foreshadows the rejection of Israel and the reconciliation of the Gentiles that became accomplished with Paul’s judicial declaration as seen in Acts 28:26-28. This then initiated the present Gentile “dispensation of the grace of God.” (Eph. 3:2).

¹ For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

² If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me [Paul to you-ward [for your Gentiles]:

³ How that by revelation he made known unto me THE MYSTERY [Grk. musterion, secret]; (as I wrote afore in few words, ⁴ Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

⁵ Which in other [dispensational] ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

⁶ That [all] the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

⁷ Whereof I [Paul] was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

⁸ Unto me [Paul], who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

⁹ And To Make All Men See What Is The Fellowship Of The Mystery [secret plan of God], which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

¹¹ According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

¹² In whom we have boldness and access [to God] with confidence by the faith of him.

• This is an adapted excerpt from a paper by Richard Jordan