How does Acts 22:14 connect with Jeremiah 1:5 about being chosen by God? God’s Sovereign Call in Acts 22:14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice.’” (Acts 22:14) • “Appointed” means deliberately set in place. Paul’s Damascus-road encounter was no accident; it was heaven’s scheduled appointment. • Threefold purpose: – Know God’s will (revelation). – See the Righteous One (relationship). – Hear His voice (commission). • The language echoes Old-Testament prophetic callings, signaling continuity between Testaments. Jeremiah 1:5—Chosen Before Birth “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5) • “Before I formed you” points to God’s intimate involvement in conception and life. • “I knew you” speaks of personal relationship established by God, not earned by man. • “I set you apart” and “appointed” reveal divine selection for a specific task. Connecting the Two Passages • Same Author, same pattern: the God who formed Jeremiah also confronted Paul. • Both texts highlight: – Pre-temporal knowledge (God knew Jeremiah; God foreknew Paul’s future). – Specific mission (prophet to nations; apostle to Gentiles). – Divine initiative (God acts first, the servant responds). • Paul himself later recognized this link: “But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased…” (Galatians 1:15-16). Other Scriptures Reinforcing the Theme • Psalm 139:13-16—God knits life in the womb, writing every day before one begins. • Isaiah 49:1—“The LORD called Me from the womb; from the body of my mother He named Me.” • Ephesians 1:4—Believers chosen “before the foundation of the world.” • 2 Timothy 1:9—Grace and purpose granted “before time began.” Implications for Believers Today • Calling is God-initiated, not self-generated; He still appoints people to kingdom tasks. • Personal worth is anchored in divine intentionality—each life is formed with purpose. • Obedience flows from assurance: if God appoints, He also equips (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Summary Acts 22:14 and Jeremiah 1:5 stand shoulder-to-shoulder, declaring that the God who shapes life in the womb also shapes destinies for His glory. Paul and Jeremiah are mirrors reflecting one unchanging truth: being chosen by God is both a gift of grace and a summons to faithful service. |
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