What is the meaning of Acts 11:7? Then I heard a voice • Peter recounts a moment of direct divine communication (Acts 10:13; cf. John 10:27). • The voice comes “from heaven” (Acts 11:9), underscoring God as the speaker and guaranteeing the authority of what follows. • Throughout Scripture, God often initiates major shifts by first speaking (Genesis 12:1; Acts 9:4). Saying to me • The address is personal—“to me”—showing God’s intimate involvement with individual believers (Exodus 3:4; Isaiah 43:1). • Peter’s testimony emphasizes that he isn’t following a private idea but a specific word from the Lord (Acts 10:20; Galatians 1:11–12). • By repeating the account in Jerusalem, Peter confirms that divine revelation, not human preference, guided his actions (Acts 11:17). Get up, Peter • “Get up” signals urgency and readiness for obedience (Acts 12:7; Luke 5:4–5). • Naming Peter affirms God’s personal call and continuing use of him despite his past failures (John 21:15–17). • The command moves Peter from contemplation to action, a pattern seen elsewhere when God directs His servants (Acts 8:26–27). Kill and eat • The directive overturns long-held dietary restrictions (Leviticus 11) by declaring all foods clean (Mark 7:18–19; Acts 10:15). • It foreshadows the inclusion of Gentiles, since food laws had separated Jews from other nations (Ephesians 2:14–16). • The vision is literal in command—“kill and eat”—yet symbolic in application, teaching Peter to accept people formerly considered “unclean” (Acts 10:28; 15:8–9). • The broader biblical principle: “Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (1 Timothy 4:4). summary Acts 11:7 records God’s clear, authoritative voice calling Peter to a radical step of obedience. By personally commanding him to “Get up…kill and eat,” the Lord establishes that the old ceremonial barriers are removed and that the gospel embraces all people. Peter’s experience reminds believers to listen for God’s voice, respond promptly, and welcome those whom He has cleansed—confident that Scripture’s plain meaning still guides faithful practice today. |
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