Acts 10:5-8 - Joppa

10:5,6

We see in this whole episode that God is coordinating various people. Peter was in the right part of the country, God speaks to Cornelius, and he will also speak to Peter. God is a God who communicates. Those who deny that God ever speaks to people in a direct personal way are talking a load of unbiblical nonsense. God is still working in the world, and as part of this He, from time to time, speaks directly to individuals. Now, we must not go to the other extreme. The primary way in which God speaks is through His word, the Bible, and by our studying it, understanding it, believing it and acting upon it we can live most of our lives, we can do most of the things that God wants us to do. And without it we can do nothing. But on occasion God may chose to communicate in a more direct manner.

10,7,8

Cornelius acts immediately upon the instruction from the angel. Note that in v3 it says he saw the angel “in a vision”, here it speaks of the angel “departing”. So the exact nature of the appearance of the angel is unclear. Cornelius sent two of his servants, and a devout soldier. Within the army there were some who were committed to God. Cornelius told them everything and sent them to Joppa. They would know that Jews would not normally welcome a gentile into their home, so they needed to have some understanding of what the situation was, and why they were being sent on this rather unusual mission.