Acts 10:1-8 - Cornelius' vision

Acts 10 brings us to Caesarea. Acts 8:40 tells us that this was the destination of Philip. And Acts 9:30 recorded that Saul was escorted to safety there  before being sent to Tarsus. Caesarea was a key place in the expansion of the Kingdom of God to the Gentile nations. Now it was here that we are introduced to Cornelius, a centurion from the Italian cohort.  

As a  centurion, he had 100 men under his command. And as a member of the Italian cohort he was probably recruited from Italy. His peace-keeping force was now stationed in Caesarea. 

As a Gentile, this Cornelius, a military man from a foreign nation, was a devout man and a God-fearer or a proselyte. He was attracted to the monotheistic worship and high moral standards of the Jews. Although he was not fully into Judaism, he worshipped God. 

Verse 2 tells us that he was a generous man and well known for his generosity toward the Jewish people. Cornelius was also faithful in prayers. And at the 9th hour, meaning at 3 pm, while he was in prayer, he had a life-changing vision. Luke had it recounted three more times, in Acts 10:22; 10:30-32; and Acts 11:13-18, before this account ends.

In the broad daylight vision, Cornelius saw an angel of God came to him and called him by name.  Making sure that Cornelius did not have just a  psychological experience but an actual angelic visitation, we are told he fixed his gaze on the angel.  

Naturally, Cornelius was taken by fear as anyone would have been. So trembling and with fear, he responded to the voice by asking, "What is  it Lord?" He wanted to know what that was all about. 

The angel then praised him for his almsgiving and piety. What he did in prayers and alms-giving had ascended as a memorial to the Lord.  A memorial was an offering placed on the altar. Cornelius' kind service to the Jews went before God as a witness to his character.

Cornelius was instructed to send and fetch Simon Peter from Joppa. The angel even detailed the exact location of the house of  Simon the tanner, where Peter was hosted.  

So without wasting any time, Cornelius summoned two of his servants and a God-fearer soldier from the ranks. After explaining everything to them he sent them off to Joppa on the mission to look for Peter and fetch him to Caesarea. 

Cornelius leaves us with examples to emulate. Like him we must have a deep reverence for God and a genuine love for men. This will set for us the climate to encounter God and an attitude to embrace God's best. It will enable us to obey God more spontaneously. Our goal should be to please God always.