Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word. This week's question:

As Jesus walked this earth, He lived under the Old Law which was given to the nation of Israel. Even the Samaritan woman who saw Jesus by the well told Him, "'I know that the Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.' Jesus said to her, 'I who speak to you am He.'" (John 4:25-26). Jesus told His disciples after His crucifixion, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20). This statement is referred to as the great commission as it includes all nations or all mankind to be taught the gospel.

That brings us to our question, "Who saw the sheet with creatures on it?" To answer our question we turn to Acts chapter ten where we find a centurion of the Italian cohort named Cornelius who fears God with all his household and prayed to God continually (Acts 10:1-2). An angel of the Lord appeared to Him and asked him to send some men to Joppa for a man who is staying with a tanner named Simon. Now, this man who was staying with Simon went up on the rooftop to pray, "And he became hungry, and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; and he beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, 'Arise, Peter, kill and eat!' But Peter said, 'By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.' And again a voice came to him a second time. 'What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.' And this happened three times; and immediately the object was taken up into the sky." (Acts 10:10-16).

So there we have the answer to our question as it is "Peter" who saw the sheet with creatures on it, but although that is the answer to the question, that does not answer 'why' he saw the sheet of creatures.

While Peter was perplexed as to what this might mean, the men sent by Cornelius arrive and the next day they as well as Peter and a few brethren from Joppa go to Caesarea to the house of Cornelius. When they arrive and are met by Cornelius with his relatives and friends and Cornelius falls at Peter's feet to worship him and Peter tells him, "Stand up; for I too am just a man." (Acts 10:26). Peter then says to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man being a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean." (Acts 10:28).

After Cornelius recounts seeing his vision and sending for Peter, Peter tells them, "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him." (Acts 10:34-35). Then Peter begins preaching of Jesus the Nazarene and while he spoke, "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 'Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he.' And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on a few days longer." (Acts 10:44-48).

Now this created no small stir among the Jews in Jerusalem who asked Peter, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them?" (Acts 11:3). After Peter recounted the story of how the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles along with the witnesses he had they said to Peter, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also repentance that leads to life." (Acts 11:18)

Peter understood that God is not one to show partiality but that all who call on His name will not be turned away but will be granted a home with Him. May we too not only understand this but also be ready to humbly obey Him for life.