What did God do to redirect Saul's mission from Jews to Gentiles?
God sovereignly put a fork in the road, redirecting Saul of Tarsus from Jewish synagogues to a mission far hence to the Gentiles. Through Ananias, God revealed that Saul would suffer greatly for His name's sake while carrying the Gospel to Gentiles.
Les teaches that God sovereignly put a fork in the road in chapter 9, sending Saul of Tarsus far hence to the Gentiles. After Saul received food and his sight was restored, he immediately preached Christ in the synagogues, still confining his preaching to Jews, because nobody had told him anything different yet. Ananias knew God's plan, but Saul did not yet understand it. God told Ananias He would show Saul how great things he must suffer for His name's sake, and that was fulfilled, as Paul later rehearsed his hardships in 2 Corinthians 10 while getting the Gospel out to the Gentiles.
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
More Questions
Why was God sending Saul to the Gentiles such a shocking thing to the Jews?
Sending someone to the Gentiles was unheard of in Jewish culture because the Jews had no idea they were supposed to go to the Gentiles.
Why is Saul being sent to the Gentiles a turning point in the Bible?
Saul being sent to the Gentiles marks a change in format, because Jesus had previously said 'Go not into the way of the Gentiles' and throughout His earthly ministry had ignored them.
Who was Saul sent to preach to first, the Gentiles or Israel?
The order of Saul's mission was to bear Jesus' name first before the Gentiles, then before kings, and then before the children of Israel.
Why was Paul's mission to the Gentiles such a change in how God was working?
Sending Saul to the Gentiles marks a sudden change in format, something never seen before, because during his earthly ministry Jesus restricted his mission to Israel, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles.