Yes — Saul of Tarsus was completely humbled from a religious persecutor to a blind, praying servant, and after his encounter he was baptized, began preaching Christ, and was later sent to the Gentiles.
Les Feldick explains that God brings high-positioned men down to a low spot before using them, as He did with Saul. Saul's response on the road was that of a humble, seeking sinner saved by grace, asking “Who art thou, Lord?” and becoming ready to do whatever God wanted. God then used Ananias to restore his sight, and after baptism Saul immediately preached Christ, even though he had not yet learned about the entirely new Gentile program revealed to him later.
Acts 9:3-6 — Records Saul's fall to the earth, his blindness, and his submitted response, showing the dramatic reversal he experienced.
Acts 9:18-20 — Shows the result of Ananias's ministry: scales falling from Saul's eyes, his baptism, and his immediate preaching of Christ.
Acts 9 records that Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus to bring followers of Jesus bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed, “suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:3-4). Saul answered, “Who art thou, Lord?” and the Lord identified Himself as Jesus (Acts 9:5). The Lord then told Saul, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:6). Saul rose from the earth but was blind; they led him by the hand into Damascus, and for three days he neither ate nor drank (Acts 9:8-9). The Lord then sent Ananias, who told Saul that the Lord Jesus had sent him so that Saul might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. “And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized” (Acts 9:18). At once Saul “preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20), showing the immediate outward change that followed his encounter.
Les points out that throughout Scripture God used lowly men, and if a man began in a high position God brought him to a low spot — as He did with Moses, and as He did with Saul (Clip 0). Saul had been a religious zealot convinced he was serving the God of Abraham by stamping out the followers of Jesus (Clips 1, 3). On the Damascus road, the Lord stopped him: Saul fell to the earth, was left blind, and responded as a humble seeking sinner saved by grace, asking “Who art thou Lord?” and becoming ready to do whatever God wanted (Clips 2, 6). Through Ananias, God showed that Saul was being made ready for something special (Clip 1). After the scales fell from his eyes and he was baptized, Saul joined the believing Jews in Damascus and immediately preached Christ — yet he was still Jew-only and had no idea that God would later go to the Gentiles with a whole new program (Clips 4, 7). God then supernaturally moved Saul out of Damascus, and he spent three years in Arabia alone with his ascended Lord, receiving the doctrines that would go out to the Gentiles (Clip 5). Les also emphasizes that God sovereignly interrupted His Old Testament program to call out a Gentile bride for the Son (Clip 6).
The Bible records that Saul fell to the earth and asked, “Who art thou, Lord?” (Acts 9:5). Les describes this as the response of a humble seeking sinner saved by grace; Saul was now ready to do whatever God wanted him to do (Clip 2). In the same account, the Lord told Saul to arise and go into the city, and it would be told him what he must do (Acts 9:6).
Acts 9 records that God sent Ananias to the street called Straight and told him Saul was praying and had seen in a vision Ananias coming to put his hands on him so he might receive his sight (Clip 1). Ananias laid hands on Saul; scales fell from his eyes, he received sight, arose, and was baptized (Clip 4). Les notes that God used Ananias to show that Saul was being made ready for something special (Clip 1).
Scripture says Saul rose from the earth unable to see, was led by the hand into Damascus, and for three days had no sight and neither ate nor drank (Acts 9:8-9). Les repeats this detail in his account, noting Saul was “of course now blind” as he made his way into town (Clip 1). Then, after Ananias came, Saul received food and was strengthened, and he spent some days with the disciples at Damascus (Clip 4).
Les shows that God was sovereignly working to interrupt His Old Testament program in order to call out a Gentile bride for the Son (Clip 6). God told Ananias that Saul would suffer for His name and would be sent far hence to the Gentiles (Clips 2, 7). Yet immediately after his conversion, Saul still preached only to Jews and had no idea that God would go to the Gentiles with a different program (Clip 7). It was only after three years in Arabia that God poured out to Saul the new doctrines that would go out to the Gentile (Clip 5).
The Humbling Pattern
Les compares Saul to Moses: God brings high-positioned men down to the low place before He can use them.
Saul Blinded and Praying
Les observes that the once-zealous persecutor arrived in Damascus blind, and that God told Ananias Saul was praying and being made ready for something special.
Saved by Grace and Sent to Gentiles
Les says Saul immediately succumbed to grace, responding as a humble sinner ready to do God's will, and that God promised Ananias Saul would go to the Gentiles and suffer for His name.
Religious Zeal Confronted
Les describes Saul's religious zeal to stamp out the followers of the 'imposter from Nazareth' and then records his confrontation with the ascended Lord.
Sight Restored and Baptized
Les recounts how Ananias announced that Jesus had sent him, scales fell from Saul's eyes, he was baptized, strengthened with food, and spent days with the disciples.
Three Years in Arabia
Les describes how Saul had to flee Damascus in a basket and then spent three years alone with the ascended Lord, receiving new doctrines for the Gentiles.
God's Sovereign Interruption
Les frames Saul's fall and his question 'Who art thou, Lord?' as part of God's sovereign interruption of His Old Testament program to call out a Gentile bride.
Immediate Preaching but Still Jew-Only
Les points out that Saul immediately preached Christ in the synagogues, yet he had no idea that God would later switch to a separate Gentile program.
Acts 9:4: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
The moment of Saul's encounter — he is confronted by Jesus from heaven.
Acts 9:5: And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Saul's response reveals his humbled condition and identifies Jesus as the one he was persecuting.
Acts 9:6: And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Saul immediately submits and is told to wait for further instruction.
Acts 9:8-9: And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
Saul's physical blindness and three-day fast show the depth of his humbling.
Acts 9:18: And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
Ananias's ministry brought both physical sight and baptism.
Acts 9:20: And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
The immediate public evidence of Saul's changed allegiance.
No. In the clips, Les emphasizes that right after his baptism Saul preached to Jews only and had no idea that God would go to the Gentiles with a different program (Clip 7). God had told Ananias Saul would be sent to the Gentiles, but it was only after time alone in Arabia that Saul received the new doctrines for the Gentile program (Clips 2, 5).
According to Acts 9:9, he was three days without sight and neither ate nor drank. Les pictures Saul arriving in Damascus blind and praying, and then Ananias was sent to restore his sight (Clips 1, 4).
The Bible says scales fell from his eyes, he received his sight, arose, and was baptized (Acts 9:18). After being strengthened with food, he spent days with the disciples in Damascus and immediately began preaching Christ in the synagogues (Clips 4, 7).
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Was Never One of the Twelve — Acts 9 Explained