Acts 10: […] Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air.

Then a voice said to him:  “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” […]

While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate. They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there.

 As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit told him, “Three men are here looking for you.Get up! Go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.”

A few points about this occurrence in scripture:

• The container — like a “sheet” — and all of the animals came directly from the heavens — from God — not earth
• God had cleansed these animals — not any others
• God gave specific instructions:
  • God’s instructions *seemed* to counter his previous instructions
  • Only God can legitimately counter his own instructions
  • When God counters his own instructions — his people are required to follow the revised instructions
  • The people of God are *always* required to follow all of His instructions — even when they *appear* to contradict earlier instructions
  • God provided a caveat for His revised instructions — what He made clean is clean if God did not make it clean — it’s not clean
• Peter, after the death, burial, resurrection and ascension still had not eaten anything unclean:
  • His statement counters the theology that after the resurrection the food laws no longer applied
  • Peter kept the law — including those related to food consumption after the resurrection and ascension
• In context, the point of the vision was in direct connection with the gentile visitors that God sent and the task of helping gentile converts who were previously unclean. Gentiles whom God has cleansed are clean.
  • The idea of what is clean and unclean has to do with suitability for interaction with God’s people

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