For all of you who like to find cool and interesting little tidbits hidden discretely in the pages of scripture, here's one for you to chew on that many of you probably haven't seen before.  In the book of Acts we see Peter, in Chapter 10, come to Cornelius the centurion, per God's request, and share the gospel with them, leading him and his entire household to salvation.  In turn they became the first Gentile (Hebrew for foreigner, or non-Jew) believers.  Then, in Chapter 11, upon Peter's return to Jerusalem we see the brethren there turn against him for going to the Gentiles since it was against the law.

Up to this point they only know he went.  They don't know that he was under orders to do so by God (also revealed in chapter 10).  But what makes this especially interesting is this.  In Chapter 10 we're made to understand that "certain brethren" went with Peter on this trip, but no mention is given to the number who came with hom.  However, in Chapter 11 we are told how many.  Six of them to be precise.  Now, what's so special about that?  Think about it.  Who were the six brethren?  Jews.  And what was Peter?  A Jew.  Six plus One is Seven.  So in sending Peter (the leader) and the six brethren (witnesses) God sent a total of 7 Jews to partake in and be witnesses of the first Gentiles to be saved and added to the Church.

Take a moment and really, really think about that.  God sent, under orders, seven Jews to complete the last part in the ever spreading march of the Gospel (To Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the utter most parts of the world, ie, Gentiles) and in doing so, especially with that number, not only was the law of witness (2 or more witnesses to confirm a thing) fulfilled, but 3 times above and beyond what was required!  So now not only do we have the divine number of 7, but we also have 3 (2x3=6) in this event.  So basically God is doing a double confirmation of this new work He's doing through Peter.

What I find funny is that Peter goes out on God's orders, and does as he's told, resulting in a whole household getting saved, and then comes home only to get verbally and figuratively stoned by the Jewish believers.  I almost think that God did this, not so much for the Gentiles, as they wouldn't have seen the significance of this, but rather for the Jewish believers still heavily steeped in obeying the now defunct and fulfilled Mosaic Law.  And in seeing these signs, which I'm sure they picked up on as soon as Peter told his story, they all switched from stoning Peter to praising God.

It also just goes to show you that, even in the 1st century it didn't take much for people, even well meaning Christians, to assume the worst and attack those doing a greater work for God instead of assuming the best and praising what God was doing through them.  I mean, after all, even today we're guilty of that, figuratively and verbally "stoning" our fellow believers whenever God is moving through them in new and amazing ways that we either don't understand, or become jealous of because it wasn't us who got the honor of being used by God in that way.  Think about that the next time God is moving strongly in someone's life and you feel led to condemn them for simply obeying God.  Hmm? :P