The Amazing Aspects of the Bible (Part 12)
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24).
Around 300 prophecies concerning Jesus, recorded between 1,500 B.C. and 400 B.C., were fulfilled in His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Ironically, God's own people did not have a complete understanding of the truths they possessed concerning Him. After His resurrection, for example, Jesus accompanied two disciples as they were traveling to Emmaus. They did not know what to make of the women's vision that Jesus was alive. The Lord chided them:
"O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:25-27).
Luke 24:44 tells us that Jesus did a similar thing with the eleven disciples just a short time later. He found it necessary to explain the Scriptures to them:
"These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."
After Jesus enlightened His disciples, He ascended into heaven, which only Mark and Luke mention. Mark says briefly: "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God" (16:19). Incidentally, this verse was quoted by Irenaeus in A. D. 177, about two hundred years before Sinaiticus and Vaticanus omitted the last twelve verses of Mark's gospel. Luke also gives a brief description: "And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them" (24:5). All of human history had been leading up to Jesus' crucifixion for our sins, thus fulfilling prophecies. Jesus had ascended into heaven. Now what?
Acts
Luke continues providing information to Theophilus in a second treatise, which is called The Acts of the Apostles. He begins by commenting on things that have already occurred. Of special importance is the reminder that to the apostles "He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen of them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (1:3).
"What happened to the prophesied kingdom?" is an excellent question to ask because as the gospel accounts of Jesus' life terminate, the reader is left hanging with respect to that question. Luke is going to answer it in this second book and has already referenced it by verse 3. In verse 6, His disciples ask Him: "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" Despite all that Jesus had taught them, it appears that they were still in some measure thinking of the kingdom as being physical. They may not have heard what Jesus said to Pilate about His kingdom not being of this world (John 18:36).
The Lord did promise that they would receive power after the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:8). He then told them that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they would speak by inspiration and understand things even better than they currently did. They watched as Jesus ascended into heaven in the clouds and received a promise that He would return the same way (1:9-11). The other preliminary matter involved the selection of a man to replace Judas, who had betrayed Jesus and then taken his own life. Matthias was chosen to take Judas' place (1:12-26). Even this action had been prophesied in the Psalms. Ten days later, when the Day of Pentecost arrived, it was a significant occasion because two of God's great promises were about to be fulfilled.
The Day of Pentecost
The first of these was the coming of the Holy Spirit, as promised initially by John the Baptizer (Matt. 3:11; Acts 1:4-5). The second one is that of Jesus receiving His kingdom and its beginning on earth, which both John and Jesus had preached was at hand (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). Acts 2 has been called the hub of the Bible because everything from the beginning of the world has led up to this day—the establishment of the kingdom—and everything that happens henceforth occurs because the kingdom had now come.
Someone might protest that the crucifixion is the centerpiece of the world's existence, and in a sense it is, but unless Jesus rises from the dead, the crucifixion of an innocent man is irrelevant. His resurrection provides the proof of all that He taught concerning Himself, including that He is Deity. When He ascends into heaven, it is to receive His kingdom (Dan. 7:13-14; Ps. 110:1), which is the focus of many prophecies. But unless these truths are proclaimed throughout the world, none of these facts will be grasped or acted upon. The preaching of the gospel, which resulted in the establishment of the kingdom of heaven on earth, begins on the Day of Pentecost.
The twelve were gathered together on that day, and the Holy Spirit descended upon them. There was a sound of a mighty, rushing wind, and cloven tongues as of fire sat upon each one of them. "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (2:4). The tongues were languages that people from all over the world understood. What John and Jesus had promised concerning the Holy Spirit was now fulfilled (Matt. 3:11; Acts 1:4-5). When challenged concerning what had occurred, Peter said that what they were observing was "what was spoken by the prophet Joel" (2:16), and then he cited Joel 2:28-32.
The Christian religion is not something that was originated on the spur of the moment. God set forth these numerous prophecies which were fulfilled in Christ and the establishment of the kingdom just so that skeptics and naysayers could be refuted. Christianity was planned, foretold, and implemented just as God designed it. No prophecy, however, speaks in advance of Muhammad, Joseph Smith, or Ellen G. White. These arose without fanfare and without the authority of God to do anything that they did. They were self-made and self-proclaimed. God had nothing to do with them. Thus the Bible has safeguards built within it to eliminate future criticisms.
After showing through the Scriptures that one major promise had been fulfilled, Peter now begins to preach the gospel—Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He reminds those gathered together that they knew Jesus because they observed firsthand His miracles, wonders, and signs (2:22). He proves that Jesus' death and resurrection were prophesied (2:23-31) and that the apostles were also eyewitnesses (2:32).
Peter continued by assuring the crowd that Jesus has been "exalted to the right hand of God," where He "received the promise of the Holy Spirit," which had resulted in Him pouring out the Holy Spirit, evidenced by the apostles speaking in tongues. The astute Jew might have realized that Jesus being raised up to the right hand of God was the equivalent of Him being given the kingdom. On one occasion, after the Jews had asked Him several questions, Jesus posed one to them:
"How can they say that the Christ is David's Son? Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms,
'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'
David therefore call Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?" (Luke 20:41-44).
Did they not understand that, when Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1, He meant that sitting at God's right hand was the same as receiving His kingdom? If not, what did they understand the words, Till I make your enemies Your footstool, to mean? The very next verse in the psalm says: "The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies" (110:2). When Jesus was in the council, He also told His opponents: "Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the throne on the right hand of God" (Luke 22:69). After He made that astonishing claim, they asked Him, "Are you then the Son of God?" He answered, "You rightly say that I am" (Luke 22:70).
The Holy Spirit had promised David that his Descendant would build a house for God's name and that He would "establish the throne of His kingdom forever" (2 Sam. 7:12-13). While it is true that Solomon built a house for the Lord, neither that house nor that kingdom lasted forever. Both were destroyed in 586 B. C. But the throne of Christ continues from the time He ascended into heaven to receive it (Dan. 7:13-14) until this very day. Jesus received the kingdom promised by the Holy Spirit when He ascended into heaven.
Peter, having cited the prophecies leading up to this moment, along with eyewitness testimony, declares that the One that the mob crucified God had made both Lord and Christ (2:36). Undoubtedly, many Jews had been led astray by their rulers, but now Peter had presented the truth to them. Many of those listening to Peter were honest and had been convinced by his preaching; they responded by saying, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37).
The answer to this question is absolutely crucial. All of human history (including the prophecies) had led to this very moment. What did these men need to do? Indeed, what do all men need to do about sin? The answer that Peter gave can not be ignored, minimized, or explained away. Jesus died on the cross so that sins could be forgiven. Peter told the multitude:
"Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).
"What?" some might say. "Why is there no mention of grace?" Grace made salvation possible and would be explained sufficiently at a later time for those who did not understand it. "Okay, but why didn't Peter mention their need for faith?" It is obvious that they believed, or they would not have asked the question. "Well, why didn't he tell them that their faith in Jesus was all they needed to be saved?" The answer is that salvation is not, and never has been, by "faith only." Jesus had just been crucified for the sins of mankind. If faith in Him and His sacrifice was all that was necessary for anyone to have salvation, Peter would gladly have given everyone that news.
God's plan for redeeming man calls for two more essentials. The first of these is repentance, which Jesus had already labeled as necessary (Luke 13:3). Genuine repentance can no more be a superficial act than Jesus' suffering and death were. Reformation of life and transformation of character must occur. Merely changing a few outward observable habits (such as attending worship or the cessation of the use of profane language) are not sufficient (Rom. 12:1-2).
The second necessary action required by God is baptism for the remission (forgiveness) of sins. At the first mention of baptism, many fall all over themselves to be the first to try to deny that baptism has any relevance to salvation. Their argument is not with us but with the inspired apostle. The reason assigned for it is in order to receive forgiveness. We know from other Scriptures that the blood of Jesus washes away our sins when we are baptized (Acts 22:16; Rev. 1:5). Salvation does not occur at the moment one comes to accept the truth, but when he does something about it. He is moved to repent and be baptized in order to obtain forgiveness. Those who gladly received the word of the apostles were baptized; 3,000 were added to the church (kingdom) that day (Acts 2:41, 47).
The kingdom of heaven, heralded by John and Jesus, was always going to be a spiritual kingdom (which is called the church). It began in Jerusalem and was not established by men but by Jesus, Who remains King over it and shall never be replaced (Isa. 2:2-3). Paul would later write:
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13-14).
After the New Testament was written, men began to establish traditions contrary to what the Bible teaches. One of these was changing immersion to sprinkling yet calling it baptism. In Acts 8, the reader can clearly see that baptism involves going down into the water and coming up out of it (8:38-39). No one is baptized who has not been immersed. No one who has been immersed has been baptized if it was for any other reason than having his sins washed away. One must know the truth if the truth is to set him free (John 8:31-32). Being sprinkled is not a Biblical practice and nowhere found in the pages of the New Testament. Baptism is a burial in water that corresponds to Jesus' burial in the earth (Rom. 6:3-5).
After Pentecost
The Book of Acts records many conversions as the gospel was preached and the kingdom of heaven was spread on the earth. Acts 8 shows the Samaritans receiving the Word, and in Acts 10 the first Gentiles are baptized into Christ. The first preacher martyred was Stephen (Acts 7); Saul, the chief persecutor of Christians (who consented to the stoning of Stephen) is converted in Acts 9 (with summaries of that momentous event in chapters 22 and 26). After he becomes a Christian, he becomes the apostle Paul, who wrote 13 New Testament books (14, if he wrote Hebrews). From Acts 13 onward, Luke follows Paul in his missionary journeys and chronicles the reception of the gospel in various parts of the world.
The message of Acts 2:38 is repeated throughout the book. It is no fluke that Peter told people to repent and be baptized on Pentecost. This solution to the problem of sin is given over and over, as the list below shows:
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized (8:12).
So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him (8:38).
"Can anyone forbid water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" (10:47).
Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us…. And when she and her household were baptized… (Acts 16:14-15).
And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized (16:33).
Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized (18:8).
When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (19:5).
"'And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord'" (22:16).
The greatness of the salvation that is available in Christ (through faith, repentance, and baptism) will only be fully realized in heaven, but that salvation is available now in the kingdom of heaven. From the time that man first sinned, God was preparing this great salvation which is now available to all who obey Jesus (Heb. 5:9).