It is beyond a joke to insist that Acts 7 was one year from the cross anyway. Herod died in AD44 as recorded in Acts 12, so Acts 1-7 was one year, and 8-12 was 15? The three years of testimony in Luke 13? What did they mean? Too much is made of the years, when the context is "unless you repent you shall likewise perish." It is the giving of further time which matters, not how much time because we know, the testimony to Israel was constant right through Acts as Romans 10:21 shows. Israel rejected God at Kadesh-Barnea and wandered for 40 years. The purpose was not altered just because Israel was unfaithful.
The death of Stephen was the temporary closing of the recorded witness in Jerusalem is all. In Acts 21, James invites Paul to consider all the thousands who were saved and zealous of the Law – who witnessed to them? The witness remained there, but for the records, after Stephen from Acts 8 it then went to Judea and Samaria according to Acts1:8. Acts 11 saw another martyrdom: James; but this didn't mean Israel were cast aside either, but the witness moved outside the Land. All those who were scattered at the persecution of Stephen preached to none but Jews only, Acts 11:19-23. At Antioch, Barnabas saw the grace of God; but he sure didn't see the dispensation of the grace of God. Neither Paul or any other Jew preached any new economy, it was all the OT.
See also:
No comments:
Post a Comment