Was Acts 7 "Three Strikes & You're Out" for Israel?

As you know, many feel that this was a cut off point for the nation of Israel because they rejected Stephen's message and soon after Paul was converted, and Peter opened the door to the Gentiles. Some imagined three strikes and Israel was out theory is promoted and the vision of Stephen is somehow a confirmation of this.

The three strikes and you're out is a Mid Acts invention.  Yes, Israel killed the prophets; but Christ still came according to the prophets; so the first strike didn't stop God from His purposes.  Yes, Israel crucified their Lord; but that isn't a strike, since the Lord prayed for their forgiveness and the cutting off of Messiah was according to the prophets.  SO, we don't have any strikes yet.   Stephen was a martyr, but he prayed "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge," so that isn't a strike either.   Then Paul said "all day long the Lord was holding out his hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people," so obviously the Lord didn't hold any strikes against Israel at Roms.10:29-11:3.

Here are some facts which expose this theory as being out of context and thus, out of line with Scripture.

First up, the Lord had given strict instructions as to how the ministry was to unfold here;

Act 1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Act 1:7  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts begins with the restoration of the kingdom in view and the witness is in Jerusalem (where they were to wait), Judea, then Samaria and further out. The martyrdom of Stephen saw the conclusion of the witness in Jerusalem, the next area of witness was about to commence, not national dismissal of Israel.

BTW, there is no historical evidence that it was 1 year from the crucifixion to Acts 7, and the idea that another year was added is based upon the false premise that Israel would have been cut off at the cross which was never the case, only Messiah was to be cut off, and not for Himself. Passover was the beginning of Israel's deliverance, not the end of them.

Stephen's address tells us precisely the state of affairs in the divine scheme of things, and when we allow Scripture to point the way forward for us, we are always going to be on the right track. Stephen is addressing the leaders of Israel and he begins with the call of Abraham and the bondage and great Exodus deliverance of Israel; their first Passover. Joseph is then featured as one who was rejected, sold for silver, cast into a pit BUT despite Israel's faithlessness, it was through the rejected Joseph that deliverance came. Joseph was recognized THE SECOND TIME. There is nothing in the story of Joseph which indicates and casting off of Israel, only the faithfulness of God in the face of Israel's unfaithfulness.

Next character in the story is Moses who thought his brethren would understand that God had sent him to deliver them, but they understood not. Moses was 40 and returned the second time at 80 years of age. BTW, the Acts period runs nearly 40 years but the fact is, Moses was rejected the first time, but this did not mean God had turned away from Jacob. Nothing in Joseph or Moses can possibly be interpreted as the casting off of Israel, on the contrary, two brothers of Israel, 2who had been rejected, and wickedly so, were the means of Israel's salvation, not the bringing in of anything new and completely different. In verse 34, God said that He had seen the affliction of HIS PEOPLE, and Moses was sent back and this Moses Israel refused as a ruler and judge, was the one sent to be a ruler and judge. Stephen immediately reminds Israel's leaders that Moses warned them of the One coming like him. Like him, Christ would be like Moses, rejected, scorned as the other prophets foretold, but this does not mean Israel would be cast off simply because the message of Jesus of Nazareth was rejected.

When we overlay our own ideas on the types and plain words of Scripture, we are confusing the entire setting.

Stephen's message then turns to the faithless Israel, who even rejected Moses despite the incredible and mighty signs and wonders done before their eyes, but again, God never cast them aside, He gave them over to the idolatrous ways, but they remained His people and Solomon built the Temple. Solomon is a picture of Christ in glory, not the church which is His Body brought in because Israel were stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears.

What did Stephen see as they fell upon him? He saw the glory of God first. Which God? The God of Israel's fathers.

Stephen then prayed, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Israel sinned which was their historical propensity, but they were not cast aside here. Let us turn to our Apostle Paul, not even converted at this time, so years later he wrote this in Romans;
Rom 3:1  What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
Rom 3:2  Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
Rom 3:3  For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
Rom 3:4  God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Paul is telling us plainly, what if some of them did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith (fullness) of God without effect? IN other words, just because Israel is faithless does not mean God is faithless. He had made promises to Israel's fathers and God will keep them as Stephen's address proves.

How spurious is it that so many today want to quote Roms.3:4 pointing to others of different beliefs that they are liars, when the use of Ps.51:4 by Paul is in the context of God's faithfulness to Israel despite their rejection of Him. Here is Psalm 54, can anyone see a new calling in the repentant prayer of King David who pleads for God to do His good pleasure in ZION and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem?
Psa 51:14  Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
Psa 51:15  O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
Psa 51:16  For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Psa 51:18  Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Psa 51:19  Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Later in Romans, Paul writes this;
Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
Rom 11:29  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

The gifts and calling (singular) is without change of mind.

Prior to this, Paul had written that God was holding forth His hands to a disobedient (disbelieving) and gainsaying people (plural, that is the nation, not individuals) – further evidence that the nation had not been cast aside anytime previously; Roms.10:21-11:5.    A reading of 1Kings 19:10-18 will also show the national rebellion but the faithfulness of God who had preserved to Himself a remnant as was the case during Acts. We are not a remnant according to the election of grace, 11:5 and 9:24-29.

Returning to Roms.3, we are not to read any change of dispensation in the word vengeance of verse 5. Vengeance is that which Moses spoke about which was to be meted out upon the Lord's return, Roms.12:19, Deut.32:35, 43, Roms.15:10.

Messiah was not cut off at the 69th week. He was cut off at the 62nd as the angel spoke to Daniel in chapter 9. Rome does not produce the anti-Messiah as Daniel 8:8-10 proves. Alexander, the great he goat never conquered Rome and the anti-Messiah comes from one of the four divisions of Alexander's kingdom. For the 69th week, see the Tract, What happened to Israel? Lo-Ammi, at the bottom of this page http://www.bibleunderstanding.com/biblestudies.htm

Stephen's address at Acts 7 is all about God's faithfulness to Israel despite the rejection of the deliverers sent to them. This says nothing of God casting them aside, rather on the contrary, it proves that no matter how much Israel remained stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, that God would complete His work upon the earth.

As in the past, Israel faithless, stiff-necked, but God continued on with His purposes because of His faithfulness. Here are some OT passages to show the Acts period setting in type.

Num 23:19  God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Num 23:20  Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

Num 23:21  He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

Deut.4:33-39.
Deu 7:7  The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Deu 7:8  But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deu 9:4  Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.

Deu 9:5  Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Deu 9:6  Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.

If Paul was saved under the Acts Kingdom program, how did he change over into the church which is his body with a resurrection into the heavenly places?

Brian Kelson answers:

Paul was given the new dispensation by direct visitation from the descended Lord (Eph.4 might not refer to the Gospel descent but to that descent and appearing to Paul for the revelation of the previously hidden program). Yes, Paul's hope during Acts was the same as the 12 tribes, Acts 26:6-7 but, whereas his doxology of Roms.11 was straight out of Is.40, the doxology of Eph.1:3 was out of his mouth by inspiration. So yes, Paul did cross over and embrace the new truth but how many followed him? Who knows, but we know many turned away from him including those in Asia; 2T.1:15, which was the Ephesians and Colossians; they sought not the things of Christ, Phils.2:21.

Are all those saved in the Acts Period then resurrected into Israel's earthly Kingdom?

Are all those saved in the Acts Period then resurrected into Israel's earthly Kingdom? Are they considered to be the little flock? Or are they transitioned into the church which is his body and resurrected into the heavenly places?

Brian Kelson answers:

These words were spoken by the Lord, a minister of the circumcision, in a specific and I believe, limited context. I'm not sure these words can be expanded to include all those saved up until Acts 28. If this is the case, then why didn't Paul use the term? The little flock in Lk.12:32 is determined by that context and after the parable about the rich man gathering into his barns, the Lord spoke directly to the disciples and called them a term of endearment; the little flock. It appears to me that the little flock was His disciples and no further use of that term can be found in Scripture. Yes, Paul did speak of the flock in Acts 20:28-29 as did Peter in 1Pet.5:2-3 where he referred to the Lord as the chief shepherd, see Ex.34, Zech.13:7 and. Jn.10:11.
In the end, does it matter if they were the little flock or not? The hope, the inheritance of the OT promises and prophesy were the basis of their future, up to Acts 28, whether we read the Gospels, Paul or Peter or any other Acts period writer for that matter. Once we start separating into different groups simply because different terms are used to describe them, we create problems all over the shop.

If there were different terms used, I fail to see how this meant there were multiple groups in view during Acts. Let us turn to Paul and consider his terms.
There are numerous terms of Paul used to describe the believers; the justified Jews and Gentiles of the Acts period. He refers to them as children of Abraham, sons of God, Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise, joint heirs with Christ and the Israel of God. Does this mean all these related to little sub groups? The family relationship terms used by Paul are important. Abraham was their father, The Jerusalem from above was their mother, and they were typified in Isaac as children of promise. I know you can find these references. Again, does this mean there were fragmented groups everywhere with different inheritances and hopes? No.
Romans was written late in the Acts period and Paul is emphatic regarding both the Jews and Gentiles of faith. Abraham is their father, Roms.4. They were no longer in Adam but In Christ and thus married to another, Roms.7. In 2Cor.11, Paul refers to them as chaste virgins. See how many terms exist to describe the relationships between the believers of the Acts and the Father? Yet they were all the same group of believers.
In Roms.9 Paul refers to the called believers as the remnant of prophesy; vessels of mercy.
Rom 9:23  And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Rom 9:24  Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
The even us, includes Paul and he continues with this remnant term in chapter 11 Rom 11:5  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Rom 11:6  And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. Rom 11:7  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

How can the apostle then turn around in chapter 12 and use the word body in any way shape or form to mean the church which is His Body? He doesn't. Roms.12:6 says "one body in Christ" in relationship to the supernatural gifts, which is the same in 1Cor.12. The Acts period believers were the elect remnant of prophesy.
Paul includes himself in the elect remnant of grace during Acts, and that election included the believing Jews and Gentiles and that would include Peter. The remnant was a preserving one btw, the example of Elijah significant. A nation rejecting the Lord but a remnant being faithful to Him.

There was not transition during Acts, it was never a progressive revelation or transition period. It was the earthly program postponed at Acts 28. Now, what happened to them all when the dispensational boundary happened? The Lord knows them that are His, but in Paul we find a forgetting of things behind and an embracing of the things before him and the prize of the high calling. We also find that incredible prayer in Eph.1:15-2:8. Paul wanted those to whom he had preached the earthly kingdom program to know the HOPE, which had changed. To know the inheritance, which had changed. And to know the power, which now raised them to the heavenly places.


 

Did Israel blaspheme the Holy Spirit by stoning Stephen?

Did Israel blaspheme the Holy Spirit by stoning Stephen?

Brian Kelson answers:

Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is not rejecting God's messengers. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is crediting the miraculous to Satan or his minions. See Matt.12:24-32,  Mk 3:20-30. Paul never blasphemed the Holy Spirit btw, such claims are based upon ignorance. Israel nationally did not blaspheme the Holy Spirit, certain individuals might've.

With God there is no such thing as three strikes and you're out, this is a humanist idea. Besides which, rejecting Stephen was no less than they had done previously with his Lord and the prophets before that. If we count the individual prophets we are way past three ROFL.

MA has made Acts 7 more than it is, they needed to do this to prop up their view that Paul brought in the dispensation of grace during Acts. Thus they have to get rid of Israel nationally. This they are not able to do from Scripture which clearly says Israel remained God's people, to whom God was stretching forth His hands all the way to Acts 28 where they were finally put aside for a season and the imminent return was postponed.

Here is the main problem. The timing of the cross. IF we have the Lord crucified at the 69th week of Daniel 9, then there are only 7 years left. This is so tight that some MA teachers find it necessary to add a year. But if it was the 69th year, how could Paul write that Israel were not cast aside many, many years later? The answer is a simple one, Christ was not crucified at the 69th week, this is impossible.

Most eschatologists are agreed that Rome was the legs of iron in Neb.,s dream. The antimessiah does not come from Rome.

Daniel 8:8-11 clearly says the antimessiah will come from one of the (northern) divisions of Alexander the Great's kingdom which NEVER included Rome. So we have a huge problem. If Christ was crucified at the 69th week, then the antiChrist should have been (practically in Jerusalem) to sign the peace treaty with Israel at the beginning of the last week or 7 years, but there wasn't a power strong enough to take on Rome at that time. Rome does not produce the antimessiah. So the crucifixion was not at the 69th week.

I think we can assume angels can do math, and Gabriel told Daniel that Messiah would be cut off at the 62nd week. If the angel forgot to add the 7 and we do it for him, we are giving our opinion and adding to Scripture, but if we leave the 7 out of the 70 then the cross was the 62nd week and we have 8 weeks left or 56 years to the end.

All the nonsense of adding a week because of the parable of Lk.13 is crazy stuff. Adding a week to what? There is no need to add a week because Israel were never to be cut off at the Cross, Messiah was cut off but not for Himself. There is nothing in prophesy which says Israel would be cut off when Christ was. As I said in the last email, Passover was the beginning of Israel's national deliverance, not the point where they were judged and to be cut off because they rejected God's love. Passover is the FIRST step, not the last.

Continuing on,,,,,,MA teaches that, instead of returning in wrath, Christ returned in Grace, sharing the Mystery Program with Paul on the Road to Damascus, perhaps not just then, but in the general time vicinity.  

Oh so now they are taking a literal return for Israel and exchanging it for a non-literal return in grace? This is borderline ridiculous as well. Did the Lord's feet didn't touch the Mount of Olives in Acts 9.

Christ didn't return on the road to Damascus, He spoke from heaven, which was all OT and Gospels. When we take the literal return of Christ and adulterate it with an idea discarding the literal return,  we are sure out of line with Scripture. The Lord had spoken from heaven practically all of Israel's history. Apart from this, Paul writes Israel were not cast aside, the Gentiles were included according to prophesy, not the mystery, and there to provoke Israel. Paul promote his own apostleship to provoke Israel, what for if he is preaching the one new man creation? Israel has no place in the new post Acts program. Christ didn't give Paul the mystery in Acts 9, if he did, Paul kept it to himself for many years. These MA ideas are based upon their confused view of the Acts. The return of Christ will be visible, and very dramatic. His return is not only in wrath, but to save all Israel. More of this shortly.

Nothing happened at the stoning of Stephen other than the ministry moved out of Jerusalem. The disciples had been instructed to begin their ministry there, Lk.24:47. After Acts 7 and the rejection of the message in the capital city, the message went into Judea, and then Samaria where Paul began his labors, Acts 9. Nothing nationally took place at the death of Stephen, it was the close of the witness in Jerusalem though Paul did return there after Damascus.

The book of Acts follows the Lord's instructions. The testimony begins in Jerusalem, the Judea, then Samaria, then moves out to the scattered Jews in the world. In Chapter 12 we have another death, namely James. This terminates the testimony in Israel and the disciples are scattered outside the land and the witness goes with them.

So again, if God did not set Israel aside until Acts 28, which I now believe, Praise the Lord, what was it about that particular point of time or the particular event of the stoning of Stephen or just WHAT, exactly, caused Christ to postpone his descent way back in Acts 7??  

Now we can see that Acts 7 is nowhere near the time frame of the last weeks of Daniel's 70. But why didn't the Lord return? Why was it postponed? This is a very easy question to answer.

John the Baptist wasn't Elijah (Mal.4:5) but he could have been, how?  Matt.11:14 and 17:10-13 explains that it was dependent on Israel's acceptance of him.

The establishment of the Kingdom at Christ's return was dependent on Israel's acceptance of Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah. This is why Christ did not return. Let us see Peter's words again;

Act 3:13  The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

Act 3:14  But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

Act 3:15  And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

Act 3:16  And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Act 3:17  And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.

Act 3:18  But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

Act 3:19 
1. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,
2. when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

Act 3:21  Whom the heaven must receive UNTIL the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

The return of the Lord was conditional upon Israel's repentance and conversion. Convert means to turn back for they had turned away from the Lord. Here are the words of Moses;Deu 30:1  And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
Deu 30:2  And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; Deu 30:3  That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
Deu 30:4  If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
Deu 30:5  And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
Deu 30:6  And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
Deu 30:7  And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
Deu 30:8  And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.

Here are the words of those who remembered this, and the prophets calling Israel to turn back to the Lord;Neh 1:7  We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.

Neh 1:8  Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

Neh 1:9  But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

Jer 29:10  For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jer 29:12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jer 29:14  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Hos 14:1  O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

Hos 14:2  Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

Joe 2:12  Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

Joe 2:13  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Joe 2:14  Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

Zec 1:3  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

Zec 1:4  Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.

The Scriptures are very clear, Israel was to turn back to the Lord, THEN He would turn back to them. Is it any wonder Paul wanted so desperately to save his kinsmen according to the flesh. Provocation was to get Israel to repent and turn back, which is why the great doxology of Romans 11(:34) includes Isaiah 40.

The book of Acts is the history of God stretching forth His hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people, but instead of changing their hearts and turning back to God, they continued in rejection up until the last witness in Rome to the scattered Israelites there. They like their countrymen everywhere else remained non-committed and Paul pronounced the judgment prophesy of Is.6 against the entire nation and they were set aside.

So here is a summary.
Christ was never going to descend at Acts 7, there remained many years of Daniel's prophesy to run. The abomination of desolation wasn't in the Temple at Acts 7, Paul went in for a lawful service in Acts 21 which he would never have done if the antimessiah was in control of the Temple.

Christ did not postpone His descent at any time during Acts, it was the end of the ages yes, but not the close of them. It was the last hour, but not the end. The closing events of Matt.24 were yet to be seen, Jerusalem was not surrounded by the armies of the antimessiah Lk.21, which again, is not Rome. Paul could not write many years after Acts 7 that the night was far spent if Christ was supposed to return at Acts 7. Paul would not write to the Thessalonians that the Day of the Lord would not overtake them as a thief if it was to have taken place in Acts 7. Acts 7 was just the rejection in the city of Jerusalem, after which the message widened. Israel remained God's people when Romans was written. Paul's hope was the hope of Israel which the 12 tribes also hoped to come, Acts 26:6-7.

Christ did not return in Acts 9. He spoke from heaven as He had always done for Israel.

According to the Lord's instructions, the witness went out in Jerusalem then Judea first, then Samaria, then, after another martydom; James, out to the scattered Israelites in the world. In all areas of witness, the testimony was refused. The book of Acts covers nearly 40 years, the number of probation. Israel failed, the Lord didn't change his mind Candy, Israel refused to change theirs and what could have been, did not happen.

The bringing in of the Kingdom during Acts was conditional upon Israel's repentance and conversion; that is turning back to the Lord, then He would turn back to them. This they refused to do despite the incredible confirmations accompanying the Word.

When the Lord returns he comes in wrath and mercy. Wrath upon those who suppressed the truth but in mercy upon others, there is only one Coming of the Lord. Paul refers to Moses in Romans 12:19 that the believers were not to seek vengeance, for it was the Lord's right. Paul has no idea that the Lord was supposed to come in Acts 7 when he wrote Romans.

What does the Lord "standing" in Acts 7 really mean?

Mid Acts teaches that the Lord was seen by Stephen as "standing on the right hand of God," which according to Mid Acts teachers is a position of impending judgment, meaning the wrath of God was about to fall on Israel and the world.  Is this the correct interpretation?

Brian Kelson answers:

First up, lets nail the Gospels and Acts period as to time. It was the end of the ages, not the beginning of anything. This humungous list might seem over the top, but how can we understand Acts 7 without setting the time context. Here are some verses written of events during that time, before and AFTER Acts 7;

Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Mat 16:28  Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. (Because Trumpets also signaled the Jubilee when all property was re-distributed, that's why they sold everything and laid it at the apostles; feet in Acts, including up until Acts 7)
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Joh 21:22  Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Act 3:20  And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Rom 13:12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
1Co 1:7  So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

1Co 1:8  Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 7:29  But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

1Co 7:30  And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

1Co 7:31  And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Co 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (not THEY, in the future)
1Th 1:9  For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

1Th 1:10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
1Th 3:13  To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. 1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
2Th 1:7  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

2Th 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:                  

Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

Heb 10:38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. .....
Jas 5:8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 4:7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (literally, (UNTO THE AGE).

1Jn 2:18  Little children, it is the last time (hour): and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time (hour). Jud 1:18  How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.                   

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Rev 1:2  Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

How exciting these passages become when we read them as they read them way back then, in the last days, at the ends of the ages. That following Christ obediently meant they would live forever, that is UNTO the age. Paul said we, that is them back then including Paul, would not all die, but would be alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. Paul wrote these things after Stephen's vision so Stephen's vision could not possible imply Christ had judged Israel and put them aside, for the Trumpet coming was one of Israel's Feasts about to be fulfilled in their lifetime, after the vision. Paul wasn't even converted at Stephen's vision and many years afterwards Paul wrote of the coming of the Lord TO Israel.

The fact that Christ was raised and at the Father's right was well known, but only UNTIL the times of restoration. the Vision must be understood in this context, that the Lord was only in heaven briefly, until repentance and thus all Israel was to be saved at the (imminent) return.
 

Act 3:21  Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

It was also recorded of the Lord back in the gospel times that He would return almost immediately;

Mat 24:29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

Mat 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Mat 24:31  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Mat 24:33  So likewise YE (not THEM in 2000 years), when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 26:64  Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

The Lord told the 12 they would see these things and thus His words to them were understood, even the prayer He taught them was for the ends of the ages upon them.

Stephen saw what the entire nation of Israel was about to see. Stephen's vision was a vision of the Lord's coming. He saw Christ at the Father's right hand, the sign of Matt.24.

Does James also create problems when he wrote of Christ standing;
Jas 5:9  Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

Let us place the verse in its context again;
Jas 5:8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Jas 5:9  Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

The coming of the Lord in James has Christ standing. In Revelations, which is about the coming of the Lord, this word translated standeth appears many times, but see 3:20, 5:6, 14:1.

The fact that the Lord was standing can't mean anything other than Stephen saw Him standing in relation to His coming.

If those who think it meant the opening of the 1st seal, they might be correct but how does this concern us as Acts 28ers, it only establishes our position, and certainly destroys the God has put Israel aside at Acts 7 position. Especially since it is only tradition which puts the book of Revelation 150 years after the NT era. If John wrote it was the last hour, then very likely the events of Revelation were beginning to happen, especially since Revelation contains reference to the church at Ephesus and Laodicea. Now how can Revelation be written after the post Acts letters of Paul? Did the Ephesians hear the kingdom message by Paul during Acts, then the above heavenly kingdom after Acts, then go back to the earthly kingdom message when Revelation was written, supposedly 150 years after Acts? it's a nonsense, the events of Revelation were well known by all, including Paul who spoke of such things in 2Cor.12.

Thus the Scriptures clarify this for us my dear friend. Stephen saw a vision of the imminent return of the Lord. Stephen saw what all were about to see. His eye anticipated the every eye of Ex.19:11 and here
Rev 1:7  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds (tribes) of the earth (land) shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Matt.24:30

Every miracle and vision of the Acts period relates to the Acts period which was the Kingdom imminent, Israel not nationally cast aside.

Oh, and YES, Christ was coming in wrath to those who had rejected Him but not in wrath to those who had believed into Him. They were saved from the wrath to come, but this doesn't mean any pre-trib rapture right?

Christ prayed, Father forgive them, but Stephen prayed, lay not this sin to their charge. But even so, this does not mean Israel were not cast aside because of Christ's prayer or Stephen's because Passover was the BEGINNING of Israel's national deliverance, not the point where they were to be cut off. Passover was in Egypt when they were taken out, not judged, only the enemy and false god's were judged at Passover, not Israel, they were preserved by the blood. Thus the nonsense that God gave Israel an extra year because of the parable of Lk.13 is ridiculous. Israel was never to be cut off at Passover, no extra year was needed.

This Mid Acts belief about Acts 7 is a problem created by ideas about it which are baseless. MA have created a heap of ideas about it which fit their position, but not the facts, IMHO.

The fact that Stephen saw Christ standing at the right of the Father doesn't indicate anything other than it was consistent with the visions and supernatural of the Acts period.

There is no position of Daniel's 70 weeks at that point, and if Christ was standing to come back in judgment, HE DID NOT. Standing is not the literal return of Christ. If it did mean that, it meant no more than He was ready to dos so, BUT HE DID NOT. He will return as per Paul's Acts period epistles. He will return to destroy the lawless one with the brightness of His coming and that did not take place. 1Thess and 2 Thess are very clear as to what needed to take place before His return and they were not in position when Stephen had his vision. Neither was much of the book of Revelation. So Christ was not going to return Acts 7, no image in the holy place, no anti-messiah armies, do you see?

What is the Mystery of Romans 16:25-26?

Here's Brian Kelson's latest installment in his series on the mysteries of Romans 16 and Ephesians 3, but I'm also posting it here as a stand-alone piece as it has some interesting tidbits in it:

The distribution of the Old Testament in Paul's letter to the Romans is informative. First of all, the huge volume of the Law and prophesy confirms Paul's words spoken many years later;And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Act 26:6-7 

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. Act 26:19-20 

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. Act 26:22-23 

Twice in this Acts statement, Paul re-affirms it was still Jew first as it was in Romans, but how can we escape the plain truth that Paul was saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come? This must include the mystery of Romans 16 which was written before this statement.

The mystery of Romans 16 was kept secret, that is silent in the Scriptures yet the Scriptures contained it; it was never hidden in God as the Ephesians Mystery.

There is no doubt that certain things of the Old Testament scriptures were made much clearer in the writings of the New and when we consider elements of Paul's gospel, given him by direct instruction from the Lord, we see some wonderful examples of this. Take this feature as a case in point. When Paul wrote to the Galatians he mentioned this:  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. Gal 3:8-9 

The Scripture which foresaw this is part of the original sevenfold blessing given to Abraham when called to depart out of his country, namely Gen. 12:1-3. It is not so evident that the great truth of justification by faith through grace upon all people is contained in that blessing but the Lord knew it was so and revealed that truth to Paul. Paul's use of the promised seed in Gen. 15:5 expounded to mean Christ and those of faith is another example of truths not so evident originally but which are more fully expounded by revelation of God, see Gal. 3:16, 29; Roms. 4:13 & amp; 16. We thus realize that Paul spoke the truth when he said, very late in Acts,  that he was saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come. So in what way does the distribution of OT quotes through Romans help us determine the mystery of chapter 16?

From Roms. 1:1 through to 4:22 there are 23 OT references.
From Roms. 4:22 through to 8:35 not one OT reference can be found.
From Roms. 8:36 to 16:27 another 47 OT references.

It is difficult to accurately count the OT references as those who have attempted to do so will know that Paul will combine snippets of prophesy. Needless to say, the variance in those three sections is significant. But here is the amazing thing, Roms. 4:22 through to 8:35 which is void of OT references is about an OT character, Adam.

Adam is mentioned 18 times from Gen. 2:19 through to 5:5. He is next mentioned in Deut. 32:8, Jos. 3:16, 1Chron. 1:1 and Job 31:33. These are the only references to Adam in the Old Testament and not one of them expounds the typology; the foreshadowing of Messiah contained in him. No wonder Paul cannot refer to the OT in the matter of Adam in this regard.

In the New Testament, Luke mentions Adam in the Lord's genealogy, 3:38, Jude identifies Enoch as the 7th from Adam, 1:14, but Paul most of all writes about Adam, Roms.5:14, 1Cor. 15:14, 22, 45, 1Tim. 2:13 and 14.

To Paul alone was given the truth that Adam was a figure of Him that was to come. Paul alone writes that in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive. It is Paul who writes that Adam was a living soul but in wonderful contrast, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit or a life-giving Spirit.

Returning to Roms. 16:25-27 we remember that the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the  revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began had a goal in view.

A. Roms.16:25-27   to Him, power to stablish, my gospel,               ESTABLISH
                        preaching of Jesus Christ acc'g to revelation of mystery,
                        kept secret (silenced) since the world began,
                        but now manifested and by Scriptures of prophets,
                        commandment of everlasting God,
                        all nations for obedience of faith,                        OBEDIENCE

That goal was to stablish them and bring forth the obedience of the faith of all nations and in the section void of OT references we find two great contrasts, the disobedience of Adam and the OBEDIENCE of Christ and the resulting consequences.

Rejoicing with you in the mystery of Ephesians and Colossians.

Brian
For previous lessons in this series go to bibleunderstanding.com/pastissues.htm 

or  http://midactsdisp.blogspot.com/2013/03/new-series-on-two-mysteries-lesson-1.html

Is the church today under the "New Covenant"?

Is the church today under the "New Covenant"?

A mystery saint recently asked this of Brian Kelson and this was his response with some helpful resource links:

"In the matter of the New Covenant, a reading of Jeremiah 30-31 is a great starting scripture, just let those holy words wash over you brother, and seek the Lord's peace in understanding as you read.

You might remember my series on the New Covenant, which you can review as New Covenant Christians today on this link http://www.bibleunderstanding.com/biblestudies.htm Mr Welch's booklet The Lord's Supper on the same link is very helpful.

On this link you will find articles on Covenant, in the Alphabetical Analysis Part 1 and part 8 (check the indexes for page numbers) http://www.bibleunderstanding.com/pdfwritings.htm

On this link http://www.charleswelch.net/be.htm, Vol.17 of the Berean Expositor (check index for page number) is an article Covenant and Passover, well worth the read. On the same link in Vols.16 and 42 are articles on the Covenant of Sinai, (42 includes parts 1 & 2). On the same link in Vol.21 is an article The New Covenant Anticipated. On the same link, Vol.17 is Israel's Restoration and the New Covenant."