Thoughts on "Last Days" (Acts 1-3)

I love the bible because of its completeness, because every word is purposefully placed, and because New Testament scripture perfectly testifies to the promises of the Old Testament. In the end, I am left with the full assurance that God has fulfilled all things written in His Word and He did this through the Son Jesus Christ.

In Acts 3:18, Peter speaking to the “men of Israel” states, “But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.”

By this sentence Peter testifies that God used all the prophets to point to Christ’s sufferings and brought these prophecies to pass.

Peter goes on to say, in Acts 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...”

Peter clarifies these words in the following verses 20-21: “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 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.”

Essentially:

1. God ordained a time for the restitution of all things

2. It was prophesied in scripture (this is key)

3. It was determined from the beginning of the world

4. Christ would be sent to accomplish it  

This same event is mentioned in Acts 1 after Christ ascended into heaven. The two men standing by in white apparel say to the Apostles, “…this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven”, indicating an expectation of Christ’s return.

This same event is mentioned in Acts 2 after the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh. Peter wasted no time speaking of the “last days”, and instantly quoted Joel the prophet. Why would he use this reference at that particular time? Because Peter knew that he was living in the “last days”. Yes, God graced Peter, the lowly fisherman, with the knowledge to interpret exactly where he was in scripture. This is not by coincidence, but so that scripture could be fulfilled. From Acts 2:17-21:

And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams;

even on my male servants and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

And I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,

blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;

the sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 1,2, and 3 all agree: Christ coming = times of refreshing = restitution of all things = day of the Lord/the great and magnificent day. The Apostles at that time believed there was something more in scripture awaiting fulfillment and that their experiences after Christ’s accension were pointing to that event.

To further clarify, let’s define restitution.

From Websters 1828 Dictionary:

1. The act of returning or restoring to a person some thing or right of which he has been unjustly deprived; as the restitution of ancient rights to the crown.

The Apostles were expecting restitution after the crucifixion of a perfectly innocent Jesus Christ, based on prophetic scripture. They had clearly identified the guilty party in the crime and they continually reminded the criminals of their guilt and urged them to repent. The crucifixion of the Son of God would not simply get swept under the rug like a political scandal, nor would God have it return void.

Consider what the public sentiment might have been in the days after the crucifixion. I imagine it much like the days after the detonation of Building 7 (9/11 for the new folks); with no one really understanding what happened or why, with many searching for truth, and wondering who was actually in charge. Yet there were the high priests and rabbis, still ruling in Jerusalem, scoffing at those claiming that He would return, and their physical temple still standing unharmed. Would justice be done?

It’s not as if Christ rose from the dead and suddenly American evangelicalism filled the land and a "good old fashioned altar call" broke out. God forbid! No, there were stonings, and beatings, and men being unjustly cast into prison. And then there was Apostle Paul bargaining with new converts over the use of the law, new converts who had to reconcile their paganism with the Gospel in a post-crucifixion world. Something else had to happen to make the transition from the Old to the New Covenant, and redemptive history, complete.

The temple was the focus of scripture down to every measurement and ornament and ritual and it had tentacles throughout the old world. But God, from the foundation of the world, had it marked for annihilation in order to fully transition the Israel of God (Rom 11:26) to the permanently-affixed temple made without hands (Hebrews 9:8-11). The prophets of old testified of this and so did Jesus Christ himself in the Gospels (Matt 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 to name just a few).

And this was the purpose for Christ’s appearing again. He ascended into heaven so that the Holy Spirit would be poured out, and in like manner, He came down from heaven so that his wrath and judgement would be poured out on the world.

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Rev 6:17

As disciples of Christ, it is imperative that we believe God accomplished this, and that we are no longer awaiting restitution or refreshment for the events of the first century, but that all things were set right in Jesus Christ.

God fulfilled his purpose when he brought forth perfect truth to Creation through his only begotten Son. Jesus was crucified for our sins and for our salvation and he returned to make an end of things that waxed old (Hebrews 8:13). We must be staunch witnesses of this in our own day and agree that the truth was settled and that the blood for transgression was shed long ago.  God is with us, forever, even for ever and ever. Amen.

But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. Daniel 7:18

Because of the Hardness of Your Hearts

“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? …Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”

 — Matthew 19:3-9

“ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.”

— Matthew 1:18-19

Jesus’ teaching on divorce and re-marriage is as difficult to hear in modern times as it was for the Pharisees of old. If you look on social media at all you will find the new term “starter husband.” We have enshrined into law the concept of “no-fault divorce” which means for us in America, yes, it is “lawful” to put away our spouse for every cause or no cause whatsoever.

The incarnation narrative actually gives us the exact scenario in which Jesus says it is lawful to put away a spouse and marry someone else – fornication. Under the Mosaic law, the punishment for adultery is death for both parties: “And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”

The Annunciation Artemesia Gentileschi

However, also under the Mosaic law, there can be no capital punishment without two or three witnesses to establish the matter (Deuteronomy 17:6). That is why there exists the law of jealousy (Numbers 5:12-31) and the bill of divorcement:

“When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.” Deuteronomy 24:1-2

Because there is a clear protocol in the Law for both proven and suspected adultery, the uncleanness spoken of here cannot possibly mean actual fornication or adultery. The aim of this ordinance is to protect women, who have no legal means to acquire income and property, from ungodly, unregenerate men. Permitting women to be divorced and re-married is only allowed to limit the number of beggars and prostitutes in Old Covenant Israel. That is what Jesus means by, “because of the hardness of your hearts” Moses suffered you to put them away...

Now in the case of Joseph we see both the power of regeneration on the human heart and the historical accuracy of the Bible. Mary, being espoused to Joseph, was considered covenantally married to Joseph already, and the scripture refers to Joseph as her husband in Matthew 1:19.

Ordinarily, if a betrothed woman was found pregnant who had not yet performed the wedding ceremony and gone to her husband’s home, it would be clear evidence of adultery. Adultery was a capital offense under the Mosaic law, but the Pharisees were not permitted to put anyone to death without Roman judicial process (John 18:31) Luke 2:1 tells us that Joseph and Mary were living under the rule of Caesar Augustus, who brought in economic and social reforms to encourage marriage and family-making. Adultery was a crime under Roman law, the punishment for women being divorce, fines, and “demotion in social status” — which fits perfectly with what the scripture calls, “a public example.”

But notice what the scripture says about Joseph. “being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example.” A just man is one who has been justified by God and who has been converted. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy1. Jesus is very clear throughout the gospels that forgiven people must forgive one another (Matthew 18:22-35, Matthew 5:17). So while Joseph had the legal right to exact greater punishment against Mary, his regenerated heart eschews it, and by God’s intercession for her he becomes the adoptive father of the Lord.

God likens Israel’s rampant idolatry in the Old Testament to adultery, and yet he does not put away His elect. Yes divorce is allowed in the case of adultery, but it isn’t commanded. Christians should fight for their marriages and if divorce is the only option, then it is clear that we should still be merciful to one another when it pertains to things like alimony and child custody. Lest anyone accuse me of legalism, let’s also end on the words of Paul,

“And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband. But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.”

— 1st Corinthians 7:11-12

Scriptures

1Matt 5:17

His Commandments Are Not Grievous

“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him,

and he will shew them his covenant.” — Ps 25:14

“Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us,

and not unto the world?” — John 14:22

The “apostle of love” writes that to love God is to keep His commandments, and his commandments are not grievous.[1]

But to someone who has not been born from above, His commandments are very grievous!

You tell someone like my former self who was raised in a liberal, “sex-positive,” feminist environment from cradle to career, who has been indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, [2] and whose every imagination is only evil continually, [3] that they NOW must be holy as He is holy, [4] and they will tell you that they would prefer to go to hell. They would prefer separation from God because their identity is so bound up in their sin that they cannot imagine life without it. It is as grievous for a fornicator to flee fornication5 as it is for a drug addict to go cold turkey.

It is the supreme privilege of the Christian to say I delight to do thy will, O my god.6 The delight in holiness stems from a new heart. [7] We are new creatures [8], created in righteousness and true holiness [9].

Surely, every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God...10 that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [11] Surely, the devils also believe, and tremble. [12] Surely, the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen...so that they are without excuse [13].

The devils believe, and the lost understand that there is a God, but they do not delight to do his will because they do not have the heart to do so.

Jesus answers Judas’ question in John 14:22 by saying that the one who loves Him will keep his words, and the one who does not love Him, will not.

Faith, belief, trust, hope, repentance from sin, love for the people of God. These things are not meritorious works that we must do to be saved. These things are evidence of salvation.

The only righteousness that God accepts is the righteousness that He Himself supplies.

Selah.

Scriptures and Sources:

1 1John 5:3

James Tissot — Saint Peter and Saint John Run to the Sepulchre (public domain)

2Eph 2:3

3Gen 6:5

4Lev 11:45

51 Cor 6:18

6Ps 40:8

7Ezk 36:26

82ndCor 5:17

9Eph 4:24

10Rom 14:11

11Phil 2:10-11

12James 2:19

13Rom 1:20