Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
In my Christian experience, I’ve noticed a trend, possibly one that predates my existence, that Christians assume all scripture is written not only for them, but to them. Therefore, they hold a position that allows them to claim every Biblical promise as their own. However, this has come at a cost. By claiming these promises, it means they have to address some Biblical verses or passages that are difficult to assimilate into their doctrine.
Verses like Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” and Acts 2:38 “Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins…” are completely avoided in sermons and Sunday school lessons, at least in Baptist churches. In fact, when’s the last time you heard a doctrinal study about the parable of the Good Samaritan? Furthermore, when’s the last time you heard a doctrinal study about the mysteries of the Kingdom in Matthew 13?
Unfortunately, these tasks are rarely undertaken. I believe the reason for this is because an honest study of these passages would cause serious question to one’s own (Baptist) theology. Therefore, to be fair and honest with the Word of God, we should let the Bible say what it means, rather than us telling it what it means. To accomplish this it will require two things. Firstly, we must put aside any denominational influence on our thinking; and secondly, we must be open to change our position should the Word of God direct us to do so. Remember, at the judgment seat of Christ, we all will give an account of things done in our body whether it was good or bad (II Corinthians 5:10). On that day, one’s denomination won’t matter any more, but how one dealt with the Word of God will.
Verses like Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” and Acts 2:38 “Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins…” are completely avoided in sermons and Sunday school lessons, at least in Baptist churches. In fact, when’s the last time you heard a doctrinal study about the parable of the Good Samaritan? Furthermore, when’s the last time you heard a doctrinal study about the mysteries of the Kingdom in Matthew 13?
Unfortunately, these tasks are rarely undertaken. I believe the reason for this is because an honest study of these passages would cause serious question to one’s own (Baptist) theology. Therefore, to be fair and honest with the Word of God, we should let the Bible say what it means, rather than us telling it what it means. To accomplish this it will require two things. Firstly, we must put aside any denominational influence on our thinking; and secondly, we must be open to change our position should the Word of God direct us to do so. Remember, at the judgment seat of Christ, we all will give an account of things done in our body whether it was good or bad (II Corinthians 5:10). On that day, one’s denomination won’t matter any more, but how one dealt with the Word of God will.
To fully understand the New Testament (and I mean that in its Biblical sense: after the death of Christ), one must fully understand the Old Testament. However, before we look at the Old Testament, we must fully understand the book of Genesis and the first 18 chapters of the book of Exodus. Remember, the Old Testament is the Law and the Law didn’t start until Exodus 20. (II Corinthians 3)
“In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis chapter 1 introduces us to the Creation account as given by Moses. After God creates a perfect world, He creates man—the only creation formed in the image and likeness of God. Man was created in perfection, but his perpetual perfection was solely dependent upon him. God gave man one simple rule—don’t touch the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Should man follow this one rule, perfection would be a way of life. However, we don’t have to get any farther in the book of Genesis than chapter 3 to find out man couldn’t even obey that rule. Sin entered the world through rebellion and to borrow from John Milton, man now lived in a state of “Paradise Lost.” Sins degradation trickled down through the generations until the days of Noah when God destroyed the earth with a great flood because of man’s wickedness. After this judgment, God brings Noah and his family out into a new world and then makes a covenant with Noah to never destroy the earth with water again (Genesis 9). As a sign of this covenant, God set a rainbow in the sky as a continual reminder to the world of His promise. As the generations progressed, we are introduced to a man called Abram. In Genesis 12, we read, Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. God’s plan for Abram is to establish a land and a great nation through his name. Verse 5 tells us that this was the land of Canaan. God promises that this land is given unto Abram’s seed. In chapter 15 of Genesis, Abram is told that his seed would be as the stars of heaven. However, God needed to prove Abram’s seed. He tells Abram that his seed would become strangers in a land that was not theirs and they should serve them and be afflicted 400 years. Abram prepares some animals which he has cut in half and made an aisle with. He and God were to walk down that aisle while interlocking arms. This action would seal the covenant between them and picture that should one default on the covenant, one would be cut in half just like the animals. God knew Abram couldn’t keep the covenant, despite Abram’s continual faithfulness. Therefore, God caused a great sleep to fall upon Abram and God Himself walked down that aisle. God conditioned the covenant upon Himself, which made it unconditional to Abram. This is the first unconditional promised made regarding the seed of Abram.
Genesis 17 records the next great even in Abram’s life, the birth of his true son, Isaac. In this chapter, Abram’s name is changed to Abraham. God furthers his covenant with Abraham, And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. Therefore, to be associated with this covenant, God gave a sign that on the eighth day of life, an infant male was to be circumcised. Abraham and his wife, Sarah, have a son named Isaac. God tells Abraham that he will continue his covenant through Isaac (Genesis 17:19-21). Then, in Genesis 21:3, Isaac is circumcised the eighth day. In Genesis 22, we have the offering of Isaac. God sees Abraham’s tremendous faith and provides a ram to be sacrificed instead of Isaac. Because of his faithfulness, God now promised that Abraham’s seed would not only be as the stars of heaven, but as the sand of the seashore. Isaac would later have two sons, Jacob and Esau. Through a bit of trickery, Jacob stole the birthright from Esau and convinced Isaac to pass the blessing (the covenant promise) to him. In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestled with the Lord and his name was changed to Israel. Israel had a son whose name was Joseph. Joseph had twelve brothers who became the twelve tribes of Israel. Fulfilling His promise, God, at the end of Joseph’s life, sent the nation of Israel into captivity under the Egyptians. We see one of the great truths of God displayed. God must bring someone to the point that they can only rely on Him before He can build them up and make them great. God sent Israel into 400 years of bondage before He could bring them into Canaan and make them a great nation. To accomplish this, God used a man by the name of Moses. Moses met with God at the burning bush and defined Himself as I AM. Moses went before Pharaoh to demand the release of his people. Pharaoh was reluctant. Nine plagues befell Egypt from God by the hand of Moses. Pharaoh continued to ignore it. Therefore, God sent one more plague: that when the death angel passed, all the first born sons in the land of Egypt would be killed. Therefore, to ensure that the followers of God would be saved, God instructed Moses to tell the people to put the blood of a sheep on the door posts of their houses; that when the death angel came, it would pass over them. As long as the blood was applied, they were saved. How great it is to know that this side of Calvary, I’m saved through the blood of Jesus Christ, which the Apostle Paul says, is “our Passover” (I Corinthians 5:7).
God miraculously led the Israelites across the Red Sea and in Exodus chapter 19, God spelled out his plan for Israel. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. Notice, unlike the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant, this promise of God is conditional. Therefore, we can conclude that any establishment of a kingdom is determined upon Israel’s choices to God’s revelation. In these verses, we can also understand what it takes to be a kingdom. There must a king (God), there must be a people to be ruled (Israel) and there must be a land to rule over (Canaan). However, notice that before we can entertain the idea of enjoying a kingdom, we must do a couple of things first (as verse 5 stated). Therefore, in order to have a standard of righteousness to live by, God gave the Jews, the Law; beginning with the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20 and thus beginning the Old Testament. He defines why He is giving the Law in Exodus 20:20, And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. Note the phrases “to prove you” and “that ye sin not.” These phrases are important in understanding the context of the Law. Many Christians believe that Old Testament saints were saved by keeping the Law. They justify this by saying the sacrifices made for the atonement for sin supplied salvation, but as long as one continued in them. Now, if this is true, then there are a few problems. One, the context of the Law is not salvation but personal obedience to God, interactions with fellow humans, etc. Two, it completely destroys the meaning of the Passover. Three, in Joshua chapter 4, God says there are two memorials to Israel, one is the Passover, and two is the crossing of the Jordan River into Canaan. If the Law represented salvation, why wouldn’t God want Israel to memorialize it?
Moses and the Israelites are on the threshold of Canaan but fail to seize the land. Therefore, they are left to wander in the wilderness for 38 more years. Then, at the closing of Deuteronomy, Moses stands up and gives one of the most important prophecies concerning Israel. Deuteronomy 30, 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, 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; 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. 4If 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: 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. And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and they heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
Moses died and Joshua assumed command and led Israel into Canaan. God, as King, ruled through Judges over Israel. However, Israel began to demand a king like the rest of the nations around them. I Samuel 8:5 says, that Israel demanded such a king. Temporarily, the Theocratic Kingdom ends. Israel dethrones God and God gives them a king just like the rest of the nations, King Saul. This brief moment of darkness in Israel’s history is quickly illuminated by Saul’s successor, King David.
God extends an unconditional promise by the mouth of the prophet Nathan unto David and to his lineage. In II Samuel chapter 7, God promises to establish His kingdom through the seed of David. The throne of His kingdom is everlasting. God said, I will be his father, and he shall be my son. Furthermore, the kingdom and lineage of David shall be established forever. However, Israel didn’t continue down a path that was pleasing to God. After King Solomon, Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom was Israel and the southern kingdom was Judah. About 320 years after the split, the Empire of Babylon, led by King Nebuchadnezzar, takes Judah captive. The northern kingdom of Israel faired much worse. Only about 185 years after the split are they led into captivity by the Assyrian Empire. Upon this captivity, the prophet Hosea stood up and declared God’s disgust for Israel. God wrote Israel a bill of divorcement (Jeremiah 3) and likened Israel unto a whorish wife. God, as the husband, felt the pain an unfaithful wife brings. However, later in the book, God promised a future restoration of Israel. In Chapter 2 of Hosea, God said, Say ye unto your brethren…Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband. God wanted the children of Israel to plead with the head(s) of Israel (the Nation’s rulers) that they should, essentially, repent. God said He is going to condition this “restorational” covenant upon Himself in the same fashion He made it with Abraham (Hosea 2:18). Israel’s future was secure. Let us stop and make note that Chapter 1 of Hosea speaks of a child who's name means "a people who are not my people shall be my people." Those that reject the dispensational truths of scripture will say this is a prophetic view of the Gentiles becoming the people of God. However, remember that God divorced Israel - therefore any children born after that divorce wouldn't be God's children. But, when God restores Israel, then naturally a people (who were once not his people due to divorce) will become God's people (due to God remarrying Israel in the Kingdom.)
During the Babylonian captivity, God spoke through the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel. Daniel spoke of the 4 world empires, or kingdoms, of the earth from that point and into the future. After he wrote of these kingdoms, Daniel says, And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left unto other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Daniel looks at the King of this kingdom and describes Him. I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. (Daniel 7:9-10) And then Daniel says, And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14) Even in the darkest hour of captivity, Daniel gave a word of comfort to his people, the Jews. In fact, Daniel went a step further and began to number the time. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks, shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself, and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end therefore shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Now, most modern day Christians get all excited about Daniel’s 70 weeks (e.g. Jack van Impe). Let’s remember a few things in this passage and we’ll see that Daniel’s 70 weeks have nothing to do with Christians. Notice how these verses begin. These 70 weeks are determined upon “thy people” (Jews) and upon “thy holy city” (Jerusalem). The timing given is predicated upon Jewish events: the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem to Messiah the Prince. You might contest that the Messiah is certainly a reference to the redeemer Christians worship. And, yes, that’s true. However, we must put ourselves in the time of the prophecy. The term Messiah is used to recognize the redeemer of Israel. Never once did a Gentile look forward to a coming Messiah. The term Messiah would mean nothing to them. Isaiah prophesies, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order it… Unto whom? To whom was Isaiah prophesying to? Israel! Even the Apostle Paul states very clearly in Galatians 4 that Christ came to redeem them that were under the law. Were Gentiles ever under the Law? No. The Mosaic Law was Jewish.
Now, most modern day Christians get all excited about Daniel’s 70 weeks (e.g. Jack van Impe). Let’s remember a few things in this passage and we’ll see that Daniel’s 70 weeks have nothing to do with Christians. Notice how these verses begin. These 70 weeks are determined upon “thy people” (Jews) and upon “thy holy city” (Jerusalem). The timing given is predicated upon Jewish events: the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem to Messiah the Prince. You might contest that the Messiah is certainly a reference to the redeemer Christians worship. And, yes, that’s true. However, we must put ourselves in the time of the prophecy. The term Messiah is used to recognize the redeemer of Israel. Never once did a Gentile look forward to a coming Messiah. The term Messiah would mean nothing to them. Isaiah prophesies, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order it… Unto whom? To whom was Isaiah prophesying to? Israel! Even the Apostle Paul states very clearly in Galatians 4 that Christ came to redeem them that were under the law. Were Gentiles ever under the Law? No. The Mosaic Law was Jewish.
God is beginning to get the kingdom plan in action. Isaiah says of this kingdom, They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day, there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign to the people, to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious. As an Old Testament Jew, these prophecies would have been a comfort and reason to shout with excitement.
Let’s stop for a second and consider something. So far, we’ve recounted much of Israel’s general history. To this point it is important to note that God’s plan is to establish Israel as a kingdom unto Himself. Any types or pictures of Christ in the Old Testament were not understood nor could they be understood until the anti-type was revealed, which was Jesus Christ. So, the idea that we find pictures of salvation in the Old Testament and that the saints of those days looked to those pictures for their salvation is blatantly incorrect. No Jew was looking forward to a Christ and a cross for salvation. If they were, why did they keep making the sacrifices for sin? Why not just rest in the completed work of Christ? Jews were looking and longing for this promised kingdom—and it is through the belief in this revelation that a Jew received salvation. Remember Abraham. Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Believed what? Believed in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord? No. He believed that God would do what He promised in the covenant He made with him.
This establishes an important truth about salvation. Salvation is always predicated upon the belief in the current revelation of God. God manifested Himself differently to Abraham than He did to Moses and than He did to Israel through Jesus Christ. Man’s salvation rests in his acceptance of that revelation. Remember in Luke when Jesus tells His disciples that He’s going to die, the disciples have no idea what He’s talking about – but yet, it is the Gospel they believed?! Salvation is through faith, period. However, the object of that faith has certainly changed throughout scripture. (i.e. In Moses’ day, it was the Passover; in Jesus Christ’s day, it was acceptance of the Gospel of the Kingdom; in our day, it is acceptance of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.)
This establishes an important truth about salvation. Salvation is always predicated upon the belief in the current revelation of God. God manifested Himself differently to Abraham than He did to Moses and than He did to Israel through Jesus Christ. Man’s salvation rests in his acceptance of that revelation. Remember in Luke when Jesus tells His disciples that He’s going to die, the disciples have no idea what He’s talking about – but yet, it is the Gospel they believed?! Salvation is through faith, period. However, the object of that faith has certainly changed throughout scripture. (i.e. In Moses’ day, it was the Passover; in Jesus Christ’s day, it was acceptance of the Gospel of the Kingdom; in our day, it is acceptance of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.)
The book of Malachi closes and there is 400 years of silence from heaven. Israel, now back in the land and occupying Jerusalem and anticipating the promises of the kingdom, are ready for God to reveal the next phase in the kingdom program. After 400 years, out in the wilderness of Judea, John the Baptist stands up and preaches, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Why repent? Remember, the kingdom was always conditioned upon Israel keeping the laws and statutes of God (Exodus 19). John is telling the Jews to turn back to God because the kingdom is being announced. As a demonstration of acceptance of this message, John is baptizing, with water, the repentant Jews. This is also required for the kingdom. Remember that God promised to make them a kingdom of priests. This baptism was a Levitical washing to bring upon them the priesthood position. Without this baptism, a kingdom of priests would be impossible. Therefore, under the Gospel of the Kingdom, baptism in water was required in salvation. (Note Luke 7:29-30 - what is it that justifies one or not before God?)
Let’s take another side road and look at baptism. Baptism is a transliterated word; meaning we didn’t translate it into English, we took the word and “Englishized” it. Baptism comes from 4 different words (baptisma, baptismos, baptistes, and baptizo). Baptisma is a noun and refers to the process of immersion. Keep in mind, water isn’t the only substance by which one can be immersed. So, when you read about baptism, do not automatically think of being put into water. Baptismos is a noun which refers to ceremonial washing of articles (i.e. the Levitical washings under the Law). Baptistes is the noun used to describe one who baptizes, but in the Bible, it is only used of John the Baptist. Baptizo is a verb that refers to dipping, either in dying clothing or drawing water by the act of dipping a vessel into another vessel.
Jesus Christ shows up to be baptized by John then was John abled to identify Him as the Messiah and baptize Him to establish Him as the High Priest to Israel. However, before Jesus could even start His ministry, He had to take care of someone else who had a different kingdom program. Jesus met Satan and overcame his temptation and could then enter His ministry. The very first thing Jesus preached was Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Notice that Jesus was advancing the kingdom message and notice He didn’t say to “Believe on me, the guy that’s going to die for your sins.”
Therefore, what do we need to understand about this kingdom message, this Gospel of the Kingdom? Firstly, we must understand the realm of time to a Jew. A Jew considers two ages: the age he’s living in now and the age to come. (Matthew 12:32) In this age to come, it is a time of blessing and peace--the Messiah is reining, physically on the earth. It is the time the Old Testament points to and the time every Jew longed for. Secondly, we must understand that this Gospel of the Kingdom is the proclamation of the kingdom to national Israel. Remember Jesus told His followers in Matthew 23:2 that the Pharisees (the representatives and keepers of Israel – note the parable in Matthew 21 of the vineyard (Israel – Isaiah 5) and the husbandman) sit in Moses seat and He commands His followers to obey the Pharisees. Thirdly, the kingdom message is to be accompanied by signs, miracles, and wonders (Mark 16:15-18). Finally, the Gospel of the Kingdom is to be given to one group of people—Israel. Matthew 10:5-8 says, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. This Gospel message was meant for one group of people. When Jesus said He is come to seek and to save that which was lost, He is referring to Israel. Even in Mark 4, Jesus explains why He teaches in parables and He says that this is to conceal salvation to the Gentiles. Jesus wanted to hide salvation from the Gentiles?! Why is this? God, through redeemed Israel, was going to evangelize the world. John 4:22 says that salvation is of the Jew. In the kingdom program, God cannot deal with the rest of the world until Israel has accepted the message. Notice the signs that accompany this gospel. Who are the signs for according to I Corinthians 1:22? The signs are for the Jew! Jesus is advancing the kingdom message. Jews are repenting and “getting into the kingdom” but the rulers of Israel remain unrepentant. The rulers of Israel ask Jesus for a sign that He is the Messiah. Jesus tells them that He’s given all the signs He can give except one—the great sign of the resurrection. (Matthew 12:40)
Jesus, knowing that national Israel will not repent, announces He must go to the cross. (Again, if people were looking forward to the corss for salvation, why does Jesus have to announce it?) When the disciples hear this, they are in utter disbelief and had no idea what He was talking about. (This proves if the kingdom gospel and the gospel we are charged with proclaiming are the same, that the disciples had no idea what gospel they were spreading). Before Jesus is put to death, He is brought before Pilate. Pilate asks Him in John 18, Art thou a king then? Jesus responds that the reason He was born and the reason He is going to die is for that purpose—to be a king. Which is why Paul says in Galatians 4, But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. The Son of God came to redeem them that were under the law (Jews) that we (Gentiles) might receive the adoption of sons. Someone who is adopted is someone who is received by the adopter to be their own; who was not their own. In human experience, adoption happens to those who are not of immediate blood relation. However, with God, the blood of Christ makes us blood relation – which demonstrates the overwhelming power of His blood. The method of adoption is pure grace to the individual. God, in pure grace, adopted us as sons and “signed the paperwork” with Christ’s blood.
After the resurrection, Jesus teaches His disciples for 40 days of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. (Acts 1). Then the question is asked that is the key verse to the book of Acts when the disciples ask Him, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? (emphasis mine) We get to Acts 2, the day of Pentecost. Peter stands up and preaches to a Jewish audience (Ye men of Israel) and tells them that they killed their Messiah. The citizens of Israel ask What shall we do? (Acts 2:36-37). Peter tells them to repent (same message as John the Baptist) and to be baptized (same method as John the Baptist). Nowhere in his message is one peep about the blood atonement of Jesus Christ. The message is still a call for national Israel to repent and to therefore, usher in the kingdom. Notice also that on the day of Pentecost, miraculous signs accompany this kingdom message. In Acts 3, Peter heals a lame man (another sign) and then goes into the temple and proclaims that God will send Jesus Christ back right now to begin the restitution of all things if they repent. (Acts 3:19-21) We know they didn’t repent and there is one final message of the offering of the kingdom to the Jews of the homeland and it is found in Acts 7 given by Stephen. Stephen lays into the ruling counsel and preaches a sermon of repentance. However, the ruling counsel drags Stephen outside of the city and begin to stone him. It is at this point that Stephen looks up into heaven and sees the Son of Man standing. Why is this important? What happens in Revelation 19 when the heavens are opened? Jesus comes back. Everywhere else in the Bible, Jesus is sitting down in heaven – Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; I Peter 3:22 and the countless references contained in Revelation. Jesus was standing, ready to come back and set up His kingdom. Notice Stephen calls Him the Son of Man—Jesus’ Messianic title. All of these actions fulfill the prophetic parable at the beginning of Matthew 22. God promised to burn up the city upon the rejection of His message. In 70 A.D., Jerusalem was burned to the ground by the Roman armies under General Titus.
Upon their rejection in Acts 7, God begins to set Israel aside and bring in a new gospel and a new program. The new gospel is the Gospel of the Grace of God and the new program is the Church—a mystery hidden in the ages, but revealed by the Apostle Paul. (Ephesians 5:30-32) Paul writes in his epistles that God has now offering salvation to whosoever will. There is no difference anymore between Jew and Gentile because all saved are seen as the Body of Christ—the “new creature” spoken of in II Corinthians 5:17. Paul tells us that the gospel by which we are saved is the good news of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Christ’s death paid for sins (in type, Passover). Christ’s burial put away sins (in type Sarah’s sepulcher and the Feast of the Unleavened bread). Christ’s resurrection proved power over sin (in type The Feast of the First Fruits). Paul sums it up best in Ephesians 2:11-22: Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Therefore, by this, we should be able to define what the Gospel of the Grace of God is. Number one, as Paul points out in the book of Romans, we must understand we are unrighteous before God. This isn’t admitting to being a sinner. Admitting you are a sinner isn’t enough. You must admit you are unrighteous before God. (Romans 3; II Corinthians 6:14 cf.) Secondly, believe on the name of Jesus—for his death to be efficacious, you must know Jesus, not only that He was the Son of God, but that He died for you. Thirdly, you must accept Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient work for your salvation. (I Corinthians 15:1-10) This isn’t asking Jesus into your heart or making Him your personal savior – these concepts are taught no where but behind pulpits. That’s it. Salvation is just that simple.
Hopefully we’ve seen the true ministry of Jesus Christ and understand that what the 4 gospels present is a chance for Israel to accept the kingdom message and to understand that to properly read scripture, we must always know who the audience is. Remember, all scripture is written for us, but not all scripture is written to us.
