Matthew Defining The Kingdom Part 4

We’ve established, hopefully beyond doubt, that there is most definitely a coming Kingdom on earth that’ll be ruled by none other than Christ Himself, The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

That Kingdom is a long term unbreakable promise of God and as such it must and will happen.

Last time we left off in Acts 2 verse 5 where we saw that after Our Lord had ascended back into Glory, It was a Jewish feast day, the Feast of Pentecost; and Jews have gathered from every nation in the then known world to come to the Temple for the Feast, as they did for all the feasts throughout the year.  There’s a mass meeting of Jews from every nation at this Feast of Pentecost.

Acts 2:5,

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 

We saw that these were devout men, devout about what?

They’re devout about the Law. They’re keeping the Temple worship, the sacrifices, all that was Judaism, and we noted that they’re from every nation under heaven.

They were from India and Persia, which is present day Iran, and from present day Arabia and present day Iraq, which were Babylon and Syria and Egypt and North Africa.

They’d gathered from every part of the then known world for this Feast of Pentecost and they’re all Jews.

 

Now let’s continue at Acts 2:6

And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 

First, what sound occurred?

It was the sound as described in verse 2 of this chapter,

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of (or like) a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 

As a side note we’re not going to study this at this moment because it’s a large study by itself. For the purpose of what we’re trying to understand, which is the Body of Christ and its relationship to the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven.

Here’ verse 6 again,

And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 

You see whatever region these people came from, whether it was North Africa or India or Persia, wherever, they heard them speak in his own language.

Now, I’m sure that for all of us that’s very plain and easy to understand.

In other words, if they were from Syria, they heard it in the local language of the Syrians.

The Jews had been there now for generations, and the second, third, and fourth generation started speaking the local languages and had largely forgotten their Hebrew.  I’m sure many would’ve remembered a ceremonial type version of the ancient Hebrew but generally, if they came from Turkey, they were speaking the Turkish language and so on.  Every Jew gathered there in that Pentecostal crowd was hearing the Apostles, especially Peter, James, and John, speak in their own language.

 

Acts 2:7

Then they were all amazed and marvelled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 

In other words, they’re asking themselves how come all these speakers are Galileans and yet they’re speaking to us in our own languages?

Now notice, are there any Gentiles involved?  No, not one. There’s not a Gentile in the place.

The people who were present were Torah-keeping, Law-abiding Jewish people from every nation under heaven.

It’s a totally Jewish feast, and we shouldn’t forget that.

 

Now we come down to verse 22 where Peter says,

Men of Israel, (That’s Jews.) hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 

And then he goes through who Jesus was and what had happened and how God had raised Him up, and in verse 30 that His destiny was still to sit on David’s throne in this glorious kingdom that’s been promised through the Old Testament.

 

So, all through these early chapters we’re seeing that we’re in a pivotal part of Scripture.

We’re moving from Israel under the Law and Judaism to the beginning of the Church.

However, and it’s a big however, It’s still a Church made up of Jews. Verse 41 tells us that 3,00 souls were added to the number of believers that very day and verse 47 tells us that the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

 

Now there may have been the odd Gentile included in these vast numbers who were being saved and added to the church, but we’re not told of any here. But we are told time and again that the people involved were Jews.

 

We’re now moving to the place where the Apostle Paul comes on the scene and is sent by Jesus Himself to the Gentile world because of Israel’s rejection.

 

We move to Acts chapter 3 and Peter’s again preaching to the Nation of Israel.

Peter and John had just healed a lame man there at the Temple and the Jews are all greatly amazed, and the deeper meaning is that they were utterly astounded.  Where did these blokes get the power to heal this guy who’s been lame for 40 years?

This is just two months after Jesus probably performed His last miracle, and the people can’t figure it out.  “How did you do this”? they ask.

 

In Verse 12 and 13, Peter saw this astonishment and amazement of the people and we read,

So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, (again, how many Gentiles are in that statement?  Not one.) why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 

 

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers.

Did that mean anything to the average Gentile?  No, nothing! But to a Jew? Everything!

 

Now remember we’re trying to establish how we as Gentiles and as the Body of Christ fit into God’s eternal plan.

 

Now Acts 3:13 to 15,

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 

But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 

 

Now, let’s look closely.  Peter never associates the salvation of these Jews on that finished work of the cross.

All Peter is showing here is the one that they demanded be put to death is alive and can still fulfill the promises.

A dead man can’t rule as a king. But He’s not dead. The tomb is empty! He’s alive. And Peter’s proving that.  He can still be the King.

 

Now, what did Israel have to do?  Well, nothing has changed so far as the Nation is concerned.

Let’s drop down to verse 19.  Notice the first word?

 

Acts 3:19

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. 

How did John the Baptist start his ministry?  Repent.  Nothing’s changed.

Repent therefore and be converted or have a change of mind concerning who?  Jesus of Nazareth.  That’s the problem. That’s what these Jews are to repent of now. They need to repent, change their minds of the killing and the rejection the Promised Messiah.

 

What’s the times of refreshing?  The King and His Kingdom!  Heaven on earth.

Refreshing is a calming sort of word and that’s what he says.  They could have it all if they would just confess and repent of the sin of having rejected their Messiah.

Now, we look at verse 20 to clarify this.  What would God do if Israel would repent?

 

Acts 3:20

and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 

So He, God, may send Jesus Christ, the same one of the earthly ministry just ended who was before preached to you, To be the king.

But now there’s a period of time that has to be fulfilled from the Old Testament prophecies before the King can come again.  And what time is that?  Tribulation. Seven years of horror must now come. We can’t skip them.  And this is what the next verse says, Acts 3:21,

whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 

The Whom is the same Jesus Christ the heaven must receive, or hold, as Psalms 110 said,

The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” 

 

So, heaven must hold Him until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Well, what’s the time of restitution? After the seven years of the horrors of the Tribulation and all the destruction and terror has happened and this old planet is reduced to ashes, will come a glorious new planet—like the Garden of Eden again.

 

Then he goes on to say, now remember, this is all the Old Testament promises being rehearsed before the Nation of Israel, Acts 3:22,

For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN. HIM YOU SHALL HEAR IN ALL THINGS, WHATEVER HE SAYS TO YOU. 

You see, He will be a fellow Jew, as Jesus was, of course. Like me; (In other words, as Moses was a deliverer, so Christ at His Second Coming will be a deliverer. HIM YOU SHALL HEAR IN ALL THINGS, WHATEVER HE SAYS TO YOU.  Because He’s going to be your king.”

 

Acts 3:23

AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERY SOUL WHO WILL NOT HEAR THAT PROPHET SHALL BE UTTERLY DESTROYED FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE.’ 

This is because there’re no unbelievers going into the Kingdom.  None, they’ll be removed.

And Jesus made that so plain in His earthly ministry that they’ll go to their perdition or their damnation or condemnation, and the believers will go into the Kingdom.

 

Acts 3:24

Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 

All the prophets were foretelling to Israel the coming of this glorious Kingdom.

But now, before the Kingdom can come, the wrath of God must precede it.

 

Acts 3:25

You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’ 

Now again who’s Peter talking to?

Jews.  No Gentiles here.

Who did God make the covenant with? Abraham! This all started with Abraham and the appearance of the Nation of Israel.

Then, again to Abraham, God says AND IN YOUR SEED (That is in the offspring of Abraham.) ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.

Here we see just one little glimpse, just a tiny part of all that this Book, The Bible is about, we see us, all the families of the earth being blessed in the Seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ.

This Book came from the offspring of Abraham.  That’s part of what he’s talking about.

Where would this world be without this Book?  It’s bad enough as it is, but how much worse would it be without this Book.

This is where we draw all our comfort, and it all came by the prophets and the coming of the Nation of Israel, whom God used to give us the printed Word.

 

Then, in Acts 3:26

To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” 

To you first (the Nation of Israel with all of their promises, with all of their written Scriptures) God, having raised up his Servant, or Son, Jesus.

Now remember what the “raised up” meant.

He was raised from the dead.  He’s no longer dead. He’s alive and well. He sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”  But did Israel turn?  No!

Now we’re moving to Acts chapter 7, where Stephen’s addressing the high priest and some of the other religious leaders of Israel.

This is Israel’s last opportunity to repent of having killed their Messiah and to finally recognise Him for What and Who He was.

So, Stephen lays it all out on the line throughout chapter 7.

And if there’s any doubt that He’s talking to Jews we just need to look at verse 51.

He’s winding up his message, a message that’s all Holy Spirit inspired, it’s all God’s Word.

Stephen says to these religious leaders in Acts 7:51-52,

“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 

Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 

 

See, this lot were circumcised in the flesh but not in the heart which is the true circumcision according to Paul in Romans 2:29.

In other words, all the way through Israel’s history when the prophets would come and warn them of the chastisement to come and the blessings that could follow, what would they do?  They’d kill the messenger—over and over again it happened.

Stephen’s reminding them of that.

 

Is this the message that you hear given today?  You killed the Messiah.  Repent of it.  No.  But for Israel, that was their dilemma.

In unbelief they’d rejected their Messiah and killed Him. That’s what they were guilty of. For you and me, it’s the other side of the coin – He loved us and died for us.

That’s the big difference.

Now in Acts 7:53-54 Stephen continues,

who have received the law (So you know he’s talking to Jews.) by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” 

When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 

They were convicted.  But they didn’t respond the way they should have. They should have responded in repentance and sorrow for what they’d done, but instead they even rejected Stephen, the messenger, just as always, and they’re now going to put him to death.

 

Acts 7:55

But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

Now, every other Scripture says He’s seated; He’s sitting. Why here is He standing?

Well, these old priests of Israel knew scripture and they knew the Psalms especially Psalms 68.

As soon as Stephen said, I see Him standing, they related to this Psalm.  And it infuriated them, and it may have scared them at the same time.

 

Let’s look at it. Psalms 68:1

Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him. 

What were these priests of Israel?  Enemies!  They hated Him. Let them also that hate him flee before him.

Verse 2.

As smoke is driven away, So drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God. 

Did that sound lovely to these Jews?  No way. Their anger was simply stirred all the more, and that caused them then to cry out.

 

Now to Acts 7:57-58,

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, (see, they didn’t want to hear another word like that.) and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 

Let’s highlight that name, Saul.  He’s the next player on this stage, this soon to be, new Apostle. who’ll later be called Paul.

 

Acts 7:59-60

And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 

Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. He died physically.

This really is the last Hurrah of Israel’s rejection. They’re stating in no uncertain terms, “We will not have Jesus of Nazareth as our Messiah and King!”

 

Now go into chapter 8.  And again, here’s where we see Saul’s name coming to the top.

 

Now we move to Acts 8:1,

Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Now we need to notice something important.

The church stated here is the church at Jerusalem and it’s a Jewish church as all the churches were at this time. These churches are at this time made up of Jewish believers who had believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah. There’s no Gentiles amongst them. Oh, there may have been the odd one here and there but generally these congregations were made up of Jews.

Why do we always take pains to point out the separation between Jew and gentile?

Because it’s vital to our understanding of where and how we as Gentiles fit into the church.

This was the church composed of believing Jews who’d embraced Jesus as the Messiah.  They formed the local Jerusalem Jewish church starting on the Day of Pentecost.

They’re law-keeping Jews, but they are Messianic Jews.  They’re not Paul’s Gentiles, and we need to be aware of that or we’ll keep getting confused.

This Jerusalem church was under great persecution by Saul and the rest of the Jerusalem priesthood.

 

Let’s take a moment to understand these Jewish believers who in spite of this persecution from Saul and the Jewish elders, firmly stood on their belief that Jesus was in fact the Messiah.

They would have recognised all the fulfilled prophecy associated with His coming, all the promises God had made about Him. They understood that only God could have caused the many thousands of miraculous events that had occurred.

They would’ve either been eyewitnesses to all the events surrounding Jesus’s life, death, burial, and resurrection, or heard from eyewitnesses.

Everyone knew about these events. So, in believing that Jesus was the Messiah they’re also virtually automatically believing in his death, burial and resurrection.

The Gentiles who would soon start coming into the church under Paul’s ministry were different in the sense that they generally knew very little of the Jewish prophecies or God’s promises to the Jewish Nation. They didn’t follow the Mosaic law at all, nor the feats and customs of the Jew and they certainly didn’t go through the ritual of circumcision.

They didn’t know about the promised Messiah who would set up a Kingdom on earth.

Around the time of Christ, the Gentile nations believed in a variety of gods and idols. The ancient Greeks and Romans worshipped gods and goddesses, such as Zeus, Apollo, and Venus. The Egyptians worshipped gods and goddesses, such as Ra, Osiris, and Isis. The Babylonians and Assyrians worshipped Marduk and Ishtar. The Canaanites worshipped Baal and Asherah. The Persians worshipped Ahura Mazda and the list goes on.

 

So, back to Acts 8:1

 

“…and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

You see, The Apostles didn’t leave.

They didn’t go out into the Gentile world.  They stayed right there at Jerusalem.

Then to Acts 8:3.

As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

See, Saul continues his incredible persecution against these believing Jews.

 

Paul had to live with that for the rest of his life and it plagued him. It’s one reason he was able to cope with all the hardships of his ministry.  He could never forget the misery he’d caused the followers of Jesus of Nazareth.

Drop down to Acts 26:7 and it’s Paul speaking to King Agrippa,

To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 

In other words, there’s still the hope of this coming King and His Kingdom.

 

Then verses 8 and 9 and its still Paul speaking,

Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? 

Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth

He’s saying, “Agrippa, you’ve got enough knowledge of Scripture to know that resurrection is a part of our Jewish belief. But what I did in those days to the believers is what brought on this hate and persecution.

 

Now to Acts 26:10,

This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 

That was the Jewish believers. These Jewish believers who’d been imprisoned and then committed to death and Pauls saying I gave my vote against them.

 

Verse 11-12,

And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 

He’d go in and arrest them if they were gathered together in the worship of their Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.

He “compelled them to blaspheme” could indicate torture.

Verse 12,

While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 

And then of course he tells, as he did many times, of his Damascus Road experience.

 

Now let’s look at Acts chapter 10.

Pauls now had his Damascus Road salvation experience back in chapter 9, and the Lord has led him out to the backside of the desert. possibly even to the same mountain where Moses received the Law.

But in the three years while Paul’s out in the desert, God’s doing something to get ready for another future event.

He’s getting Peter ready for a great conference in Jerusalem twelve years later.

Had Peter not had this experience in Acts chapter 10, it’s doubtful if he’d have ever come to Paul’s defence in Acts 15 and Galatians 2, where they finally agreed that Paul would be the Apostle of the Gentiles.

Peter would have never agreed to that.  But here God had to supernaturally bring Peter to an understanding that God was going to save Gentiles.

 

Now remember, a Jew could never understand that. It was beyond them.

From the time Israel came out of Egypt, what was their constant instruction concerning the Gentiles around them?  Have nothing to do with them! Nothing!

Don’t intermarry with them. Don’t do anything, because if you do, they’re going to convince you to worship their pagan gods and you’ll go down with them.  So, stay away from them!

 

Well, that stayed with the Jew all the way through. Even though they rebelled and disobeyed, it was still God’s teaching that the Jew was to have nothing to do with the Gentile.  Nothing.

They were never told to go out and evangelise the Gentile; they were to stay separated and insulated from them.

So now God has to show Peter that this is now changed.

He’s going to go to the Gentiles, but not through Israel.

It’s going to be through one little Jew, not through the Nation. It’ll be through one man, Saul of Tarsus.

So, while Saul’s out there in the desert being dealt with by the Lord Jesus Himself, teaching him all the things pertaining to this next dispensation that’s going to follow the dispensation of the Law, God deals with Peter.

 

Here we go with Acts 10:7.

An angel has appeared unto this Roman officer, up there in Caesarea on the sea, up there on the Mediterranean seacoast. The angel tells him to send for Peter down in Joppa and at the same time, the Lord works on Peter from the other end, and he brings the two together.

 

Acts 10:7-8

And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. So, when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

 

In other words, this Roman officer’s going to send a couple of his underlings down to Joppa to tell Peter that he has to come up and fulfill God’s obligation.

Okay, now at the same time, you see, down at Joppa, God’s going to deal with Peter in verses 9 and 10,

The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour (or midday). 

Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat (It was lunch time, but lunch wasn’t ready yet); but while they made ready (this would be the women of the house), he (Peter) fell into a trance.

This is all happening in a matter of minutes at midday.

 

Acts 10:11-13

and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 

In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 

And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 

So, here’s this great mix of all the unclean things that a Jew would never think of eating. Then what does God say? Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.”

What a despicable, loathsome thing for a Jew.  Look at Peter’s response in verse 14,

But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 

Why not?  Because he was a law-keeping Jew.  He wouldn’t eat pork or birds of prey or anything like that.

Verse 15,

And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 

This was done three times.

Well, to summarise the story, Peter is now forced by an act of God to go with the messengers from Cornelius back up to Caesarea.

Peter didn’t want to go any more than Jonah the prophet wanted to go to Ninevah.

Peter’s a good Jew who knows better than to try to have anything to do with Gentiles.

But God forced the issue, and so Peter gets there.

 

Now, just to display how legalistic he is let’s go to verse 28 and we’re in Acts 10.

He’s now entering into this house of these Romans. Can we imagine how that good Jew must have felt?

Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 

What’s he saying?  Cornelius, you know enough of our Jewish customs that I can’t rightfully come to a Gentile house.  It’s unlawful.  And I’m not a lawbreaker. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Since when?  Since right now that God’s ready to go to the Gentile world with salvation.

He’d never done this before, except in exceptions – when He sent Jonah to Nineveh and a few other exceptions where Gentiles were brought in, but that was always on the basis of Jewish law.

On the whole they, the Jews, could have nothing to do with anything other than Jewish people.

Now until next time my friends where we’ll keep those puzzle pieces coming together and finally put the whole picture together of The Kingdom of God, The kingdom of Heaven and the Body of Christ, may God richly bless you.