Friday, December 6, 2013

Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Jesus walked the earth for forty days after He died and returned to life, and as we discussed yesterday, He spent that time speaking of things pertaining the kingdom of God. This is what His disciples asked Him before He left this earth and went to Heaven as High Priest in the Heavenly Sanctuary.

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?

They wanted to know if the kingdom would be restored to Israel at that time. The kingdom restored on earth to Israel. As if Jesus hadn't said this--

Joh_18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence

They comprehended that Christ their Savior had died, they knew for a fact He'd died, some if not all of them witnessed His crucifixion. He was declared and proven dead beyond any doubt. Then three days later He returned to life!  So here they are realizing upon His death that Jesus wasn't making this world His kingdom. Now, upon His resurrection they had a renewed hope that NOW was a good time for the kingdom to come. Sure, Jesus' kingdom wasn't this world before His death, but now, maybe now it would be His kingdom. Didn't He teach them to pray... 'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done?'  Still they didn't realize that the Savior had brought the kingdom to them, the Savior made it all possible, He was the Key to the kingdom. They clearly wanted and expected that Israel would become a kingdom once more in power over all others, but that wasn't what Jesus taught. Jesus taught loving your enemy not lording yourself over them. Jesus taught setting captives free, not making all others your captives.

The answer Jesus gave to that question- 'wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?'  was this...

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.

It's not for you to know when.
The Father alone has those answers.

Mar 13:32  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Mar 13:33  Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

The disciples had wanted to know the signs of the end of the world and Jesus went to great lengths to reveal many prophecies that had yet to take place. Those prophecies did not come to pass between the time Jesus died and was resurrected three days later, yet the disciples were still asking if it were time for the kingdom to come. They didn't comprehend fully all that Jesus had tried to teach them. They were trying to make sense of everything, putting the pieces together in their minds. They'd lived with the idea that the Messiah would come and usher in a new reign for the kingdom of Israel which was under great oppression.  Then they had to wrap their heads around the truth that the Messiah wasn't there to do that, He wasn't there to bring the kingdom of Israel a new king, a new ruler-ship that would bring down all their oppressors.  He was there to teach them a NEW WAY, a WAY beyond the sacrificial system they'd been given. A WAY that would have them servants not masters. A WAY that would depend fully upon their Savior for salvation and not upon their ability to seek forgiveness through a lamb or any other sin offering that might be made. The Lamb of God, the ultimate Sacrifice was made and it was that Sacrifice all forgiveness depended. This was the WAY to the kingdom, the WAY Jesus taught.

Jesus did not return after three days to bring a new kingdom to Israel on Earth. He brought the WAY to a new kingdom of God in Heaven.

Jesus went on to tell them this--

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.
Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Power.  They would receive power. Power to do what? To witness of JESUS-the KINGDOM to all!

The power the Holy Spirit would give to them would enable them to witness of Jesus Christ Lord and Savior, and HE lived His entire ministry preaching on the kingdom of heaven.

Any mention of Christ is a mention of the kingdom.

Jesus wanted the gospel, the good news of Him, and How He made the kingdom of heaven available to all to be spread over the entire earth, and the Holy Spirit would give power to those chosen to preach this good news.

How wondrous is our Savior, the Savior of the world! The bringer of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Please Lord, we would be YOURS, wholly YOURS.

All by YOUR AMAZING GRACE!

All through LOVE, and YOU ARE LOVE!

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