By Pastor Richard Jordan
From Grace School of the Bible
In recent years, I have come to understand the distinctive ministry of the Apostle Paul. He is extremely important due to the fact that it is Paul who wrote one half of the New Testament, and three-fourths of the epistles. To ignore or diminish his epistles is to be disobedient to the Heavenly Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ in both doctrine and practice.
We continue from Richard Jordan’s booklet WHY PAUL?
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THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
“And she said, TRUTH, LORD: YET THE DOGS EAT OF THE CRUMBS WHICH FALL FROM THEIR MASTERS’ TABLE” (Matthew 15:27).
When she took her place under Israel ‘s table, she received the blessing which overflowed from it. In other words, she got her blessing in the program then in effect.
This explains why our Lord was sent to none but “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” That favored nation was in a sad spiritual condition. They sorely needed to repent for they were in no condition to be a blessing to anyone.
This same program-and Israel ‘s same need-continued after the death and resurrection of Christ. In Acts 3:25,26 Peter clearly sets forth the program of early Acts. Speaking to the nation Israel, he says:
“Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, AND IN THY SEED SHALL ALL THE KINDREDS OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED. “UNTO YOU FIRST God, having raised up his Son Jesus, SENT HIM TO BLESS YOU, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”
While Christ’s earthly ministry had been confined only to Israel, now the ministry begins to expand: but it is still Israel “first.” By comparing our Lord’s post-resurrection orders we see this clearly:
“And he said unto them, GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD, AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE” (Mark 16:15 ).
The world-wide revival that so many today erroneously seek will come when this passage is fulfilled (cf. Isaiah 2:1-3; 11:9, etc.). But we must not overtook the fact that in our Lord’s commission there is a specifically designated order for carrying out this ministry:
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM” (Luke 24:47).
Luke further develops this order in Acts 1.
Let’s start in verse 6,
“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time RESTORE AGAIN THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL?”
Christ had spent some 40 days teaching His apostles “things pertaining to the kingdom of God ” (v. 3). Clearly their question about the restoration of the kingdom to Israel is a solemn testimony to what was on their mind.
They did not ask about the beginning of the Body of Christ. They did not seek information about a new program to begin shortly. They did not suggest prophecy was about to give way to the mystery. On the contrary: they fully expected Him to “restore again the kingdom to Israel.” Notice the word “again.” It is important because it fixes the nature of the kingdom they expected.
The only kingdom Israel ever had was a literal, physical, visible earthly kingdom. If the Apostles somehow at this late date still misunderstood the nature of His kingdom, now was the time for Christ to set them straight. The fact that he does not challenge their understanding of His teaching is forceful evidence that the kingdom is indeed a literal, earthly one-not the spiritual Body of Christ.
What He focused on was their duty in His absence:
“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, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witness unto me both IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDAEA, AND IN SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH” (Acts 1:7,8).
Notice the order: Jerusalem is “first,” of course, for it is “the city of the great King” (Matthew 5:35, Jeremiah 3:17 ). Next comes Judaea -that covers the area of the southern tribes. Then Samaria -the area of the northern tribes. These, of course, cover the whole territory of the twelve tribes of Israel. Then and only then were they to go “unto the uttermost part of the earth.” This is the prophetic order.
Early Acts is the record of the carrying out of this prophetic plan through Israel. It has nothing to do with the forming of the Body of Christ or the mystery program later revealed through the Apostle Paul.
________________________ We continue in our next article…