Acts 3:21

"Whom the heaven must receive unitl the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." - Acts 3:21

Dispensationlists' bad habit of its interpreting Scriptures. They often pick a verse out of its context, what the whole passage is all talk about. They did not follow the hermeneutic rule -'Intepreting in Contextually'.

Dispensationalists intepret Acts 3:21 speaks of the future millennial kingdom, the nation of Israel shall be restoration at the coming of Christ. One problem is, this verse does not saying anything about 'a thousand years' nothing at all. Neither this saying the nation of Israel shall be restoration in the last days prior second advent.

The only way you can shall able to understand what Acts 3:21 is talking about, you have to read the context around verse 21, to understand more clear what the whole passage of chapter 3 is all talking about.

When Peter preached the gospel to Jews, he preached about Jesus Christ. He told them, that they killed their Messiah by crucify him on the cross. He told them, Christ died, but now he is risen according to the gospel. He told them, that they didn't relaized that they killed Christ, because of the Old Testament prophets said, that Christ must suffer, so He have to fulfilled it.

Notice Acts 3:18 says, "But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets. that Christ should suffer, he hath so FULFILLED." God's purpose to sent His Son to earth, to saved people from all their sins, by send Christ to the cross and to died for people's sins.

Then, Peter said, "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." - Acts 3:19

Peter told them, that they must be repent of thier sins, because Christ already manifest of his suffering and resurrection, that they might believe the gospel to be saved.

Peter continued, "And he(God) shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you." - Acts 3:20

He was talked about, God promised to them, that He shall send His saviour to the world, that He will died on the cross for people's sins according as what the Old Testament prophets said.

John 3:16 is a beautiful picture, that God GAVE His only begotten Son, so, that Christ died on the cross for people's sins, that they might have everlasting life by believing on Christ.

Peter continued, "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." - Acts 3:21.

Acts 3:21 doesn't suggest talk about future millennial kingdom, because this verse doesn't saying, 'a thousand years'.

This verse telling us, the gospel of the kingdom shall come upon us, which God told to all prophets of the Old Testament since the world began.

Genesis 3:15 is a perfect example for progessive revelation about the gospel. It predicts that Satan's head shall be bruised by Christ's heel, it already fulfilled by Calvary, that Christ already victory over Satan for salvation.

Then, Peter continued, "For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet(Jesus) shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you." - Acts 3:22.

This verse reminds me of John 3:14 telling us, that Moses put snake hang on the pole, to show them, that the Son of Man shall be lifted up, speak of the prophecy on Calvary.

Peter continued, "And it shall come to pass, that every soul(person), which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people." - Acts 3:23

Peter told them, when the time came to passed(during Old Testament period), every person shall not believe the prophet as the gospel, shall be perish- go to hell.

Peter continued, "Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." - Acts 3:24.

Peter told them, since the times from Samuel throughout all prophets of the Old Testament period, that they heard them, and came follow after them, which these were foretold about Messiah. They have been carried the gospel by through their faith for 2,000 years since from Moses (actually since from Abraham's time) by through the words of the prophets foretold about the coming of Messiah.

Peter continued, "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." - Acts 3:25

Throughout in the Old Testament period, people were carried the words of the gospel on the prophecy of the covenant and Messiah, which God hath promised with Abraham and fathers, and their seed shall be all the families/nations of the earth be blessed. That was promised by God to Abraham in Genesis chapter 12 and 15

Word, 'covenant' is not talking about future millenial kingsom, because it doesn't saying, 'a thousand years'. The covenant is speak of salvation through Jesus Christ by his blood through calvary.

Peter continued, "Unto you first God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." - Acts 3:26

Peter told them, that God already raised Christ from the dead, give them have eternal life and salvation. Romans 10:9,10 promise us, if anyone believeth and confess with heart and mouth that God already raised Christ from the dead, and shall be saved. That is the gospel! Also, Peter told them, Christ died on the cross, to wash all people's sins away for salvation with the promise.

Conclusion: The context of Acts 3:12-26 is not talking about the future millennial kingdom, because this context saying nothing about 'a thousand years'. This context talking about Old Testament prophecies concerning of Jesus Christ, that God shall send His Son to earth, by suffered on the cross, and Christ died to wash all people's sins by through his blood is the covenant for the Old Testament people, even, include all New Testament people. Acts 3:21 have do nothing with future millennial kingdom. It discusses about the Old Testament prophecies talk on Jesus Christ and his salvation already fulfilled at the first advent by through Calvary.

I hope that you would understand what Acts 3:21 is talking about while you read throughout the whole context of Acts chapter 3, what it is all talking about.

By the way, what about Acts 1:6? Before Christ ascends back to heaven, disciples asked Christ, 'Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom TO Israel?'"

Disciples were expecting that Christ shall restored the kingdom upon the nation of Israel. In their mind, they hoped that Christ shall set Israel the kingdom to takeover Roman Empire. Early Judaism believed that their Messiah(King) shall come and to set Jerusalem to be the world's capitol, and to takeover the world. They have the wrong idea. They were misunderstanding what the meaning of kingdom of heaven/God.

Secondly, Acts 1:6 nothing saying that there shall be millennial kingdom in Israel, because 'a thousand years' is not mentioned in Acts 1:6.

Today, Jews in Israel still are expecting that their Messiah shall come to establish Jerusalem to be the world's capitol, and to takeover the world. But, they are still blind, that Christ already came to earth to died on the cross to saved people from the sins, even, Christ already brought the kingdom of God/heaven, not with the observsation, but spiritually.

Then, Christ said to them, 'It is NOT for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. ***[/B]BUT[/B] 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." *** - Acts 1:7-8

Christ never saying anything that the nation of Israel shall be resoration as nation again at His coming for the millennial kingdom. He emphasised to them, that they must carry the GOSPEL over the world telling them about the good news of Jesus Chrust, what He already done for us. He was talking about SALVATION, not future millennial kingdom.

In Christ
Rev. 22:20 -Amen!

 

HankD,

'Rightly divding the word' of 2 Tim. 2:15 does not mean to cut it separately or split it into two parts. It means, to digging God's Word deeper as analyzing it.

In Christ
Rev. 22:20 -Amen!