A man who maps the course of a great river must do more than record the major part of its wanderings. He must trace the river to its source and also to its outlet in a great body of water. We have applied the same method to Acts for it is a book of history—of people and events flowing turbulently over the earth. Our historical introduction was written to familiarize the reader with the source of things. Then in the main body of the book we wrote of the kingdom refused and the King gone to heaven which became the seat of His rule. The gospel was preached, largely refused by the Jews, but believed by the Gentiles. Those who believed it, be they Jew or Gentile, were united to Christ as their Head in heaven, becoming members of His body the Church on earth. They were exhorted to walk worthy of God who called them to His own kingdom and glory—see 1 Thess. 2:1212That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:12). Then in our closing chapter we carried the reader beyond the world of Acts to the historical events which it forecast—the ruin of God’s work in Israel and the Church by man. We also wrote of God’s plans to set aside the ruin man introduced and to bring both Israel and the Church into inconceivable blessing. This epilogue is written to bring all these considerations together and to acquaint the reader with how God will do all these things. Really, these are the ways of God, and an examination of them can only cause us to exclaim, like Paul— “O the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!—Rom. 11:3333O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33).
The Restoration of the World of Acts 1
Suppose we could turn the clock back to the world of Acts 1, what would we find? Why you say, Christ gone on high, Israel largely rejecting Him although dwelling in His land, a Temple, and the Roman Empire the ruling power in the world. Exactly. Now while we cannot turn the clock back, God can and will. In His eyes the two thousand or so years of the Church’s history are merely two days—2 Pet. 3:88But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Peter 3:8) separating the Israel of Acts 1 from the Israel after the Church is removed from the world. Just as the world of Acts 1 was the beginning of a transition from Judaism to Christianity even so the modern world is the reverse transition—from Christianity back to Judaism. The Church is a heavenly thing, and not part of God’s dealings with the earth. So once the Church goes to heaven God goes on with Israel and the Roman Empire just as though the Church period had never been.
The reason for this is that it was the Jew and the Roman who crucified Christ and for the time being prevented Him from having the kingdom. Therefore, God will reverse their judgment to honor His Son publicly. Those who sat in judgment on Him will be brought up for judgment on the earth. This is why the Jew has been permitted to return to his land in unbelief after an exile of nearly two thousand years. It is also why we see the incipient form of the revived Roman Empire in modern Europe at the time of writing.1 Christ will personally destroy this empire, restore the Kingdom to Israel, and rule over the world with the Church for a glorious period of one thousand years. Just as Acts 1 gives us Christ’s ascension— “a cloud received Him out of their sight” —so shall we meet the Lord in the clouds—1 Thess. 4:1717Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)—and ascend to heaven before the tribulation judgments which introduce His Kingdom fall on the earth.2
Judgment Begins at the House of God
It would be difficult to find a greater contrast than the figure of the Church in Paul’s shipwreck and the figure of the Church as the holy city Jerusalem ruling over this earth. Like Nicodemus we may well exclaim “how can these things be?” The answer is that two things are needful for every Christian—the cross of Christ, to save him, and the judgment seat of Christ where he will receive a divine assessment of his life on this earth. In the shipwreck there was ample assurance of personal salvation—27:22, 24, 34, which was confirmed in 27:44. None who have ever trusted in Christ can be lost. But in order that, shall we say, the passenger roll of Paul’s doomed ship, and others such, may shine forth in all the luster of the holy city Jerusalem, there must be a burning up of those works which were not according to God—a purifying work known as the judgment seat of God.
Paul teaches us that “each of us shall give an account concerning himself to God” —Rom. 14:1212So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12). Then in his epistle to the Corinthians he goes into more detail— “for other foundation can no man lay besides that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, the work of each shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it is revealed in fire, and the fire shall try the work of each what it is. If the work of any one which he has built upon (the foundation) shall abide, he shall receive a reward. If the work of any one shall be consumed, he shall suffer loss, but he shall be saved but so as through the fire” —1 Cor. 3:11-1511For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (1 Corinthians 3:11‑15). Better to build a little gold or precious stones than a mountain of wood, grass or straw. The gold and precious stones are found in the holy city for they have endured the searching fire of the Lord’s assessment of our work in the Church. At the judgment seat there is reward or loss depending on how we have built on the common foundation. From John 5:2222For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: (John 5:22) we know that Christ will sit on the judgment seat.
The apportionment of reward is for the rule of the Church in the Kingdom. This is clear from Luke 19:11-1911And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 14But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 15And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. 17And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. (Luke 19:11‑19). We are only responsible for the use of whatever God has given us and the reward is in accordance with this. In Rev. 19:77Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7) we read “for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready.” This “making ready” is the work of the judgment seat. The Lord does not come out of heaven to judge and make war in righteousness until His bride stands before Him with everything inconsistent to His holiness judged. This is an important principle which Peter insists on “for the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” 1 Pet. 4:1717For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17).
The Judgments Which Introduce the Kingdom
In our historical introduction we pointed out that Israel lost the kingdom through idolatry and God permitted four successive Gentile empires to hold sway over men, ending in the Roman. While the Roman Empire has vanished from the earth, God will permit it to rise again so it may be judged and the kingdom restored to Israel. Already currents can be identified in the Western world which call for a strong man an Emperor after the old Roman style to take over and restore law and order.
The Western nations, once nominally Christian, have largely abandoned the public profession of Christianity. They are not yet ready to return to the idolatry out of which the preaching of the gospel in Acts saved them. Until they are, they live in a vacuum, into which every distress is rushing. Due to the giving up of the principles in the Bible on which a good portion of their laws was once based, a tremendous erosion in public standards of morality has taken place. Divorce has become commonplace, the family unit is breaking up, children are stranded. Crime soars out of control and criminals have taken over the streets in many large cities. Youth has turned to the use of drugs and debauchery. Riots and strikes are tearing at the vitals of a crumbling society. Piracy has returned and outrageous crimes such as blowing up an airliner in mid-air. Spiraling inflation destroys the value of money. Science, once looked at as a god in the West, has compounded the problems. While one half of the world starves farmers are paid not to grow wheat. Aircraft have shrunk the distances between nations and destroyed the natural security which such barriers as the seas, mountains, and insurmountable terrain once afforded. The conquest of disease has caused a population explosion which has no solution, we are told, but famine where the increases are greatest. As the population expands its environment becomes polluted. If man survives all this, dread nuclear and biological weapons threaten him. Finally, global television has made the world one village, so that modern man sees problems in other countries he never knew existed.
World government is being viewed by increasing numbers as the only answer to the confusion. But since nations will not willingly surrender their sovereignty, this can only be achieved by force and by a dominant imperial ruler after the order of the old Roman Emperors. At the proper time Satan will supply this man. He will give him “his power and his seat, and great authority” Rev. 13:22And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. (Revelation 13:2). This man, together with the false prophet of Rev. 13:1111And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. (Revelation 13:11) will form an imitation trinity in the earth opposed to God. “Who is like the beast?” men will cry in that day “who is able to make war with him?” To this question there is no reply until the Lord comes out of heaven to make war with him at Armageddon, destroy his power and set up His kingdom.3 Current events will reach their climax in a struggle for the world. To this there can be but one end for God will never let any man rule this world except Christ.
The Judgment of the Dead at the End of the Kingdom
Man, who is God’s offspring, differs from the brute beast among other things in that he is interested in both the future and the past. And so man has carefully, and at great cost, reconstructed the Graeco-Roman world. The curious tourist can roam the streets of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the two Roman cities overthrown by the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius. Lava has preserved Roman life here—its artistry, the houses of the rich, the workshops etc. so fully that people are transported back to the world of Paul’s day. In other centers archaeologists have reconstructed many of the fine buildings of the age. Greek and Roman history and literature are studied in the universities of the world. People attend ancient Greek plays in modern theatres. We have learned more about the ancient world in the last twenty years than ever before. A whole civilization and way of life has been unveiled before our eyes. And yet, what we really see is their civilization in ruins, and they themselves in dust. Man can resurrect the work of man—only God can resurrect man himself. More than that He has promised to resurrect those who inhabited that ancient world! Christ will be the Judge of the living and the dead.
That death does not end all is clear from what the Lord said—that God “is not a God of the dead but of the living, for all live unto Him” Luke 20:3838For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. (Luke 20:38). The Emperor Nero, to whom Paul appealed, lives unto Him. So do Felix and Festus, and the Chiliarch who rescued Paul in the Temple. And the members of the Sanhedrin who condemned him. For the lost, the mask worn in life comes off in death— “his breath goes out, he returns to his earth—in that very day his purposes perish” —Ps. 146:4. Existence is there, will and desire too, but they must remain eternally unsatisfied. Not so with the Christian should he die— “in Thy presence is fulness of joy—at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore” —Ps. 16:11. The men who opposed the preaching of Peter and Paul in Acts must one day face the Christ to whom they testified. He will judge them on a great white throne in space— “the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat” —2 Pet. 3:1212Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (2 Peter 3:12). All trace of the defilement introduced by man’s sin will thus be removed— “from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them” —Rev. 20:1111And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Revelation 20:11). There will be nothing to comfort the lost in that hour—nothing to which they can cling. Where then will the symbols of their former power be—the Council chambers of the Sanhedrin, the Temple, the obedient mob, the Temple guard? Where will the Roman Forum be, the marching legions, the eagles, the temples of the gods? All gone. The books are opened, and they are judged—every man according to his works—see Rev. 20:11, 1211And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:11‑12). In Acts we are given a true history of what some of these works were, and they must answer to God for them. This being so, what folly it is for man to devote his talents to building a world God has assured us He will burn up—2 Pet. 3:1010But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)—and to spurn the Savior who will judge and punish him if he refuses His pardon.
“Thy Kingdom Come”
What are the great lessons we are to learn from the Book of Acts? Are they not the failure of man in divine things on the one hand and the absolute assurance that the counsels of God will be fulfilled on the other? This assurance keeps us in balance, keeps us patiently walking as strangers and pilgrims in this world so that we may receive an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Admittedly division has rent the Church and made the pathway of the believer a difficult one. But let us not forget that God permitted the shipwreck of the primitive united Church that what man really is might be manifested. Our hearts have been shown to be no different from Israel’s. No flesh shall glory in His presence. Man has failed in innocence, without law, under law, and under grace. What a proud, boastful people we should have been if the Church had remained undivided during its entire stay on earth. How our hearts will thank God when His work unites it and the glory of God is displayed in it as the Holy City Jerusalem.
Between the failure of man and the certainty that the counsels of God will be fulfilled, stands the individual believer. Unlike the natural man who searches in vain for meaning and purpose in life, he takes his guidance from Paul’s words at Athens— “that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him.” True service for Christ is our whole business in life. Paul’s words were lost on the Athenians; let them not be lost on us. The purpose of life is to know God, to love Him, worship Him, and serve Him courageously, as His servants in Acts did, overcoming the opposition of man and Satan. Nothing else matters. “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only True God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” —John 17:33And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3). And we are to pass on the knowledge of God to our children. The remote ancestors of the Athenians had once known God but failure to prize that knowledge had led to forgetfulness of Him and frightful idolatry. Jehovah said of Abraham— “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him” —Gen. 18:1919For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. (Genesis 18:19).
Paul not only knew the meaning and purpose of life, but he practiced it, looking beyond his gloomy circumstances to the ultimate triumph of the counsels of God in the kingdom and the church. On board ship he cheered his fellow passengers, thanked God for his bread, and encouraged them to eat. At Rome and in chains we find him “preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him” which is the way Acts ends. Be assured God will secure His ultimate purpose—the kingdom of the Son of His love—a kingdom which shall have no end for it shall flow into the day of God—the eternal state.
While we await that kingdom let us not forget its future twofold character—for the Church, the kingdom of heaven in manifestation as the holy city Jerusalem ruling over the earth—for Israel, the kingdom of God on earth centered in the earthly Jerusalem with its Temple. Both shall merge together in the eternal state where God shall be all in all.
“Thy Kingdom come—
Thy will be done on earth
As it is in heaven.”