After
the resurrection, ascension, and descension of Jesus, He continues to instruct
His disciples, appearing to them over the course of forty days. The number 40
alludes to the life of Moses (three periods of 40 years each), especially
Moses’ 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai receiving the two tablets containing
the Ten Words and the instructions of Yahweh for His people. Jesus instructs
His Apostles in the things concerning the
The
resurrection of Jesus is followed by His ascension to the Father, at which time
He ascends the throne of David, beginning His reign as Warrior-King waging
spiritual battle against the enemies of Yahweh and His people, His soon-to-be
generated nation. This spiritual warfare would occupy a period covering about 40
years (30 a.d.–70 a.d.). His disciples, His spiritual
warrior-soldiers, were to remain in
The Apostles of Jesus, coming together for the last time during Jesus’ 40-day post-resurrection appearances, ask Him,
Lord, art Thou at this time restoring the kingdom to
His Apostles understand, quite correctly, that Jesus is the
New Davidic King and is about to initiate His kingship and His Davidic Kingdom.
However, they remain in the dark concerning what the restoration entails. The
New Davidic Kingdom of Jesus precedes and prepares for the coming
Therefore,
Jesus acknowledges the validity of their concern for the restoration of the
kingdom to
Not yours is it to know times or seasons which the Father has placed in the appropriate authority of the coming Promise. (Acts 1:7b my translation)
They have already been informed of the significant prophetic events necessary during their watchful faithfulness. They are to continually look and be ready for His Parousia. They have also been informed of the coming of His Davidic Kingdom during which they would reign with Him, judging the twelve tribes of Israel on twelve metaphoric thrones.
As
Jews, they had been looking for the restoration of the kingdom to
Jesus
had been instructing them in the things concerning the
This
militia of warrior-soldiers was expected to know the duration of the New
Davidic Kingdom. This kingdom would endure to His Parousia, and His Parousia
would occur during the lapse of time representing the course of the current,
contemporary, evil generation of Apostate Israel. This meant it would occur in
their own generation. Thus, Jesus declares they had no need to know the exact
time that must elapse before the
The specific knowledge of the times (the lapse of time leading up to the day and hour) and the seasons (consisting of all the critical interim events) the Father had placed in the appropriate authority. The Greek words designating this authority (Acts 1:7b) are in the feminine gender. Thus, they cannot be referring to the Father’s own authority or jurisdiction, as most texts translate. The appropriate authority must refer back to the only feminine word in the context, promise (Acts 1:4), the promise of the Father. The promise refers to the imminent pouring out of the spirit. The appropriate authority is the spirit of Yahweh and His Anointed One.
The
continual operative activity of this spirit is the central focus of the Book of
Acts. The authority to reveal the times and seasons had been placed in the
revelatory activities of the spirit in directing the course of Yahweh’s will
for His people (the new, spiritual Israel, the Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah)
during those last years of the Mosaic Eon. Jesus had already taught His
disciples concerning the coming of the paraclete,
the consoler, the spirit which would instruct and console them during the
interval of His bodily absence. He would reign as Davidic King upon His
Celestial Throne in the interest of (see Greek text of Romans
And I shall be asking the Father, and He will be giving you another consoler [masculine, in place of the bodily absence of Jesus], in order that He [the Father], indeed, may be with you [as He was with them in the bodily presence of Jesus] for the eon [the Mosaic Eon]—the spirit of truth, which the world [the Mosaic system of Israel] can not receive, for it [Apostate Israel] is not beholding Him [the Father, Yahweh], neither is knowing Him. Yet you [the disciples of Jesus] know Him, for He [the Father, Yahweh] is remaining with you [as He had been remaining with them in the presence of Jesus] and will be in you [by means of the presence of the spirit which represents both the presence of Yahweh and the presence of the bodily absence of Jesus as He occupies and rules from His Celestial Throne in the interest of the right hand of the Father]. (John 14:16-17 my translation)
This coming consoler (masculine, referring to the terrestrial consolation of Jesus which this coming consoler will replace) is the spirit of Jesus the Messiah which would function as a paraclete (one called alongside to console or aid), a consoler, a teacher, a leader, representing the presence of Yahweh and the presence of the bodily absence of Jesus. Yahweh’s presence would remain with them as His presence had remained with them during the bodily presence of Jesus’ terrestrial ministry. Jesus had consoled His disciples, promising,
These things have I spoken to you, remaining with you. Now the consoler, the holy spirit, which the Father will be sending in My name, it will be teaching you all, and reminding you of all that I said to you. (John 14:25-26 my translation)
This spirit would not be speaking of itself nor would it be speaking its own will or instruction, as Jesus had previously revealed:
Still much have I to say to you [His disciples], but you are not able to bear it at present. Yet whenever that one [the resurrected, ascended, and absent Jesus as represented by His spirit] may be coming—the spirit of truth—it will be guiding you into all the truth, for it will not be speaking from itself, but whatsoever it should be hearing will it be speaking, and of the things coming will it be informing you. That one will be glorifying Me, because out of My things it will be receiving and will be informing you. (John 16:12-14 my translation)
Thus, this spirit, characterized as being truthful, would not speak about itself or by its own authority. It would not be speaking its own will. It would be speaking the will of Jesus as Jesus imparted to it His own instruction.
Therefore, it would be guiding His disciples into all the truth necessary for accomplishing their mission and warfare as determined by the will of the Father. This spirit of truthfulness would be informing the disciples of the things coming (the times and the seasons) as the knowledge of these things would be necessitated in order to accomplish the will and purpose of the Father as obediently implemented by the Son, His Anointed, Davidic Warrior-King.
This spirit would reveal the necessary information concerning the times and seasons as it directed the activities of the Ecclesia in the execution of her mission, in the spiritual warfare she would be waging against the Apostate Nation and Kingdom of the Israel according to flesh. Thus, Jesus announces,
But you shall be obtaining power at the coming of the
holy spirit on you, and you shall be My witnesses both in
The baptism in holy spirit would divinely authorize and empower
the disciples of Jesus to successfully execute their mission and spiritual
warfare beginning in
The
disciples, however, at this time, understand their mission as being first and foremost
to
The disciples of Jesus at this time are ignorant of the secret of the kingdom. They are unacquainted with the yet-to-be revealed Gospel of the Uncircumcision. This ignorance will later explain why the salvation of Cornelius, an uncircumcised gentile, came as a shocking surprise to Peter and the circumcised saints.
Prior to the assassination of Stephen and the salvation of Cornelius, the Gospel had not been proclaimed to the nations, uncircumcised gentiles. It is the active involvement of the spirit which directs the disciples to preach the Gospel to the gentiles and which informs them concerning the Gospel of the Uncircumcision. Therefore, the Book of Acts consists of the activity of the spirit in its guidance and revelatory instruction directing the acts (the decisions and activities) of the Apostles and disciples of Jesus the Messiah in accordance with the instructions the spirit would receive from Jesus Himself. The spirit, thus, would progressively reveal the will of the Father through the Anointed Son enthroned upon the royal seat of David from which He reigns over the New Davidic Kingdom, His Ecclesia (called-out ones), the new, spiritual Israel of Yahweh.
Jesus, completing His last instructions to His Apostles, is immediately lifted up from among them. Like Elisha wondrously beholding the departure of the living Elijah in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:9-12), the disciples astonishingly gaze up intently as Jesus is taken up in a cloud, departing from their sight. Elijah had asked Elisha his servant, “Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee” (2 Kings 2:9b KJV). Elisha responds, “let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me” (2 Kings 2:9c KJV). Elijah answers, “if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; . . .” (2 Kings 2:10b KJV). Elisha does witness the departure of Elijah,
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (2 Kings 2:11 KJV)
And Elisha does receive a double portion of the spirit of
Elijah. For the sons of the prophets, seeing Elisha, testify, “The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha”
(2 Kings
As Elisha beheld the departure of Elijah as he was transported into the Celestial Realm in an aerodynamic vehicle (celestial transportation cruiser) described, in the only terms available at that time for a moving vehicle, as “a chariot of fire, and horses of fire,” so also the Apostles of Jesus behold His departure into the Celestial Realm as He, also, is transported in an aerodynamic vehicle described, this time, as “a cloud” (Acts 1:9), the equivalent of “a chariot of fire, and horses of fire.” Such fire emitted from such a vehicle would create a sizeable cloud of fiery smoke. In the ancient world, the movements of the gods were associated with clouds. The Psalmist, similarly, characterizes Yahweh as He “Who is making the thick clouds His chariot, Who is going on the wings of the wind, making His messengers winds, His ministers a flaming fire . . .” (Ps. 104:3b-4 CV).
As Elisha received a double portion of the spirit of Elijah, so the Apostles were about to receive the spirit of Jesus the Messiah by which they were to be doing greater works than Jesus did in His terrestrial ministry,
Verily, verily, I am saying to you [plural, the apostles], he who is believing in Me, the works which I am doing he also will be doing, and greater than these will he be doing, for I am going to the Father. (John 14:12 CV)
The works of His Apostles would be greater than the works associated with Jesus’ terrestrial ministry because their works would be associated with His Celestial Ministry (having the greater promise of the Celestial Allotment, rather than the lesser promise of the terrestrial allotment) and the more abundant life of the New Davidic Covenant. The works of Jesus’ terrestrial ministry were associated with the Mosaic Covenant which became a ministry of death. The works of His Apostles would reflect His Celestial Ministry. These works would be associated with the New Davidic Covenant which would be a ministry of abundant, eonian, immortal life.
As Jesus departs the terrestrial realm returning to His Royal Davidic Throne in the interest of the right hand of the Father in the Celestial Realm, two celestial beings encouragingly announce,
Men! Galileans! Why do you stand, looking into heaven? This Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come thus, in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven. (Acts 1:11 CV)
These celestial beings confirm the testimony of Jesus concerning the coming Parousia within the time-span of the present generation. As these Apostles have beheld the departure of Jesus to His Celestial Davidic Throne, so also, they would behold, in like manner, His bodily presence at His final Royal Arrival. Thus, they are reassured of the imminent return of Jesus. They are to be confidently watching for His Parousia as they faithfully execute the righteous requirements of their mission. For, the triumphant return of the conquering Warrior-King would take place during the course of their lives and the lives of their contemporaries.
Jesus is to direct the spiritual warfare from His Celestial Throne in the interest of the right hand of His Father. During His bodily absence, His Warrior-King spiritual presence leading His spiritual warrior-soldiers into battle against the stratagems of The Adversary, Satan (implemented by the rulers, the authorities, the powers of the Sinatic/Mosaic world-order of the darkness of Apostate Israel, the malignant spiritual forces [antichrists] deceptively operating in the sphere of the celestial things committed to the Ecclesia, the spiritual Israel of Yahweh [see Eph. 6:11b-12]), would be represented by the activity of the spirit sent in His name (Jn. 14:26).
After
this departure of Jesus, the Apostles return to
Entering
an upper chamber, they persevere “with
one accord in prayer, together with the women and Miriam, the mother of Jesus,
and His brothers” (Acts
The Apostles had been informed by Jesus that they would
be eating and drinking at My table in My kingdom. And
you will be seated on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
In the New Davidic Kingdom of Jesus the Messiah, the Apostles would be accorded, within the king’s metaphoric house, a place of honor which in ancient Israel was associated with the king’s sons who enjoyed the privilege of eating and drinking at the king’s table (see 2 Sam. 9:7-11; 1 Kings 2:7). In the Apostles’ case, they would be privileged to partake of the king’s new covenantal drink and new covenantal food provided by the spirit’s special revelation and instruction. They would each occupy metaphorically a throne upon which they would judge the twelve tribes of the new spiritual, covenantal Israel of Yahweh. In this capacity, they would be held responsible to render ethical, covenantal, economic, social, organizational, and procedural decisions. Thus, they would rule, under the authority of Jesus (and James, representing Him in the terrestrial realm), as judges/princes ruled in ancient Israel. Their appointment came from Jesus the Messiah administering the will of Yahweh.
This would necessitate the choosing of a twelfth Apostle to replace Judas the traitor of Jesus, in accord with the testimony of scripture:
“. . . Let his domicile [habitation] become desolate, And let no one be dwelling in it,” . . . “Let his supervision be taken by another.” (Acts 1:20 CV, quoting Psalms 69:25; 109:8)
Two men qualify for this apostleship, each having been with
Jesus from the time of His baptism by John the Baptist to the day “on which He was taken up from us” (Acts
1:22a CV). Consequently, “Joseph, called
Bar-Sabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Mathias” (Acts
To determine the will of their Lord concerning the selection of one of these men, they cast lots, indicating that the terms of the New Covenant had not yet been put into effect. The Kingdom of the Messiah had not yet been actively inaugurated in relation to His disciples, His Ecclesia. Under the Mosaic Covenant, such decisions were decided by the use of the lot. The spirit had not yet been poured out; the Apostles and disciples had not yet been baptized with holy spirit. The old covenant still applied.
Matthias is selected by means of the casting of the lot. The lot divinely falls upon the man Jesus chooses in effecting the will of the Father, Yahweh. This would be the last time the lot would be used. The old covenant is soon to be superseded by the New Covenant. The number of judges (princes) is now complete. The New Davidic Kingdom is about to be inaugurated on behalf of its citizens. Once inaugurated, there would be no further succession of judges/princes or viceroy. For the Parousia of Jesus the Messiah would be imminent, even in their generation.
The
Festival of Pentecost occurs 50 days after Passover. Pentecost celebrates the
firstfruits of the harvest. Upon the fulfillment of the ceremonies performed by
the priests in their presentation to Yahweh of the firstfruits of the present
harvest, something most unusual occurs in the
The
Apostles, the women, Miriam the mother of Jesus, and James and Judas (Jesus’
brothers) had been residing in what the text describes as “the upper chamber” (Acts
And suddenly there came out of heaven a blare, even as of a violent, carrying blast [of wind], and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. (Acts 2:2 CV modified)
This
same place must have been within the whole house of the
Gathering before this group of 120 (or more ?) disciples of Jesus the Messiah, the members of this multitude of pious Jews from every nation under the heaven of the Roman Empire, the whole habitation of scattered Israel, are confused,
for each one hears them [the disciples] speaking in his own vernacular. Now they are all amazed, and marveled, saying, “Lo! are not all these who are speaking, Galileans? And how are we hearing, each in our own vernacular in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea, as well as Cappadocia, Pontus, and the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and the repatriated Romans, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we are hearing them speaking in these languages of ours of the great things of God!” (Acts 2:6b-11 CV)
Peter, standing up with the eleven, seeking to correct the confusion
of the multitude, addresses his audience as, “Men! Jews! and all who are dwelling at
Peter
proclaims that this phenomenon of speech is a fulfillment of the prophet Joel. Yahweh,
speaking through Joel, promised He would, in the last days, pour out His spirit
upon all
would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them! (Numbers 11:29 KJV modified)
This would not become a reality under the Sinatic/Mosaic
Covenant. Only under the administration of the New Davidic Covenant would this
become a reality for all
Joel had also prophesied that
And surely on My men slaves and on My women slaves in those days shall I be pouring out from My spirit, . . . (Acts 2:18 CV)
In its original context, this passage referred to Israelite men and women functioning as legal slaves to other Israelites due to the various misfortunes of daily life. Yahweh would pour out His spirit upon these misfortunate members of the nation. Concealed in this passage is its ultimate referral to uncircumcised Gentiles shortly to be given entrance into the New Israel of Yahweh. At the time of Peter’s proclamation at Pentecost, neither the twelve Apostles nor the remaining 108 (or more?) disciples are aware of this concealed meaning. The spirit would reveal this truth in the predetermined appointed time.
Speaking metaphorically, Joel (Acts 2:19-21 CV) goes on to declare that Yahweh would provide
miracles in heaven above,
And signs on the earth below, Blood and fire and vapor pillars of smoke,
The sun shall be converted into darkness
And the moon into blood
Ere the coming of the day of the Lord,
The great and advent day.
And it shall be that everyone, whosoever should be invoking the name of the Lord, shall be saved.
The miracles in heaven above and the signs on the earth below associated with blood, fire, and smoke are to be understood in relation to the sun becoming darkened and the moon becoming blood. This is metaphorical language referring to the change in covenants represented by the pouring out of the spirit upon the disciples of Jesus. The Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant is no longer authorized to provide covenantal life. It has been annulled. It has been superseded by the New Davidic Covenant consecrated by the shed blood of Jesus the Messiah.
The Mosaic administration has now become an administration of death in contrast to the New Davidic administration which is now the only administration of life. The Mosaic administration is now in the process of dispensing covenantal death, while the New Davidic administration is dispensing covenantal life, the life of the New Davidic Covenant imparted by the spirit of Yahweh and His Anointed King as demonstrated by the speaking in tongues (other languages) of the Apostles and disciples of Jesus the Messiah.
The
Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah, now the new spiritual Israel of Yahweh born on
this ultimate fulfillment of the Festival of Pentecost, has now been
metaphorically, covenantally appointed her place in the metaphoric new heaven,
replacing Apostate Israel now demoted to the terrestrial realm of the nations. The
sun, the light, of
On this day of Pentecost, the Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah had become robed in the glory of the New Davidic Covenant. She had been metaphorically exalted into the heaven of the New Covenant, manifesting the light of the Gospel of God, the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, the Gospel revealing the righteousness of God, the power of God (Yahweh) for the salvation of Israel (Rom. 1:16-17). She had been cleansed in the blood of Jesus the Messiah, and through this blood her members would continually wash their own individual covenantal robes in the blood of the Lamb, maintaining their robes a virginal white, thus glorifying their Lord (Rev. 7:14; 22:14).
The
metaphoric light of the moon upon which Apostate Israel had stood had been darkened
by the blood of Jesus the Messiah Whom she delivered over to
The
miracles in the metaphorical heaven of the New Davidic Covenant consist of the
cleansing power of the blood of Jesus the Messiah and the fire of His
empowering spirit. The fire of His spirit empowers the faithful ones while destroying
the unfaithful ones in
The birth of this new spiritual Israel is associated with the new covenant prophesied by Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Concerning the last days, Jeremiah writes,
but they [
Jesus is this king Whom Yahweh would raise up for
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord [Yahweh], that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah [the Northern and Southern divided kingdoms]: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers [the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant] in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God [Elohim], and they shall be my people. . . . for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:31-34 KJV)
The writer of the Book of Hebrews testifies that the new covenant which Jeremiah writes of is the “better covenant” of which Jesus the Messiah is the Mediator. The author of Hebrews, quoting the passage above, testifies concerning Jesus the Messiah:
Yet now He [Jesus] has happened upon a more excellent ministry [than that of the Mosaic ministry], in as much as He is the Mediator, also, of a better covenant [than the Mosaic Covenant], which has been instituted on better promises. (Hebrews 8:6 CV)
Notice the use of the perfect tense of the last verb in this sentence, “has been instituted.” This new and better covenant mediated by Jesus the Messiah has already at that time been instituted. It was already in effect, and it was the very covenant which Jeremiah had written about. Thus, having quoted Jeremiah 31:31-34, the author of Hebrews, again using the perfect tense, concludes,
In saying “new,” He [Jesus as Yahweh’s Anointed Son] has made the former [the Mosaic Covenant] old. Now that which is growing old and decrepit is near its disappearance. (Hebrews 8:13 CV)
Here is confirmation of the meaning of Joel’s prophecy concerning the giving of miracles in heaven above and signs on the earth, the sun turning into darkness and the moon into blood. The glory of the New Covenant exceeds and nullifies the glory of the old covenant. The glory of the New Covenant, during the course of these last days (beginning with the pouring out of the spirit and ending with the Royal Arrival of Jesus the Messiah in 70 a.d.), increasingly grows in magnitude while the glory of the old covenant continuously decreases in magnitude, becoming decrepit and near its disappearance, its telos, its end, its termination—death, that is, the Second Death.
Paul writes of these same two covenants:
Now . . . God . . . makes us competent dispensers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the spirit, for the letter is [presently] killing, yet the spirit is [presently] vivifying. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6 CV)
He then continues,
For if that [the old, decrepit covenant] which is presently being made ineffective [by the superexceeding glory of the New Covenant] is presently being made ineffective through the decrease of its glory, much rather that [the new invigorated covenant] which is presently remaining effective, remains effectual as a result of its continuously increasing magnitude of glory. (2 Corinthians 3:11 my translation)
At Pentecost, the new, invigorated covenant comes in exceedingly greater glory than the glory of the old, decrepit covenant, even at its greatest magnitude. This exceedingly great glory will continue to increase in magnitude as it successfully affects the hearts and minds of those faithfully receiving the proclamation of the Gospel.
To those receiving this exceedingly great glory, the ministry of the spirit administers covenantal life and the promise of entrance into the Celestial Allotment of the faithful children of Abraham. To those rejecting and opposing this exceeding great glory, the ministry of the letter of the old, decrepit covenant ensnares them in its administration of covenantal death and the loss of entrance into the Celestial Allotment of Yahweh’s faithful ones. These unfaithful ones are cast out into outer darkness, that is, outside the New Davidic covenantal relationship to Yahweh and His Anointed King. These are excluded from the commonwealth of the New Spiritual Israel of Yahweh. They forfeit the promise which could have been theirs as a result of their being placed among Yahweh’s elect people, the faithful children of Abraham.
The
prophet Ezekiel also wrote of this new covenant. During the last days of the
Mosaic Eon, Yahweh would gather His people from among the peoples where they
had been scattered. He would give them “the
I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh: that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. (Ezekiel 11:19-20 KJV)
This began to occur at Pentecost with the pouring out of the spirit of Yahweh. A new spiritual nation is born on this momentous day. This people is given one heart, a circumcised heart of flesh in place of the uncircumcised heart of stone characterizing Apostate Israel. This one, circumcised heart of flesh is the result of “a new spirit within you” (Ezk. 11:19a KJV). This new spirit is the spirit of Yahweh and His Anointed Son poured out at this eon-transforming Festival of Pentecost.
This
new, spiritual nation, now operating according to the terms of the New Davidic
Covenant superseding the Old Sinatic Covenant, is generated and called in order
that she might walk in Yahweh’s statutes, obediently keeping the spirit of the
ordinances (and the letter when applicable) of the Mosaic Covenant. This new
nation would put away from among her people “the
detestable things” and “all the
abominations” (Ezk.
As such, this new, spiritual nation would honorably be Yahweh’s people, and Yahweh would proudly be her God. This New Davidic people would be a faithful kingdom of priests, successfully fulfilling the intended purpose of Yahweh in electing, creating, generating, and calling this nation. Under the New Davidic Kingship of Jesus the Messiah, this spiritual Israel of Yahweh would become the holy nation it had been chosen and called to be under the terms of the Sinatic Covenant. The elect nation had failed under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. The new spiritual Israel of Yahweh would not fail under the New Davidic Covenant.
Individuals participating in The Christ, The Ecclesia, the New Davidic Kingdom, might fail; but the new, corporate, Born-From-Above nation, the Ecclesia, the Bride, the Body of Jesus the Christ would not fail. The gift of the spirit, identifying the coming legitimacy of the New Davidic Covenant, empowered those receiving it, but it did not eliminate the need to willingly choose to implement its powers by obediently conforming one’s mind and conduct to the requirements of the New Covenant directing the New Man, the New Nation, the New Creation, the New Israel of Yahweh and His Anointed Son.
This new spirit of Ezekiel, representing the new covenant referred to by Jeremiah and the New Covenant of the writers of the Greek Scriptures, is confirmed as referring to the New Davidic Covenant by the testimony of Paul. Ezekiel describes this new spirit within you as a heart of flesh. Paul, writing of the New Covenant which he and the Twelve Apostles dispensed, writes,
You [the Corinthian ecclesia, faithful ones] are our epistle, engraven in our hearts, known and read under the gaze of all men, for you are manifesting an epistle of Christ, dispensed by us, and engraven, not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets, but on the fleshy tablets of [your] hearts. (2 Corinthians 3:2-3 my translation)
Paul equates the new covenant of Jeremiah and the “new spirit within you . . . a heart of
flesh” (instead of a stony heart, Ezk.
Having
quoted Joel to explain the phenomenon of the pouring out of the spirit and the
fact that the present generation of Israelites is living in the last days of
the Mosaic Eon, Peter addresses specifically, “Men! Israelites!” (Acts 2:22a CV) in order to further interpret
the significance of this event and the prophecy of Joel for the present
generation of Israelites. His message is only for Israelites associated with
the Southern Kingdom of Judah which had been conquered by the Babylonians in
586 B.C. and had been scattered among the nations of the Babylonian Empire.
Many of these Israelites (Jews) returned to the
The
nations listed in Acts 2:5-11 as dwelling in Jerusalem as either pilgrims come
up for the festivals of Passover and Pentecost or as those Jews among the
Diaspora who had settled in Jerusalem seem to form symbolically a rough
geographical circle around Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish world-order.
James D. G. Dunn (1996) suggests these nations form a circle “from Parthians,
Medes and Elamites in the east round in an anticlockwise circle with
The
Northern Kingdom of Israel had been scattered among the nations of the Assyrian
Empire, becoming Lo-Ammi, not My
people, thus, gentiles, uncircumcised ones. Jeremiah had understood this
division (Jer. 31:31) of the house of David when he had declared that Yahweh’s
new covenant would be with the house of Judah (the Southern Kingdom) and the
house of Israel (the Northern Kingdom). Zechariah, recognizing this same
division, had declared of Yahweh that He would “save the tents of Judah first” (Zech. 12:7 KJV). Paul confirms
this division of kingdom and order of salvation when he writes, “to the Jew first, and to the Greek as well”
(Rom. 1:16b CV). By Jew he means the
circumcised Jew of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. By Greek he means the uncircumcised gentile of the Hellenistic
culture, among whom the Lo-Ammi
Israelites of the
The Gospel of the Uncircumcision given to
Paul is aimed at the spiritual/covenantal reconciliation of the Israelites
belonging to the
Peter’s
proclamation of salvation on the day of Pentecost is addressed to those Jews of
the Southern Kingdom dwelling in
Are you not saying that, “Still four months is it, and the harvest is coming”? Lo! I [Jesus] am saying to you [His disciples], Lift up your eyes and gaze on the countrysides, for they are white for harvest already . . . I commission you to reap that for which you have not toiled. Others have toiled, and you have entered into their toil. (John 4:35, 38 CV)
Pentecost
celebrates the reaping of the firstfruit of the wheat harvest and its
presentation to Yahweh. The nation born on the day of Pentecost of Acts,
chapter 2, is designated by the writer of Hebrews as “the ecclesia of the firstborn ones” (Heb.
The proclamation of Peter addressed to “Men! Israelites!” is the beginning of this commission to spiritually reap the spiritual harvest which other servants of Yahweh had sowed (for example, the prophets, John the Baptist, and Jesus). Yahweh had prepared the harvest of wheat representing those among the multitude of Apostate Israel whose hearts had been circumcised. Yahweh had many within Apostate Israel whose hearts were open to His voice, His word. These had been cultivated by Yahweh’s legitimate servants and were ready for harvesting into the New Davidic Kingdom of Jesus the Messiah. Yahweh’s word had been planted and cultivated in the hearts of many Israelites, and Yahweh’s word never returns to Him void (Isa. 55:11). It accomplishes His purpose.
The
disciples of Jesus the Messiah (the 120 names gathered together in the Temple
precincts during the first Festival of Pentecost occurring after the ascension
of Jesus) are now entering into the fields of Israel, reaping the harvest
consisting of Israel’s righteous children of Abraham (those whose hearts have
been prepared to faithfully receive the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ).
Many hearts in
Yahweh
had many in
Yet I have left me seven thousand in
Throughout the historical developments of His holy nation, Yahweh had continually protected a faithful remnant to accomplish His intended will and purpose. So, also, among the last evil generation of Apostate Israel, Yahweh had many whose hearts were circumcised, whose knees were genuinely bowed in worship to Yahweh only. These hearts had been tenderly affected by the ministries of the Baptist and Jesus. They would soon respond in faith to the Gospel of Christ proclaimed by the Apostles and disciples of Jesus in the power of the spirit of Yahweh and His Anointed Son.
Many
of these whose hearts were circumcised remained blind and ignorant due to the
adversarial customs and teachings of their false rulers and teachers (the
apostate judges, princes, priests, and rabbis), their apostate shepherds
concerned only with the political and religious survival of the nation as
related to their own power and welfare (see Zech. 11:3-17). These
righteous-in-heart Israelites, like Saul of Tarsus, would remain blind and
ignorant until the appointed time and season of Yahweh, during which the
revelation of Jesus the Messiah’s glory would open their eyes to the truth of
the Gospel and dispel their ignorance, their false perceptions and conceptions.
At that time, all
The
eschatological significance of Pentecost must be understood in relation to its
place among the seven festivals of
Jesus had declared that He would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. This must be understood metaphorically and in reference to Jesus’ use of Jonah as the only sign given to the then present wicked and adulteress generation (the then present Apostate Israel). Jesus had declared,
A generation, wicked and an adulteress, for a sign is seeking, and a sign will not be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For even as Jonah was in the bowel [koilia] of the sea monster three days and three nights, thus will the Son of the Man be in the heart [kardia] of the earth [gai] three days and three nights. (Matthew 12:39-40 CV)
Jonah
is said to have been in the “bowel” (koilia) of the sea monster for three
days and three nights. Jesus declares He would be “in the heart of the earth” (Greek, gai) not the bowel (Greek, koilia)
of the earth. The Greek word gai can
also be translated land according to
its context. In the passage quoted above, Jesus is not referring to the
physical earth, but to the heart of the
This is substantiated when one considers the fact that Jesus was not buried in the earth, the literal ground, but entombed in a quarried rock (see Matt. 27:57-60). This is why Jesus chooses to use the word “heart” rather than “bowel.” Jonah struggled with death in the bowel of the sea monster, but Jesus was to struggle with death in the heart of the land of Israel, thus, literally in the navel of the land, Jerusalem: in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross on the hillside of Golgotha facing (and just outside) the eastern gate of the Temple.
Thus,
the heart of the land refers
figuratively to
Hence,
Jesus’ three nights and three days in the heart of the land (Matt. 12:40)
begins with His ordeal in the
In celebrating the Festival of Passover, the Passover lamb is eaten during the evening of the 15th day of Nisan, His second night in the heart of the land. The morning of the 15th is His second day in the heart of the land and marks the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The evening of the 16th of Nisan is His third night in the heart of the land.
During the morning of the 16th day of Nisan (His third day in the heart of the land), He is resurrected from the dead. This marked the very day during which the third festival occurred, the Wave-Sheaf, the waving (presentation to Yahweh) of the first sheaf harvested from the early barley harvest. Thus, Jesus’ death, resurrection, and His ascension to His Father fulfills eschatologically the times and seasons represented by the festivals of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Wave-Sheaf.
The Festival of Weeks, Pentecost, is the fourth festival of
Thus, the 120 disciples (or more?) baptized with the spirit represent the spiritual presentation to Yahweh of the spiritual firstfruits of the spiritual wheat harvest in accord with the New Covenant consecrated by the shed blood of Jesus. These disciples and all those gathered into the Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah through their proclamation of the Gospel make up the Ecclesia of the firstborn ones, the Ecclesia of the firstfruits. The spirit poured out at Pentecost would reveal in its own time the covenantal significance of these festivals already eschatologically fulfilled, as well as the three concluding festivals marking the times and seasons of the last day and hour of the Mosaic Eon and the Parousia of Jesus the Messiah.
The terrestrial ministry of Jesus was a preparation for a new, a final, an eschatological exodus. On the mount of transfiguration, just prior to the death of Jesus,
two men conferred with Him [Jesus], who were Moses and Elijah, who, being seen in the glory, spoke of His exodus, which He was about to be completing in Jerusalem. (Luke 9:30-31 CV)
The exodus here spoken of referred to His death, resurrection, and ascension to the Father. However, His exodus to the Father would result in His leading a new, spiritual, covenantal exodus, an exodus out from the bondage of Apostate Israel into the freedom of the New Davidic Israel of Yahweh (the Born-From-Above Israel), an exodus culminating in an entrance into the promised Celestial Allotment.
The Festival of Passover celebrated
The
pouring out of the spirit on the day of Pentecost is equivalent to the
birth/creation of
The
Sinatic Covenant had taken espoused
The
first four festivals are spring festivals. They take place in the first month
of
Trumpets.
The fifth festival takes place on the first day of the seventh month. It is a
day of memorial. Trumpets are blown, calling the people of the covenant into
remembrance before Yahweh their Elohim (Lev.
the Lord Himself will be descending from heaven with a shout of command . . . with the trumpet of God . . . (1 Thessalonians 4:16 CV)
This trumpet announces the Royal Approach of Jesus the Davidic King, calling together the people of the New Davidic Covenant. This call is “a shout of command,” authorizing the revelation in glory of the sons of Yahweh, the Ecclesia of Firstfruits, as Paul wrote of in Romans:
For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us. . . . the unveiling of the sons of God [Yahweh]. (Romans 8:18a-19b CV)
The Ecclesia of Firstfruits shares in the sufferings of Jesus the Messiah. This suffering is rewarded by their manifestation in glory at the first announcement of the Royal Approach of Jesus the Davidic King. This takes place during the metaphorical season of the final harvest of the agricultural year, in this case, the final harvest of those Israelites, like Saul of Tarsus, who had remained blind in their ignorance. Their hearts are circumcised; they are zealous of Yahweh’s law, but they have been ignorantly deceived by the false shepherds of Apostate Israel. These Israelites will have their spiritual eyes opened. They will spiritually perceive the glory of Jesus the Messiah, the New Davidic King, as it is manifested in His Ecclesia.
Jesus, speaking of “the harvest [which] is the conclusion of the eon” (Matt. 13:39b CV), describes this day of the manifestation of His glory in His Ecclesia as follows:
Then [at the eschatological fulfillment of the Festival of Trumpets] shall the just be shining out as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (Matthew 13:43 CV)
In His eschatological proclamation He declares that He
shall be dispatching His messengers [celestial beings] with a loud sounding trumpet, and they shall be assembling His chosen . . . (Matthew 24:31a CV)
This is, of course, figurative language. But it does represent a real, historical event occurring during the period described as the last day and hour of the Mosaic Eon.
Paul, again, writing metaphorically of this time, announces,
We all, indeed, shall not be put to repose, yet we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He [Jesus] will be trumpeting, and the dead will be roused incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53 CV)
The events of the final day and hour do not necessarily occur
simultaneously. These metaphoric descriptions of the eschatological Festival of Trumpets begin to take place
at the metaphoric trumpet announcement of the Royal Approach of the Davidic
King. This represents a period of time during the last years of the Jewish
revolt against
The first trump is a call to readiness, an
alerting of the Ecclesia of Firstfruits.
At the sound of this trumpet, the Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah is manifested
in the glory of The Christ, even as Jesus the Messiah had been manifested in
His glory to Saul of Tarsus on the road to
Thereupon, the Ecclesia, led by Jesus the Messiah, metaphorically marches into her Celestial Allotment previously prepared for her by Jesus during His physical absence from the terrestrial realm, the time during which these faithful ones had
washed their robes and whitened them in the blood of the lamb. (Revelation 7:14b my translation)
This Ecclesia, according to Paul, is the very Ecclesia which,
Christ also loved . . . and gave Himself up for Her sake, in order that He should be hallowing Her having cleansed Her by the washing of the water in the sphere of the interest of His declaration, in order that He should be presenting to Himself a glorious Ecclesia, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but in order that She may be holy [set apart for Himself and His Father] and unblemished. (Ephesians 5:25b-27 my translation)
This is the same Ecclesia which Peter exhorts,
Wherefore, beloved, hoping for these things [the new heavens and new earth and their Celestial Allotment], endeavor to be found by Him [at His Parousia] in peace, unspotted and flawless [unblemished]. (2 Peter 3:14 CV)
To be found by Him unspotted and flawless, these faithful ones had to remain faithful to the end, to the telos of the Mosaic Eon. Thus, each one had to be continually washing his or her robe in the blood of the Lamb, that is, each one had to be continually sharing in His sufferings until the telos of the Mosaic Eon, until the Royal Approach/Arriving (Parousia) of Jesus the Messiah. Such faithfulness to such suffering is to be understood as that suffering associated with the righteousness of Yahweh, the righteousness of the Kingdom, the righteousness of the Gospel of God and His Anointed Son, the righteousness associated with the cross of Jesus the Messiah,
to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, conforming to His death [crucifixion], . . . (Philippians 3:10 CV)
To be conformed to His crucifixion death meant to be crucified to the world-order, the system of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant, in order to be free to serve Yahweh and His Anointed Son according to the world-order, the system of the New Davidic Covenant, thus, to serve in the newness of the spirit rather than in the oldness of the letter (Rom. 7:6; 2 Cor. 3:1-3).
Atonement
(Propitiatory-Shelter). The Festival of Atonement
(Propitiatory-Shelter) occurs on the tenth day of the seventh month (Num.
29:7-11). On the day this festival occurs, all Israelites are to humble their souls (Lev.
The High Priest is to
take the two hairy goats and stand them before Yahweh at the opening of the tent of appointment. Then Aaron will cast lots over the two hairy goats, one lot for Yahweh and one lot for the goat of departure. Aaron will bring near the hairy goat over which the lot for Yahweh comes up and make it a sin offering. Yet the hairy goat over which the lot for the goat of departure comes up shall stay alive before Yahweh to make a propitiatory shelter over it and send it away as the goat of departure to the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:7-10 CV)
The blood of the hairy goat of the sin offering is used to
make a propitiatory-shelter (atonement) for the nation, cleansing her for
another yearly cycle, for the High Priest enters the Holy of Holies only once a
year. Having made a propitiatory-shelter for the whole assembly of
bring near the live hairy goat. Aaron will support his
two hands on the head of the live hairy goat, confess over it all the
depravities of the sons of
This living, hairy goat is to bear upon it all the
presumptuous transgressions of the nation. These presumptuous transgressions
are described in the above passage as “depravities.”
Such “depravities” are committed by
the Cainite nation, the rebellious, stiff-necked nation of unfaithful ones,
thus polluting the Abelite remnant of faithful
The hairy goat of departure represents the apostate Cainite nation whose transgressions are presumptuous. Yahweh allows both peoples, both nations to exist simultaneously, thus, the tares and the wheat, the faithful remnant over against the decadent, as David testifies,
The decadent one says in his heart, There is no Elohim. They have become corrupt and abhorrent with iniquitous deeds. There is no one [of these] doing good. Yahweh, He gazes down from the heavens on these sons of Adam, to see whether there is anyone [of these decadent ones] acting intelligently, anyone [of these] seeking after Elohim. All of these decadent ones withdraw aside; together they are spoiled. There is no one of these doing good; there is not even one. (Psalms 14:1-3, my translation)
In
this passage David is not describing all humanity. He is describing the Cainite
sons of Adam who are members of the holy nation of
That this is David’s meaning is to be seen in the continuing lines of Psalm 14:
Have they [these
decadent ones] no knowledge, all these contrivers of lawlessness, these
very ones who are devouring my people [the
Abelite remnant, the lawful ones] as they would devour bread? These
decadent ones do not call upon Yahweh [in
their hearts, v. 1]. There [in
whatever place Yahweh manifests His judgment upon the wicked, even His call to
repentance] they are afraid with awe. For Elohim is with the generation of
the righteous one. You evildoers would put to shame the counsel of the humble
one. Yet Yahweh is his [the righteous,
humble one] refuge. O that the salvation of
The decadent ones in
As a result, they continue to devise various lawless schemes, distorting the Law of Yahweh for their own welfare, adding their own traditions to gain power, social and political honors, and economic wealth for themselves at the expense of the righteousness and the purity of Yahweh’s Covenant. Outwardly, publicly, they profess Yahweh as their Elohim. Inwardly, they are hypocrites glorying in their uncircumcised hearts. They tremble in awe where and when Yahweh seemingly manifests His judgment against the lawless. They fearfully tremble at the proclamation of Yahweh’s authentic prophets. But most spurn Yahweh’s judgment and mercy.
David, however, concludes that Yahweh Elohim is with the generation of the righteous ones, those who humble themselves before Yahweh, respecting and loving His law. The evildoers, the decadent ones, the unfaithful ones, the arrogant ones, the sons of Cain put to shame, ridicule the righteous counsel of the sons of Abel. In spite of this, Yahweh remains the refuge of the faithful, lawful members of the Abelite remnant who humble themselves before Yahweh and His covenant.
These
are the ones who suffer for the sake of the righteousness of Yahweh in the
midst of a crooked and perverse nation of Cainites. On their behalf, David
cries out for the salvation of
Jesus the Messiah (the salvation of Yahweh for His people), representing the Israel of Yahweh, the faithful ones, the Abelites, those whose hearts are circumcised, becomes the hairy goat of the sin offering while Apostate Israel becomes the hairy goat of departure. Upon the hairy goat of departure is placed all the depravities of Apostate Israel (the sons of Cain). This hairy goat of departure bears these depravities into “an inaccessible land” (Lev. 16:22b CV) which Jesus describes metaphorically as outer darkness where there would be “lamentation and gnashing of teeth” (see Matt. 8:12; 22:13-14; 25:30). Thus, Jesus would fulfill the eschatological Festival of Atonement.
This
eschatological fulfillment of the Festival
of Atonement (Propitiatory-Shelter) occurs at the royal, priestly arrival of Jesus the Messiah during the
final years of the Jewish revolt against
Now Jesus, again crying with a loud voice, lets out the spirit. And lo! the curtain of the temple is rent in two from above to the bottom, . . . (Matthew 27:50-51a CV)
Upon His resurrection and ascension, He enters as High Priest
after the order of Melchizedek (see Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:17, 21) into
the celestial Holy of Holies. Metaphorically, He enters having His own blood
whereby He cleanses His people (His Ecclesia, the Israel of Yahweh, and all the
nations under the sun) from their transgressions. He does this only once, for
there would no longer be any further need for blood sacrifices for either
Now Christ, coming along a Chief Priest [High Priest] of the impending good things through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not of this creation [the Sinatic system of worship]; not even through the blood of he-goats and calves, but through His own blood, entered once for all time into the [celestial] holy places, finding [accomplishing] eonian redemption. (Hebrews 9:11-12 CV)
The Festival of Atonement is “an eonian statute” (Lev. 16:29a CV). It would be authorized only during the course of the Mosaic Eon. With the termination of the Mosaic Eon, the eonian statute of Atonement would be terminated, together with all the other eonian statutes of the Sinatic system of worship. Jesus the Messiah was to be a Chief Priest after the order of Melchizedek only for an eon. That eon refers to the last days of the Mosaic Eon:
Yahweh has sworn, and He shall not regret: You are a priest for the eon according to the order of Melchizedek. (Psalms 110:4 CV)
Under the Sinatic Covenant, only a member of the Aaronic Priesthood could serve as High Priest. Jesus does not qualify for this priesthood. His priesthood is in accord with the New Davidic Covenant and is thus associated with the Melchizedekian Priesthood which had preceded the Aaronic Priesthood. The Melchizedekian Priesthood takes us back to Abraham and the nations. It is related to Yahweh’s promise to bless the nations through Abraham’s seed.
Jesus,
according to His Priesthood, enters the celestial Holy of Holies having shed
His own blood as the hairy goat of the sin offering. In this manner, He
accomplishes eonian redemption for His people, the Israel of Yahweh. This
redemption is a redemption from the Mosaic Eon and the Sinatic Covenant
belonging to that creation Yahweh began in
According
to the record in Leviticus, all
No human at all shall come to be in the tent of appointment [the Tabernacle] when he [the High Priest] enters to make a propitiatory shelter in the holy place until his coming forth. (Leviticus 16:17a CV)
Only after the High Priest emerges alive from the Holy of Holies is redemption assured. Having accomplished his task before Yahweh on behalf of His people, the High Priest then
will support his two hands on the head of the live
hairy goat, confess over it all the depravities of the sons of
As a priest according to the order of Melchizedek, Jesus ascends into the celestial holy places to intercede on behalf of His people. He is their advocate at the right hand of Yahweh. During His physical absence from the terrestrial realm, He is reigning as King and interceding as Priest. At the announcement of His Royal Approach, He calls for the gathering of the Ecclesia of Firstfruits, at which time she is revealed in glory, His glory. This results in the gathering in of the remaining harvest, thereby completing the Israel of Yahweh.
At
His Royal Arrival, He emerges from
the celestial holy places as both Davidic
King and Melchizedekian Priest.
As Priest, His emergence is the final sign to His people, the
thus the Christ [Messiah Jesus] also, being offered once for the bearing of the sins of many [the Israel of Yahweh, the faithful Abelites, those whose hearts are circumcised], will be seen [His emergence from the Celestial Realm as successful Chief Priest according to the order of Melchizedek] a second time [the first being His terrestrial ministry], by those awaiting Him [awaiting patiently and faithfully His Parousia], apart from sin [His sacrifice has been accepted by Yahweh], for salvation [the salvation of the Israel of Yahweh], through faith [His faithfulness and the faithfulness of His people]. (Hebrews 9:28 CV modified)
Thereupon,
Jesus, acting as Chief Priest, figuratively places His two hands upon the head
of the live hairy goat (representing Apostate Israel) bearing the depravities
of the decadent Israelites—those hypocrites who outwardly manifest the signs of
Yahweh-worship but inwardly in their uncircumcised hearts declare, There is no Elohim distinguishing between
the virtuous and the vicious. This laying on of hands symbolically
represents the judgment of Yahweh in 70 a.d.
against
Tabernacles. The Festival
of Tabernacles is the last festival of
The
eschatological fulfillment of this final festival of the agricultural year
occurs when Jesus, arriving in the full majesty of His Davidic Kingship (having
already gathered and glorified His Ecclesia at the announcement of His Royal Approach and, through this
glorification of His Ecclesia, gathering in the final harvest of the elect
Israelites whose spiritual eyes had been opened by the manifestation of His
glory revealed in His faithful, persevering saints), leads His People, the
completed Israel of Yahweh, into their Celestial Allotment. During this same
period, Jesus judges Apostate Israel (the sons of Cain) by destroying in 70 a.d. the
At
that time, the Law and the Prophets were fulfilled and the restoration of
At that time the old Mosaic Eon ended. The Sinatic Covenant was terminated by the Second Death. The Adamic headship and eon were superseded by the Jesuic Headship and the New Eon ushering in the New Heavens and the New Earth of Yahweh’s kingdom over all the nations and over the entire race of humanity.
From that time on, in the eyes of Yahweh and His Anointed Son, there would no longer be required any sacrifice according to the elements of the world-order (that is, according to the use of the basic elements of fire, water, earth, and air). The eon of such sacrifices to Yahweh and the gods had been consummated. The childhood of mankind was over. Mankind would now enter adolescence, eventually entering his God-ordained adulthood under the tutelage, guidance, inspiration, and exemplification of the exalted and glorified Jesus Christ, the only legitimate Son of Adam and the Only-Begotten Son of Yahweh.
The pouring out of the spirit at Pentecost is thus the eschatological
fulfillment of the Festival of
Pentecost. This marks the first time
and season revealed by the authority
given the spirit. The restoration of the
It is this Gospel which Peter proclaims on the day of
Pentecost. He addresses Israelites associated with the Southern
He accuses these Israelites of assassinating lawlessly this man Jesus by delivering Him up to the Roman governor for a crucifixion death. In fact, it was not these Israelites who had demanded His death, but their rulers and teachers together with a crowd of mutually minded Jews instigated by these apostate shepherds. However, like Daniel, these Israelites are identified with the nation, and, even though they might not have had a direct hand in this assassination, they share in the nation’s guilt, the nation’s sin, the nation’s transgression of Yahweh’s Law. As they share in the nation’s transgression, however, they shall also share in the nation’s salvation. Here is the truth and salvation of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah.
The Apostate Nation, acting against the disposition of the
people, had lawlessly put to death an innocent man in order to protect its
vested interests in the political survival of the nation under the rule of
In accord with His justice, Yahweh had roused this Man Jesus,
loosing Him from the pangs of death (see Acts
Peter, interpreting Psalm 16 according to the revelatory authorization of the spirit, declares how David, being a prophet and perceiving the implication of Yahweh’s oath guaranteeing him a son to sit upon his throne, prophesied the resurrection of the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One of Yahweh, the promised Son. David had written,
For Thou [Yahweh] wilt not be forsaking my soul in the unseen [hades], Nor wilt Thou be giving Thy Benign One to be acquainted with decay. (Acts 2:27 CV)
Peter, with the boldness imparted by the spirit, explains to his Israelite brethren that the patriarch David had been deceased and entombed for many years, and his tomb had remained among them until that very day. Therefore, David could not have been writing about himself. He had written concerning the resurrection of the Anointed One chosen by Yahweh to sit upon the Davidic throne which had been left vacant for many years.
Peter proclaims to his fellow Israelites that this Man, Jesus the Nazarene, Who had demonstrated that He had been commissioned by Yahweh through the powerful deeds, miracles, and signs He had performed through the power of Yahweh Himself, had not been forsaken in hades (the abode of the dead) by Yahweh. The flesh of this Man Jesus had not been acquainted with decay. The Law of Death had no authority to initiate decomposition of His flesh causing putrefaction, decay, mortification. His flesh remained biologically alive. The absence of His spirit brought about the loss of soul (that is, the loss of the operation of the five senses) and the loss of consciousness (the loss of the operation of the mind), but not the decay, the mortification of the members of His body. Only The Law of Sin could inflict bodily decay, mortification.
This is the reason Paul writes,
Therefore, even as through one man the Sin entered into the world, and through the Sin the Death, and thus this death passed into all mankind, upon which all sinned . . . (Romans 5:12 my translation)
Paul labels this law which passed biologically into Adamic humanity “the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2b CV) in contrast to the redeeming “spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:2a CV) which Jesus the Messiah passes into the New Jesuic Humanity at the appropriate appointed time. In Romans 5:12, Paul uses the past (aorist) tense, “upon which [this death] all [men, with the exception of Jesus] sinned,” to indicate that all men, excluding Jesus, “sinned,” missed the mark of life at the time Adam committed his personal sin. It is not the personal sin or sins of each individual human that causes the death, the mortality, the death common to all men, the death which results in, not only the loss of soul (the operation of the five senses) and the loss of consciousness (the operation of the mind), but also the decay, the mortification, the putrefaction of the flesh, the fleshly members, organs, of the body. It is the sin of Adam that causes this death.
Thus, because this Man Jesus had not sinned personally (had not at any time been disobedient to the voice and will of Yahweh) and had not received biologically The Law of Sin and Death genetically passed through Adamic sperm to humanity, His soul had not been forsaken in death by Yahweh, and His flesh had not undergone the process of putrefaction. Yahweh had not forgotten Him, for Yahweh remembers the righteous. After three days and three nights, Yahweh, restoring to Jesus His spirit which had been voluntarily given up on the cross, rouses Jesus. The restoration of Jesus’ spirit restores His soul (the operation of His five senses) and His consciousness (the operation of His mind). Awakening, He stands Himself up, thus, exiting the realm of death, having obtained the Spirit’s Law of Life by which He would begin to reinvigorate Adamic humanity, starting with the Israel of Yahweh, the circumcised seed of Abraham, the Israelites upon whom the resurrected Jesus the Messiah had begun to pour out His spirit. Thus, Peter proclaims the Gospel of the Circumcision. For the time being, the Gospel of the Uncircumcision remains a secret yet to be revealed by the spirit.
Not only has this Man Jesus been resurrected from among the
dead, He has also been exalted to the right hand of Yahweh (Acts
Said the Lord to my Lord, “Sit at My right Till I should be placing Thine enemies for a footstool for Thy feet.” (Acts 2:34b-35 CV)
Peter explains that David had not ascended into the heavens, therefore, he must have been referring to his future elected Anointed Son, this same Man Jesus who had recently ascended to the right hand of Yahweh to be exalted to the throne of David. This resurrected and exalted Jesus had been appointed by Yahweh as the promised Davidic King. He would be reigning on the throne of David until all His enemies had been placed under His feet.
Peter then concludes his Pentecostal, spirit-inspired proclamation,
Let all the house of
All the house of Israel
refers to all circumcised Jews and proselytes belonging to the Southern Kingdom
of Judah and dwelling within the boundaries of the
As Peter concludes this compelling exhortation, the nation with one heart is convicted, by the powerful influence of the spirit, of her guilt in delivering up to death an innocent man. As one people, with one heart, these Israelites confess the transgression of the nation as their own, like righteous Daniel,
We sin and we are depraved, we do wickedly and revolt, we
withdraw from Thy instructions and Thy judgments. We do not hearken to Thy
servants the prophets, who speak in Thy name to our . . . chiefs, . . . and to
all the people of the land. . . . to us is shamefacedness as at this day: to
each man of
These Israelites, hearing and observing the occurrences and the proclamations inspired by the spirit during this Festival of Pentecost, identify themselves with their guilty nation, the Apostate Israel, which had been placed under Yahweh’s judgment spoken by John the Baptist and this Man Jesus. They realize their dilemma. They realize their need for salvation, deliverance from their transgressions. Some, representing them, imploringly cry out,
What should we be doing, men, brethren? (Acts 2:37b CV)
These people are not to be confused with those apostate Jews of uncircumcised heart who, before Pilate, had cried out as one multitude,
Away with this one! Yet release to us Bar-Abbas. (Luke 23:18 CV)
Crucify, crucify him! (Luke 23:21 CV)
No king have we except Caesar! (John 19:15 CV)
His blood be on us and on our children! (Matthew 27:25 CV)
In these passionate cries, here is the heart and soul of
Apostate Israel, the
Progeny of vipers! Who intimates to you to be fleeing
from the impending indignation? Produce, then, fruits worthy of repentance. . .
. Now already the ax also is lying at the root of the trees [apostate Jews, children of Cain, those
whose hearts are uncircumcised]. Every tree, then, which is not producing
ideal fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire [the figurative fire of judgment which would come down upon Apostate
Thus, the judgment of this apostate nation had already been announced. It was impending for John the Baptist, and it is imminent for this people crying out to Peter and the rest of the Apostles. Thus, Peter answers them,
Be saved from this crooked generation! (Acts 2:40b)
That present, crooked generation is soon to be delivered up for destruction. All true, authentic Israelites, those faithful children of Abraham whose hearts are circumcised, need to be saved, delivered from the Apostate Israel to which they belong, with which they have identified themselves by their conviction of guilt in relation to the death of Jesus.
Therefore, Peter details for them the specific response necessary to be saved from the crooked generation they participate in:
Repent and be baptized each of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the pardon of your sins, and you shall be obtaining the gratuity of the holy spirit. (Acts 2:38 CV)
John the Baptist had called for repentance and baptism. Many of those now before Peter and the rest of the Apostles had most likely repented under the Baptist’s ministry and had submitted to his baptism. But that repentance and baptism had been under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant.
Now, however, on this eschatological Day of Pentecost, the New Davidic Covenant had been inaugurated, giving birth to a new nation, a New Israel of Yahweh whose sins had now been cleansed, completely pardoned by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus upon the figurative mercy seat in the Celestial Realm by Jesus Himself as the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Now repentance and baptism would be in the name of Messiah Jesus, Jesus Christ. Now repentance and baptism would identify the initiate with the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Identification with His death resulted in their sharing in His death to the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. Identification with His resurrection resulted in their sharing in the new life of His New Davidic Covenant. In this dual identification would be their salvation from the impending, imminent judgment against their present, evil, crooked generation.
Of course, at this time, neither the Apostles nor the present initiates understand these truths. This knowledge would shortly be given to them under the teaching authority of the spirit. Now, however, submitting to this present repentance and baptism would result in the reception of the spirit in the time appointed by Yahweh. This reception would be implemented by the authorized spirit directing the affairs of the new nation, the new spiritual nation, the New Israel of Yahweh under the New Davidic King, Jesus the Messiah, the Anointed One of Yahweh, THE NATION BORN IN A DAY.
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?
Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As
soon as
Peter, then, continues his instruction:
For to you [the authentic, faithful children of Abraham, Israelites circumcised in heart] is the promise [of the spirit and of salvation] and to your children, and to all those afar [the Diaspora Jews], whosoever the Lord our God [Yahweh our Elohim and His Anointed Son] should be calling to Him. (Acts 2:39 CV)
The promise of the spirit, which is a sign of the promise of
the salvation of
to each man of
Peter and the rest of the Apostles and disciples, at this time, know nothing of the Gospel of the Uncircumcision. They know nothing of Abraham as the father of the uncircumcised. These are truths still concealed at this time. These and other truths would be revealed by the spirit at their appointed times. This is another aspect of the meaning of Jesus’ declaration:
Not yours [the Apostles and disciples] is it to know times and seasons which the Father has appointed in the proper authority [the authority of the spirit]. (Acts 1:7, my translation)
Knowledge of eschatological times and seasons is not placed under the authority of men. It is placed in the figurative hands of the spirit which administers in the appropriate appointed times and seasons of the Father this knowledge to the men and women belonging to the Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah. The historical development and growth of the Ecclesia during the last eschatological years of the Mosaic Eon and the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant are to be in the figurative hands of the spirit (not the figurative hands of men still in the condition of imperfection, immaturity) directing all the vital decisions and events contributing to the fulfillment of the commission ordained by Yahweh for the Ecclesia of Jesus His Anointed Son.
At the conclusion of Peter’s exhortation, “Be saved from this crooked generation” (Acts 2:40b CV), the text records that 3,000 souls were added to the newly generated nation in that eschatological Day of Pentecost. Thus, 3,000 Israelites welcomed the proclamation of the Apostles, repenting and being baptized. Many others present that day would retain in their hearts the word proclaimed by the spirit-inspired Apostles of Jesus. These would eventually repent, turning back to Yahweh and His Anointed Son at the revelation in glory of the Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah during the Royal Approach of the return of the great and glorious Davidic King.
Others present that day would continue to ponder the spirit-inspired proclamation, while continuing to observe and take heed to the behavior, deeds, and words of the Apostles and disciples. Eventually, they would subject themselves to the rule of Jesus the Anointed Davidic King of Yahweh their Elohim, thus contributing to the growth of the new Born-From-Above spiritual nation and the ranks of the spiritual-warriors serving in the spiritual army of the Israel of Yahweh under the spiritually mighty leadership of the Davidic Warrior-King, Jesus the Messiah.
Yet, others would reject the spirit-inspired proclamation.
They would cling to the old Mosaic Covenant which had been given over to the
verdict of covenantal death to be imminently carried out during the Jewish war
against
The newly generated nation continues to gather together in the
vicinity of the
The faithful community of the New Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh holds all things in common.
This community is the product of the new birth referred to by Jesus in His
conversation with Nicodemus recorded in John, chapter 3. Nicodemus should have
understood this subject, since it is a major theme of the prophets. But
Nicodemus, like all
The pouring out of the spirit generates a new nation which begins to behave according to the spirit of the Mosaic Law as qualified by The Law of the Spirit of Life in Messiah Jesus. The faithful people participating in this new nation begin to implement the righteousness of the eschatological Year of Jubilee, at which time, according to the law, all allotted lands would be returned to their original tribes and families as allotted under Joshua. All outstanding debts would be cancelled, all Israelite slaves would be set free, and all oppression would cease. In short, every 50th year, the year of Jubilee, would begin a time of refreshing (see Leviticus, chapter 25; Acts 3:19-21):
And they were selling their acquisitions and their properties, and were distributing these things to everyone according as each one had need. (Acts 2:45 my translation)
In addition to this righteous spirit of generosity, these Born-From-Above Israelites worshiped
daily in the sanctuary, persevering as one, unified, corporate body. They also
shared their meals, receiving daily nourishment in the available homes open to
all members of the community. This table fellowship was enjoyed with much
exultation and in simplicity (purity) of heart. Surely, the spirit had been
writing the law on the tablet of their hearts. As a result, they were
continually and wholeheartedly praising Yahweh their Elohim, while granting (or
displaying) covenantal favor toward the whole people of