Peter Re-offers the Kingdom: Page 37

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Peter Re-offers the Kingdom
 

34 [Jesus said] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killeth the prophet, and stoneth them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not (Luke 13:34).
 

6 When they (the disciples) therefore were come together, they asked of him (the resurrected Jesus) saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6)?
 

In early Acts, Peter continues to prophesy the Abrahamic Covenant and preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, still messaging that Jesus was the Son of God, their Messiah, and that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, but it was only at hand IF the Nation would repent. 

 

He was not preaching the good news that Christ had died for their sins, was buried, and had risen from the dead. 

 

He scolded them for killing their Jesus. 

 

They had crucified their Messiah. 

 

23 Him, (Jesus) being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 

 

24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it (Acts 2:23-24). 

 

Peter pleaded with his kinsman to repent of having killed their long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God, be converted and be water baptized for the forgiveness of sin so that the times of refreshing (their kingdom) could come from the Lord (Acts 3:19). 

 

26Unto you first (the Jews) God , having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities (Acts 3:26). 

 

We will see in the future, the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, would also go to the unbelieving Jews first, to the synagogues, before he turned to the Gentiles and wrote in Romans 1:16, 

 

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
 

Peter knew that he could soon be one of the twelve disciples judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). 

 

We see that he thought the prophesied tribulation was at hand, as he referenced Old Testament prophecy. 

 

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 

 

15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 

 

16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 

 

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (Acts 2:14-17). 

 

He was ready to serve the Lord with his whole heart (John 21:15-19). 

 

He eagerly awaited the return of His Lord to restore his relationship with Him and work for the Lord in the kingdom.
 

Peter instructed his kinsman who had received two of the required baptism, water and Holy Spirit, to have everything in common (Acts 2:44-47, Luke 12:33). 

 

They just needed one more baptism before they could enter their Millennial Kingdom, They needed the baptism by fire, the promised and prophesied Great Tribulation. 

 

They The Kingdom Church had enough wealth to take them through the upcoming difficult seven years of Tribulation. 

 

The little flock (Luke 12:32), the remnant (Romans 9:27), was ready for their Kingdom. 

 

They just needed to be faithful, to be the great tribulation overcomers (I John 5:5; Revelation 2:11, 17, 26; 3:5, 21), and their Kingdom hope would finally be realized (Acts 1:6). 

 

Having received an unction, an anointing, from the Holy One (I John 2:20), being bonded together in a common faith, they could endure to the end (Mark 13:13; Matthew 10:22; 24:13) through whatever difficulties would come their way. 

 

They would refuse to take the mark of the beast (Revelation 19:20; 13:17; 14:9; 16:2). 

 

After the Tribulation, the Nation of Israel will be a 5 kingdom of priests and an holy nation (Exodus 9:5). 

 

The Gentiles would bless them (Isaiah 49:22-23; 14-1-2). 

 

5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 

 

6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves (Isaiah 61:5-6).
 

Rome was in power at this time. Christians were persecuted beyond measure, especially during the time of Nero. 

 

Perhaps the little flock thought that they were experiencing the Tribulation, until the persecution continued long after the seven prophesied years (Daniel 9:25). 

 

The kingdom saints who were left in Jerusalem had prepared their monies to last for seven years, not thousands. 

 

Their land went through a great dearth. 

 

On Paul’s missionary journeys, he would take up a collection for the poor Kingdom Saints in Jerusalem (Romans 15:26; I Corinthians 16:1-3). 

 

Nothing was making sense.
 

So what happened? 

 

Where is Israel’s prophesied Kingdom? 

 

Is God not a promise keeper? 

 

How can this be? Where is their temple? 

 

How can there be priests without a temple? 

 

Why did God reveal so much scripture in the four Gospels about the Tribulation and then it did not come (Matthew 24)? 

 

Several times John reminds the Kingdom Church why they are the tribulation overcomers who would not be deceived by false Christs and false prophets, by great signs and wonders (Matthew 24:24) and would not worship the beast or his image or receive the mark of the beast (Revelation 20:4). 

 

13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father (I John 2:13). 

 

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (I John 4:4). 

 

20 Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things (I John 2:20). 

 

4 This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 

 

5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God (I John 5:4-5)?
 

Why did Peter, James, and John write so much scripture to the twelve tribes that were scattered abroad (James 1:1), encourage their people to be faithful, to help each other, and to stick together like glue during the dreaded prophesied Judgment they would have to endure because of their national disobedience and unbelief? 

 

IF the Jewish leaders, the Sanhedrin, and the priests and scribes did not come to believe their Gospel of the Kingdom and receive their Messiah, the Son of God, THEN how could Israel receive her Kingdom? According to the Mosaic Covenant, the IF-THEN principal, God is not pleased when His people do not have faith. 

 

They are worthy of His judgment. What would be the outcome of their unbelief? 

 

The believing Jews in the Kingdom Church (Matthew 18:17)came under great persecution and scattered while, initially, the twelve apostles remained in Jerusalem to preach to their leaders, the ones who were supposed to be leading Israel toward their earthly hope (Acts 8:1-4).
 

Peter was preaching the Gospel of the Circumcision according to prophecy. 

 

Why did Paul begin preaching the Gospel of the uncircumcision according to the revelation of the mystery (Galatians 2:7)? 

 

Why did Paul change his focus from preaching primarily to his kinsmen (Acts 13:5; 14:1; 18:4) to primarily preaching to the Gentiles (13:46; Acts 18:6; 28:28)? 

 

Why did God tell us in scripture to follow the apostle Paul as he followed Christ (I Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1-2; Philippians 3:17); not in the manner that the twelve apostles followed Christ (Matthew 5:19; Acts 15:5, 20-21)? 

 

If God did not keep His promises to Israel, can we trust Him to keep his promises to the Body of Christ?