ens have received Him until the times of the restoration of all things.” What a remarkable prophet ic truth is here! There is a day com ing when the veil of blindness, which has come to Israel, will be taken away. We believe the Lord could come again at any time. Peter makes a bona fide offer to the Israelite na tion. Christ’s coming back from Heaven to set up His earthly king dom is linked to the national repent ance of Israel. When the Lord comes back to earth again, creation itself will be re stored. The curse of sin will be lifted. Everything will experience the re demptive power of Jesus Christ. The desert will blossom as a rose and the lion will lie down with the lamb. The restoration of Israel to its land will be realized to a far greater degree than is now seen. The hands on God’s clock begin to move. Israel comes to the head of the line. The Lord Jesus Christ does this when He returns again to sit on the throne of His fa ther David (Acts 3:21). Have you ever thought about the various prophetic verses which refer to “until” ? “Blindness in part is hap pened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:25); “when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away” (2 Cor. 3:16). The Psalmist quotes God the Father who says to His Son: “Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool (Psalm 110:1). We’re living in that period of “until” right now. All the movements in our world today are but steps toward that hour. Again we read that “Jerusalem shall be trod den down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24). Revelation 11:2 tells us that the Holy City will feel this for 42 months, the last three-and- one-half years of the Great Tribula tion, which follows the Rapture of the Church.
Peter goes on to say in verse 23 that every soul who shall not hearken to the Lord Jesus shall be utterly de stroyed. You can’t trifle with Christ. There’s no way to ignore Him. You can’t do as you please with Him without penalty. If you don’t know Him as your Saviour, invite Him into your heart by faith just now. Thank Him for dying for you. Make Him your very own. C hapter S ix I T’S STRANGE TO read in the Bible how religious leaders became angry at the disciples and apostles when they sought to bring physical as well as spiritual help to people. This is re corded in Acts 3 after the lame man was healed. The priests and the tem ple authorities came upon them (Acts 4:1), and were sorely troubled. They put them in custody over night, which was more than they ever did for Christ. His trial was illegally railroaded through during the night hours. In their evil effort to get Him on a cross they broke every known rule. Peter and John in jail kept right on preaching, and several thousand more were saved. Annas and Caiaphas were there, although they thought they had got ten rid of Jesus. Their problems were only compounded. The fact is, no man can ever get rid of Him! It’s been well said that “You don’t get Jesus off your hands until you get Him in your heart.” If we reject Him now, as so many do, some day He will appear as our Judge. He can’t be avoided. The Apostles were asked, “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” (Acts 4:7.) Peter, now filled with the Holy Spir it, gives the positive answer (v. 8). The high priest and temple authori ties had to admit that something had happened. Peter told his accusers again about the death and resurrec- 7
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