LESSOif #7.

"THE ACTS OF THE" \POSTLi!."S".

CH\PTER II.

VGrsc 1. ItAnd when the day of Pentecos:t was fully come, they "Noro all wi tn one accord in one place. 1t

In Ex. 23:14, we r~ad "Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year", They are Itthe feast of unleavened bread -- ­the feast of harvGst --- the feast of ingathering lt , (L:;..{. 23:15,16). In Leviticus wo have a description of the associated factors of tho foasts, .,~ yo be come into t he land", (Lcv~ 23 :10).

1. Tho "f;;;ast of unleavened bro'1d ll , (:~x. 23:+5) is associated with lltho sheaf of the firstfruits ll , '(Lov. 23:10)

2. 'ITho feast of harvest" (J:i:x.. 23:16) is associated with lithe two loaves ----th(;ly shall be bn.ken with leaven", (Lev, 23: 17) (

a, llTho Lordi s PQ.s~ovcrll (L-.;v. 23:5), lIChrist our pnssovcr sacrificed for us", (1 Cor. 5:7), It o.ffered for our offences It , (Rom. 4:25).

b. "Shoaf of t:1.e first fruits", (LE::v. 23:10), "made alive -----Chris t t.ile firs t frui ts ii, (I Cor. 15 :22-23 ) , lI raised again for our justification", (Rom. 4:25).

c. IlFifty days ----yo shall bring --- -two wave lon.ves -- ­bakon with leavon ll , (L0v. 23:16,17,18). "When the da;:r of Pentecost was now como, thGY wore:; all together in one p1ace t1, (i.C t s 2: 1 A. ~ • V • )

A. The feast of "UNLEAV1i~XED BRE;'J)lI associated with the I'LORD1: PASSOVE..-q it typifies tho "he Lamb wi thou t blemish ---for a burnt off:Jr ing ll , (L0 v. 23: 12)

B. The foas t of the "NAVl£-LO"lVES" baked "WITH LEAVElr u typi.fius the fact of sin in God's people in spite of thciir redemption.

The lesson is bereby taught that man's acceptance with God is based on r8demption. "He hath mad0 us accepted "IN Trt.S BE­LOVED f', (Eph. 1:6).

C. NOTICE: (1) ItWITH HIM --- freely give us", (Rom. 8:32); (2) trBY HIM ---let us offer ----praise ---thanks", etc,

(Hob. 13:15); (3) It offer up spiri tunl sacr i .fices ---BY ,E3US GERIST It , (I Pc;:;! t. 2:5); - (4) "No ma.n cometh unto tho ;:i'ather but BY iYIE u , (Jno. 14:6}j (5) It.1hatsoever yo ask IN LIT NJ.:HE", etc, (Jno. 14: 13).

D. NOTIC~ THIS TRUTH IN TF~B ~1?=S:

If "the leaVOrl" of lttwo Wf:.ViJ 10flvos II indica t~s s in in God's peoplo, {as pnul said "in my flesh ---sin dwelleth", Rom. 7:18,20}, how can thuy worship? and on what basis will God accept their worship? Let it first be obs0rved that v{hile s in docs dwoll in us, W'J c..rc not to I'Lct -- sin - ­reign in your rnortnl bodie:;s", (Rom, 6:12). Paul had said ttThat as sin hath reigned unto duathU , (Rom. 5:21) for thos8 who haVG received ":l.bundance of grace and of the gift

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LES30N ;'7. ,t'ngc 2.

of ri~htoousness shall reign in lifo BY ONE, JESUS CnRIST~ Rom. : 17). Therofore," s in sha,ll not have dominion over you (who? - those) --under ~a.cerr, (Rom. 6:14) •

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1. Tho lI gift of righteousness A , is tho possossion of eV0ry child of God. Thus to everyone of them the

promis0 is true that rrbeing roconciled (Ifby the death of his Son tl )

we shall b ~ saved BY HIS LlFE lf , (Rom. 5:10). Now notice this truth as typified: Having snid that "the two loaves ---shall be baken with loaven tl , (Lev. 23:17), Moses continued frye shal~ offer WITH THE Bn:~AD seven lambs WITHOUT BLEMISH of the -:first yoar, and one young bullock, nnd two rams: thoy s~~11 be for a burnt offering unto the Lord ---- evon an offering mado by firo, of SW~T SAVOUR u~TO TEB LORD rr. THEN ye shall sacrifice one kid of tho goats for a SIN OFFERL-JG, a.Tld two la...'1lbs of t11tj first year for·a sacrifice of'"PEACE OFFERr;rG~ (Lev. 23:18-19).

1. The tlsin off'Jringrr sn.tisfiod the holinoss of God who is of 'fpurer oyos th['..n to behold evil", (Ba.b. 1: l3) • The "pollce il thflt followed enabled the worshipper to approach ":lith a "consciQnce void of offence il

, (Acts 24:16), bocause tho hoart hOos beon tlsprinklod f ro:n an evil conscience", (II..Jb. 10:22), ,/hich must be done if we Viould "draw near", (Hob. 10:22), and "enter into tho holiest", (Hub. 10:19). Thus the worhip of Godls poople is seen to be possiblo anc acceptable only as it is offored in tho morits of g~s Son, litho priest sh::.ll ,lAVE TF3:d ·IITn T:.z BREAD OF 'rEG FIRST FRUITS ----TILY SIULL BE HOLY TO l'IG LORD lI , (Lov. 23:20).

4. ",Vhun Paul wrote of tho i'mercios of God", (Rom. 12:1), and God's methods of oxtending thoIil he said, ItI will be merci· ful to their unrightoousnoss 6 r~nd their SINS AND InIQUITIES will I romombor no more", (Hob. 0:12). John than tells how and when this is dono for tnt,) child of God; "If any man sin, we rli1ve an advocate -N'ITH T~ F.dHER, JESUS CHRIST ~ THE RIGHTEOUS", (1 Jno. 2:1). Thorofore, "If we confess our sin' he is fOoit~~ul and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrightoousness ll , (1 Jno. 1:9). 'Vhat is tho basis· of tnis forgiveness? i1thc blood of Jesus Christl!, (1 Jno. 1:7). This is for those who hav.J passed from "do.rmcss to light", (tcts 26:18), Oond who, "as thG children of lig..'lt i

', (Eph. 5:8} are to "walk in the light lf , {l Jno. 1:7) in order to "hnvG fellowship one with another". (1 Jno. 1:7), and lI"with tho ?-:1ther and with his Son Jesus Christ lt ,

(1 Jno. 1:3)

"The Day of rentocost lf came fifty days ofter the rosurrec­tion of Christ, Ooccording to tho type~ (Lov. 23:15-16), and "they (the apost10s) woro all together 1n ono place". Notice the differ­ence between tho wording of this text Oond that of .cts 1:14: "theso all (the apostlos, the women, Mary, and his (Jesus) brethren), con­

tinued vii th one accord in prayer", otc, but in .Acts 2:1 "They Vlere all ;1 must bQ 1L"Ili tud to thoapos tIe s, for tIle immediate contoxt roads "hu was numbered vli til thu olevun apos tlos -- -tI;lOZ were all", etc, (-:ets 1:26) (.~cts 2:1). Thc;n notice etlso that ~n ,~cts 2:14, wo read, i1P0ter standing up with tho- oL..lvcn", etc. j,lso th0 promise, "ye shn.ll recoive power --- yc shall be witnessos", (~cts ~:8), was

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LESSON #7. Page).

limited tq _t.h~r-upoS'tl.,}s, c.l.cta 5:29-,32}.

lIAnd. suadonly thoro came a 3 ctmd from honven as of a rusfung mighty wlnd~ cnd :Lt f1.11od all thu house whoJre they woro sitting. :U1d thero apPiJarcd unto them clovuD tonguos liko n.s of fire,. and it S:lt upon each of thum. lf •

If.l sound --- :filled all the house --- there ap,i?oarod". 'rhus ',-m have 0. tostimony thrlt registers on tho car and ~' hoard 'md soon. Thus Potor re:rerrod to "tho promiso "O'rthc Ho y Ghos t, hu hath shed forth this, which yo now see nnd hear", (.~cts 2:33). Putcr 1.~ tvI' r0fcrl~·~a to this as i'ol101ivS:-u the noly Ghos t :fell on Ghcm ,:,S on us at tl~0ginnin~. ThtJn romcmb~!"od I the word ofthe Lord, 11o,;" t.i::..at he add, Johnndeed ba.ptized With water, but yo shall b;) b,J.ptiz0.d uith t ho HO~7 Ghost", (~cts 11:15-16). Christ S'lid thUS3 words to tho apostles in 'bCtS 1:5', (1) tfthe sound from luavon't was !iear a, ~nd (2) tho r'cloven tongues as er fire" wore seen. Tho fir.] ','laS divided, end the divisions l.iko tongues of flo..mo ilS .:1t u;>on oa.ca o:f theml'. This fire- was not as SOl!lO supposo the. fulfillment of too prophecy .the shall ba.ptiz(; you Hi tn th,; Holy Ghost RIld \7i th fira lt , (Lt.1ke 3 :16). Tho., baptism. lfwith rire lt will be eff'"uctod when thw Son or man shn.ll "burn ?i'ith .fire unquoi1.chablo",. (Luke 3:17}, tho'Jo c~l1.od "chaff" in contrast to ttthu whJatn • It shnJ.l bo done whun he shall. "cast tho. cursed into Qverlasting fire rt , (hfu.tt. 25:41), which

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i3 ttt.hu uvorla.sting punis.hmunt't, (~att. 25:46), waiting .for all It who know not God UJ.--:ld obey not thO' gos.pel. of our Lord Josus Chris t", (11 Thess. 1:8); then 'lin flaming .firo l ! ell Thcss. 1:8), '.vill the Son or God Ifbaptizo ---with tire ---- burn up the chaff Jf , (Matt.;' J: 11.-121..:-

Tha "clovon tongues like 113 o:f firo \I on Pentocos t, didn't burn up ~ything~ but they simply s.ccompnnied "tho promis e of tho ?athor 'l , as phy-sical phonomena,. arrast:Ln~ in naturo, not essential to th~ promis\;),. but with... that. stranguness that is a'ssoeiatud ':'lith 'tbuginnings tr • It never happenud. as :rar as God's ';Vord ruvoa.l.s,. aga.i:l

v. ~. It ·and thoI wore all. fillod with tho Holy Ghost~ and began to speak. wi th other tongues ~ .:13 th~ Spirit gavo them uttarc..n.cv.'t

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[tThoy v/ore a.ll filled \"lith tho ::01.:7 Ghost'!'. This \va~ true in a sansu ncvu~ ~.roro exporioncud. Thoso \1'Ords do not t~aeh tho sa....rn.u truth ind.ic...'l.tcd by words strikingly similar in Eph. 5:19. nBo filled with tr...u. Spirit". This is n. cOlD.l'!12.ndm...'Ult, and bY' comparing with Col. 3:16,. wo 3·.;0 tP..n.t it is dO:-lU wh.;n we "Lot the ",ford of Christ d\Toll in :rou rielo...lylt. HO','1? By it'7lOrd and dead l

', (Col. 3:17). On tho da:r or P~ntccost thore ~as no CO~Lndm0nt, no conditions to meet in order to be "!"i~lcd with the Holy Ghost lt •

1.' Christ had s:lid, "They shall spvak with ne...., tongues tl , (Mk. 16 :17). Here he lim1ted his words to _the apos tlos as tl;\o

ontoxt c10arl' shows,. (Mk. 16:.14-,19,20). ~:hose signs novor followod ~nJon8 also, a thou others, through tho ~postlcs ministry roceived It p;ifts ". Only tho Holy Spirit, through thu apostlos, could bostow th0m, (1 Cor. 12:4-11)'Gal. 3:5)(Hob. 2:4) •

.."". LES30N #7.

2. On tho Da.j of PcntQco-st tho apostles. "bega.n to speek with othor tongue-5 1 as th':,.3pirit gave thum utterance", (Aots

2:4). Notico now tI~t this raot did not fulfill tho old testament prophocy of \'tongu.Qsll". but .only thu promise of Chril!t in (Mk. 16 :17) ..

a. The old tastfulh.mt prophlJcy reads, "For with stnm:ne.ring lips Cl.:ld c>.nothcr ,tonguo will ~lC S'p-Jak to this pe aple yet --- thoy would not hear", (Isn.. 28:11-121. Pa.ul shows this to bo £ulfi11od in cO~i~ction with tho exercising of "tho girt 0:£ tongues tl ~ by the Church of tho Gentiles spoak­ing to thu Jows, (1 Cor. llp21.). Thus paul said, IIWhorof'oro tongues arc for a sign", (1 Cor. 14:22). :~ sign of what? That God had turned f.rom Isra/oJl to tho Guntilcs. (.:'cts 13:4J.)(.~cts 18:6}{.~C.t5 28:28-29). ..

b. Notico th~t on Pontocost, converted Jews wore speaking to unconvertod Javls ll •

c. ~t tllv HOUS0 or Corn01ius, converted Gentilos were speaking to converted Jews, "They of tho circumcision --- h.Jard th~m (G~nti1~s) --- sp~ak with tongues, and magni~J God7 (.~c ts 10 :45-46).

d. But at Corinth~ Paul quoted t~ words of Isaiah as fL~ding fulfillment throu~~ th0 church exorcising tho girt Of tongu0s. (Isa. 25:11-12) (1 Cor. 14:21-22).

e. The ordQr or tonguos is cl~ar17 sot rorth in 1 Cor. 1~~ ~If ~~y ~ (not ?roman) spoak in Qn tonguo, lot it bo by two. or at tho most by thr-J0~ 2.D.cl. thr~t by courso, (th..'1t i~,. one at ~ time), ~nd lot one intorprot. But ir thoro bo rc inturprutor, lot him (who hn.s tlill gift of tongues) keop silence in thv church",. (~ Cor. llp27-28). Tho church wa.s not odif'icd by t.:lC gUt of t onguos ~ unless intorprutod; othorwiso, l'1.e t him spe~ to himself, and to God",. (1 Cor. 14:.28),. providing -b.c.:h~s re co i vod tho gift to intorpro t for 11.is o:m understnnding as Paul said, n''vhor..:foro let mill th.at sp0a.koth in rtn tongue, pray.' thc'1 t hu lD..'lY intcrprot il

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(1 Cor. ~:13). Under those circ~tnncos he is blossed, but not tho church1f • He tha.t sponkoth in tln unknown ton~1.lo odi.fieth hL1lSelf",. (1 Cor~ 14:+),. but his tostimony, 12cking the vvidoncc of the second witnoss, is or no prOfit, as in tho case or one oxercising the gift or tongues, Lnd anotn~r thu girt to interpret. (1 Cor. 11:30)(1 Cor. l1:10).

This was not th0 order on Pontecost. Thore no intorprJtor was noud..:d, bvcausc tho words, uttered by tho apostlos, were conveyed to the 0ars of tho ~udionce in th0ir "ol,m tonguo ll • (.~cts 2:8).

Prop.'1r..:d by: H. Fr~ Fort, Minist~r,

Bvroan 3aptist Cilurch~

Houston, Tax. -~lJP. 2, 1952.

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LESSON #8.­

~HE ACTS OF TH3 ..~~POSTIE Sf' <II

CHj.PT~{ n. Verses 5-16 • . \~~~

V. 5. nAnd there were dwelling at JerusaJem Jews, devout men, out or every nation under heaven. 1t

"Devout men", that is, God .fearing.. devoted to what they beliaved, sincere. The words do not necessarily imply salvation~ for one may be devoted as Sau1 or Tarsus in his unconverted state. He said, iiI verily thou~ht with myseli', that I ought to do many things contrary to the nama or .Tesus o~ Nazarethft

, (Acts 26:9}. Christ had warnea. his disciples, "the time c-ometh that whosoever kil~eth you will think that ne·doeth God s~rvicetrJ (Jno. 16:2). The reason they will so think is "because they have not known the Father~ nor rna".,. (.rno. 16:3). Since Saul did what he did 'Iignorantly in un­balier"., (1 Tim. 1 :13), then "unbellef'l is true or all who 'Iknow not God~.. Qbrist' sai~, "no man knoweth the Son, but the Father;. neither". knoweth any man tne Father, save tl.le Son~ and he to whomsoever tha Son wi.ll revea~ b.i:m.It , (Matt. 11:27).. J'ohnsaid, "He. hath lad him .forth", ( Jno .1:18 .margin) • Thus these II de vout men il vvere s ince re but had no-t. thc kno'Nledge or God as revealed by iftne Son or God".. When John saicF he "is COlOO !l."'"ld hath given us an understa:ading that we may know him" .. (~Jno. •.5:2Ci). These "devout .ll1cn" did not know God as thus reveale'i,

These "devout men" consisted o.f dO'i'lS trdwolling at Jerusalem CL'1.d .rews iJout or everl nationlf , and ifprOSelYKarIi VB. ~ la. that is, GentiJ..e s converted to Jewry by too zea.lous:? isees of whom Christ said, nya com?ass sea und land to make one proselyte,. and when he i'3 made s ye. make hiLl tworo~d mora the child or hell than yourselves,r 2

(Matt.23-:~5} •.~ These proselytes were ga.thered to Jerusalem. to obse.!'~, the feasts or~heir religion. The J'3WS were made up or those whos0 homes were ;rin Jerus~.lem", v.5,. or in il.rudea tr V.g,. or in some of the tl natlonstt v. 9-11., among which,. since the Babylonian captivity,. they had beJn dispersed. Pete:r ruf'arred to th~m e.s Ustrangers scattered i!,

(1 Put. 1:1); Jarllca "to th.J twe~v&.tribes scattered abroadll ,. {James l:l}.

Va. 6-8. 'tNO'Jr when this was noised abroad,. the multitude came together,. and were confounded.. because that every man hoard taem speak. in his o-rrn Ll.nguago. And they wera e.l~ amazed and marvelled~ saying one to anothers Behold,. are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear ,va. every man in our own tongue,. wherein we

r·· W'=ire born'llt .......- .'

;r~,1hen this was noised abroad lt .. We jump to the conclus ion that this means, when ~he report or the phenomenon got out, that is, when it was rumored, then "the multitude came together", but this is not so. The word translated "noised" never means a rumor, but that which attracts directly,. that is,. not something rumorod, but the thing i tsel.f. ThE:1 :1.S.V. roads tlwhen this sound was hoard" ~ that is,. Ita sound from hoavenu,V. 2,. Itthe multitude carne togethor l', obviously to the place where the sound convoyed, if tho house" ~ V.2. The apostle s then it.fill~d with the- Holy Spirit·, CaLl0 out to lithe multitude iJ , and Itbegan to spuu.k with: ether tongues" v.4,. f{)r we know that the multi ­tUde, did not go into the house.

LESSON #8.. Page 2.

Notico now the .errect t. hiS- phenomenon had on "the mUltitudert,. (1) Thoy uwerc con1"otindedtt~ v.6. That 1s_ they were mentally arrest­ed. by what they saw. This was God's purpose in what he did, of which P,.;ter said, ;'1'13 now soe" ~ V.33. 71'<3 remember- that Paul said, "Tho l1'ews require a sign1r-;-rt Cor. 1:22)}~, and Christ said, ''"an evil and adulterous genoration seekath after a sign'l, (Matt. 12:39). ':ihi~a Christ said, 'Jthere shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the propnet Jonah", (Matt. 12:39), tha phenomena or Pentecost was designed to arrest tae thinking and direc~ it tu tho work of Christ, (a) death, (b) burial, and (c) resurrection, V. 23-24- Thus whon Luke says, "they were con:founded",. we seo that the pur-:?OSQ of tho things done bas b-.:cn thus far-accomplished. . (2). .lIThey wore amazed and rnarvclled'l They wer~ at a loss as to hOY to make sc-nse out of what thoy wore observing,. so they simply rtmar­volled l!, and (3) "were in doubt 't

1 V.IZ; th2.t is~ thoy wore ltporplexcdlt as the ma.rgin reads, and this is a rurthur step ilJ. tho divine purpose. Purplexity produces questions, and1o<if s word supplies tho ansWGrS.

Thus from confusion to amazonwnt, to pcr)lcxitt' tho minds or the multitude finally try to answur in their own.w sdom ~nd misa the mark. They say, ItThese .:nen are full or noW" winu lJ ,. V .13, but notice this is not what thoy all say. Somo had asked, "How hoar we overy man in our o~m tongue wherein riC wore born?ff (_~ctsZTa),. but "others mockine,,''' anSW;31" according to vorSG 1J. Thus \'l.J have a division in"the mu1.ti-~·' tude It; (a) those who ask out 0 f tr..c ir pcrp10 xity~ and (b) tho s 0 who( 3<.;.::k to answer 'chat perplexity in mockerr. Just how' many of the l~t-'-::<;

group responded to the divino an3"~70r WJ do not kno ..." but thuir atti ­tude, a.s seen l.rl thoso today w.w.o ar~ like them, would lead us to beliavc t~~t many or thom rGcoivod the t~~th as declar0d by Petor. Rather ti'lO 3000 were mad0 up or thos;; who HSKud their question in recognition of tha ract t~~t a miracle was being pGrformGd before the: eY8s.

Notice they aS~;jd in verse 7, 'laro not all they which speak Guileans?u. yot, ilavery man ht:lard thum speak in his own languageH ,

v.6. 'J:1hat is.~ tho hearer, hoard "in his own languago". Thu miracle wad from ,tne mouth of thu sp-.:akor~ and not tho oar of' the hJ..;arer. Ti..Gi aSkGd,. "How n.Jar we ovory" man in our own tongue, wherein we 'l/cre born';'Hv.8 .. "His own languago", and'tour own tongue 1t ,. re:forring to tho same thing, that is, thu language of' th~ nation in which thuy dwelt.

v. 9-11. Rparthians, and Medos~ and ~lcilidte~, ~nd the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia,. and Pamphylia~ in 2gypt, and in tho parts of Libya ~bout Cyrono, ~nd straneors of Rome, J~ws and prosclytus... Cretes and Arabians,. <;1';; do h(;nr tilCm speak in our tongu.Js tho wonderful \lorks of God."

-:Ie have hwrt; the principal nations and provinces in which tha \I Jews it dwel t, ~nd from which" Jows and prosclytus If ca;no to Juru­saL::m, all of which said, "wo do h-.:a..r them speak in our tongues (languagos) tho \"1onclcrful works of GOd il • Tho Juws '.vho s aid this wure thos~ honest in tl~ir desirc to ~~ow thu answor to this pGrp10xing phenomuna. They recognized that God was thu ~uthor of it, and tl1nt which th(jY wore hoaring. was a d,escription or ntht} wonderful works of

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LESSmI #8. Page }.

God". .rOOy ....i3rc in n mental frame most suitud to t he hearing of the truth. It.rhu wonderful. works of God". 'rllUY did not mean that what#­tho:r were seeing constituted tho "wcindvrful works of." Godlf~ but that:. ;vmt they wore L1.oaring, to which. thc:y 1iston-ed because of what they had so ...m, W'lS descriptive of 11thu mnderful works". Uotice~ "the wondor- .~ ful works" to which they rofcrrud,. 11"50 do hear them SPEAK", V. 11, not, we ~~V~ sour... them in the Iltongues like as of firG fI .. etc., thuS' not in which tho7 snw, but in what they hoard. 'i'lhat tlwy saw was to arr<~;st their attention and £oeus it on wbn1:; God wanted thuI;1 to hear ..-V. 12-13. ItAnd taoy wera all amaz(Jd~ and were in doubt, saying

one to anothur~ Nhat mcaneth this1 Others mocking said". ThoS'"O men arc full of neW' wine .It

.. .~ were all amazGd anl in doubt (porplexed) saying one to 3.nothor;wF.iD.t lIloancth: this?" TwO answors arc forth-coming... (1) 'tothers mocking". Those stand in contrast to the 1'o..ll" of varse 11. Notice noW' t:J.oi r 2.D.swor, "These men aro fUll of neT.-i wine". That is ~ thuy arc drunk. Now these mockers doubtless were resident in Jerusa­10m or Judea~ and supposed the words uttered to be meaningless jargon sin~u th~y didn't undurstand tl~m lad sinco th~ speakers acted in some sense; like drunkon mJn,. they o.~plaincd too thing away as mca.ning­l03s. But those 'llho camu from. the nations whose nativQ tongues wore b.:;ing spoken, knew better, and since only Galileans wero doing tho s~'-)R.king, thoJy knew that something more than drunken behavior was being c.:1'..ct;Jd bo.fore their eyus.

Let us consider this oxprossion "Net; wine n • This day of Pentecost occurred May tho 28th, (by Chronological reckonLng too lengthy to discuss hore), and since tho first vintage occurrod in .'\~gust, this wino would not bo I1nen \"lino if , but IfSVlow t wino" ~ Ifmade from gro..,es dried in thu sun and soaked in 01<1 wino lt (Clark Peeples Co~:;ntary)• ilTo be full of such swec t wino was to be very drunk". Th,J mocl~ers explainod the conduct of: the disciples as being tho rosult of this wine.

That is the .first answor and like a.ll hU1lk'l.n wisdom fails' to anSW;Jr qucstions which God's word ongenders in human thinking. Tho sacond is given by God through his inspired speaker.

v. 14-16. IlBut Peter~ staading up with tho eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Yo men ot: Judea,. and all ye. that dW;Jll at Jurusalem, bo this Known unto JOU~

and hearken to my words: For theso are not drunkon~ as ye suppose~ seeing it is but thp third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophot Joel;"

Some people say that thJ "wil1.o lf rcferr.Jd to in V. I) ~ would not make one drunk, but Petu.r knm'l botter. Hv said, "Theso are not druruCGn as Ie su'ppose tf • Ho did not s:'ty~ th0Y couldntt havo be·..;m drunk on th;.; itwinv lt in question;. he simply denied tha.t 'they were. En.d it beon impossible, he would simply have ca.lled attention to the fact, ~md ovory JOv-T prusunt would ac.vu known it. But Peter mow as did all thw othors thclt- the wine CQuld makv one drunk ..

LESSON #8. Pa.go 4-.

Now notice; we ca.lled attention to the fact that tho mockors Wdro probably ~,)ws who resided in JeJlusalem, or in Judea,. :md hero we SQtlID to hn.vo conf'irmation of' that fact, f'OI' "Petor ----said unto thom~ Ye men of Judea :md 11],1 ya that dW0ll at Jerusalem". Howev.:r J he said. in V0rso 22 ilyo mon ot: Israel", inclusive of all the Jews. from all places. }lhy is this? Because in vorsus 14-20 Petor answors thoso who lu'1.d b(h~n IImockinglf, V. 13, but in versus 22-36, ho spoaks "the l.'1onderful \vords of God" , for thu "conefi t of nil, ~s all weru in nODd of thu salvation of whicn he spake, whether thoy VlOre "mac k..:rs " J or.

ltsincoroly devout il • Nothing loss than so.lvation through. lItho mighty 1,'IOrks of GOdll , will suf'ficQ for the best of men, and yet it is suffi ­eiont for th~ worst of thom. Thus ?eter, beginning in verse 22~ r..ddresses them rtll.

P0tcr s.1..id, ltThus.o aI":;; not drunken,. Q3 yu supposo, soeing it is but t11.o third hour of th.:: clay;'. This was botwQen 8: 00 and 9 :00 A. M., ~nd tho f'irst of tho thrOQ statud hours of daily prayer, (ps. 55:17), i1 evenL"l8, nnd oorning and noon".~gain~ throe times a day" J (Dan. 6:10,13). No riJad ..uso that iJPctor !1nd .rohn went up toguth8r into thu temple at the hour of' praYt:3r, being the ninth hourn~ (A.cts 3:-1). A ivell known principlo :.l.rnong th0 Jews, ifwas that no Jew would tasto c.nything b::::forc this hour hn.d expirod on t he Sabbath and othur f'east days It J (George I. CI:J.rk,. Commentator). Tho prophot

/-of God Th:ld written oVur 700 yOf1I'3 before J "'voe unto them th-'1.t rise early in thl) mornint:5, that they may .follow' strong drink lt , (Iso.. 5:1~­So Putor reasons that only the debased would do such a thing, and certJ.inly not a. group of u.Jw.s in tho very placo whore worship was being dono.. Ronco ho answers their 6I'oundless mockory with tho wisd. that God gave him. The ground is nmJ laid for til;.: pros0ntatlan of t: truth to th~ p00plo of Israel.

Prepnred by: H•. Frank Fort, Minis tur, Bur;Jan Bc.ptist Church, Houston~ Tox. /l:pr.. 11 J 1952..

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LESSON #9.

''TEE ACTS, OF THE APOSTLES I...

(Acts II:-t6-20)

CIi.'I.PTilit IT. - ."" ' -

Vs. 16-21. ItBut this is. tna~ which was spoken by the prophet Joel; _ And it shall come to pasu in the las~ days~ saith God, I wil1. pour out of' my Spirl t upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men ahall s eEt vis ions, and your old men shall dream dre alllS : And on my servants a.nG. on my handmaidens I will pour out' in those days of' my Spirit j and they shall prcphesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above~ and signs in the earth beneath; blood, a~d fire, and vapour or smoke: The sun shal~ be turned into darkness, and the­moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to. pass, thAt whosoev~r shall calIon the name of the Lord shall be saved.~

These words are. round in Joel 2:28-32, and as there found prophesy concerning ftthe remnant whom the Lord shall caIlrt , (Joel zo:f> liThe Lord also shall roar out or Zion, and utter his- voice from Jerusalem, a~d the heavens and the earth shall shake~, (Joel 3:16). Campare Joel 2:31-, "The Sun shall. be- turned into darkness and the moon into.,blood berore the great and terrible day or toe Lord come i ! with Joel,.J:1.5-l.6._ "The Sun and moon shall be darkened ---- The Lor,j also s.hall roar ou-e' of: Zion ---and the heavens and the earth shall shake" ... Let us locate the time ror thIs Phenomena. Paul shows it to be :tq~ur~.,in.J:~.;ts,day, "£!Q! (30 years a:fter the ascension or Christ) :;e hatJ:1 prondsed:. :saYing..:~et once more I shake -not the earth only, \as at Sinal - Reb-. 12:.~9J~:6). but also heavenft- (Beb. 12:27). Paul here quot~is Ha~1 2:6, wbet' i~;iti:fies this shaking with the time when God ifwi~l overthrow the tm-one of' kingcloms" (Hag. 2:2.1-22) • .1hat is ltthe throne or kingdomsli-a Jolm te~ls us that it is the thronft accepted by- lithe beast" to' whom "power was given ---- over al: kL"ldreds, ancl~tcm~...res and\n.ations lt , (Rev. 13 :7) lithe head of his (3-od's) enemies""'-",,,~s. 6a-:?~ _i..S.V.}. David said, iIHa-[God) will strik3 . through ti.le:head1t CPs•. 110:6); but. when? trin the day of his wrath. Be will jUdg& among':~the heathen", (Ps. 110:5-6 A.S.V.). This i1head1t is rererred td=".ln Isaiah '1:J.:i~ He is "the head" or GodJs ttenemieslt, CPs. 8):2)-;.but he and they 3~"lall be cast into bel.l. (Rev. 19-~20 }(Rev:. 14:9-ll).'., .

Then why did Peter quote Joel on the Day of' Pentecost, and say "This is that which was. spoken by the prophet Joel", (Acts 2:~6), unless the phenomena to which he r~1:erred in quoting the words of Joel ~as rulrilled? First let us notice tha division or the passage of our present; stu.dy of verses 17-20: .';".JJ., rl~~~ "

el} In Acts 2:17-18 we have the eff.Jct of the promise, 'I will pour out of my Spirit upon all fl.esh lt , (J-oe1 2:28=29).. We must how­

relllize toot the words nall fle sh" associated with futureever a.re a

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LESSOlf il9 tr" Page 2.

.' fulfillment, after the judgment of ltf'leshit which cannot cttUllif'y (Jno •

, ) 14:17). Moses once said" 1t~'/oul.d God that all the Lopd l s people were

prophets, O-J."'1d th:lt the Lord wo'.l1.d puth13 spirt t upon them.lt • (liu. 11: 21). This is exo.e'tly woe.&: God W"i~l do i'whenlJ. all t.h0 ends of: the eartl1. sha11 remember: and turn unto "the Lord and all ti..e kindreds of the n~tio~ shall worship berors thee. ?or the kingdom is tlm LordJs:

I~: and he is.the governor among the nations'!, (?s·. 22:27-28) •.

Now notice:(~r· .Zec.hariah says "that everyone that is left of a.l1..tho nations. which.. came against. Jerusalem sh'lll go up f~'om 7u::r.r to ye-e:r to worship the King" the Lord of hosts ll (Zdch. 14:10) ~ at 'dhi.ch tima "tho Lord shal~ be King over all the e~rthfl (Zech. 14:9). But at this time "there shall be no more the CanD.ani te in the house of the 4o.rd at hosts." ~ (Zech 14:21).

- '-,. (2). Joel says "50 shall ye know that I £\.nl the Lord your God dwelling in Zion" my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers PQSS through her any more. -----For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansad:for the Lord dwelleth in Zion'" (Joel 3 :17 ~21). It is at this time that the conditions or Psalms 22:27-28 shall obtain. Thus "all fleshlf of Joel 2:28, must be limited to "all the kindrcds of tho nc.tions· i (Ps. 22:27}. Ifleft of all the nations which ----""0 up to ----worship t he King't (3ech.L'lp16} of whom GOd said so \ Thc~T hall be to me a peo21e ---all shall. kn0\7 me jl 6 (Reb. 8:10-.ll}

Now spiritually ~h~y/stand in contra~t to those who belong to ltthis untoward generation (Acts 2=40), that is, tithe children of' the f"~eshtr~ Utom.9:8). As Christ said, iJ an evil enG adulterous generatio~, ----this wicked generationu , (Matt. l2:39.45)~ upon such flesh shal~ come not; lithe Holy SlJiritlt , but "1"ire U , (,Matt. 3~1l} .. Theref'ore,_ the fr ophecy or Jool 2:28-29, as quoted by Peter, (Acts 2:l7-l8) awaits a future date' for ful.tillment AS PROPHESIED. ~'/e wi:'.':' see what Peter illBant in verse 16, aftar we consider the nature of tbe second class of phenomenaL

.()). In Acts 2:19-20, Peter quotes Joel 2:30-31. Nothing or this prophl~cy oc curred on t he day of Pontecos t as far as the record reveals. _;It is in connection wita this phenomenon that n~ho h0avons a11d too< earth shallshake lt , (Joel3:15-16) __ when the "Lord shall roar out, or Zion'! and "punish. tha world- .for t heir ~vil", (Iso.. 13:11 ~ . l'Totlce,. the connecting phenomena, "Therefore I will shake the heavens ~nd the- er~th ---Ln the wrath of the Lord of hosts and in the day of, his fte~oe anger~, ~a. 1):13). Now John tells us, in describing this" v03ry thing~ (~~ ~ 6;12 p 141, "The. groo.i:; rtay of :J.is wr<lth is come", (i\~~ 6:17). out of tho· judgment i-t shall. b~ said, liThe world-kL'1.gdom of our Lord a!ld of. his Chris't has cOJle 1t , (margin - ~;,)v. 11:15) .. Then. shall it be that itwc slle.ll reign on tho carthil , Ciov. 5:10). for then" and net before, sh.:!.ll lithe kingdom UND:J:R T~ ·JHOL1 IiE.lV::n ---be given to the peoplG of tho s~1nts of' the most Highll (Dan. 7:27), after "the Judgment shall sit and taka away his (t..."lo boast) dominion't. (DClIl. 7:26). Now by com.j?aring Rev. 6:12, r-rith Rc:v. 16:18, the pouring out of lithe seventh via1,t of the ltvials of the wrath of God upon the earthil

, (Rev. 16~1,17), is seen to be the event U:J0;;l '~,-hich it shall blS said, j'It is donc il , (:J.ev. 16:17); t~lat is, Ilthe- ',vords of God s11;).11 be fuli'illed", (~0V. l7~17), conc3rning t~d destruction of the beast as pro)hesiod, (:2s. 68:2l){Ps. 110:6)(Dan.. 7-:-2b)(D,1n 9:27) (Dan. ll:45) ..

Thus WO SGe the two:Cold object of tho. prophesied phenomena; (1) as aS80ciatcd with naIl f·lash ll (Acts 2:17)( Joel 2:28 ) , that .is"

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LESSON #9. Paga 3,­

'tall flesh" of "tho remnant whom. tha.- Lord sml~ cn~rt ~ (Joel 2:32) ~ o~ as Pctvr says. nas many as tho Lord our God shal~ call", (Acts 2~39) "unto you, and rOUL" children, and to all th!J.t are' a.far off" (~ic ts 2:39) $

and (2) as. associated rlth Iftho fJe sh of all", {Rt:v. 19:18}, Nho had _

received the mark or- tho buast, and worshipped his imagell, (Rev. 19:20). a. Thus .roel 2:28-29, ::.nd acts 2:17-l8~ refer to the former. b. While JOG~ 2:30-31, and Acts 2:19-20,. refer to t he latter.

All agree ehat the ~ormer found actua~, rUlfillmont~ but all post-millon­ialists deny any actual ful..flllment of tho latter•. "Ne believe the latter (iLoe1 2:20-3l)(Acts 2:19-20) shall find actual fulfillment in I'the plagwas li of the Revelation. eventuating In the destruction of "that wickedlt (II Theaa. 2=.8)(Rev. 19:20), thus. leaving "the all f'losh't

(Joel 2r28} that is Itleft of all natjani!'~ (Zech 14:16), upon which tne Lord shall ful:fill tho promise, Ifr will pour out my Spiri til (Joel 2 ~28) (\cta 2:17). Christ prophesied ot: the horror t~..at should obtain in tbattgro:ct tribulation", (Matt. 24:21), when "the abomination of dosola~lonj- spoken of: by Daniel the prophot~ (shou.ld) stand in the Holy place'" (Matt. 24.:.15), then suid, "except those days ( the 3! years fo.lloViing too r-Jvealing of' the man of sin) should by shortenod, t hero shou~d'-no'rlesh be: snvedi but for the elect's sake those days shall b e shortened" p (Matt. 24i22)

l~ ItThey which co.m.e out of: the gre~t tribulation", (Rev. 7:14) "a grc<;tt mu.ltltude --of' all nations ll (Hov. 7:9) constitute litho flc9f1_" sparIJd becp-.use 'tthe dt.lyS were shortened" (!viatt. 24:22), f"or these h~s; lI washed thQir robes Sld made them whit.; in the blood of the Lamb" (R<.Jv. 7:1.4>. If" th.J Lord had -not, for ""tho elect ~s sllke", "shorteno(jl tho -day~ the Boast woulQ tmV0 killed all of' them as Rev. 13 :15-10 shows..

2. _ No\v on the Day -of: Pontocost the Spirit was poured out on "all flesh" which at tha.t time could DWut the turms of the promise, thus to Uds extent, IIThis is that which was spoken by the pro;Jhet Joel I' 'Acts 2:~6), .hut. notice that "THIS il refers to what had been done b thos~\YiJ.om the "mockers'tof ct'S2:13-h2.d ace sed of bel.ng gpunken, Ilc'1l!1Cly' eso monl , not Vlomen. Th~refore while the p ophcc'V involvod ttyour a:::.u.ghters ---my handciliidons l1 (Acts 2:17-18), 'llhat had hapPt:Jned up to, tho ti::J.U Potur roferred to .Joolts prophecy, invo''..Ieq "these ncnll V. 1.3. When Potur said, flTr..is is thatlf~ (Acts 2:16), 1'1(; did not s~- ~.this fult'illed thnt". r-or Ehls would not be true,. because "THAT't inel.uded if tho wonder~ in heaven", etc. (Acts 2:19-20) (Joel 2:30­3I17 iYhilo ItTHISfl did not._ "This 1j/hich ve nov{ seo und hearl' (Acta 2: 33), was related to the bll.3ssing or the L;rd's witnosses, and not J!..<dgment on tile ·~"{orl.d for its iniquity ,vhicb. is associa.ted wi·tL'J. iftha plagues" of t~a last 3! years or these. "last days", when God 'fshal~ have ,washtJd away the filth or the d~ughtcrs of"' Zion ---by the Spirit of' judgment and by the spirit oJ: burning", elsa. 4:4). "In that day shall tha branch of' the Lerd b~ beautiful and glorious ----for them th~t ARE '=;SCJ.P£D OF ISR.illLrt , (Ise.. 4:2). Then "he that remaineth in Jerusa.lem~ sh.al1 bu c.'1.11~d holy, even evary ono that Is written aL10ng the living in .Jerusa.lem", (Isa. 4:3).

Now notico all of J0l01 1 s prophocy qu.oted by Petor shall certaL~ly be fulfilled n in the 1 as t -days U •

1. "Th3 last daysll began with tho public testimony' of tho Son of God: ftaod ----Hath in thus\:; last d'1ys spoken to us In Sontl (m.:trgin H~b. 1:1-2). Ii" those Iila.st dayslt did not bogin with the tosthlOny or

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r2S.30N #9, Page 4..

the Son of' God,' then God did not. spo5k to us in Son, :for on tho -da.y . of Pentecost, tho. Son or God himself' was speaking in his prophets. C~ist said whi10 on oarth, ~I have not spoken of myself, but the

>

Father which sont me, he gave me :J. commo.ndment which I shou~d say, and what I should spoaklt

, (Jno.12:49). God the Father did this whon ho "spoke in Son:t • (Hob • .1:2). . .

The oxpression '~he last ~ty~H has signiricance in Q three­fold rol=ttionahip: (1) to Israel, "the timo ot: Jacob 13 trouble", ­(J8r. 30~7); (2) lithe fulness of the Gontiles", (Rom. 11:25}, "the r~surr~ction a~ tho last day" (Jno. 11:24)(Jno. 6:39,44,54); and (3) lithe times of the G0ntileatt (Luke 21:24) (Rev. 11:2),. when God shall it judge. iII! the heathen li (Joo1 3:12), litho Gontil.es lf , (Joel ):9).

,i.-.' ,"Tho Day 01' tha Lord il to wl~ich Joel refers, (Joel 2:31), and Peter in (.tots 2: 20), is !lssociatad \'li th tho judg:roont or the nationS". fpr .rool says. l'the Day or thu LOrd is ncar in tho valley or dccision~ The Sun and thu Moon shall b 0 darkened -- the Lord shall roar out or Zion't,.(.roel 3:14-16). .

In ~\.ct,g 2:16-20, Petor is ox lainin t 13 basis o~ the PEcnomena or Pontecost. Ho en uS druillwnness as being the 0xp1nna­tion, and a.r.rirms tl:mt f.hu basis of" IITHIS If is tho basis of ftTHAT 1t

spoken btethe pro~hGt Joel, a prophecy Known to all Jaws. So Pete~ says, :'T 4se mon <U'O' not full of' now \'Tine", L~cts 2:13),. but "The-y were. al;l .:fIlled with the Holy Ghost", t...cts 2:4), and wbnt y au "heal· t

o

(:\cts<~2;~8il~) is tho result of that ~pirit who shall bo pourod "out ----up~ri, ai~ flesh", (Acts 2::'~7). giving "thom utterance" (.~cts 2:4:. thus.~~t&r' ·',indicts th.a mockers as being guilty of charging God \ri tt.. folly in-the marlntJr of His work. "This is that". If God spaka in Jo~~,. God is ,speaking in "thes,) !IlOn~Thc Ea'STs of" "THIS" is the bas ia of "TIHT It • The fulfillment of tnu complote prophecy s.hall be ef.f ...,ctudby t,he sarno Spirit that \vorked on t he Day of P0ntocost 1ihon the power was limitod to a mere handful. Notice "y-our daughters shall prophusylt, V.17. It is written that "Philip ---had four daughtDrs ----wafch did prophesy't. L..cts 21 :8-9), though Paul uabodc with him ----many daysil, (Acts 2~ :8,10)" none of the daughtiJrs of: Philip under­took to t(ill Paul tlThus saiti.:. tha Holy Ghos t't as did Ita certain propr~:, G named .1gabus 1t f'-.c-om .ru1E;a(.~cts_2~:10). The "visions" D.Ild "th.} dre3.J:p.s 'f ( '..c ts 2:17), W0ro granto.d to sOme durins the a pas toiic ago which shows th:l.t tho Spirit 01' ItTIHStf is also tho ~pirit of "TH,.T I1 , but t~J.c com­plete. fuli'illment of-mrFitT lt occurs just ilbufore thu great cl.'1.d nctable day of' the Lora'(, C'~cts2:2J), as to thu phenomena in the hJ c:vuns --­and in tho;;' unrath" (:s.cts 2:19-20}. Thun il.l11 thy children shall be. taught of' th0 Lord", rIsa. 54:1}), and ltthQ:r snn.ll not teach u'lery mc..n his: neighbor ---i'a-r all sh211 know me from tho least to tho groat­est", (H'Jb. 8:11~. The prophecy from Isni::th rofurs to Isro.o;)l restoru.d, and the prophecy from Hebrews rcf0rs to tho COVQIla..."1t on tho basis of which silo is to bo restor0d. Then shall be fulfilled th.:l pronllsu, in its complute scope~ I~I \:7il1 pour out my S;>irit on all flesh" ('-~cts 2:17). Tllon it 8mIl bu said, III h;lve poured out my Spirit upon the house ot: Isracl ll (~Zl::i. 39 :.29), "tho \'fholo house of Israel" (2zo. m25): QUa th..: Gentiles who re joice "withlf ISr'aol (Rom. 15 :10, 12.}. Itor all nations", (nev. 7:9). "

We will reserve V. 21 for,our next lesson•.

Prepared by: H. Frank Fort, ~inistcr, 30roan Baptist Chur~h,

Houston, Tex. Apr. 23, 1952.

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. LESSON #"10.

"TH8 ACTS OF TlB APOSTLES". (AC.ts 2:21--22)

~And it sDall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the na1;:le o-r tne Lord shall be saved."

This text is a. quotation from eToel 2:32, which reads, lrand it shall come to pa;;;~, that whosoever shall calIon the name of the Lord shall be delivered --- In the remnant whom the Lord shall call". Thus the deliveranc9 rererred to, is not from sin, as to its penalty, but ~om lithe mouth or the Lionlt , (11 Tim. 4:l7),lryour adversary~ the­devil, as a roaring lion1t , (l Pet. 5:8). Paul says, t'the Lord shall deliver me from ever., evil work1t , (11 Tim. 4:18), nfrom this present evil world", (Gal 1:4-}, "who --- doth deliver" (11 Cor. 1:10), because "greater is he that is in you. than he that; is'in the worldl", (1 Jno.

4:4) • 1. liotice that in the- prophecy, the IJdeliverance is said to oe

effected uin tae remnant whom. the Lord shall call", (Joel 2:32), 'not in t 0..0;;1 e of: t L1.e Horld.

2. Ne have the same statement in Ram. 10:13, and the considera­tion or the context will substantiato the- fact that the deliverance in que&tion is in behalf of the children of God; and not in behalr o~

alien sinners, as many beliove. Let us consider nom. 10:13, in the light or its context, remembering that Paul said to the Corinthians that such as ilcall u on the name or Jesus Christ Our Lord" (I Cor. L!j) "are sanctif'ie HI CllRIST JESUS Cor. 1:2). Ana-l"lias said or Sau.J..·S pGrsecution 9r God t ;3 peop1e~ iiI have ~oard --- how much I3vil he (Saul. hath done to·THY SAIlITS ---- ALL 'I'HiT CALL orr TFt"Y rUie", (Acts 9:1.3-L¥) 10 can sec tnerefore that such. as "call on the name of the LordlJ ar':' ,1~ail'lts ---s~"1ctii"ied in Chris.t Jesus ll ~ and not al ien s in.Y1ers. The truth is clear from Rom. 10 :12-14, that tho promise, "too t whosoever shall ·call on the name- or the Lord shall be saved't, is 11mi ted to t:10~L) who believe ltin" ·Him.

a. aom. 10:12 "For there is. no dif'rerenco between the Jew and tUG Greek: ror the same LORD over all is rich unto all that call u?0 n lli.n:l"

(Ii. First where must Jew and Greek be in order to have i~ said, "thero is no difference/t? IrYe are all the children of' God by faith IN CHRI~T JESUS -----Thero 1s neither Jew nor Groek--- yo are all one L""i CHH.IST J-SUS" (Gal. 3 :26,28); thus ItIN CHRIST J"ZSUSIt the national distinction ceases, but those "in him" have redemption throug.t his olood~ the rorgi.vtmass or sins", (Eph. 1:7).

(2). Again those only who are lIrenewod ---where there is ned tncr GrGok nor Je\¥ ---- but-Christ is all and IN ALL ---TEE ErE CT OF CiOD II , ( Col 3 :10-12); . thus we sed that the na tiona! dis tinction is lost in the; "renewed ---elect or God". These have lithe same Lord over all II , clnd ho is "rich unto all (over whom he is Lord) that call UPOlf HI1~ln • David said, llTho Lord is ni unto all that call upon him., to all tnat call upon him IN TRUTHII ps. :1 but The Lord is far from tile wickod: ·but he heareth the prayers or the righteous", (Prov. 15:29). David said, "Thou hast dolivered my soul from death ----I -­will call upon tho name or the Lord li (ps. 116:8,17). ;;Vhat will the result be of such calling? David says, "I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me" CPs. 55::t61. From what? ttthe oppression of the wickedll , (Ps.55:3).

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LESSON #10. Page 2.

b. (Rom. 10:13)" "Poz-. whogoovar shal1. call upon the name or the Lord shall he saved". NoticG that in this and the preceding verse we .ba.v~ the expressio~ ttupon him" V. 12, and "upon tho na.me~, V. 13. But ~n vors'e 14. we nave another expression that denotes!r' relatiQnship estab1.ishod prior to the calling. '

c. (Hom. 10:14>. "How thor! shall THEY (the r'whosoevor" or VGrSE;t 13, and "the JQW and the Greek" - between whom If there is no dif'ference", v. 12) CALL ON HIM (with tho expectation of being "savedft

in the sense of verse 13) IN 'NHOM TE5Y EAVE NOT BELIEv:'..J)?". These words cl€larly prove that one mus t beliave "rN HIM", before thoy can call "ON EIl11'. - ­

Now docs the salvation that rosults when'on0 BELIEVES IN HI1J equal that which results when one CALL~ UPOU ~? Certainlylnot.

1. As to tho f"irst, W'.J r'3ad~ "I.f thou ---shal t b€llevB in thine heart ---thou shalt be saved", (Rom. 10:9).

2. As to the s~cond wo read "whosoever (of' those who have believed) shall call upon the n~o of the Lord, shall be savod", (Ram. 10:13).

, 3. As to tho first_ since ;ffai th comoth by hearingtf ~ (Rom. 10:17) then I"after that ye heard the iVord of truth --- 12.. belicved if

,' (Eph. 1:13) , ,_c 4. But as to the second, after they believed, they calLa;: for "How shall thoy calIon him in waOjjl they have not believed? (Rom. 10:14>. It cannot be done. Thereforo the s~lvation that obtains in faith, (~Cor. 15:1-2)~ is not tho "doliverance ll I(JOI3~ 2:32) that rosults from "calling on the narou". One nas to do with 1;1~~ penalty or sin, the other with its' power. IIWho shalldoliver me ~'esus Cbrist~ rrry- ....Lord'r, (Rom. 7:24-25), cried saved Paul. nOW? lIthe 1.aw of the Spirit or Lif'en , (Rom. 8:2).

5. NOw lE:lt us mak·~ the application of tais truth to (Acts 2:21) in our lesoon today. Reme~bor the prophecy reveals that those for whom the Lord had promis;d lldelivora..."lce lt wore called "the remnant", (Joel 2:32). Paul said, ua remnant shall b...: sav~d't, (Ran.9.27), quoting (Isa. 10:22), and though this prophecy awaits a futuro date for c01l1plete fulfillmont~ nevorthcloss~ Paul said, "at this PIill3~NT TIME ---there is a romnant a.ccording, to tho election of' grace't ~ Rom. 11:5),. 'fall IsracV',. (Rom. lI:26) rofr)rs. to a future fulf'illmcnt .. Nm7 Peter addresses llyo men of Judea,l, (Acts 2:14), 'N11.On he quotod Joel 2:"32 .. in Acts 2:21, and then said, nya men of Igrael, hoar these words1t., (Acts 2:22). He distinguishes betwoen Udovout men", (Acts 2:5), " o thd'rs illocking't. (Acts 2:1.3), sc.ying to those vlno had interest enough in 'ifuit~ h..: was declaring to a.3~ il [hat shall WU do", v.. 3 7; "Sn-VB yours01vos from this untoward goncration", V .. 40. Thus W0 geG the soil for the seed t'01>e the h;.:arts of tJ:I0 "dlo3vout men" :tnd not the "othors mocking. tf The lattor sh0\7od'a spirit characteristic of an !levil and adulterous g<Jnerationll ~ (Matt. l2:39}, which. would !lin no wisc bulicvc"~ (..cts 13:41) and lfrcpontad not", (I'ilatt. 21:32). From these, ~oter 8xhortod thoso, sincere, in Isra~l, to uscape~ af'ter telling them how, which we will considor'later. The promise was to tho rtp-emnant", that "whos0evcr shall calIon tho name of the Lord sha~l be saved" .Tl:!.e "romnant" could not oxist except by li~ '3l0ction of graca ll , (Rom. 11:5}; thorofore Joel f s prophocy considered thosd to whom the pror.ll~c was madu as It-the ronmant according to the

I ./

(.

( \ . '--.-/

LESSON ;10. Pago 3.

oloction or grac~Il,. and not a promisc to alion sinnera. Peter quoted this pro?hecy and sa applied it, becausa Itthe spirits of tho ~rophets arc subjoct to thu prophots~, (1 Cor. 14:32). ThoreforG r0ter's words of ~cts 2:21 aru a~plicabLJ only to those who~by the accepta.nco of Josus. a·s Lord,. boc~J1e a. part of ."thu romnant according to th;"J elaction of graco".

I.. ',Vhon tho thousands which wore sa.ved in .rorusalem,{Acts 2:41,4.7) (Acts 4:4; fActs 4:32) (Acts 5:14) (.lcts 6:1), were "scattered abroad", C-~cts 8:1), th<:Jy did not suffer thu horrible fate or tho imponitunt nation,. when Rome dostroycu Jcrusa~ m, 70 A.D., according to tho pro~hocy of tho Son of God, (natt. 24:1-2) (Luke 21:20-24>. Therefore whvn thu Jews believed in Christ as thu Son of God, while they ;nay not hav\) been a:lIYarw of it, thvy "saved thomselves from this untow'ard goncratJ.on", and nad put thornsolvo3 in a position to claim th0 pro,ili"aG iLlado prophutically to "ta\.,} remnant", t.roo12:32). Of course, thu promis;,; is to us also, iiil' wo bolievo u , as far as "the SUfferings of this prosent ti.:ne 1t , (ROLl. 8 :18) are concerned. For it was not Itof the .rewa only, but o.lso of tho Gentiles rr , (itom.9:24), if II vas sols of murcy", (nOLl. 9: 23 ) • .....

v. 22a. "Yo men of Israel,. hear these 'fiOrds; .Tesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Oim in the midst of you, as ye yourselveg also 1mow:"

"Hoar these words It. Peter now begins to inform his audience, since God had arrested their thinking 8.Ild prepared them~ in per­plexing phenomena, to hoar the anS';;3!" to their qUE:lS tion, If':Vha t meaneth this? (.icts 2~12). ":1hen God roquires a. thing to ba dono, He has a purpose in it. ",fua. t :a1eaneth tIllS?" God r s spokesman is rGady with the anS',1"Ur involving If the YiOndorful works of God", (.i.cts 2:11), concerning ".Jesus of" Nazareth". It was once ask..ld, "Can there nny good thing como out of' Nazareth? (Jno. 1:46). Philip replied to this qu:.::stion, "Como and soe lf • Ph.ilip h.:l.d"sa.id, tJWo hl1.VlJ round him of whom Moses in the law a~d thu prophets did write, Jesus of No..zareth~, (Juo. 1:45). Peter now, after ~~oe yoars, having come to Jesus and s,;;en, yea haVing "tastod that he is gracious", (1 Pet .. 2:3), o.nd ready to c.:.ffirlJ. that lIunto you \vhich. bQli::ve he is prE:lcious~, (1 Pot. 2:7), h0 is prepared to provu Irtha~ .Tesus o:f r.Tazaruth" is "both Lord and Christ u • ",ibat racanctu this?1f the multitude aSits. HHear these 'Rords't,. Peter reylies. There was !:1 tLnti when Lnpulsive re:ter said to his Lord, IfI a~J1 rGadyrt, (Luke 22:33), but his Lord knew bettor. He had promised J:lotur, "Thou shalt be called ---a stone I', (.Tno. 1:42), and on tHis d.n.y, I'Peter, standing up with thG ole ven, lifted up his voice"­v. 14, Let tho worl~ noar now, I will speak, who once in cowardice ddnied my Lord, ~~~ now by the grace and power of God I will speik, "H0ar those words u':-.. Ho preachE:ld Christ. He preachod in so doing, Utne 'Nond0rful work~ df Godu • Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? ---Com'3 and see. 'Yeter opens the door on i1thc glory of God in tho face of Jesus Christ. lf

Pater and his brethron answ~r the prophots question, "~ho shall declare his g3nE:lrat ion? For ho wns cut off out of the land of tho IivingU , (Is a.' 53:8). .lga-in, ":fuo vdll go for us ?I', (Iso.. 6:8). They who once fled, and lert "tho Lambn to the mercy o~ the wolves who showed no mercy, knew that the Lamb was also "The Graa t Shepherd",

r now stand no longer raarful p but unafraid, oucause their Lord was it alivt3 forover moron, a.nd watching, therefore, l"Looking unto Jesus, the author and. finisher" of the fBi th they wore to declare, they cried, IIHear those words 't ." ~~s Paul later said, ItTo tho one (those "mocl{ingll

) -- the saviour of death unto death, and to tha other (devout m0n), tho saviour of life unto life", (11 Cor. 2:16).

Lut us stand and be countud L~ the army of tho Lord. This is no tLme for compromise, and this is no place for quitters. "The winGpross of tho wratb o:f God", (Rov. 14:19) shall crush lithe vine of th~ c:lrthlf , and oven now, "her grapes arc fully ripen, (Rev. l4:lB). God help us in the Spirit of thE.t ~ittlo band of men, whosu confidence restGd in th0ir mighty God, to bo busy IIpulling them out of tho firo 1t

,

(Jude 23), before tho etor~al shadows have enclosed th~m forever. Tomorrow' for multitudos will be too late, UReal" these words Jesus --- is Lord".

Prepared by:H. Frank Fort, Minister,

(- Borea.n Baptist Church, Houston, Tex. ~tpr. 30, 1952.

/ ­t, ~/

LES30N #ll.

"THE ACTS OF THE APOSTL.::S".

(Acts 2 : 22-2L ).

V. 22. 'rye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, whicn God did by him in the midst of you~ as ye yourselves also know:"

"Jesus of Nazareth". It was once asked, Hean there any good thing come out of Nazareth?1t (Jno. 1:46), to which it was replied "Come and see". In·our lesson today, Cod the lather invites us to "come and see" this Jesus of Nazareth".

A. He was "a rna:} approved of 1odft • The word rlapproved ll is from a word that means lIto show off", that is, to ''exhibit''. The Father "exhibits" h~

Son. Tnis exhibition resulted in the following' conclusions concerning r'Jesus of Nazareth ll •

1. II 'Ihi.~ is the Son of God", (Jno. 1:34) • 2. "Never man spake like this man /I, (Jno. 7 :46 ) • 3. "Just man", (..Aatt. 27:19,24).4. "This man hath done nothing amiSs", (Luke 23:41).

This llnan" challenged: 11"':'~nich of you convinceth:ne of sin?" (Jno. 8:4f.~. and said, liThe Prince of this world -- hat:1 nothing in me", (Jno. 14:30); "I do a1;v'ays those thj_ngs that please him", (God the Father)(Jno. 8:29). nus is the

( "man l ' 17hom God exhibited, who was 1It...~e expression of his (Godts) substance", (m"i.:.?~., Heb. 1~3), and "in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God head bodily", (Col. 2.5'. and IIi t pleased tq.e Father II , (;::01. 1:19).

In this exhibition of "a man ll :

1. The :Cather was "well pleased" (~att. 3:17) 2 • The 3pirit did "~ upon him" (lsa. ll: 2)

B. '!he exIlibition of this "man" was by n::ri.racles, and wonders, and signs which God did by him". The first of these "mirac les did Jesus in Cana of Galilee", (Jno. 2:11). Thus he "manifested forth his gloryir. What glor'/? "The glory as of the only begotten of the Father ff , (Joe. 1:1.4). This is the witness Which t;--"e ?a ther bare him. liThe works that I do be a.. witness of me, that the Father hath sent me~" (Jno. 5:36). lJicodemus haa confessed that "no :la.."1 can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him", (Jno. 3:2).

1. God did these miracles to exhibitor to accredit Ita man" to the end that !Iye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God", (Jno. 20:31). !fLife through his name" is the promise to that belief'.

2. God did these miracles "by him", that is, ttl must work the works of him that sent me", (Jno. 9:4), and he did It by "the 3pirit of God" (Matt. 12: 28) • Thus the Father bare witness TO the 30.11 THROUGH the Son.

c. nL'1 the midst of you as ye yourselves also know". The apostle Paul said, "this thing was not donein a corner" j (ActS23" :26) j having said, "The King (Agrippa) knoweth these things". That is, the things concerning t1Jesus of Nazareth",' (Acts 26:9), as foretold by "the prophets", (Acts 26:27). These thi...'1gs were all openly fulfilled, and "seen ll (Jno. 15':24). IITh-e fame of hi..-n went out into every place", (Luke 4:3~

LESSON #ll. Page 2.

A.ll that the law required as to testimony was met in the exhibiting of '}Od's 30n (Deut. 19:15)(Jno. 8:11-18). Jesus has been observed "as he walked", (Jno. 1:36), and now "a Lamb without blemish and without spot", (l Pet. 1:19), is "brought as a Lamb to the slaughter", (Isa. 53: 7); "The time was come", (Luke 9 :51); "The hour was come", (Jno. 17 :1), and he said, "What shall I say? Father save me from this hour: (no, thank God he said) - For this cause come I unto this hour ll , (Jno. 12:2#). ?aul said, "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of ourLord Jesus Chris til, (Eph. 3:14) •

V. 23. IlHiln, being deliverd by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:"

"Delivered by the determinate c01.111sel and foreknowledge of God". This had to be done before "wicked hands" could "have crucified and slain" this L:lan approved of God. Jes.us had said, "I lay dOim my life --no man taketh it from me", (Jno.10:18). He said, "This coml':1andment have I received of my Father", and tlhe beca.':le obedient unto death even the death of the cross", (Phil 2:8).

1. He "offered himself 'rrithout spot to God", (Heb-.9:lli). 2. Then r'he - offered one sacrifice for sins", (Heb. 10:12).

His spotlessness was demonstrated lias he walked", (Jno. 1:36) to the cross, and thereon "he suffered the just for the unjus"t that he might bring us tc God", . 1 Pe t. 3: 18 ) • (

The words "determinate counsel and foreknowledge of '}od", declare a truth put like this in A.cts 4:28,. l'to do (speaking of DavidJs prophecy concernirg the hatred of Christ) whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done". The words "thy counsel determined before II means lithe determinate counsel a.'1d ~oreknowledgefl, referred to in Acts 2 :23. We know that since God is omniscient t.~en, "known unto God are all his works ll ('twhatsoever thy hand" does) from the beginning of the world Tt (his purposes as revealed in his cO'Ui1Sels}, (Acts 15:18). T.1us God said, "I am God ---declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancien:' ti:n.es the things that are not yet done saying, l1y counsel shall stand", (Isa. 46:10::. Thus he "calleth those things which be not as though they were", (Rom. lJ :17). His "hand" omnipotent, will carry out his "counsel", omniscient, thus as he sai~.

!'I wiITSpeak (his counsel) and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass ­will perform it" (his hand)(Eze. 12: 25).

Now notice "Him being delivered --- ye have taken": 1. He was not "dp.livered" until the exhibition was finished. 2. rr;Iicked hands" could not take him until he 'Tas II de livered into ~he

hands of men n, (Luke 9:44), and thus fulfill "his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem", (Luke 9:31).

V. 24. t1.Jhom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."

Now since Christ had been e~~ibited, that is, accredited by the Father before his death, there cot:ld be no question as to his resurrection, "It was not possible that he should be holden of it", that is death. Death had to surrender after justice was satisfied. "God hath raised him up". HE) was thereby "declared to be the Son of God with power", (Rom. 1:4). We Will not now enumerate the blessings predicated of the resurrection, nor enumerate the losses if IIChrist be not raised", for these will come up later, but notice now these words,. "haVing loosed the pains of death". Christ died as "the 30n of man't 1 as the Sons of ren

LESSON #11. Page 3.

die, but we also read, "God wil~ provide himself a La'l'JllJ" (Gen. 22:8); again, "God -laicl down his life for us" (1 Jno. 3:15); again, "God- --hath purchased (the Church) ·.nth his mYn blood", (Acts 20:28), not the Fathe~, but-the '3on of whom Thomas said, ")(y God" (Jno. 20:23). Now what is meant by the words "having loosed the pains of death"? Pains that were loosened be"b-reen death and resurrection? ·,7hat :1ere they? First let us see what God's word says about the flesh or body of 3is 30n as related to si.'1.

1. "He hathmade him to be sin for us" (II Cor. 5:21). 2. "God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh condemned

(or jud~ed) sin in the flesh" (Rom. 8:3). 3. 1I1:iho his own se1£ bare our sins in his own body" (~ Pet. 2:24 )4. "Suffered for us in the flesh" (1 fet. 4:1)

Thus Christ "bare our sins in his own body" when God "made him to be sin for us" and "condemned sin in the flesh". This was done on the cross when Chris t died. '!here is more to it, however, than the mere fac t of death. liThe pains l! referred to are associated with the nature of Christ!s death as being "for our sins". If this were not true the IIpains" would have ended at death, but v. 24 makes it clear that when God "loosed the pains of death" he raised Christ up. The death of Christ brought those "pains ll into being, the resurrection ended t..'1em. The word translated "pains" in our King J ames text reads "pangs" in the A.S.V., and means "sorrow, travail", as in child birth. Christ said, Ita woman When she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come, but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy tha~ a LIlan is born ll (Jno. 16:21). Notice:

1. I!He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied", (Isa. 53:11): Iii what? "His seed" V. 10; Those whose "iniquities" he bears, thus "justifieS" V. li. Agaj.n:

2. IIJesus --- who for the jOy set before him endured the cross, despisiLJ the s ha't1e " ( Heb. 12: 2) •

It was "through death" that Christ was able to "deliver themI! (Heb. 2: 14­15), that is, lithe children ll Uteb. 2: 13). To deliver children calls for "pangs!· • In the case of redemption, "t..'1e pangs of death". Christ endured them for the "joy set before him". F.is vicarious death involved such pains, for his was a de~vering death. The shed blood that produced it, was atoning blood. The re­mission of sins could be granted wherever faith applied it. W;jhen I see the blood I will pass over" (::::x. 12:13). God hath raised him from the dead in declaration of the fact that the deat..~ was accepted. Justice is satisfied. God can be merciful. Sinners can come to the cross and thereby be reconciled. There is a "daysman" now~

(Job 9:33), a ransom has been paid", (Job 33:24). "The Son of man came to give his life a ransomlf , (liatt. 20:28). Then he I1took it again" (Jno. 10:18), and said~ "Bee ause I live ye shall live also", - (Jno. 14: 19 ) • If jus tified by blood -- we shall be saved by his life", (Rom. 5: 10) •

Prepared by: H. Frank Fort, Jinister, 3erean Baptist Church, Rous ton, Tex,. May 21, 1952.

IES30N #12..

"THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES"

Acts 2:25-28.

v. 25 "For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right i1and, that I should not be moved: lf

rtDavid speaketh concerning him". Peter here quotes David in' Psalms 16:8-11. This is the "HIM" whom David calls "Lord" (Matt. 22:u3,45HPs. 110:1), where the Father addresses the Son. Notice also Psa. 45:6, where David speaking "in the Spirittt says, "Thy throne 0 God", etc.; then turn to Heb. 1:8, and we find again that the ?ather is addressing the Son saying, "Unto the Son he (God) saith, Thy throne, 0 God" etc. Asain we have the same thing in Psa. 102:25, ymere the Father SaJ?S to the Son "of old hast thou laid the foundations .of t.~e earthtt , and find it quoted in Sebrews 1:10, ".:\nd thou Lord in the beeinning hast laid the foundation of the earth". This is HIH of whoiil"Da'vid speaketh... Now notice what he said in connec tion with our text-: ­

(1) "I (the Son) foresaw the LJrd (the Father) always before my face". This reveals a truth related to the qualification of the Lamb "brought to the s laugh te:c-:! , (Isa. 53:7). Since the Lamb had to "be without blemish ft (Ex. 12:5),. and this translated into -'morality. indicated a required impeccability" a perfectly sinlE:3s holy being, found fulfillment only in"l!esus a man".

(a) The lord had said, filet me see they countenance" (5. of S. 2:14), hr no man ever lived so consistantly before the Lord that he v{as theret·: able to say "I foresaw the Lord always before my face ll • God is of lI~urer eyes that to behold evilll , (Heb. 1:13), but in all of the children of men the Lord hath seen evil, (Ps. 14:23) and even the redeemed'teome short", (Rom. 3:23), so that John could say, "If we (the children of God) say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves:' (1 Jno. 1:8). Thus the prophet said to Israel "your sins have hiet his face trom you", (Isa. 59: 2). Again, "thou hast hid thy face f:·c'·j us ---because of our iniquities" (Isa. 64=7).

(b) There are repeated petitions by God's people through all ages that the Lord would look upon them, as ~~oses said, "The Lord make his faC9 to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee: The Lard lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace" (Nu. 6:25-26). David said, "'tlake thy face "'1) shine upon thy servant", (Ps. 31:16). "God i:le merciful unto us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon m,': (Ps. 67: 1). The Lord told Israel, however, "I will surely hide my face -- for all the evils" (Deut. 31:18); thus "the face of t.."le terC is against them that do evillf (Ps. 34:16). How here is the principle of divine approval: 1. "I will surely' hide -:rry face -- for all the evils" (Deut. 31: 18) 2. "I will set ny face against lf them, (Sze. 14:8) then, 3. I1His hand is stretched out" Usa. 5 :25) against them" 4. until they "turn away" t."leir "faces tram all their "idols" and

"abominations!' (Eze. 14:6); then the Lord will 5. nCaus'e thy face to shine" (Ps. 80:3).

There is only one way for the child of God to see the Lord1s face in the sense of blessing and David tells us the way, IfI will behold thy face in righteous­ness" (Ps. 17:15). IIlkrcyand truth shall go before thy face" CPs. 89:14). Every man has at one tinie or another said with Ezra., "I blush to lift up my face to thee , my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head" (Ezra 9:6); thus, as

Isaiah said, "your iniquities have separated between you and your God - and have hid his face from you" (Isa. 59: 1-2) • 'Jhen the lord shall "cast all m,v sins behind

LESSON #12. Page 2.

thy (Gods) back", (Isa. 38:17), then they are no longer between God and his children and they caii"'ibehold his face in righteousness", (Ps. 17:15), and he can "see their

(,...- , cou.'1.tenance", (S. of 3.2:14); thus we can sing "Nothing between my soul and the Savior".

There has never been but one who could say, "I forsaw the Lord AI:7AYS before my face If (Ac ts 2 :25), and there has never been but one of whom. it could be said, "neither hath ~ (the Father) hid his face from him" (the Son), (Ps. 22:_~).

(2). UHe is on my right hand, that I 30uld not be moved lf • In Ps. 16:11, we read "In thy presencd is fulness of joy: at thy right hand there are pleasures forever ~". Now verse 8 reads "I have set the Lord always before me" thus "In thy . lJresence lf of verse 11, also in verse 8, "I shall not be moved" is the basis of the "pleasures forever moreuof verse lI.

(a). This was true only of Christ as to Itthe fulness of Joy", because on hi:'1 only did the Spirit fully "rest", (Isa. 11 :2). Since "joy" for us i~ "the frui t of the 3piri t lf , (Gal. 5: 22), and our "walk in the Spiri t,1t (Gal. 5:25) deter:uines just how "full" (1 Jno. 1:4) our joy will be, we know tha t in this life we will never plumb the depths of joy available to us.

(b). "T'ne pleasures forever more" stand in contrast to "the pleasures of sin" (Beb. 1l:25). :"Ioses chose rightly. liThe pleasures of sin" a..~e IIfor a season ll (Heb. 11:25), but it's penalty is "everlastinglf (bfa-ct. 25 :46) j while to the chi.ld of C-od, lfour light afflic tioD - is but for a moment", (11 Cor. 4: 17), but where they are endured for Christ IS

sake, they shall yield If a crown or glory that fadeth not away I' , (1 ret 5:4), lIthe reward of the in.~eritancelf, (Col. 3:24), "incorruptibJelt,

(1 Pet. l:h). . (c). f1That I should not be moved". When 3atan came to "the 50n of manIt oft ii{

Mt. of Temptation, where the first man fell, the second man was not "moved", (Ua t t. 4: 10) • Thus 3atan could no t "move" him by s howing ~j WI

things e.."'Cternal to himseIf, even "the kingdom of this world". Then when "The Prince of this '\"forld cometh he hath nothing in" the Son of man (Jnoo. 14:30). Thus "Jesus a man" was not tempted by environment, nor tempted by his nature to do contr~ry to "the '.7i11 of his Father II ,

"David speaketh concerning ~". Let us say with Jude "Now unto HD\'( be all glory and b-:.nor lf •

V. 26. "Therefore did m:y heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:"

Now since "He (the 2ather) is on my right hand" as verse 25 declares, three things follow, (1) "Therefore did my heart rejoice; (2) nMy tongue was glad" and (3) l':ly flesh shall rest in hope". Of Christ it is written:

(1) • h'Y HEART: "Thy love is :rITHIN :.IY HEAJ~T -- I have no t hid thy righ teOUS­~ within my heart!l, (Ps. 40:8,10); that is, "I do always those things that please himll , (Jno. 8:29)-. This is why he could say, III foresaw the I.crd always before ray face" •

(2) • 1f1IY TONGUE". "I will declare thy name unto my bre thren: in the :midst of the congregation will I praise thee", (Ps. 22:22). The gladness of the tongue was the fruit of the rejoicing of the heart, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh", (Matt. 12:34). Christ never had to say as David, "Restore unto me thy joy -- open thou my life and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise" (Ps. 51:12,15). The loss of joy never killed the song nor closed his life.

(3) • "MY FLESHll. lIThe fruit of his (David' s) loins If, (Ac ts 2:30) through f~_:ary" (:Uatt. 1:1,16), Christ said through DaVid, ''My flesh shall rest in hope":

LESSON /112. PaGe 3.

The basis of this is found in the next verse.

v. 27. "3ecause thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wi~t thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. fl •

11 If Because (1) "thou wilt not leave my soul in hell'1 ; (2) "Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption".

1. Notice Christ did not say "thou wilt not let me lie", but "thou wilt not leave my soul in hell". The word llhell1f is from the Greek "HADES", and does not refer to the place of eternal punishment. Christ says flthou wilt not leave my soul in hades". I take onl;r two passages in connection with this verse. One the prom­ise of the Father to the Son, and tha second expressed confidence of the Son in the lJromse.

(a). TH: ?10::rjE. Christ had said, "0 my God, take me not a:Kay in the mi(l~

of my days!1, CPs. 102; 24) • ID1is was said fo llowing the words, "he shortened my dap:' V.23. Days that marked his Eie on ea:-th between birth and resurrection. The Pat.her responds, "Thy years a.:-e t~ro"J.sh all generations --- thy years shall have n')

7"ndfl. (Ps. 102: 24, ~ 1) . - (b) • THE COEFIJENCE. IlUpon this roc k I will bui ld my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail acainst it" (:~att. 16:18). YJihy mention the "gat€-f of hell" in connection vii t..'1 these ...rords? For a:cording to :':'att. 16:21, he must oe fllClled and be raised again the third day". .Uter the tra..'1sfiguration he said ag<:..in, liThe Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: and they shall kill hi...;., and the third da~' he shall oe raised again", Uatt. 17:22-23). Now when he sars "I.:y flesh shall rest in hope ll it is because IIthou (the ?ather) v;ilt not leave rr.y soul in helP (hades)(Acts 2:27); thUS, "the gates of hell shall not prevail" ' against anything that he ~as promised, the fulfillment of ...mieh demands resurrec:'iof\ from the dead. The Father had promised, "thy years shall have :10 end ll , (Ps. 102~17). Therefore, though "he shortened ,~r day-gll (Ps. 102:23) 7vhen he IImade his soul an offering for sin", (1sa. 53:10), he would raise him from the dead", (1 Cor. 15:20),

2. II Thou wilt not suifer thine holy one to see corruption". "Thine Holy oneil here is IIthat holy thing which shall be born of thee C~!'y)(Luke 1:35). 'i'hat lI]oly thing ll , as the "seed of DaVid", born of HaI""J, was at one time "t;;relve years old ll (Luke 2:42)(by way of illustration), but he who was thus incarnate was IIfrom everlasting" (i:.Iicah 5:2). It was "the fruit of his (David's) loins" concerning w~1ich the Psalmist said, "Thou wilt nat suffer thine Holy one to see corruption ll

(.\cts 2:27). Deity is lIincarruptible" (Rom. 1:23); therefore, the second person in the:Jodhead, as such, was in~orI"'J.ptible. But when liThe '!lOrd ',ras made flesh" (Jno. 1:14), the perpetration of that identity demanded preservation from corruptio~ of that Whereby "God was manii'est", (1 Tim. 3:16), or as Job said, "The Life was manifested, and ..fe have seen i til --- 1",hicn 71as wi t:1 t..'1e Father and was mar.il'ested unto us ~I , (1 Jno. l: 2)•

a. "The word -- was in the beginning ',-rITH GOD", (Jno. 1:1-2). b. "The ,word was made flesh -- and w'e beheld" (Jno. 1:14). c. !IThat which was from the beginning -- that eternal life -- was

manifested unto us", (1 Jno. 1:1-2). 1. That rrhich vras from the beginning was "incorruptible", (Rom. 1:23). 2. That by "';hicn, that w:lich ,vas from the beginni~g, 1'ras llmanifested

unto us", was not permitted to see corruption by the intervention of the Father, as the Son said~ 1I:,:y fle::;h shall rest in hope: because thou --- wilt (neither) suffer thine noly one to see corruption. II

V. 28. lIThou hast made knOlm to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy vdth thy cQuntenance. K

• LESSON #12. Page 4•

.• NoW' when the "hope" of verse 26, was realized in resurrection of "thine

l-Ioly one", V. 27, the Son said, "Thou hast made known unto me the ways of life" V.28. Notice the plural "ways" •.ihat does it mean? Life, as knO'i'ffi to man is twofold, "the life t.."lat nov, is, and that which is to cornell, (1 Tim. 4:8). ~:ie mow that IlThat "..hich is to come" will not be experienced by us prior to the resurrection..

) 25 invo1ving our bodies, that is, ":nortali ty", the condition of our pres ent bodies must be lIswallowed up of life!!, (11 Cor • .5:4) before we can experience the "life which is to cornell. Nov1 it is said of the 30n of God that "He only hath immortality", (1 Tin. 6:16), referring to his body from ~~e resurrection, or throuGh it. Paul sa~Ts "Christ - hath brought life and irn.ilortality to light (llmalufested" it, 1 Jno. 1:1,2) tl1rou~h the gospel" (11 Hm. 1:10). JUt the Gospel is inclusive of (1) death and (2) resurrection (1 Cor. 1.5:1-4); therefore, when Christ said to the lather, II thou has t made known to me the Yl"lyS of life", he referred to "the pangs of dea th II ,

(Acts 2:24), as a means of life, that is, of bringing forth children. Thus Isaiah 6aid, IlI-Ie shall see his seed" (lsa• .53 :10) J when thou shalt make his soul an of-~er;_ng for sin", Wlich he could never have 'd'O"ne apart from, as he said, "my flesh". 1. Ac ts 2: '2'b"'):'""- ,

1. Thus life through death for those "dead in --- sins". 2. But the second way of life referred to in Acts 2:28, was made known by

resurrection, 't.'!.emeans of "bringing many sons to glory", (Heb. 2:10). Thus lIThe lost Ada':! --the Second mal1 11 (1 Cor. 15:45,47), learned from t~2. ?athel~ lithe 'Nays of life ll (Acts 2 :28), just as he "learned obedience" hy the things ,,!hich he suffered" (Heb. 5:9). He LEAH.1"'JED not in the sense of being informed, but in the sense that he "took part of" (Heb. 2:14) that by which he was made I'perfect", not as man, but as "the captain" cf their (his 30ns) salvation", (Heb. 2:10,18).

"Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance". Christ here speL¥'S of his trilL"!1phs as "The Son of man". No other was ever made "full of joy" in the sense in which these words are applied to Christ.

1. He who Vias "made flesh" was a. "full of Grace" Uno. 1:14), aIld thus "brought salvation", (Titus 2.:1J) b. "full -- of truth", (Jno. 1:l4), and revealed himself as the way t.:l

the Father. (Jno. l4:6). c. llfull of joyll (:\.cts 2:28), haVing "overcome t."le world ll , (Jno. 16:33\

and being back in the "presence" CPs. 16:11) of the ?ather, wher2 Christ Said, "is fulness of jot'.

He ca.. nOrT bring :'many 30ns to glory", (Heb. 2: 10), "that they may be 'in. th" hila (Jno. 17:24), without doing violence to justice. This is ua manll whom the Father has exhibited, "::7 only begotten Son in whom I am well pleased ll • T'nerefore, let all men "Hear him".

Prepared by: H. 2'rank Fort, 1.Iinister, Berean Baptist Churc~,

Houston, Texas. May 29, 1952.

W,s ... ON #13.

"THE ACTS OF T:E APOSTLES If

(Acts 2:29-31)

iT. 29. liMen and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day."

Now in ccntrast to "Himn of \"J'hom David spake, llNeither wilt thou suffer thine Eoly one to see corruption", V. 27" Peter says, t'.uavid --- is dead and buried". Paul said, "Daivd --- fell on sleep --- and saw corruption:!, (Acts 13:36), lISo David slept with his fathers (died) and \vas buried!I, (1 Kin3 2:10). Peter contiaued, IIhis sepulchre is \':i tIl us unto this da111. This f!lct refutes the theory, based on (Hatt. 27 :52), IlEany bodies of the saints which s le)t arose ll ,

that all t":.e old testa!nent saints arose with Christ, for certainlv if David lJl:.E. dead 2nd buried lJ , fifty days after Christ arose, he didn'-t arise with Cl~ist.

v. 30-31. llTherefore be ing a prophet, a nd knowing t ha t God had sworn with an oath to hL-n, that of the fru.Lt of his loins, accordinG to the flesh, he would raise up Chri2t to sit on his throne; Ee seein~ this before spa~o of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul w~s not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corrupt ion.'1

'ITherefore bei:n~ a prophet 11 • -.ll"lat David said as 11 a pro)het" he said, as did all the I holy men of old", by nthe Holy Ghost", (11 Pf?;t 1:21). Specifically, David sai d, :!The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue. lhe God of Israel said, the Rock o~ Israel s)e.ke to me tl , (11 Sam. 23:2-3). The promise to which PeteY­referred in the text under consideration was confirmed by an oath, "God had sworn with an oath to him:!, as the writer of Hebre"7s said, !I an oath for confirmation", (Heb. 6: 16) ; in 1ridch case the wr iter referr8d to God I s promise to Abraham, "God made promise to )\br.ahamu

(Heb. 6:13) and llconfirmed it (the promise) by an oathU, (Heb. 6:17)

and this to the end that ilthe heirs of promise tl (Heb. 6:17) ilmight have strong consolation, who hav~ fled for refuge", (Eeb. 6:18). This pro!:J.ise W:lS according to "the covenant that was confir:ned before' of God in Christ", (that is before th3 law b'1 430 years), (Gal. 3:17), w:"1ich'tie "receive tr-!.I'ough faith11 , (Gal. 3:16) and is secured to "then: that believe:', (Gal. 3:22) lIto the end the promise m5.O'ht be sure to all thG seed ll

, (Rum. 4:16). nThe heirs of promise", (Heb. 6":17) and Ilall the seed", (aom. 4:16), are identical, and lithe promis~11 is llsur.:­to alIi' because the Lord has ilinter?osed himself ll (margin)(Heb. 6:17) as "suretx" (Heb. 7:22) oflla better covenant", "which is the mother of us al~ ,I (Gal. L1-= 24,26), who a rs II he irs according to t he promise ll

(Gal. 3:29).

I ~anted to distinguish betITeen the two promises, (1) that with Abraham, and (2) that with David, each of ~hich was confirmed by an oath, so as not to confuse as we consider the promise of our text. ~'10Vl jusG,-;hat had God promised David?, 11that of the fruit of his loins, according to t he flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his t:b..r one 11 •

1. Eov! in the case of the promise to :'\braha2n, lithe childrer. of th.e promise are counted for the seed", (Rom. 9:8)

(-­

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LESSON #13. Page 2.

2. But in t he case of t.!e promise to DaYid flthat of the fruit of his loins he would raise up Christ ll

, (Acts 2:30), '!lhat do th e words Il raise up Gr...rist U mean? Let us consider the next verse in the answer.

v. 31. UIie seeing this before spa:.:e of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption!!.

"He seeing this il , that is, t::-J.at God would "raise up Christ ---spake of the resurrection". How what were the words, said by -?ater, to describe the resurrection? IIhis soul 1il"aS not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruDtion. 1I These ',vords s ':)e a 1,: of resurrec ­tion, and that which these words describe must" take place before God ~ould keep t:le promise made to ..Javid, "that of the fruit of his loin:~ he would raise u") Ct.:rist to s it on his throne:J.

1. Let it be observed that t~e most ardent Post-millenialist does not content that Cr..rist sat on David's throne when God :lraised. him uplt. They all agree that Christ hael been raised from the dead et least fifty dars before they claim he cat on uhis (David l s) throne". If he did not I sitU when he was uraised", did Peter say he sat on l:h~ ~ay of Pentecost? Far from it. Rather he affirms that Christ sat where David :J.ad never sat !ton my right hand ll

, V. 3~: thus David said, uThe Lord said unto my Lordu • David wrote this in \Ps. 110:1} where it is also written of Cr..rist in the position "at my right hand lt

-­

thou lli a pries t forever after the order of Me1chizedeku , (Pa. 110:~). The Psalm, wherein David as a prophet wrote of the resurrection of Christ, is (Ps. 16:10), "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neithev-­wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption."

2. Now in Ps. 132:11, we have the prophecy which Peter quot~<i in Acts 2:30, liThe Lord hath sworn in truth unto David: he will not turn from it; of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne ll

•

Now let us consider the throne in question. David promised 3ath-Sh€G8 according to the vvill of God that ltAssuradly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne" (1 Kings 1:17), ar.d just before David died he had Zadok, the priest and Nathan the prophe* to anoint Solomon, llEing in Gihon, (1 l\ing 1 :45). and David said, lIBlessed be the Lord God of Israel rl::icb hath given one to sit on my Throne this day, T:1ine eyes even s3eing it lt

, (1 Kings 1:48). David then charged Solomon saying, lII{eep the charge of the Lord thy God - ­that tU3 Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there snall not fail thee (said he) a man on t:1.e tl1I'one of Israel." (1 Kings 2:3,4}. At the dedication of the Te~~le Solomon prayed in remembrance of this promise as follows, ttl~eep with thy servant David rrry father that thou promisedst hi~, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the tl1I'one of Israel", (1 :~ings 8: 25) • God replied II If th~y wil t walk before me as David tL1.Y father '."Talked, in integrity of heart and in uprighteousness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee -- then I will establish the tL~one of thy kingdom upon Israel forever, as I promised to David thy fath:r saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel1t

, (1 King 9 :4-5). Upon failure, however, God said, "I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes --- nevertheless --- my

LESSON ~/13.? 3" age.

r covenant will I not break~ nor alter the thing that is gone out o~ my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not l1e unto ~avid. His seed shall endure forever, and hi~ throne as the Sun before me", (Ps. 89:32-36). 'ilhen David's seed failed to meet the

r conditions, chastening followed, (1) in the division of the Kingdom (1 Ki~gs 11:30-36), and (2) the captivities; that of Israel, the ten trib~s in A~syria (1 Kings 17:6), and t~~t o~ Judah in Babylon, (11 Kings 2-,:1-30). It was written concerning "Jehoiakim king of Judah, He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David ---' I will punish him and his seed -- for their iniquity", (Jer. 36:30-31). It was therefore written concerning Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, "No man of hi~ seed shall prosper sitting upon the throne of David, and ""ullilg any more in Judahll (Jer. 22: 30) • Thus the Lord said, IIRemove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall· not be the same -- I ~ill overturn" overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more (that is lithe crown') until he (Christ) come whose right it is, and I will give it him" (Eze. 21: 26-27) • Therefore lIu~on the throne of David

:ind upon his Kingdom", (Isa. 9:7). God had "sworn in truth U-."'1to David --- of the fruit of thy bod.y will I set upon thy throne tl

, (Ps .. 132:Jl) .. Thus we read, "the Lord God Shall gt ve unto him the throne of his father Da.vid: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever: a:-.":. of his kingdom there shall be no end l

', (Luke 1:32-33). Now notice the prophecy as to the time, when :I Judah -- and --- the children of Is~ael (the ten tribes), his companions --- shall be no more two n'1tionsH (Eze. 37:16,22) and " one KinS shall b e King to t hem all",

i

V. 22. -:Jhen he shall IIbr :!.ng them into their own land" V. 21. Notice when this shall be done as related to t he first coming of Christ, IIrhey shall smite the Judge of Israel '7ith a rod upon the cheek --­therefore will he gj.ve them up until the time that she which travai:'~

eth hath brought forth: THEN the remnant of his brethren (Judah) ~ctl~ return unto the children of Israel ll (llicah 5:1,3) then shall both houses be subject to the "ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have b~,:,~"J. from of old from everlasting" (IYlicah 5:2). 'Nhat did they say at the fL"st coming? "":Ie will not have this man to rule over usn, (Luke 19~14) they"smote him with a rod'l, (Micah 5:1), "therefore he gave them up UNTIL II ---(Micah 5:3), and said, tlJerusalem shall be trodden down o~ the Gentiles, until the time s of the Gentiles be fulfilled", (Luke 2.J. ~ 24). During this time "Blindness in part is happened to Israel" (Rom. 11:25), and "the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, (lets 28:28). Thus we read "how God a.t the first (or lit. "for the firs t time" 1. e. II in the hous e of Cornelius" mar gin) did vis it the Gentiles~ to take out of them a people for his name"~ (Acts 15:14). Now Peter continues, 11 and to t his agree the words of the prophets; as. it is written, After this (visit to the Gentiles) I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen dovrn; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up", (Acts 15: 15-16). Peter quotes Amos in ~~os 9:11-12. But notice Amos begins, "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen -­I will build it as in the da;t:s of old.", (Amos 9: 11) , but before Pe tero quoted these words he said., after t his I will return". Amos didn't say this, neither did Peter say that the" truth which he declared was limi ted to t he prophecy by Amos; he said, II to this agree the words of the PROP=~TS, plural, that is, the prophets, foretold that (1) the tabernacle of David would fall; (2) that the Messiah would come; (3) that he would be rejected; (4) that he would visit the gentiles;

LESSON ,f13. Page 4.

(5) that he would return; (6) that he would "build again --- as in the days of old"; (7) that he would "sit on David's throne ll ; (8) that the children of Israel and the remnant of Judah would"be one "in the landllj (9) that he would be lilting over all the earthll ,

Thus the oath of the Lord that llhe would raise up Christ to sit on his (David's) throne II, (.~cts 2: 30) does not mean that Chr ist would sit on ~avid's throne ~ffiEN God raised him up, but that the fact ~~ the resurrection was in order to the fulfilling of the promise ;.)nfirmed by the oat.h.

We continue this subject next week.

;~ :'spared by: H. ?rank Fort, Minister, Berean Baptist Church, Houston, Texas. June 11, 1952.

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