Well I know what I believe about the kingdom. But he was giving his interpretation in it therefore I asked him to explain. But then I ask how do you then fit Acts 1:6 in the picture?
Hi Paul,
I'm glad you asked.
I will answer your question, but...
Let me begin by asking you where in Acts 1 is a physical earthly kingdom mentioned? For that matter, where in the gospels does Jesus ever talk about a physical, earthly kingdom?
I understand your interpretation of prophesy, but my question is about Acts 1 and the gospels, not the prophetic books, which have numerous interpretations, depending on who you talk to.
Now to answer your question...
I believe we need to ask ourselves why the apostles asked Jesus the question...
“Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
Let's look at the immediate context of the question:
1 The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said,“you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
And also at Luke's words in chapter 24.
44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.48 “You are witnesses of these things.49 “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Considering both passages, what do you think was in the minds of the apostles when they asked Jesus if it was at this time He was restoring the kingdom to Israel? Are they thinking of a physical, earthly kingdom? Not according to the context, they weren't. They understood the kingdom to be a spiritual one just as Jesus had taught them
(John 18:36, Luke 11:16-20, Luke 17:20-21).
Consider this. Jesus, according to Luke 24:45, opened the minds of the apostles to understand the Scriptures. In Acts 1:3, we are told that Jesus spent 40 days teaching them all about the kingdom. This tells me they knew all there was to know about the kingdom, except for WHEN the kingdom would be restored.
In Luke 24:49, Jesus tells His apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit who would clothe them with power from on high. In Acts 1:5, Jesus tells His apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the promised baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Why would Christ’s disciples ask about the restoration of the Kingdom immediately after Jesus spoke to them concerning the Promise of the Father?
Clearly, the Promise has some connection to the restoration of the Kingdom! That is what the context tells us. One would have to ask, why would they disregard Jesus' instruction concerning a spiritual Kingdom, and suddenly bring up an earthly kingdom, one which Jesus never spoke about to them before?
It is with the promise to be clothed with power from on high, and the promise to be baptized with the Holy Spirit in mind that the apostles ask the infamous question. Luke tells us at the beginning of verse 6, "So when they came together they were asking Him..."
In other words, the beginning of verse 6 tells us that the question the apostles asked is based on their previous conversation with Jesus.
Unlike you and the Jews of Jesus' time, the apostles understood that the kingdom Jesus taught them about was a spiritual one and not a physical, earthly and political one.
The disciples were quite aware of the Kingdom Jesus intended to restore. They knew it was spiritual in nature. However, they were not aware of when this restoration would take place. Their question was about timing.
Jesus had taught His apostles that at some time in the future they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit. This baptism would allow them entry into the Kingdom. The restoration of God’s people would begin on Pentecost when three thousand would be baptized into the Kingdom. Jesus said,
“Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God!” (John 3:5).
The apostles understood that when the Holy Spirit was poured out, God’s Kingdom would undergo restoration. They just didn't know WHEN that would happen.
So how does Jesus answer the apostles question?
And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority. But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8).
Jesus tells them it is not for them to know WHEN the kingdom would be restored. But He does reinforce what He has been telling them all along. It is not for you to know the WHEN, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses unto the whole earth.
The restoration of the kingdom of our Lord began on Pentecost, when Christ translated 3000 believers into His restored kingdom. It came through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The restoration of the kingdom continues to this day when an obedient believer is born again of water and the Spirit. The Lord adds him/her to His kingdom.
