“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted
out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the
Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto
you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all
things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets
since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21).
The Apostle Peter, in Acts 3:19-21, was divinely enabled to speak
concerning “the times of refreshing” which is to come from the presence
of the Lord. He was talking about the “restitution of all things” which
was, perhaps, the major theme of the Hebrew Bible because he stated that
God spoke about it “by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the
world began.” In Paul's writings, he was inspired to refer to this
future time as the Day of Christ. This term is grossly
misunderstood by most Bible students. Failure to “see” its’ significance
results in one misunderstanding the plot of the Bible. The Lord Jesus
Himself spoke about His Coming Day, but most Christians are unaware of
Him having a Day. We’re not talking about a twenty-four hour day but a
period of time marked by the Supremacy of Christ in all matters—the Day of Christ.
The Lord Jesus told the Pharisees in John 8:56; “Your father Abraham
rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.” Jesus
Christ said that Abraham saw (i.e. perceived) His Day. How did Abraham
“see” His Day? God revealed Christ’s Day to him; hence, Abraham saw the
Day, by faith, and was “glad.”
Notice Paul's references to the Day of Jesus Christ:
1 Cor 1:8. “Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be
blameless in theday of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Cor 5:5. “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the
flesh, that the spirit may be saved in theday of the Lord
Jesus.”
2 Cor 1:14. “As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your
rejoicing, even as ye also are our’s in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
Phil 1:6. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
Phil 1:10. “That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may
be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ:”
Phil 2:16. “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in
the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured
in vain.”
The Day of Christ begins with the appearing (the epiphaneia) and kingdom
(basileia ) of Jesus Christ (2 Tim.4:1) and the blazing forth of the
glory of the great God, even our Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). This
is when the hope of the calling of the Mystery is realized. This is when
our faith gives way to sight. This is the next event on God's prophetic
clock. This is when Christ Jesus, in His role as the Head of the high
calling, convenes [calls into session] His Ecclesia (Church) which is
His Body. As the Great Convoker, He, alone, calls His Ecclesia into
session. This marks His assumption of sovereignty over the nations.
Those who have been memberd into “the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus” will either be raised out from among the dead, or will be changed
from mortal to immortal, and will take their place, or station, in His
Government.
For two-thousand years, Christ has silently been building His Ecclesia
(Church). Ever since Acts 28, He has been calling and choosing those who
are to be revealed as members of this present body of believers who are
to be “called on high.” He is silently calling and building His Ecclesia
on the grounds of Present Truth. The religious Christian world is
unaware of this. Most Christians believe He is active in building the
visible church, and they are unaware that the visible church is the work
and contrivance of men.
The Lord is building upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets
with Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, “In Whom all the
building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
In Whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the
Spirit” (Eph.2:21-22). The hope of the present calling will be realized
when 2 Timothy 4:1 and Titus 2:13 take place.
Most all Bible commentaries squeeze Truth which is related to the
Kingdom of God into the Millennium. To do so, overlooks one of the great
dispensations found in all of Scripture; the dispensation of the Kingdom
of God. This dispensation is referred to as:
The latter days (Jer.23:20; 30:24; Dan.2:28; 10:14.
Hos.3:5).
The last days (Gen.49:1; Isa.2:2; Mic.4:1; Acts 2:17).
These must not be confused with the “last days” (2 Tim. 3:1) of this
present dispensation.
My Day, as previously pointed out in John 8:56.
The regeneration as found in Matthew 19:28. Regeneration
means to generate again. This speaks of the restoration of the earth and
mankind to their pristine state as it existed before the Flood.
The times of refreshing; Peter uses this expression in
Acts 3:19 to highlight one aspect of the Kingdom of God when it comes.
The refreshing times speaks of the “curse” being lifted which is
intimately associated with the “manifestation of the sons of God” (Rom.
8:19) and mankind being delivered from “the bondage of corruption into
the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21).
The times of restitutionof all things,
Peter declares in Acts 3:21, was a subject that all of God’s holy
prophets spoke about “since the world began.” Literally, it is the
“times of the restoration of all things.” The Lord Jesus Christ
mentioned the fact that Elijah truly shall come first and restore all
things (Matt. 17:11). This fact makes this restoration to precede the
second coming of Christ.
Concurrently with the many events taking place when Christ Jesus assumes
sovereignty over mankind and the nations, the Holy Spirit (the
Comforter) will actively and aggressively restrain evil (John 16:7-13).
People who sin will die for their own sin (Jer. 31:30). The Spirit will
hinder transgressions because man’s conscience will have been quickened
(made alive).
The Day of Christ is synonymous with all of the above,
including the Kingdom of God, and comes before the tribulation
and the second coming (Parousia) of Christ.
During the Day of Christ, heaven and earth will be
governed by Christ Jesus from His heavenly Throne. This dispensation is
set in contrast to the Millennium or the Day of the Lord.
To say the two are the same is to say that “one-plus-one equals one.”
Most all Christians realize that the Day of the Lord (i.e.
the Tribulation and the Millennium) begins with revolution, bloodshed
and violence which will be an unprecedented event in all of human
history. The Old Testament has a lot to say about this Day—the Day
of the LORD. Isaiah speaks about the Lord's imposition upon the
world of His Millennial Rule; “For, behold, the LORD will come with
fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with
wrath, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His
sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord will
be many” (Isa. 66:15-16).
Psalm 50:3 says; "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: A fire
shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about
Him." Psalm 97:3; “A fire goeth before Him, and burneth up His enemies
round about.” These verses relate to Jesus Christ Personally returning
to earth to put an end to the nation’s revolt against His Rule from
heaven (2 Thess. 2:1-12).
When the Kingdom of God comes to Israel, it comes silently, “without
observation” (Lu.17:22). It will not come suddenly or dramatically. Its’
coming is likened; “as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And
should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and
grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of
herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the
ear” (Mk. 4:26-28).
When the Kingdom comes, it comes without calamity with no harm being
done to anyone. Notice a much overlooked passage; “He shall not strive,
nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. A bruised
reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He
send forth judgment unto victory” (Matt.12:19-20). Matthew quotes from
Isaiah 42:1-4 which informs us that the Kingdom (i.e God’s Government)
begins with the Gentile nations. Israel will not be a nation at this
time. They will still be scattered, or dispersed, among the nations.
While ruling over the nations, the Lord begins His work of re-gathering
the Jews. Over time, He leads them back to the Promised Land ─as
believers. No unbelieving Jew will be brought back to Palestine; no,
not one! The unbelieving will remain scattered among the nations.
[This brings up the question; ‘What about the Israel that now is?’ All
we’ll say for now is; the present Israel is not of God’s doing. When He
brings them back, there will be no disputes regarding borders or whose
land it is].
“And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that
transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where
they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye
shall know that I am the LORD” (Ezk.20:38).
If words have any meaning, then we must conclude that something begins
silently, mysteriously, without observation, without strife, without
Christ being heard, and without damage being inflicted. On the other
hand, something else begins (i.e. the Lord’s Day) with a colossal
display of vengeance, wrath, and cataclysmic punishment which will be
openly displayed.
It is a contradiction to insist that the two descriptions relate to the
beginning of the same event. In plainer words, the Prophetic Word
informs us that there is coming the Day of Christ which is
another term for the coming Kingdom of God. We are met with a
non-Scriptural term, The Millennium, which relates to the 1000
year reign of Christ upon the earth. The Biblical term for this is the
Day of the Lord. It is essential to distinguish between the two. The
Holy Spirit does. We should do so, also.
If we force all truths connected to the Day of Christ into
the Day of the Lord, the result is utter confusion. Not
only that, but we rob the Lord Jesus Christ of
His Day of Exaltation.
During the Day of Christ, He will draw, or compel, all men
unto Himself. He will be exalted from the earth as every knee shall bow
and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord to the Glory of God the
Father. His Day begins with His “appearing and Kingdom,” and He begins
to judge the quick and the dead. (2 Tim.4:1). This is when the glory of
the great God, even Jesus Christ our Savior, blazes forth (Titus 2:13).
Isaiah speaks of this event in 40:5; “And the glory of the LORD shall be
revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” and at the same time.
What is seen is the glory of the LORD,
not the LORD descending from Heaven; to this, Numbers 14:21 agrees; “But
truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the
LORD.” When the Kingdom comes, “the earth shall be filled with the
knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters covers the sea”
(Hab.2:14). The Psalmist says; “And blessed be His glorious Name
forever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory” (72:19). The
world will experience the revealing of His Glory without Christ Jesus
leaving His Heavenly Throne. The shining forth of the glory of God takes
place before the Day of the LORD. It is noted in Isaiah's vision that
the seraphim see Christ's Day and say; “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of
Hosts: the earth is full of His glory.”
During the Day of Christ, the “times of refreshing comes
from the presence of the LORD.” All things are rejuvenated while the
Heavens retain Christ (Acts 3:19-21). The pristine, pre-Noah flood
conditions will be re-created (Isa. 65:17; 66:22).
When the Day of Christ begins, all of mankind will be enlightened
by the Holy Spirit and realize that Jesus Christ is LORD! Christ will
begin His benevolent rule of the world. Then, He will begin converting
His ancient people, Israel. Read Ezekiel 20:23-33, and notice how the
Lord begins a work in their hearts and will lead them back into the Holy
Land as a Christ-believing people. As the Day of Christ
draws to a close, the restraints of the Spirit are gradually withdrawn.
Then, there comes a “falling away” from the enlightenment. Apostasy will
set in which leads to the rise of the man of sin. Satan deceives the
world except for the elect. Nations conspire against the rule of
Christ's Government and desire to overthrow His rule (Ps. 2). Because of
the revolt, the Lord sends a strong delusion so that most people should
believe “the Lie.” The Great Tribulation begins. The “abomination of
desolation” takes place in the re-built Temple. The Lord Jesus returns
and destroys the Wicked One with the brightness of His coming, and He
condemns all who chose to believe not the truth and had pleasure in
unrighteousness.
This ends the Day of Christ, and the Day of the LORD
begins. The Great Tribulation ends with the Parousia [the Second Coming]
of Christ (1Thess. 4:16).
Satan will be bound and is cast into the bottomless pit. Christ will
rule the nations “with a rod of iron;” sitting upon the Throne of David
in Jerusalem for 1000 years.
The Lord Jesus Christ rules and governs the world from Heaven during the
Day of Christ. But, He rules the world from Jerusalem
during the Day of the Lord.