Becky wrote:
After reading "Acts 28 - The Dispensational Boundary."
That Jesus said the coming of the kingdom would happen in the current generation has always been troubling to me. If the cause of its delay was a rejection of Jesus by the Jews, why, since Jesus knew his purpose and fate, would he proclaim it? Could Jesus not have known what would happen? I would appreciate your response since I have not heard anyone address this question before, and I know of no scriptural clarification.
It is interesting to consider the division in Paul's message. I had not thought before of his new message to the Gentiles as being precipitated by his unsuccessful attempt to persuade the Jewish leaders.
Thank you.
Dear Becky,
God Bless you, and thank you for writing. This question has troubled many believers to the point that they disregard the words written and spiritualize away the meanings of those words. The word "generation" means this very generation, and The Lord Who knows all can not be wrong and can only speak The Truth. What does not come across in our English translation is the condition that must be met to realize The Promise. The Truth of The Return of The Lord Christ Jesus could only have been fulfilled in that very same generation if Israel as a nation had nationally repented; only then would the conditions have been met.
Peter, in Acts chapter 3, sees the people are ready to believe after witnessing the miracle of the man lame from birth now walking and leaping and praising God. If you read Acts 3:12-20, you will see Peter tells them to repent and be baptized, and God will send Jesus and the time of refreshing. This is the prophecy when Christ would return, set up His Kingdom, and the Lion would lay down with the Lamb. When? Very quickly in their lifetimes, thus keeping His Promise that "this generation would not pass away and The Kingdom of Promise would be established forever." Many believed that day, but the rulers, the high council in effect, the nation's representatives refused and kept on refusing till Acts 28:28.
We must ask ourselves, could the Jews have believed in Him and accepted Him as their Messiah and King and then not crucified Him or at least repented of killing their long-awaited King-Priest? Of course, they could have, and many did, but not the nation. For Israel to have repented and believed Jesus is The Christ, The Messiah, The Council, called The Sanhedrin, would have to believe, and they would not. Could they have repented at any time while witnessing 35 years of signs, miracles, and wonders done in The Name of Jesus Christ? After all that evidence, who would believe they would not turn and repent and then accept Him as Messiah and King?
So after all the chances God gave them for almost 2000 years, and after rejecting and crucifying Christ their King, and then for 35 years rejecting Him again in the face of hundreds and hundreds maybe thousands of miracles and healings done in His Name final The Lord's patience was exhausted, and they were rejected. Because they rejected their own God, King, and Savior 2 times, God showed them rejection by declaring them Lo-Ammi, "Not My People," and handing Israel the writ of divorcement that will last for the two days of Hosea, whereas warned by that Prophet they have remained "Not My People" for almost 2 thousand years.
God could not tell anyone about The Mystery of His Perfect Purpose, for if He had shared The Truth of The Dispensation of The Mystery of His Grace, it would have given the nation of Israel and excuse NOT to believe, and this they had to do all on their own. The sad fact is that every dispensation ends in failure; the first 2 thousand years ended in such wickedness it took the flood to clean the world. The second 2 thousand years ended in the rejection of The Messiah, The Son of The Living God. The third 2 thousand years is ending in the failure of the people to believe The Mystery. But thanks be to God for opening the eyes of His dear ones to His Truth in every dispensation and for His Perfect Callings, Blessings, and Hope because of His Perfect Gift to humanity, His Son Christ Jesus, Head of The One Body The Church, Savior of the world, Creator of The Universe, our Blessed Lord and Friend.
All God's Blessings,
The Believers
