Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
—John 8:58
So when they had come together, [the apostles] asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
—Acts 1:6-8
Long before the kings of Israel and Judah, there was Moses. Long before Moses, there was Abraham. Long before Abraham...
The apostles were human, which means that they needed time and help to learn, They especially needed help to learn about time.
Outlasting limited perspectives and overcoming past habits and outgrowing the influences of surrounding culture are hard. Even after years of walking with Jesus, hearing His teaching, and seeing His great works, the apostles still asked a question that revealed perspectives and habits and influences that burdened them. And Jesus corrected them in love.
They had heard Jesus call His hearers to the “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God”. But in their last conversation with Jesus before His ascension, they still seem to have been stuck at the kingdom of Israel. Jesus refocused them with a response that we might think of in three parts:
“It is not for you to know...”—This sounds like a gentle reminder that Job confessed, “I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me”, and David sang, “I do not occupy myself with things / too great and marvelous for me.”
“You will receive power...”—This assures them that they will not be alone, but the “power” was for a very different purpose than their earthly mindset had expected.
“You will be my witnesses...”—There was a reason for all that they had seen.
From the Beginning (part 1)
Your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves of the sea,
the Lord on high is mighty!
—Psalm 93:2-4
“But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked;
you grew fat, stout, and sleek;
then he forsook God who made him
and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.”
—Deuteronomy 32:15
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
—John 8:58
So when they had come together, [the apostles] asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
—Acts 1:6-8
Long before the kings of Israel and Judah, there was Moses. Long before Moses, there was Abraham. Long before Abraham...
The apostles were human, which means that they needed time and help to learn, They especially needed help to learn about time.
Outlasting limited perspectives and overcoming past habits and outgrowing the influences of surrounding culture are hard. Even after years of walking with Jesus, hearing His teaching, and seeing His great works, the apostles still asked a question that revealed perspectives and habits and influences that burdened them. And Jesus corrected them in love.
They had heard Jesus call His hearers to the “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God”. But in their last conversation with Jesus before His ascension, they still seem to have been stuck at the kingdom of Israel. Jesus refocused them with a response that we might think of in three parts:
Unpacking these further will take more time.