Refuting William Vincent's "Until" Article On [Acts 3:18-26]

                          Refuting William Vincent's "Until" Article On [Acts 3:18-26]
                                                                By Joel Sexton

I am never the least bit surprised when a Partial Preterist or Futurist runs to Acts 3:18-21 as if this passage is some silver bullet against Full Preterism. When actual exegetical work is done, and then contextual works by comparing with [Acts 2], we actually see a strong case for fulfillment in .A.D 70.

In William's article, he asserts the following concerning the kingdom.

"When we think about how the Kingdom is described by Christ, it is always progressive. A seed is planted, grows and reaches maturity. Leaven is added to meal until it is all leavened. Crops grow, the first blade, then stalk and finally mature plants. A mustard seed, He says, begins as the smallest of seeds, but becomes a great tree. Thus we have a beginning, maturation process, and a culminating event.

It should not be missed that the Kingdom and the “coming” are intertwined. Those described in the time-text who “would not taste of death” would see the “Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.” But we must remember the nature of that Kingdom. It begins small, grows and finally reaches a point of maturity. One of the mistakes of the Preterism and Full Preterism, in particular, is reducing the “coming” to a singular and instantaneous event. I would contend that what “came” in the first century was something that grew, and grows, until." [1]

The kingdom did not reach full "maturity" in A.D. 70 of even yes today! Seems William has ignored two things. First, the established "already but not yet" N.T. hermeneutic. Within the world of Partial Preterism, there is the Already: (cross event a.d.33) then A.D. 70. then NOT YET AGAIN in the future! Yes, the kingdom was established at the cross [Col 1:14; 2:12-15), that is the "Already" . Not to say the parable to the Wicked Husbandman [Mtt 21 Lk] which clearly says when the Davidic kingdom would be consummated. When the sons of the kingdom, that killed the slaved and heir were cast out. That is A.D. 70. This is the "But But Not Yet" coming to its end. It's not the Already But Not Yet & NOT YET. That's Partial Preterism desperation.

Acts 3:18-26

But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;  and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you,  whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; to Him, you shall give heed to everything He says to you.  And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’  And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days.  It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’  For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.” [Acts 3:18-26]

Even before vs. 18 we get the context even more focused. The crowd hearing Peter's sermon wasn't just a normal crowd. They had blood on their hands.

But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?  The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate when he had decided to release Him.  But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,  but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. [Acts 3:12-15]

This just wasn't any sermon. Like Pentecost, Peter is pleading to the crowd to not only repent of their sins. But their sin of murdering the "Prince of life." Because of their utter rejection and murder of Christ Peter warns the judgment that Christ spoke so often about was coming!

The "rulers" of the people are mentioned as well. Peter in calling down judgment again,
"And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people." [Acts 3:18]

Peter is directly quoting Deut 18 which speaks of the prophet to come after Moses which the people were to adhere to. So those that wouldn't repent and turn to the ''prophet" i.e. Christ would be "destroyed from among the people." Not separate but with the other's that wouldn't repent. This is a clear reference to the impending judgment coming on Judea in A.D. 70.

The guilt of the people listening to Peter is apparent. Peter cries out, "Men of Israel" vs. 12. "The God of Abraham. Issac and Jacob, the God of our fathers...but you disowned the Holy and Righteous One..put to death the Prince of life" vs. 12-15. They are also called ''the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham" vs.25. They were heirs of the prophets and the Abrahamic covenant [Gen 12:8]

Clearly, this is the same generation that Christ warned many times would reject Him as Messiah, therefore wrath would come when Jerusalem, Judea etc. was destroyed. [Mtt 16:27-28; 21:33-43; 22:1-14; 23:29-25:46; Lk 11:49-51;13-21].

Now to a more positive note concerning [Acts 3:18-26], The "restoration of all things" vs. 21 and the promises of vs. 24-25,

''And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.''

First, "all the prophets...announced these days." Just some time ago Jesus defeated the grave in fulfillment of the enthronement when it comes to the Davidic covenant [2 Sam 7:7-14; Ps 2:2,7; 78; 89:4; 101:1,4; Isa 55:3; Jer 30:9; Eze 34:24; Hos 3:4; Amos 9:11-16; Zech 6:12-13]

Secondly. "all the prophets..announced these days" vs 24-25. This is easily attested to by a simple reading of the book of Acts. (More on this below) To add even more force to "these days" is that [Gen 12:8] is quoted and applied to the crowds if they repented of their evil. the land promise of [Gen 12:8] would become a reality and thus the Davidic Covenant. The Kingdom. And that is exactly what the Spirit through Peter meant when he uttered,

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time." [Acts 3:19-21]

The "restoration of all things" is particularly speaking of the full consummation of the Davidic Kingdom. The Kingdom saturates the pages of Acts. Dr. Robinson in his, Greek Lexicon To New Testament Lexicon states:

"Restoration, restitution, i. e. to a former state, Acts 3. 21 the time of the restoration of all things, i. e. the Messiah's future kingdom, v. 19" [2]

Acts 2:17-40

This is similar but what is even more explicit in the mentioning of the coming judgment is [Acts 2] which Peter did not preach long before the sermon in [Acts 3]. Like [Acts 3] we see that Christ was killed by the Jews, enthroned on David's seat, & a plea of repentance or face the "coming wrath" [Mtt 3:7] along with the offer of salvation, that is their restoration to the land and to the Davidic Kingdom if repentance was wrought. We see in [Joel 2] this even split of judgment for the wicked [Joe 2:1-11] and salvation for the faithful remnant [Joe 2:12-28] which is not an unusual Prophetic concept.
“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know—  this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. " [Acts 2:22-24]
In Acts [2:17-21] Peter quotes from [Joel 2] (which includes Israel's kingdom), states they were in the "last days" and were to see judgment in "Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke" [Acts 2:17]

But Peter gets even more explicit and urgently warns the Jews,

''And with many other words, he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!" [Acts 2:40]

Peter is directly citing or alluding to [Deut 32:5]. The Song of Moses. A most critical section of Scripture in understanding the end times for mainly two reasons. First. [Deut 4:24f; 30-34] speaks of Israel's last days. Also her restoration [Deut 30] with of course judgment and the covenant cursings [Deut 28-32].

Even the Dispensationalist, like a broken clock, is right twice a day. Their works and theologians point out that [Deut 4; 30-34] refer to Israel's last days and restoration. Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost in his standard work, "Things To Come" states,

"...God stated again His Covenant promise concerning Israel's possession of an inheritance in the land in Deuteronomy 30:1-10, which statement we call the Palestinian covenant because it answers the question of Israel's relation to the land promises of the Abrahamic covenant. [3]"

Dr. Rapture, Thomas Ice broadens the scope out even more.

"As significant as Deuteronomy 4 is in establishing the prophetic history of God’s elect people, an expanded narrative of Israel’s future history is provided in Deuteronomy 28-32. “The last seven chapter of Deuteronomy (28-34),” says David Larsen, “is really the matrix out of which the great prophecies of the Old Testament regarding Israel emerge [4].''

Secondly, contextually in the N.T. is highly suggestive how we are to understand the [Deut 32:5] citation.

The Song of Moses is found in the N.T. about half a dozen times. Four of these times are very significant, including our present passage of [Acts 2:40 cf. Rom 10:19; Heb 10:30; Rev 19:2]
Acts 2:40

Peter in drawing from [Deut 32], which was sure to get the Jews attention coupled with another last days prophecy in [Joel 2:28-32]. In the "last days" the Spirit of the Lord would be poured out. So far so good. Next comes the sun turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and glorious Day of the Lord shall come. This, of course, is [Mtt 24:29-30] which William I believe states was fulfilled in A.D. 70 .

But this is next on the list after Peter announces ''the last days" of Joel 2, the Spirit being poured out & The Great Day of the Lord. Going down in the chapter helps bolster our case for Acts 2 Day of the Lord being the same as the Parousia of [Mtt 24].

"And with many other words, he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” [Acts 2:40]

Just before the Olivet Discourse, Christ states,

“Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation'' [Mtt 23:34-36]

There can be little doubt as to the generation being spoken of by Jesus and Peter. Jesus is pronouncing judgment for Israel's bloody persecution. Peter on Pentecost states Israel killed their Messiah and judgment was coming in from the day of the Lord of [Joel 2], which is directed against Judah and Jerusalem. Also, Peter alluding to [Deut 32:5] which is accepted by all to be Israel's last day's, which Peter announces.

In [Mtt 24] we have the destruction of the temple for the reasonings listed in [Mtt 23]. For their guilt in killing the prophets, the disciples and Christ Himself. In [Mtt 21-22] we see specifically Judah's rejection and murder of the:"son" and "heir." Peter boldly proclaims from the temple that they nailed Jesus to a cross. [Acts 2:22-24].

Mtt 23-24                                                                     Acts 2
1} End of the age (3)                                                   1)The Last Days (17)
2) Christ death to be vindicated (23:35)                      2)Christ death to be vindicated (19-24, 40)
3)Gospel to be preached (14)                                      3)First Gospel message (2:1-13)
4)The Risen Christ (24:30-31; 26:64)                         4)Christ Raised (31-36)
5)Davidic Kingdom (Lk 21:31)                                   5)Davidic Kingdom (30 Ps 132, 34 Ps 110:1)
6) Preaching from/near the temple (23-24)                  6) Peter preaches from the temple (2:46; 3:2)
7)Signs on the earth, in the sky (Lk 21:25-27)             7) Signs in the sky, on the earth (2:19-21)
8)The Day of the Lord (23:39; 24:29-31)                     8)The Day of The Lord (2:20-21)
9) All..in this generation (24:34)                                   9)Be saved of this perverse generation (2:40)

It should be noticed the most earnest way in which Peter pleads with his kinsmen, much like Paul later.

 "And with many other words, he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” [Acts 2:40]

Peter is exhorting them to repent and be baptized [Acts 2:37-39} and he "solemnly testified and kept exhorting them.." Wrath was coming upon the land and people. [Lk 21:23). And we see another reference to the coming siege and slaughter. Peter states, "And they began selling their property and possessions.." [Acts 2:45] We also see this in [Acts 4-5]

This shows that those in Jerusalem and Judea sold their possessions, land and lived in a community. This goes very well with warnings of judgment coming [ Acts 2:40; 3:23]. Nowhere else did they sell their lands. They knew it was time to get the gospel out while they could. They had no longer a lasting city [Heb 13:11-12].

Notes
[1] The Until Passages , Adapted from a larger work: They Shall Reign, By William L. Vincent, © 2018 All Rights Reserved
[2] Dr. Robinson's Greek Lexicon To New Testament Lexicon, George Bell, London, 186 Flet Street, 1851, pg 47
[3] Things To Come- A Study In Biblical Eschatology, pg.95, (Zondervan.1958, Reprinting 1964)
[4] Has All Bible Prophecy Been Fulfilled? Thomas Ice