You will arise and have mercy on Zion. For the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come. (Psalm 102:13)
When the time came for Messiah to be taken up into Heaven, His disciples gathered on the Mount of Olives, presumably unaware of what was about to happen. I say this because their expectations at that time were for something else — the redemption of Israel. They asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). It was quite logical for them to ask this question seeing that, before them, stood the resurrected Messiah. At this point there would have been no doubt that He was the promised King and Redeemer. Therefore, because the prophets had foretold that King Messiah would restore Zion and regather all the outcasts of Israel, they had every reason to believe that the “set time had come.”
However, it was not to be as they had hoped. In response to their question Yeshua said, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:7). Now, He didn’t say that there was to be no time of redemption; He just let them know that the set time was for a future generation, already predetermined by the Father in Heaven. And so let us meditate upon that fact for just a moment — there is definite time appointed for the redemption of God’s people to occur. We don’t know the precise time but we know that there is such a time because our God is faithful to keep His promises.
In that vein of thought, let us consider what else Messiah said to those assembled there on the Mount of Olives: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). In other words, in anticipation of that great day of redemption, we are go into the world and do the work of the Kingdom. There are still countless souls the Father desires to see redeemed along with those of us who already believe. So then, empowered by His Spirit, we are to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all who will hear; we are to occupy until the day He arises to restore Zion.
There will be a generation for who redemption will no longer be something hoped for — it will be a reality. We pray that we are that generation, but if not, let us continue be bear witness of the One who is coming to judge the earth with truth and righteousness, and to rule the nations from Zion.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
Recent Comments