(Continued: Chapter VII-The Second Coming of the Messiah)

When will He thus reward or deal with the saints and the sinners, as here foretold? The answer is "at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven ... rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus." Beyond question, the Apostle is speaking about the Second Coming of Christ, which occurs at the end of the Tribulation. The saints and the sinners with whom God will deal at that time are the saints and the sinners who will be living in that day. Saints will be living on the earth during the Tribulation who will survive to the end of that era of judgments. The saints then to whom the Lord at His Coming will recompense rest are indeed the tribulation saints. Of these one reads in Matthew 24:31: "And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." The sinners to whom God will recompense affliction, as stated in this passage, are the sinners who will be persecuting the tribulation saints. The strokes of judgment will fall upon them and will wipe them out of the land of the living. They will be incarcerated in the pit of the abyss, where they will be during the millennial reign of Christ—only to be brought before the judgment of the Great White Throne at the conclusion of the Millennium. At this final judgment they will suffer punishment, "even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might ..."

The second prophecy relating to the Lord's return and events connected therewith is found in II Thessalonians, chapter 2.

Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him; 2 to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand; 3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, 4 he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: 12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (II Thess. 2:1-12).

This passage, II Thessalonians 2:1-12, like the one to which we have just looked in chapter 1, is very profound and comprehensive, reaching its tentacles out in many ramifications. At the time of the Apostle's writing this letter, persecution had broken out against the Thessalonian Church. Some in this church misunderstood the situation and interpreted the persecution and the suffering through which they were passing as the judgments and sufferings of the Great Tribulation. Having been taught that the Rapture of the Church would precede the Tribulation, and interpreting their suffering as the judgments of the Tribulation, the Thessalonian Church concluded that the Rapture had already occurred and that they had been left. Paul assured them that they had been misinformed, and that the day of the Lord, the Tribulation, would not be except the great apostasy would take place and the man of sin—the Antichrist of the end time—be revealed.

Paul speaks of the world dictator in terms of the willful king whose coming and arrogancies are foretold in Daniel 11:36ff. The Apostle speaks of him as the man of sin, the son of perdition, who in the end time will arrogate to himself divine honors and oppose the worship of God and all that is called God. He will have a great celebration in the Jewish Temple that will be built at Jerusalem. On that notable occasion he will set himself forth as God and demand the worship of all mankind.

According to Daniel, chapter 7, this world dictator, represented as the little horn, will come forth into prominence and become associated with the ten dictators of the end time before the Tribulation begins. Thus, when he becomes associated with them, those who know the Scriptures will be able to point to him as the future world dictator. Before the Tribulation this man of sin will be revealed as to his identity, but in the middle of the Tribulation he will play the role foretold by Daniel in chapter 11 and by Paul in II Thessalonians 2:1-12. In so doing, he will reveal his true character. Hence, there are two revealings of the man of sin: one before the Tribulation as to identity, the other in the middle of the Tribulation as to his true character.

In the latter half of the Tribulation, as is taught in a number of passages, he will reign with a high hand. At the conclusion of the Tribulation, the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven and will slay this dictator by the brightness of His Coming.

A third passage from the Pauline writings to which attention should be called in this connection is Romans 8:18-25.

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth? 25 But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

In writing the Roman Letter, Paul had occasion to speak of his sufferings for Christ's sake. He mentioned them not in a spirit of complaint, but in a spirit of abounding joy. The reason for this attitude was his knowledge that any and all sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to those who suffer joyfully for Christ's sake. In verse 19 he personifies all creation and thinks of it as earnestly waiting to behold the marvelous glory that is to be revealed to suffering servants of Christ. In harmony with this thought is the one found in II Corinthians 4:16-18.

16 Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

According to verses 20 and 21, the curse with all its blighting effects fell upon the entire world when man sinned against God, who was, humanly speaking, forced to allow sin with its evil effects to run its course. At the same time God, who works all things together for good for those who love Him, allowed the creation to be subjected to vanity, but changed the darkness into light by the promise of a world Redeemer who would triumph over Satan and the forces of evil. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). Paul, taking his stand upon this promise, sees the entire creation delivered from the bondage of corruption (the curse) into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. By faith we look for this final and complete deliverance, even though at the present time "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" (v. 22).

Not only is the creation represented as groaning and suffering under the curse, but also all who have the firstfruits of the Spirit are likewise suffering as a result of the curse. Christians, regardless of how consecrated and devoted they are to the Lord, often suffer from sickness, accidents, and misfortune, the same as others who make no pretense to Christianity. The Apostle, therefore, declares that "we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body" (v. 23).

What is the significance of adoption? It was a Roman legal term. In the educational system of Rome it corresponded in a way to our graduation exercises. Among the wealthy classes of Roman citizens, the father frequently turned his son over to a tutor, who assumed all responsibility for the education and training of the child—physically, mentally, morally, culturally, and religiously. The tutor accompanied his pupil everywhere he went, reminding one of the Siamese twins. When the boy reached his majority, his training and education were supposed to have been completed. A day therefore was appointed for the ceremony of adoption (graduation exercises). At this time the father received the young man back into the family circle, relieving the tutor of all responsibility. The young man, in reality, began a new life. Thus, when one becomes a Christian, he is turned over to the Lord Jesus as his teacher, who providentially assumes all responsibility of his training and spiritual development. That one enters the school of Christ when he becomes a child of God is echoed in the Great Commission given by Matthew: "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:19,20).

The expression "make disciples of all the nations" can be rendered "enroll disciples in my school." The Lord Jesus uses various experiences through which we pass to teach us lessons and to train us in preparing us for the future. He is working at all times in our interest, getting us ready for our adoption—our spiritual graduation.

When do we graduate spiritually? The answer is: when we experience the redemption of our bodies. But when do we have this experience? When our bodies are fashioned anew according to the body of Christ's glory. "For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself" (Phil. 3:20,21).

Since we experience the redemption of our spirits at the time of our accepting Christ and of our being regenerated, and since we receive the redemption of our bodies when they are fashioned anew according to the body of Christ's glory, we shall be completely redeemed, entering into a new period of experience.

But when do we experience the redemption of our bodies? The members of the body of Christ have this experience when Jesus descends from heaven to the air, raises the dead in Christ and catches up the living saints in the Rapture (I Thess. 4:13—5:11). The Rapture of believers, as shown in Chapter V of this volume occurs before the Tribulation begins. The Rapture of the tribulation saints occurs at the end of the Tribulation.

But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matthew 24:29-31).

Thus one sees that all believers will experience redemption of their bodies.

Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is (I John 3:1,2).

The last witness regarding the Second Coming of Christ to be examined in this series is the Apostle John.

And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteous he doth judge and make war. 12 And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself. 13 And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. 15 And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KINGS OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God; 18 that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone: 21 and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

20:1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: over these the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

In a very vivid manner John sets forth the Second Coming of Messiah at the end of the Tribulation, when He comes as a warrior to put down all opposition and to establish a reign of righteousness throughout the world. That this rider on the white horse of Revelation, chapter 19, is Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, is beyond question because His name is called "the Word of God"—the living Word. There is also written, on His garment and on His thigh the name KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS (v. 16). In this vision He is represented as a warrior and reminds one of the prediction regarding the Second Coming of Messiah according to Moses (Deut. 32:39-43).

John simply tells that the Lord Jesus comes to make war against the nations of the world, that will be led by the Antichrist, the false messiah (v. 19). From Isaiah 63:1-6 one learns that, when the Messiah returns as a warrior, He comes first to Edom and accomplishes a crushing defeat over His foes. Then, as a conqueror, He marches in the greatness of His strength to Jerusalem, which is being besieged by the armies of the world. There He enters into mortal combat with the forces of evil. The world dictator and the false prophet will be captured and cast alive into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, where they will spend eternity.

Satan, the great adversary of God and man, will be captured and cast into the pit of the abyss, where he will be incarcerated for a thousand years. According to Isaiah's prediction, the hosts of the high ones on high, together with the kings of the earth on earth, will be incarcerated during this thousand-year period.

21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. 22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited. 23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Jehovah of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory (Isa. 24:21-23).

Satan and his hosts, therefore, will be confined in the nether parts of the earth so that they cannot cause any trouble during the reign of King Messiah which will continue for one thousand years (Rev. 20:4-6).

The saints of God, who are represented as the armies of heaven, and who follow Christ at His Second Coming (Rev. 19:14), will mount thrones and reign with Him over the earth, which at that time will be delivered from the curse that fell upon creation when man sinned.

Six times in Revelation, chapter 20, Christ is said to reign one thousand years upon the earth. Each statement should be taken at its face value, unless there is positive evidence in the immediate context showing that the expression one thousand years is not to be taken literally, but symbolically. One seeks in vain for such evidence. When the Lord told the people of Israel that they would have to wander in the wilderness for forty years, He meant exactly what He said. History confirms this interpretation. Jeremiah's statement that the Babylonian captivity would continue seventy years must be taken literally, because history shows that seventy years meant seventy years. According to logic, reason, and revelation, the Messiah will reign one thousand years on the earth when He returns. Since Satan and all evil spirits will be confined in the nether parts of the earth and since the curse will be lifted from the earth, there will be a period of joy, peace, plenty, and prosperity during the personal reign of King Messiah in Jerusalem and over all the earth.

After His thousand-year reign, the judgment of the Great White Throne will be set, before which all the unsaved will be brought and be judged. At that time the present material universe will pass out of existence. Then will be created the Eternal Order consisting of the eternal heaven; the eternal earth; and the eternal Jerusalem, which will come down out of the new eternal heaven and be located on this eternal earth, and which will be the everlasting home, the eternal abiding place of all the saved. Great things are in store for those who will only believe and trust God, following Him whithersoever He leads.

The title of this volume is Messiah: His Glorious Appearance Imminent. In Chapter III the sign of the end of the age is discussed and the evidence presented which shows that we are living, without a doubt, in the end of the age. This evidence is presented in Matthew, chapter 24. The disciples on this occasion asked the Lord Jesus, "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world [consummation of the age]?" They understood that some sign would indicate the nearness of His coming and the consummation of the age. The Lord answered this question, telling them that local wars would characterize the Christian Dispensation, and that such wars would have no prophetic significance with reference to the closing of the age. Matthew 24:7 shows that a world war, attended by famine, pestilences, and earthquakes, constitutes the infallible sign of His coming and of the consummation of the age. Without a doubt, we have had that sign in the form of World War I and the events connected therewith. Prior to World War I, no one had a Biblical right to say that we are in the very end of the age; but since the sign which Jesus gave as indicative of His return at the close of the age has come to pass, those who accept the Saviour's statement know that we are now in the end time.

To those living after the sign of the end of the age occurs, Jesus says that they will not know the day nor the hour: therefore, they should not set a date, but should look daily for His return. According to Jesus, on a day and at an hour when people will least expect Him, He will come; therefore all are urged to be ready and waiting, being busily engaged in snatching souls from an eternal hell.

Since scripturally we know that the coming of the Lord is close at hand, the Bible-taught Christian declares that the Second Coming is now imminent. "Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Matt 24:44).

How may an individual make ready for the coming of the Lord? This question is most important. We are in this life for only a short time—then we have to move out into the great beyond, from which there is no return. All questions that may arise fade into insignificance compared with the question of one's eternal salvation.

One of the members of the Sanhedrin of the first century—the time of Jesus of Nazareth—apparently was greatly perturbed. He therefore came to Jesus by night to interview Him concerning this most important question. The account of this interview is found in John 3:1-8:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God! 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew. 8 The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

During the dispensation of the Law of Moses, the Kingdom of God in its earthly aspect was coextensive with the kingdom of Israel. This fact is seen by a study of I Chronicles 28:4,5. In this passage the throne of David is called the throne of Jehovah. Every person born of Jewish parents was, by virtue of this fact, born into the Kingdom of God, as it then existed. If any Gentile wished to worship the true God and to enjoy the privileges of the Kingdom of God, he had to become a Jewish proselyte. Obviously, Nicodemus, being a teacher in Israel, believed and accepted these tenets. He was, therefore, depending upon his natural birth and his membership in the Kingdom of God as the basis of being acceptable in God's sight. Jesus disabused his mind concerning these matters, saying in substance, "Nicodemus, your natural birth put you into the Kingdom of God as it now exists upon earth, but one must have a second birth, the spiritual experience of regeneration, if he is to enter the Kingdom of God, the coming of which both John the Baptist and I have been announcing as at hand." "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). In harmony with these statements is the one made by the inspired Apostle Paul, "... it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed" (Rom. 9:8). Those who believe and receive Jesus as Lord, Saviour, and Messiah are the ones who are reckoned as children of God. Abraham "believed in Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6). Like Abraham of old, every one now who believes is saved. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

The risen and glorified Messiah of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth, proclaimed the gospel message in the following words: "... Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day; 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46,47). Man has sinned against God. According to these verses, he must repent of his sins. The Apostle Paul declared by the Spirit of God that he testified "both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21). The Philippian jailor asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house" (Acts 16:30,31).

When one, in the depths of his heart, believes that Jesus was and is the Jewish Messiah, the redeemer of mankind, and desires to be saved, he must repent of his sins toward God, for salvation is conditioned upon repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

19 For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls (I Pet. 2:19-25).

First Gospel Sermon

In Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, A.D. 30, the Holy Spirit came in fulfillment of the promise of Jesus to the Apostles. The Spirit of God infallibly inspired them to proclaim the message of salvation. On this occasion the Apostle Peter was the main speaker. A great multitude came together to whom the Apostle gave the sermon recorded in Acts 2:14-39. I herewith give the sermon in the setting in which it appears in Acts, chapter 2:

And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, 10 in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13 But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine. 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God,
I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh:
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams:
18 Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days
Will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heaven above,
And signs on the earth beneath;
Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the day of the Lord come,
That great and notable day.
21 And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on
the name of the Lord shall be saved.

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; 23 him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay: 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25 For David saith concerning him,

I beheld the Lord always before my face;
For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
Moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope:
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades,
Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption.
28 Thou madest known unto me the ways of life;
Thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance.

29 Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne; 31 he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear. 34 For David ascended not into the heavens: but he saith himself,

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35 Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? 38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. 40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. 41 They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need. 46 And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved. (Acts chapter 2)

The End