INTRODUCTION:

Over the past few years I have sent perhaps 60-80 or more studies concerning ’the Fall of Israel’ at the Acts 28:26-28 turning point that simultaneously introduced today’s Gentile “dispensation of the grace of God” (cf. Eph. 3:1-11). Subsequently it brought us Paul’s “revelation of the mystery (secret) which had been kept secret since the world began” concerning the Gentile “church, which is His [spiritual] body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a) that is destined to reign “in the heavenly places in Christ.”

The study below, titled “What Happened To Israel With The Acts Period Ending?”, is to explain the dispensational change that requires our added understanding of Paul’s new “my gospel” (cf. Rom. 16:25) which is for us today. This is revealed in Paul’s 7 Post-Acts epistles, particularly Paul’s prison epistles of Ephesians and Colossians. Revelation to a necessary change in understanding is needed because many things changed with Acts 28:28. Unfortunately the vast majority of the believing church today largely mixes the truths of Paul’s first ministry unto “the hope of ISRAEL” (Rom. 28:20) for their kingdom reign ON EARTH, as seen in Acts and in Paul’s first 7 epistles … mixing that with the new truths of Paul’s 2^nd ministry and 2^nd set of 7 epistles. These changes concern our eternal hope and destiny in HEAVEN as well as the liberty we enjoy while living in the rarified atmosphere of God’s pure, unadulterated, grace. Sadly, mixing these truths only serves to nullify the full power of these Truths for Today, leading to the listless church we see at large.

I pray for you, hoping that this study will bring you a clearer explanation and understanding of the significance of Paul’s Acts 28:26-28 declaration that PAUSED  Christ’ 2^nd coming and Israel’s hoped for “kingdom come on earth,” while simultaneously introducing the new pure Gentile grace dispensation that we enjoy today... unto our “appearing with Christ in [heaven’s] glory” (cf. Col. 3:4).

This Study is also attached, and can be found on my website at www.artlicursi.com. 

Art Licursi

What Happened To Israel With The Acts Period Ending?

To get an advanced and correct understanding of the New Testament, one must see and acknowledge a most significant event that occurred with the end of the book of Acts. Below are the key concluding words of Acts.

²³ And when they [Israel’s Roman religious leaders] had appointed him [Paul] a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. ²⁴ And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. 25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken [this] one word, “Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet unto our fathers,

²⁶ Saying, Go unto this people [Israel], and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

²⁸ Be it known therefore unto you [Israel], that the salvation of God is sent unto the GENTILES, and that they will hear it.” (Acts 28:23-28)

What happened at the end of the 35-year Acts period is not immediately and entirely apparent by just reading the book of Acts. By just reading the end of Acts 28 you cannot realize what hugely significant change that occurred by God … Interrupting Israel’s Program … and Adding or Inserting what was a heretofore UNprophesied Dispensational Gentile Age into His overall plan for the ages.

It requires the God given wisdom, knowledge, and understanding that Paul prayed for the Ephesians in 1:15-18. What occurred with the end of the Acts period can only be seen by spirit-led discernment as we “compare Scripture with Scripture.” Comparing “scripture with scripture” involves studying different Bible verses alongside each other to gain a deeper understanding of their significance, meaning, and contexts. This method is often encouraged as it helps clarify difficult passages by revealing connections between different parts of the Bible, revealing as Paul says; “the deep things of God.” Comparing scripture with scripture is a valuable method for studying the Bible, particularly when using the King James Version (KJV). This approach allows us to explore the relationships between verses, to enhance our understanding of God’s entire plan of the ages.

Example: Compare these 2 verses below.

Note below how Peter as “the apostle to the circumcision” preached what “what God Hath Been Spoken [made known] by … all His holy prophets Since The World Began” but then note how Paul later received and taught “all men” “the revelation of the Mystery which was Kept Secret Since The World began.”

1.      Peter at Pentecost, speaking to “Ye men of Israel”: “[Christ] Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God HATH SPOKEN By The Mouth Of All His Holy Prophets Since The World Began.” Acts 3:21 (KJV)

2.      Paul to Rome’s saved grace believers: “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my [Paul’s] gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, According To The Revelation Of The MYSTERY [Grk. musterion, secret], WHICH WAS KEPT SECRET Since The World Began,” Romans 16:25

Obviously, Peter’s words “SPOKEN since the world began” cannot be the same as a “Mystery (i.e., secret),” “WHICH WAS KEPT SECRET Since The World Began.” Acts 28 explains the difference. Yet many Bible teachers say Peter and Paul preached the same message to the same people groups.  Paul here says their ministries were CONTRARY; 

“But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision [Gentiles] was committed unto me [Paul], as the gospel of the circumcision [Israel] was unto Peter; ⁸ (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision [Israel], the same was mighty in me [Paul]  toward the GENTILES:) Galatians 2:7-8 (KJV).

So here above we note two different gospels from two different Apostles for two different groups of believers. The problem is that Galatians 2:7-8 was corrupted in most modern bibles to make it sound like Peter and Paul had the same message for the all people… they did not. We must read and believe the text in context, otherwise we only have a ploy to twist the Scriptures.

So Comparing Scriptures opens new horizons and helps to clarify seemingly difficult passages by revealing notable Connections and Differences. Comparing Scriptures highlights the many changes that have occurred over the Biblical dispensational ages. This deepens our understanding of the truth. Paul in Ephesians 2 clearly distinguishes the things of “time past” (v2), “but now” (v13), and “the ages to come” (v7).

Where to look when studying The Acts 28 Dispensational Change:

1. 2 Tim 3:16 states that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine.

2. The prophecies of Hosea come into view here.

3. Understanding Hosea’s LoAmmi condition of Israel as becoming “Not My People” is a key.

4. The prophetic timeline seen in Daniel.

5. Compare the Scriptures that were Written DURING the Acts period with those that Paul Wrote AFTER the Acts period.

6. Note what is written before Acts 28 and what of it is OMITTED in Paul’s Post-Acts scriptures.

7. What happened historically in Rome and Jerusalem between A.D. 61 and 70 are also helpful.

8. Paul’s admonition in 2Timothy 2:15 is an essential principle if we to be “rightly dividing the word of truth” as to what applies to Israel only and what applies to the Gentile believers of today’s age.

9. Philippians 1:10 suggests that we ‘discern the things that differ.’

These differences are why most Jews could not understand the new doctrines brought forth by Paul (received from the risen Christ, cf. Gal 1:12). The minds of the Jews were seared with ‘traditional thinking and teaching’ of their corrupt religious leaders. The same resistance to the advanced teaching of Paul in his 7 Post-Acts epistles exists today among traditional religious thinkers and believers.

With Acts 28:28 God had hit the PAUSE button as to the fulfillment of the kingdom “hope of Israel.” This happened after the third time Israel was proclaimed to be blind, deaf, and not understanding (Isa. 6:9-10, Matt. 13:14-15, Acts 28:26-27). Israel had rejected ‘the Father,’ ‘His Son,’ and finally, ‘His Holy Spirit.’

This 3^rd rejection invoked Hosea’s LoAmmi condition of “Not My People” (cf. Hos. 1:9) upon Israel. Paul had made this proclamation of Acts 28:28: “Be it known therefore unto you [Israel], that The Salvation Of God Is Sent Unto The Gentiles, and that they will hear [heed] it.” Acts 28:28 (KJV)

With that, Israel lost her favored status for a time (Rom. 11:25). Israel is now only equal with all other nations of the world (as Gentiles). Gentiles are said to be “without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world”; so now also is Israel.

Therefore, everything pertaining to Israel up to the end of Acts was ‘put on hold.’ This includes all the covenants, laws, ordinances, promises, hopes, spiritual gifts, the great commission, the return of their Messiah, their restored kingdom, the teaching of Jesus and the Twelve Apostles. Not canceled, “put on hold” for 2000 yrs.

The salvation that before was “of the Jews” (Jn. 4:22) is now offered to all men alike, totally apart from anything to do with Israel. Paul’s new salvation message is offered to all men alike through Jesus’ “whosoever believeth” (Jn. 3:16). This salvation is unto “everlasting life” through belief that Jesus is the Son of God.

The “Mystery [secret]” was revealed to Paul after Acts, being “hid in God from the beginning of the world” (Eph 3:9), “hid from ages and from generations” (Col 1:26). The “Mystery [secret plan of God]” included that He would call out from among these believing ‘saints’ those whom He had “chosen before the overthrow [katabole] of the world” (cf. Eph 1:4) to be members of the SPIRITUAL “Body of Christ.” This is called “the Mystery” of the age “dispensation of the mystery” (Eph 3:9), “the mystery of the gospel” (Eph 6:19), “the dispensation of God… given to Paul to complete [Grk. pleroo] the word of God: even the mystery” (Col. 1:25). Paul “completed” the “word of truth,” adding heretofore secret truth of the Gentile “body of Christ. (Eph 3:1-11).

With the end of Acts there was this major change. God Stopped all His Dealings With Israel so that He could bless ‘ALL men alike’ [Jew and Gentile], all as non-Jews under grace, as non-Israelites… directly through Christ ALONE [cf. Eph. 2:8-10), Totally Apart From Israel and Her Prophetic Program. We still consider all that had been written to and about Israel as being still “for our learning,” but we now relish and appreciate all the blessings of Salvation to Everlasting life… PLUS… the Titus 2:13 “Blessed Hope” of Our Appearing with Christ in [Heaven’s] GLORY [Col. 3:4) … totally apart from Israel’s hope for “thy Kingdom come ON EARTH.”

When today’s Post-Acts Gentile dispensation is completed, Christ’s “One Body” (Eph. 4:4) will “appear with Him” as our “Head” … “in [heaven’s] glory” (Col. 3:4). Subsequently, God will again resume all His dealings with Israel to fulfill all their promised and hoped for the eternal EARTHLY Kingdom prophecies.

1. So, the meaning of the word ‘mystery’ is not a riddle or puzzle or something to be solved. It is a profound secret, something unknown and cautiously kept concealed by God until revealed to Paul for us. A ‘mystery’ is anything in the administration of divine providence that is not revealed to man unless and until God deems it proper time of revealing in accord with His plan and purpose for the ages.

2. This Acts 28 Mystery can only be spiritually revealed to a saved man by God. (Eph 1:17-19, Col 1:9). Then that saved person must acknowledge and believe the secret by faith.

3. The “Mystery” of “the Body of Christ” is especially of interest to those who are seeking the whole truth of God’s word. It is of little interest to those not seeking further knowledge of Christ in both His earthly and celestial ministries.

<> By Arthur J Licursi with concept and portions adapted from Alan Naas