T H E A X O F A C T S
This study of a ‘Right Division Issue’ is an overview of the true purpose
and transitional nature of the period covered by the Book of Acts.
The book of Acts OPENS with the disciples questioning Christ about the
TIMING of His coming Kingdom. They want to know if He was ready NOW to
bring it in:
Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord,
wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
That was not the first time they had asked Him about it. Before He was crucified,
they were curious:
Matt 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him
privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign
of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
They already had a ‘Prophecy Conference’ about the Kingdom. Jesus had
given them quite a lot of information about it. He told them what to look for, and
then assured them they could ‘read their signs’:
Luke 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that
the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
Naturally, they would wonder about WHEN they would get the kingdom. After
all, Jesus did promise it to them:
Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom.
So in the BEGINNING of Acts, we clearly see that the ISSUE of CONCERN is
the Kingdom coming to Israel, who would reign with God’s authority over the earth..
Israel was going to be God’s VEHICLE to deliver salvation to ALL nations:
Acts 1:7-8 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,
which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall
be witnesses unto me both • in Jerusalem, • and in all Judaea, • and in Samaria,
• and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
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But the book of Acts CLOSES with Paul explaining to the Jews at Rome ....
after Israel had rejected Christ --- that God sent salvation to the Gentiles ANYWAY!
.... Not because of Israel ---- but in SPITE of them:
Acts 28:28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the
Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
So at the END of Acts, now the Gentiles hear APART FROM Israel.
It is very evident that the book of Acts begins one way .... and ends quite
another way. It is a ‘TRANSITION book’ of CHANGE!
The book of Acts is designed to show how Israel ‘GOT the AXE’ ....
• that Israel’s program no longer operates ---
• and that it was replaced by another program.
Let’s back up a bit .... to research ‘what happened’:
John the Baptist was preaching to the people of Israel (who at that time were
DISTINCT from the rest of the world:
Luke 3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins;
Drop down to verse 7 to continue ....
Luke 3:7-9 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O
generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves,
We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these
stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which
bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
John cautioned them that the AX was ready to fall.
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However, Jesus later told a story, which had great prophetic significance
about AX-ing down a tree:
Luke 13:6-9 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his
vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come
seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the
ground?
8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig
about it, and dung it:
9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Jesus had ministered to Israel ... for 3 years, yet the request is made for an
EXTRA year before the AX falls.
Eph. 2:12 tells us that Israel is a ‘commonwealth.’
A commonwealth is a type of government that stands or falls based upon the
decisions of its LEADERS.
Israel’s ‘religious hierarchy’ led the nation against Christ:
Luke 11:52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge:
ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.
The Religious Leaders were the Shepherds. But they led the SHEEP astray:
Matt. 15:13-14 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father
hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind,
both shall fall into the ditch.
We learn in Paul’s epistle to the Romans, that Israel (as a nation) has been
BLINDED for awhile:
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest
ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel,
until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
God had built a WALL around Israel as His FAVORED nation.
But in Acts chapter 7 ---- Israel ‘went blind’ ---- and that wall FELL !
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But .... before the wall fell .... let us consider what happened to Israel ....
Remember the ‘extra year’ that was requested before they ‘got the axe’ ..
Here’s how it came about:
The rulers recognized that Jesus claimed to be their Messiah,
yet they had Him killed:
Luke 23:33-35 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary,
there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on
the left.
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And
they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him,
saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
But Jesus had prayed for their forgiveness ....
and then rather than pouring out His WRATH ....
God gave them a time of EXTENDED MERCY
(which is what we see in the first part of the book of Acts).
They did it thru IGNORANCE .. Jesus said they didn’t realize what they were doing:
Acts 3:13-17 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our
fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the
presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just,
and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead;
whereof we are witnesses.
16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong,
whom ye see and know:
yea, the faith which is by him hath given him
this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it,
as did also your rulers.
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The scriptures tell us in Isa. 8:14 and 1 Pet. 2:8 that Christ was a stumblingstone
to Israel.
We can see that ‘stumbling’ in the first part of vs. 11 in Romans, chapter 11:
Rom 11:11-a I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid:
Israel ‘stumbled’ .... at the cross .... but they did NOT ‘fall’ there ....
---- they recovered from their stumbling ----
and God gave them a renewed opportunity to repent (during the Acts period).
(That was their ‘extra year’ of time .... before they ‘got the axe!’)
When Peter was preaching at Pentecost (in early Acts), he said:
Acts 2:36-38 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath
made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter
and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them,
Repent, (that means to ‘change your mind’ - about what you did to Christ!)
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
God was STILL at that time dealing THRU Israel ---
as the CHANNEL of BLESSING to reach the Gentiles (who were ‘far off’) ....
on the basis of the Abrahamic Covenant.
Continuing in that same passage .... Peter went on to SHOW ....
the FLOW of salvation moving THRU them, on to the rest of the world:
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children,
and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
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But by Acts chapter 7 ---
5 different groups of religious leaders of the synagogue (which are listed in
Acts 6:9), plus the people, the elders, and the scribes ---
who were all ‘stirred up’ ..... brought Stephen before the council ....
where false witnesses testified against him ....
But for 50 verses (in Acts chapter 7) Stephen gave them all strong rebuke.
At the end of his speech, he charged them with blaspheming the Holy Spirit --
- which was the unpardonable sin (from Matt. 12:31,32)
of which they would NOT be forgiven
--- not in their ‘present’ world
--- NOR in the ‘world to come’ (which is their kingdom in the “Ages to Come”):
Acts 7:51-54 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears,
ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain
them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One;
of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart,
and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
They were SO MAD that they BIT him !!
Then they screamed and threw rocks at him until they killed him !!
THAT is where Israel FELL:
Acts 7:57-59 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran
upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their
clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit.
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Again, we’ll look to Paul’s epistle to the Romans, for explanation of this event.
Rom 11:15-a For if the casting away of them (that is the FALL of Israel)
be the reconciling of the world, (that is the Gentiles being saved -- apart from Israel)
what shall the receiving of them be, (that is Israel’s ‘restoration’ in the kingdom)
but life from the dead? (that is when the Gentiles are saved thru Israel’s RISE)
This morning, we’re looking at the ‘casting away of Israel’ ---
--- when they ‘got the AX’ --- and the Gentiles were ‘brought in’ anyway !
Paul, again, is the person THRU whom God revealed this message
of ‘reconciliation of the world’:
2 Cor 5:18-19 And all things are of God,
who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,
and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit,
that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
‘RECONCILE’ means to ‘change the status .... from being an outcast (or enemy)
to being acceptable (a friend)’.
PRIOR to Acts chapter 7, when Israel stoned Stephen to death ....
The ‘middle wall’ was in the way ....
and it caused the Gentiles to be alienated .... they could not get near to God:
Eph 2:11-12 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh,
who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh
made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were
• without Christ,
• being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
• and strangers from the covenants of promise,
• having no hope,
and • without God in the world:
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So when the wall broke down ---- then God could deal favorably with the Gentiles!
Eph 2:13-14 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off
are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one,
and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Paul’s epistles help to EXPLAIN what happened to Israel in the book of Acts.
We use information from ACTS and from PAUL’S WRITINGS
to understand when, how, and why God gave Israel ‘the AXE’.
We find important information back in Romans chapter 11, and begin again
with verse 11:
Rom 11:11-12 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid:
but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles,
for to provoke them to jealousy.
They had ‘stumbled’ at the cross .... but they didn’t fall ....
But then after that .... they DID fall ....
and we already read about that in Acts 7 when they stoned Stephen.
The next verse gives us a ‘key word’ to show us what is going on in Acts:
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world,
(That is the Gentiles’ salvation APART from Israel ---- that Paul preached)
and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles;
(God had Paul conduct his ministry --- in such a way --- as to STILL minister
to Israel ------- for a period of time while they were DIMINISHING.)
how much more their fulness? (That will be in their kingdom.)
To ‘diminish’ means ‘to lessen .... or .... to reduce.’
When Israel ‘got the axe’ in Acts 7 (with the stoning of Stephen) ----
it took awhile for the ‘tree to actually fall all the way down to the ground.’
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Rom 11:13-14 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the
Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation (That is to ‘arouse jealously’)
them which are my flesh, (That’s the Israelites) and might save some of them.
Though Paul was specifically SENT to the Gentiles ....
he still had great compassion for ‘his people’:
Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might
be saved.
The Holy Ghost included Israel when He informed Ananias about Paul’s commission.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way:
for he is a chosen vessel unto me,
to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Paul’s ministry to Israel occured during the ‘diminishing period’ of the book of Acts:
Acts 9:20-23 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the
Son of God.
21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them
which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might
bring them bound unto the chief priests?
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at
Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
Paul wanted to help them ---- but they tried to murder him !!
I had a similar experience .... when I learned about the ‘distinctive ministry of
the apostle Paul. I was so happy and excited about it that I naturally wanted to
share it with all my ‘church friends.’
But what a surprise I got ---- they got mad about it, and wanted to get rid of me!
So, until the CLOSE of the book of Acts, we find Paul STILL ministering to Israel:
Acts 13:5 And when they were at Salamis,
they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews:
and they had also John to their minister.
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Paul ‘popped up’ at meetings, and spoke to Israelites (and anyone else that
would listen):
Acts 13:14-16 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia,
and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent
unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the
people, say on.
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that
fear God, give audience.
In his speech, he told them all:
Acts 13:26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever
among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
It was the Gentiles that showed an interest in Paul’s sermon:
Acts 13:42-47 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles
besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes
followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue
in the grace of God.
44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of
God.
As was the case earlier, so it is again in these next verses:
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake
against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said,
It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you:
but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life,
lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
The Jews were against Paul .... and ‘threw him out’ .... but Paul gave them a
STERN warning .... they were rejecting, but the Gentiles would be receiving.
Acts 13:50-51 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the
chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas,
and expelled them out of their coasts.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
So Paul just moved on !
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But trouble was right on Paul’s heels. He no more than got some encouragement,
until the Jews were on him again:
Acts 14:1-2 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into
the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews
and also of the Greeks believed.
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected
against the brethren.
Acts 14:19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who
persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing
he had been dead.
It is amazing that Paul would ‘try again’ with the Jews (after being stoned and
left for dead) .... but God was STILL extending mercy to Israel through him:
Acts 17:1-5 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they
came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned
with them out of the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from
the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout
Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd
fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar,
and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
This is getting to be like a ‘broken record.’ The Jews kept ‘hounding’ him:
Acts 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto
Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Acts 17:13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God
was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
Yet, Paul continued to spread his message .... everywhere and to everyone:
Acts 17:16-17 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in
him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons,
and in the market daily with them that met with him.
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Acts 18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
.... then drop down to verses 4-6 ....
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the
Greeks.
5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in
the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed,
he shook his raiment, and said unto them,
Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean:
from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
God gave Israel notice again. The axe was laid to the tree, and it is just about
to ‘hit the ground’.
But when Paul got to Ephesus, the Jews had yet another opportunity:
Acts 19:8-10 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of
three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way
before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing
daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia
heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
The Jews’ violent REJECTION to Paul’s message had just about climaxed.
For 2 years, Paul spread the gospel into Asia.
Although Jews were still ‘in the picture’ until Acts 28,
Paul’s FOCUS was on the Gentiles. He called for the elders at Ephesus:
Acts 20:18-24 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from
the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations,
which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you,
and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things
that shall befall me there:
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23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions
abide me.
24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that
I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord
Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Paul knew his message .... He was given the ‘dispensation of grace’ ....
and he had certainly ‘dispensed’ it out at great personal cost.
Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his
grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them
which are sanctified.
When Paul went to Jerusalem, the Jews grabbed him again, and screamed
against him:
Acts 21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men
every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought
Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
All Jerusalem was in an uproar and they were just about to kill him, when the
Roman soldiers rescued him from the mob, but as he was being escorted up the
stairs, Paul preached to the people again.
Just as he recounted Jesus giving him his commission, what a response he got:
Acts 22:21-23 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the
Gentiles.
22 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and
said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
Paul was beaten and brought into court:
Acts 23:10-13 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing
lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go
down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul:
for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves
under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
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Paul stood before various rulers from Acts 24 through Acts 28. His epistle to
the Romans ‘lays out’ plainly ‘what happened to Israel’:
Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained
mercy through their unbelief: (The Gentiles in ‘times past’ were ‘far off’ from God ....
‘but NOW’ are being saved because of Israel’s rejection of Christ.)
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may
obtain mercy. (Israel, who did NOT have faith, can NOW receive mercy the same as
any Gentile can.)
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
(‘NOW’ God sees them no different than us.)
They have ‘no advantage’ over us Gentiles anymore. Now, we’re all in
the same condition - sinners deserving hell, but God graciously provided salvation.
So by the time we get to the END of the book ....
we can clearly see that Israel ‘got the AXE in Acts.’
Israel’s kingdom was NOT being restored ....
but rather, it was ‘put on hold’ during the dispensation of grace.
In closing the book (and this message), Paul told the Jews at Rome:
Acts 28:24-28 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 one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
26 Saying, Go unto this people, (that is 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 (that is Israel again) 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, that the salvation of God is sent unto the
Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Acts began one way (offering Israel her kingdom) .... but it ended quite another
(with Israel’s kingdom post-poned).
In Acts, we learn WHY and HOW God was JUST to give ‘em the axe!
This is David Dowell, saying “Think About It!”
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