End Time Insights

On the day of Pentecost, the time of fulfillment arrived when Jesus bestowed the gift of the Spirit on his church  – Acts 2:1-4.  The second chapter of  Acts  lays stress on the theme of  fulfillment . The things foreshadowed in the Hebrew scriptures were actualized when the disciples were “ filled with the Spirit and spoke in other tongues ” on the Day of Pentecost. This was the seminal event that marked the inauguration of the Church and the age of the Spirit.

Between the ascension and the outpouring of the Spirit, the apostles pray and appoint Matthias to complete their number  - Acts 1:12-26. After the ascension, the apostles return to Jerusalem to wait for the “ promise of the Father .” In the meantime, they appoint Matthias to the apostolic office held previously by Judas Iscariot. As the leaders of the new covenant community, they need twelve representatives to demonstrate continuity with the people of Yahweh.

The  Book of Acts  begins  IN JERUSALEM  with the ascension of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit. It concludes with Paul preaching the Gospel in the heart of the  World Empire , the city of Rome. Following his resurrection, Jesus ascended to reign “ at the right hand of God .” He then bestowed the Gift of the Spirit on his Assembly to empower them to proclaim his Gospel to all nations.

After describing the destruction of the Temple, Jesus went on to the subject of his return. How much time would pass between the Temple’s demise and his arrival he did not say, but in the intervening period, he warned his disciples to steer clear of deceivers and “ false prophets ” who would disseminate false information about his coming.

Only Daniel could reveal the troubling dream of the Babylonian King, unveiling the future of empires and the final kingdom.  The second and third chapters of the  Book of Daniel  present a single story told in two parts. First, the Babylonian ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, dreams of an enormous image composed of several materials, which Daniel then interprets, thereby demonstrating the sovereignty of God over History. Second, Nebuchadnezzar attempts to implement his dream in his own way by erecting a great golden image in the “ Plain of Dura .”