Not If, But When

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Open Bible on a wooden table under dawn light with a subtle crown of light in the sky (illustrative AI image)

By Brad Thompson

We know that the Gospels cover the life of Christ. We have a record from His birth to His ascension, including just over three and a half years of ministry. Recently, however, someone told me something that shocked me. They said that if you added up all the days of Jesus' life on which events were actually recorded, we would only have a record of somewhere between 30 and 50 days! No wonder John said this at the close of his Gospel:

John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

That means every word recorded of Jesus is important, meaningful, and of the utmost importance. Some of the most important words are recorded just before Jesus ascended back to heaven, in Acts chapter 1. Luke clearly tells us that Jesus spent forty days with His disciples. I can imagine they had many conversations about many different topics in those forty days. We can guess and suppose all we want about the conversations that are not recorded, but we know for certain one topic that came up over and over again. We know this because it is the ONLY topic Luke records for us.

Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

They spoke in great detail about the kingdom of God. Why do I say it was in great detail? Because out of all the conversations they could have had, it is the only topic recorded. Why would this conversation be so interesting to them? Because the kingdom is the very thing the Jews had lost!

Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

And they were very interested in getting that kingdom back! Have you ever had a loved one pass away after a long illness? When you know someone you love is about to pass away, you might talk about the weather or football to share a laugh or break the tension. But most people will find time to say the things that are important.

Jesus is not passing away, but He is going away. He is giving them His final instructions about waiting for the Holy Spirit. This prompted the disciples to ask a strange question. 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? Jesus does not answer by telling them the kingdom will not be restored. He answers by telling them it is not for them to know the time. Remember how they spent forty days talking about the kingdom? Now they are asking not IF, but WHEN He will restore it. It seems to me that during those forty days, Jesus had already told them a restored kingdom was coming to Israel. In fact, just two chapters later, Peter speaks of the "restitution of all things." It seems Jesus told them the kingdom was coming, but He did not tell them when. Paul shows this again in Romans 11, when he says Israel is blinded in part "UNTIL." That tells us there is a time when their blindness will come to an end. Over and over in the Bible, we can see that though Israel has been set aside, that setting aside is only temporary. One of these days the trump will sound, the church will rise, and the kingdom will be restored to Israel!