“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You strengthen and You empower us. Every day, we can experience Your wonderful ways in our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
Friends, thank you all for your concern and prayers for me. I am very much better, still a little weak, but the Lord is strengthening me. Thank you.
Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
There are two sections to this verse. The first section relates to God’s determined purpose and foreknowledge and the second is how Peter is laying it squarely on the Jews, that they have taken Jesus by lawless hands, had Him crucified and put to death.
Even the first section has two separate thoughts. One is God’s determined purpose and the second is God’s foreknowledge. It was God’s determined purpose to deliver Jesus to be crucified on the cross. In His foreknowledge, He knew how it would all take place.
Though this is on one side, man’s decision to take Jesus by lawless hands and put Him to death on the cross is in no way to be excused.
We must learn to hold both sides, simultaneously, with equal force.
Luke 23:33-34 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. (34) Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.
This prayer of Jesus, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do,” is intriguing.
The Jews and the Romans executed a clearly defined, evil plan. Then, how could the Lord have prayed that prayer?
What they did not know was that this death of Jesus on the cross was according to God’s determined purpose and foreknowledge. Therefore, this prayer of Jesus, at His crucifixion, reveals His great love for us.
Peter and John spoke to the general crowd of Jews, gathered after the healing of the lame man. All of them, including the crowd in Acts 2 as well as the leaders in Acts 4 & 5, were present when Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly, as the Son of David (Messiah). They were the ones, who turned around and shouted, “Crucify Him, crucify Him”. They were all responsible for putting Jesus to death on the cross.
Acts 3:17-18 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. (18) But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
Their ignorance was that they did not know that this was the determined purpose of God to send Jesus to death on the cross. This ignorance of theirs too could not be excused, since, the death of Jesus on the cross, was foretold by the prophets.
In all of this, God was sovereign and He was working out His determined purpose of reconciling all of creation to Himself through the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross. ‘
Acts 13:26-30 “Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. (27) For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. (28) And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. (29) Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. (30) But God raised Him from the dead.
We see an amazing intersection that Paul is explaining to the Jews in Antioch of Pisidia. The Jews did not know Jesus, though the prophets were being read regularly. Their eyes were blinded but their blindness could not be excused. They had Jesus crucified, though there was no cause for death in Christ. This was according to God’s determined purpose.
Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, (10) Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’
This is the character of God. He declares the end from the beginning. This is His foreknowledge. At the same time, God’s counsel stands and He will do His good pleasure. This is God’s determined purpose.
Luke 24:45-48 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. (46) Then He said to them, ” Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, (47) and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (48) And you are witnesses of these things.
It was God’s determined purpose and foreknowledge to send Jesus to the cross. So that, through Him, repentance and remission of sins should be preached to all nations. God’s longing is that all of creation should be reconciled back to God through the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross.
We stand in awe at God’s sovereignty.