Acts 1-7 The Times And Seasons The Father Has Set red copy

 

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.”

Acts 1:7 — King James Version

 

We must not resort to our feeble, finite, fleshly minds and ways we have been conditioned and taught by this world. We must place our trust, our complete faith in the Holy Spirit and in God in all things, all matters. What gain is there in knowing a precise thing in a precise moment? Do we think this offers what? Advantage? Security? Freedom? Opportunity? We only see in very small part. We are always of very limited knowledge even though we think ourselves so wise. We vainly imagine the more we learn and know the better off, the better prepared we are or will be. What a foolish and vain people we are! The evidence of our finite, limited, feeble, vain imaginings is all around us! We imagine if we know something we can have power to do something about it then, in effect denying and usurping — of attempting to — the infinite all-powerful God and Jesus Christ who we contend we love, follow, believe, and serve!

Fleshly curiosity, like physical exercise, avails little when it comes to spiritual strength, spiritual growth, spiritual living for the Lord as His disciple. Fleshly curiosity will stunt spiritual understanding and growth.

Ken Pullen

ACP

Monday, August 29th, 2016

 

Matthew Henry Commentary

Acts 1:6-11 They were earnest in asking about that which their Master never had directed or encouraged them to seek. Our Lord knew that his ascension and the teaching of the Holy Spirit would soon end these expectations, and therefore only gave them a rebuke; but it is a caution to his church in all ages, to take heed of a desire of forbidden knowledge. He had given his disciples instructions for the discharge of their duty, both before his death and since his resurrection, and this knowledge is enough for a Christian. It is enough that He has engaged to give believers strength equal to their trials and services; that under the influence of the Holy Spirit they may, in one way or other, be witnesses for Christ on earth, while in heaven he manages their concerns with perfect wisdom, truth, and love. When we stand gazing and trifling, the thoughts of our Master’s second coming should quicken and awaken us: when we stand gazing and trembling, they should comfort and encourage us. May our expectation of it be stedfast and joyful, giving diligence to be found of him blameless.

With Strong’s Numbers:

And G1161 he said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 It is G2076 not G3756 for you G5216 to know G1097 the times G5550 or G2228 the seasons, G2540 which G3739 the Father G3962 hath put G5087 in G1722 his own G2398 power. G1849

 

Study Bible — Acts 1:6-9

The Ascension
So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”…

Cross References

Deuteronomy 29:29
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.

Job 24:1
“Why are times not stored up by the Almighty, And why do those who know Him not see His days?

Matthew 24:36
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Mark 13:32
But as for that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

1 Thessalonians 5:1
Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you.

 

Thoughts on Today’s Verse

Author Unknown — name not given by the source

 

The Old Testament scriptures promised the nation of Israel a literal, earthly kingdom, the boundaries of which would far exceed those which had been secured in the golden days of David and Solomon.

Jesus Himself had promised His chosen apostles that when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne in the kingdom of God, they too would be seated on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.. while prophets like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Joel and Zechariah linked this promised, earthly kingdom of peace and prosperity with a supernatural outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It is not surprised therefore that the disciples expected Christ’s kingdom rule on earth to be set up in the very near future..

They knew the prophecies that related to the kingdom and thought the day had arrived when the earth would be filled with the glory of God.. the lion would lie down with the lamb – and the Temple described in Ezekiel would be erected. It was not surprising that after Christ’s glorious resurrection, when He spoke for 40 days of things pertaining to the promised kingdom.. that the disciples expected Him to it set up in the very near future.

It is not surprising that when Jesus told them that the outpouring of the promised Holy Spirit would take place within a few days of His ascension into heaven.. that the disciples eagerly asked Him the question: Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

But Christ replied, It is not for you to know times or epochs, which the Father has fixed by His own authority. The kingdom would certainly be set up as foretold in Scripture, for God’s Word cannot be broken.. but it would be set up at God’s appointed time and in His preordained way. The Lord Himself has fixed an exact time.. by His own will and authority as indicated in the Bible – but in His sovereignty God has chosen not to tell us the exact details.

Some like to suggest that the apostles had a false understanding about the kingdom implying that Christ’s reply was a form of rebuke – but this is not what the plain reading of Scripture reveals. Some falsely claim that God has finished with Israel because they rejected their Messiah.. and use this verse to suggest that the promised, earthly kingdom is no longer for Israel but has somehow been transferred to the Church – again, this is a totally false inference and a destructive twisting of Biblical truth.

To use this verse in support of the various false claims against Israel or faulty concepts of Christ’s promised earthly kingdom, is to distort the Word of God, to discredit the character of God, to render God’s promises as illegitimate and to deny the whole counsel of God.

It was not for the disciples to know the exact times or circumstances of Christ coming kingdom, as is shown in the Word of God. But we have an assurance that His promises are sure, His Word is true and that the Father has fixed them by His own authority and will fulfil them in His time and His way.

Let us trust God to fulfil all His plans and purposes as relates to both Israel’s earthly inheritance and the Church’s heavenly inheritance – but let us not go beyond what is revealed to us in Scripture or seek to distort the Word of God in order to satisfy our own human curiosity or our own presumptuous pride.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the many promises and prophecies that You have graciously given to us in Your Word. Thank You for giving us such great understanding of the times in which we live and the blessed hope that is set before us. Keep us from attempting to look into the finer details of Your plans and purposes which have not been disclosed to us but which are fixed by Your own sovereign authority – and prevent us from distorting the truth of the glorious gospel of God in order to satisfy any fleshly curiosity. Help us to study the whole council of God so that we do not get hoodwinked by any extra-biblical teachings or unbiblical ‘interpretation’ of Your Word. This we ask in Jesus name. AMEN

 Acts 1-7 The Times And Seasons The Father Has Set brown copy