Prayer and Unity in Acts

Peter and John's Release

Welcome Prayer Music Silence Acts 4.28 Milk January 10th 2016

So Peter and John were set free by the Sanhedrim.

Reporting Back to Their Company

Verse 23

Acts 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, “Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.”

And back to verse 23

And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. We might think this was the company of all Christian converts but that would be too many in all probability to it probably meant those who were most intimately acquainted with them.

After being jailed Peter and John has been threatened by the highest court of the Jews, told not to teach or preach in Jesus name. The case was probably of great interest to everyone ever remotely connected to the faith and we could bet that all involved were greatly interested in their response and the outcome of it. (verse 24) 24 And when they (the members of their fellowship) heard that (or all that had happened), they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said,

Now let me stop here. What we are about to read was a prayer. Luke says they lifted up their voice with one accord so it sounds like they all said this together. The Greek word is HOMO-THU-MAD-ON, which means they were unanimous or one in what was said. Maybe it was a communal prayer where different people added different elements or maybe it was one person acting as voice with all the others agreeing.

However it was done they were united in what was said. This is a fantastic form of communion when a gathering of believers are united from the heart behind the content of the prayers offered. A really beautiful thing. Additionally, the phrase, “to lift up the voice,” among Hebrews was a phrase that in the Old Testament means that someone was being addressed OR someone was weeping OR prayers were being offered to God.

The Meaning of "Lord" in Their Prayer

Now, we have a very interesting translational issue here. To me they are insightful. In the King James we read them praying: “Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.”

Typically, when we read the title, “Lord” in the New Testament it is translated from the Greek word, “Koo-ree-os”. Koo-ree-os is very very popular word in the Bible as it is used over 6000 times. It can be used to refer to a man, or to God, or to powers, “like lords of evil” (lower case l).

But there is a unique word Greek used here by these first believers when they address God in prayer. Despotace – a word from where we get an English term despot. Depotace is used ten times in scripture and in half of those instances it is translated “master” and in the other half, Lord.

I find the term really intriguing because in the word means “an absolute ruler” (meaning it has more umph than Lord) but what it fascinating to me is it is thought that despotace is derived from a Greek root word for . . . husband (posis). (as in des-posis)

Despotace is probably used here because it bears more authority in the Greek than simply Koo-ree-os. A despotace is the ultimate authority and if it was meant to relate to a husband in that day and age we might suggest that these early believers saw God as their depotace or husband.

If that was the case I suggest that they were His . . .Bride. “Oh, reigning husband,” they say, “thou art God.” This is the very relationship God describes as wanting with His creations from the beginning – with Him representing a protective, loving, providing husband figure and believers collectively representing his Bride.

We know from the Old Testament that God

God's Marriage to Israel

I was recently introduced to this concept in a new way by a brother named Lloyd Dale. In the Old Testament we have God first “betroth” Himself to Israel, (which I believe is seen through the promise God made to Abraham) we then have Him marry her. Again, there was a betrothal to Israel (or an engagement) through His promise to Abraham. Then there was the actual marriage.

When I am asked to perform wedding ceremonies the parties involved make vows and sign their license once the vows are exchanged. In such weddings the parties “covenant to each other to be exclusive and have no other. That is the big exclusive of marriage – no others. God’s desire is for His bride – composed of males and females – to look to Him alone. This desire shows the heinous nature of idolatry, which is frequently referred to in the Old Testament as adultery. God hates – I mean hates, idolatry – He’s a jealous husband, and He wants His bride to look to Him and Him alone.

The Wedding Ceremony in Exodus

So I’ve proposed the betrothal period. Where and when was the wedding ceremony between God and the Children of Israel? Turn to Exodus 34 beginning at verse 4:

4 And Moses hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone (the written vows). 5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace., and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. 8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. 9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. 10 And God said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee. 11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: 13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: 14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: 15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; 16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. 17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

Then in verse 18-33 the Lord describes some specific demands and then at verse 34 we read that Moses then conveyed all of this to them and we read:

33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.

I suggest this was God’s marriage to Israel. Later in Leviticus God says:

(Leviticus 26:12) “And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.”

Israel's Unfaithfulness

Fortunately for us (and unfortunately for them) the Nation of Israel, as a bride, was not so faithful. She liked her idols – often believing they would care for her more than her husband always had.

Jeremiah 3:9 God says:

And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks,”

God's Relationship with Israel

The Book of Hosea pictures this attitude in the heart of Israel. In the first chapter, God has Hosea act out in his own life the unfaithful relationship He had with His bride Israel.

At chapter 1 verse 2 we read:

Hosea 1:2 And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.”

And describing that she bore Hosea children God continues and describes the heart of his whoring bride named Israel saying,

(verse 5) For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. 6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.

Biblical Divorce

I would suggest that this describes God’s divorce. But we need more evidence that God actually divorced His bride Israel.

So, all the way back in Deuteronomy God Himself says:

Deuteronomy 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

Do we ever read of God actually giving Israel a bill of divorcement? We do.

Turn to Jeremiah 3:8 “And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.”

In this verse we have a direct biblical support for the reason even Jesus maintained that divorce was acceptable in God’s eyes – for adultery – which is best described as idolatry – when a wife or husband in a marriage has gone after “other lovers.”

Reconciliation

Again, since the beginning God has wanted an open free relationship with His creations where He would be her protector, provider, and lover and He would be the sole recipient of her adoration and devotion. He sought it with Adam and Eve. FAIL. He sought it with the Nation of Israel – even to the point of marrying her. FAIL (on her part). But here’s the thing about God as a husband – He does not just toss His bride away. He is faithful when she is not. And He promised her, even Israel a means of reconciliation.

In other words, just because Israel was unfaithful does not mean God was or is. He would gather unto Himself a bride again – but this time, through His Son. The fact that all would not be drawn to Him through this means and become His bride broke Jesus heart, causing Him to say over the city: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

But there were those who would. This gathering up His bride from out of the House of Israel was what the original apostles were called to do. This is what we are reading about here in Acts – Peter and John, like Jeremiah and Isaiah of Old – are reaching out and preaching the opportunity to be reconciled to God through faith on His Son. To be the bride of Christ!

A New Hope

Relative to the Nation as a whole very few accepted this invitation. But it was offered – and not only offered but prophesied of. Going back to Hosea God has been railing on his unfaithful bride Israel then all of a sudden, without any explanation God, after describing what a horrible wife Israel had been says in chapter 2 at verse 14:

Hosea 2:14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. 15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

Now listen to how Hosea describes the means and attitude that God use and have to recoup His bride:

16 And it shall be…

God's Covenant and the Faithful Bride

at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.

19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. (all brought by Christ) 20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. 21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth.

When was “this day” that God re-betrothed Israel back to Himself? When He saw Israel as His bride again? It was here – in the New Testament narrative – beginning at the day of Pentecost, where “in Christ Jesus” God took those who freely looked to His Son with faith– and fulfilled His vows and covenants to them. Believers today speak of themselves as members of the Bride of Christ. I do not believe this is correct. We are part of the Body.

I say this because today, in Christ Jesus, there is no difference between Jew and Greek – the Nation has been destroyed. But before being wiped out materially God gleaned out of her a true faithful loving devout bride unto Himself. And guess what? In Christ the bride did not only include members of the Nation of Israel but also those gentiles who also received His Son.

The Expanding Body of Christ

This fact is also mentioned by Hosea in the very next verse (verse 23) where God says (LISTEN)

23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

This bride was gathered up by the apostles in the early church and saved by Christ (the bridegroom) when utter destruction fell on those who remained divorced from God due to their obstinate, idolatrous ways. In Old Testament times what were the two choices a husband had when it came to an unfaithful wife? He could give her a bill of divorcement or he could have her stoned. Remember that imagery as it ties to our teaching two weeks ago about people either falling on the Rock and being broken or having Him fall on them and grinding them to powder.

The Call of the Spirit and the Bride

So having gathered unto Himself a faithful bride, rescuing her from destruction the Spirit of God (listen) and the bride continue to call to all to come to God through Christ. Did you know that? Revelation 22:17 says this:

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let him that heareth say, “Come.” And let him that is athirst “come.” And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

This invitation from the Spirit and the Bride is made to all generations ever since He gathered her and forevermore constitute the living growing Body of Christ. Think of it this way, a Bride is set and static but a body is growing and dynamic. He took his set a bride made of first century believers but continues to add to His body.

So while God has His bride, culled from the covenantal people of the Nation of Israel and some from the Gentile nation of that age, He continues to draw all who thirst into His body – which is a spiritual gathering of believers from the heart – with the invitation to come to Him. So looking back to what launched us into all of this, Peter and John have gone back to their group and in prayer they address the Lord God as their despotace – a term derived from a Greek term for husband.

Which, as we’ve shown, is very fitting. And as part of the true bride some of the first members pray in unison, saying:

“Despotace, thou art God.”

This was a bride, similar to the Nation of Israel coming out of Egypt and into the promised land, who was surrounded by predators, who had to trust in the power of God to deliver them. So learning of Peter and John’s release we read:

24 And when they (the members of their fellowship) heard that (or all that had happened), they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said,

“Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.”

This is a quote from Psalm 146:5-6

Believers' Prayer and David's Prophetic Words

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: Here we can see the believers in Christ praising the only true and living God, creator of heaven and earth, and sea and all that in them is. Then they quote King David and say:

25 Who (speaking of God) by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, “Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?” It’s an interesting and revealing statement because we see they admit right here a continued reverence for David (who had his own problems) and in so doing tacitly admit that God spoke through the man – even after his Bathsheba/Uriah event was known to them.

So in the first part of their prayer they acknowledge God as despotace, in the second part they acknowledge Him as grand creator, and in this third Part they acknowledge the God spoke through prophets (like David). The quote that is cited comes from the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament (the Greek Translation) rather than from the Hebrew, proving that at least Luke was familiar with the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Including it in their prayer to the God they love shows how seriously they thought not only of David but the Word of God from which they actually quote in prayer.

Septuagint Translation and Its Implications

Remember this was a time they needed protection. Peter and John were just released and God showed His protective hand on their behalf and so in prayer they quote David’s words that seem to ask: “Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ.”

Now, there is an interesting little twist here in this. In Psalm 2:1-2 David asks in the Hebrew:

Psalm 2:1 “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed.”

But when this was translated into Greek (into what is called the Septuagint) it read (way before the birth of Jesus) “Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ.”

Prophetic Reference in Psalms

In David’s words through the Hebrew it seems like David is asking: “Why do pagans bother raging against God? Why do the people imagine vain things against Him? I mean, the kings of the earth set themselves against Him, and the rulers take counsel together, against YAWAY (the LORD) and against his anointed.” But the Greek made this last line to read, “and the rulers take counsel together, against YAWAY (the LORD) and against his Christ” showing that this was a prophetic utterance by David and about Jesus very life and those that sought to thwart what He was sent to do.

Some commentators suppose that when David wrote this He was exposed to the hostility of the Assyrians, the Moabites, Philistines, Amalekites, et al, and that, in the midst of his dangers, he sought consolation in the purpose of God to establish him and his kingdom. Whether or not this is true David was speaking prophetically – as many of the Old Testament writers unwittingly did.

These believers ask in prayer, like David: Why do these rulers and pagans and the like rage against you Yahway and your Messiah? Don’t they know that you will have victory? This is one of the places where the word Messiah is used in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word is “MAW SHEE AWK” and is usually translated in the King James as anointed. But the Greek translation of Mawsheeawk is christos – Christ.

That being said though the word occurs in about forty places in the OT it is most often assigned to kings and is not speaking of and is commonly translated his anointed, and is applied to kings. In other words a direct reference of the word to the actual Messiah in the Old Testament is not frequent – but I believe this is one of them.

What we see here in this Old Testament reference is the fact that to fight against Gods Messiah is to fight against God. In other words He who opposes His Messiah is opposed to God. He that neglects him neglects God. He that despises

The Necessity of Christ

"He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak."

We live in a world that somehow thinks that they can come to God without coming to His Son. And every attempt has been made to explain away Jesus as necessary. But scripture is clear –

The Role of Jesus According to Scripture

Jesus is, according to Hebrews 1:3, "the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his" subsistence. He was God in the flesh (John 1:1) and He thought it not robbery to be equal with God (Philippians 2:6) but humbled Himself. To war against Him is to war against God but to receive Him is to be received by God.

Looking at the context of Peter and John being tried here, we see that Jesus also said to His chosen disciples in Matthew 10:40, “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” And for the New Testament economy, we have an order established. “God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son.” “And Jesus so loved His brethren the Jews He gave them twelve apostles (who He called little children) to reach out and bring them to the light.” Which is why He said to them before sending them out: “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.”

New Testament Order and the Holy Spirit

I want to make a distinction here that I believe is important – especially here in Utah. The order of the New Testament, predicted even as far back as David, that to receive the Messiah is to receive God and to receive the Messiah’s sent apostles, is to receive Him and to receive Him is to receive God was for that day. Understand, I believe that those who receive Christ will certainly receive what His apostles have written, but they were called to those people of that Nation and/or that age.

Men and women have attempted to hijack this order today and apply it to themselves, saying things like: “If you reject me you would have rejected Christ too.” Understand that all the accepting and rejecting we do today is related to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s purpose, according to Jesus, is to testify of Him. In John 15:26 Jesus said: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” With the apostles called to that generation and now gone, we don’t have men and women, flesh and blood we have to receive and follow – we have something far more powerful – the Holy Spirit of God living within us!

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, says these insightful words about his own walk:

Galatians 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

In other words, Paul, who was called to preach to the heathen world, did not go and confer among men – not even the other apostles – but went out to Arabia to be taught by the Spirit what he ought to do. Then he adds in the next two verses:

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

I emphasize this because when we read these passages it is very, very easy for men and women to hijack what they are saying and to get others to believe that they are ALSO.

Understanding the Role and Terminology of Jesus in Scripture

Intermediaries that need to be received in order for us to be right with God. Not so. These things were speaking to them and about that specific period in time. Paul’s experience better reveals the nature of the unencumbered Christian walk today – by and through the Spirit who truthfully and unerringly testifies of Christ.

Scripture Analysis: Acts 4:27

Last verse for today. Also in their prayer they say, referring to people who attempt to rage against God and His Son:

27 For of a truth (in reality) “against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

Okay, where the King James refers to God’s “holy child Jesus,” the word child is commonly applied to infants or to sons and daughters in very early life. The word which is used here “pah heece” is different from the term normally used to describe Jesus as the Son of God, which is “whee-os” and means a male son. Paheece could be either a boy or a girl who are especially slaves or servants or ministers to kings. This word is actually translated as “young man in Acts 20:12.

Correct Interpretation of the Text

All said, I think this passage ought to read: “For of a truth (in reality) “against thy servant Son Jesus, whom thou hast anointed . . . (whom God had rubbed oil or consecrated to His service) . . . both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles (or Roman soldiers), and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

28 “to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.”

And we will discuss this peculiar and debated point as we continue next week.