Acts and the Last Days

Our prophetic model, inmillennialism, has a special interest in the New Testament book of Acts. This interest is because of the period called the “last days.” Inmillennialism says this term in Scripture usually refers to the period between Jesus’s crucifixion and the Temple’s fall (i.e., AD 30–70). Jesus referred to it as “this generation” in his Olivet Discourse (Matt 24:34).

Acts describes events that occurred between AD 30 and AD 64.¹ The following diagram shows the relationship between the “last days” and Acts in our model:

The near-complete overlap of the “last days” and the book of Acts allows us to test inmillennialism. Did the “last days” events of which the prophets and Jesus spoke occur in this period as inmillennialism suggests?

This post will examine four (of several) “last-days” prophecies fulfilled in the book of Acts. It will then draw an important conclusion regarding these fulfillments.

The Establishment of a Kingdom

Daniel prophesied about “what will be in the latter days” (Dan 2:28). He said God would establish a kingdom. It would become great, fill the whole earth, and destroy all other kingdoms (Dan 2:44–45).

The book of Acts displays the fulfillment of this prophecy. At its beginning, Luke says Jesus gave “commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:2–3).

In the body of Acts, the kingdom appears several times. The Samaritans “believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized” (Acts 8:12). 

Paul told his disciples about the kingdom transition then underway, “saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God’” (Acts 14:22). 

This was the central subject he presented in the Jewish synagogues. At Ephesus, “he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8). When he left the Ephesians for the last time, he said, “I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more” (Acts 20:25).

At the end of Acts, Paul was in prison in Rome. He called the Jewish leaders to him. He then “explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening” (Acts 28:23).

Acts shows God had established the kingdom in the “last days” of the Mosaic age. The transition from the Mosaic-age kingdom to the messianic-age kingdom was underway. When Acts ends, the kingdom had invaded the heart of the greatest empire the world had ever known (cf. Phil 4:22). The kingdom was growing beyond the bounds of Israel after the flesh, just as the prophets had predicted.

The Transfer of a Scepter

Kings value symbols of their royalty. The scepter is one such symbol.

The Scriptures had said a scepter-transfer would occur in Israel’s future. When Jacob gathered his sons to give his final blessings, he said, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (Gen 49:10). This would happen in Israel’s “last days” (Gen 49:1).

The book of Acts shows this transfer to Shiloh (i.e., Christ). Peter says God had enthroned Jesus as Psalm 110:1 had predicted. He said, 

David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:34–36)

Therefore, Peter said the people should obey him. “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).

Later, Peter and the other apostles said,

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. (Acts 5:29–32)

Acts shows that, in Israel’s “last days,” God crowned Jesus as King (cp. Ps 2:1–8). The scepter passed from Judah—the kingly tribe of Israel after the flesh—to Jesus.

The Rebuilding of Israel 

God told Israel he would perform the intents of his heart. He said, “In the latter days you will consider it” (Jer 30:24). This would include the following promise:

Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt,
O virgin of Israel!
You shall again be adorned with your tambourines,
And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice. (Jer 31:3–4)

The prophet Amos also foretold the rebuilding of Israel. Through him, God said,

On that day I will raise up
The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down,
And repair its damages;
I will raise up its ruins,
And rebuild it as in the days of old;
That they may possess the remnant of Edom,
And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,”
Says the LORD who does this thing. (Amos 9:11–12)

The book of Acts shows the fulfillment of this “last-days” promise. When questions arose about including Gentiles in the churches, the apostles gathered in Jerusalem. They decided Gentile conversions agreed with the above prophecies. Here is James’s conclusion:

And with this [i.e., Gentile conversions] the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
‘After this I will return
And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;
I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will set it up;
So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD,
Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,
Says the LORD who does all these things.’ (Acts 15:15–17)

Gentile converts were an integral part of Israel’s rebuilding.

The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

God had approved two previous houses as his dwelling place by manifesting his shekinah glory. When Moses dedicated the tabernacle, “the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Exod 40:34). Five centuries later, Solomon dedicated the First Temple. As the Levites sang, “the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God” (2 Chr 5:13–14).

God revealed that he would do the same in Israel’s “last days.” He would rebuild his house, then pour out his Spirit.² Through Joel, God said, 

 And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28–29)

The book of Acts shows the “last-days” fulfillment of this prophecy. On the day of Pentecost, Peter said the glorious presence of the Holy Spirit on the church was

what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy. (Acts 2:16–18)

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church was necessary for God to establish his kingdom, transfer the scepter to Christ, and rebuild Israel. 

Conclusion

Acts shows that God fulfilled his “last-days” prophecies during the apostles’ generation. We should recognize a fundamental underlying truth about these fulfillments: through them God was fulfilling his promises to Israel.

These fulfillments were not signs God was replacing Israel with “the church.” Instead, they were signs that the church was Israel rebuilt, “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16). 

In Antioch of Pisidia, Paul made this point. He began by saying, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: The God of this people Israel chose our fathers” (Acts 13:16–17). A chronological progression led him to David. He said, “From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus” (Acts 13:23). He concluded by saying, “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” (Acts 13:26).

At the end of Acts, Paul summarized his “last-days” message. He told the Jews in Rome, “for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain” (Acts 28:20).

We are not waiting for God to fulfill his word to Israel in some future age. Instead, we recognize that, through Christ, he has secured the “hope of Israel.” The results of Christ’s work will culminate in the resurrection at the end of the messianic age. In the meantime, the church is making disciples of all nations (Matt 28:18–20).

Inmillennialism accounts for these “last days” events as the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel.

1. John B. Polhill, Acts, vol. 26 of NAC (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1992), 28.
2. The image in this post is Pentecost by Duccio Di Buoninsegna (1255 – 1319). This file (here) is in the public domain (PD-US).