13
James very rightly says: `To this agree (or harmonise) the
words of the prophets' (plural - the prophets as a whole), for
Amos 9:11,12 looks forward to a yet future time for its
fulfilment. There was much that took place during the Acts that
was of a tentative nature, waiting to see (speaking after the
manner of men) whether Israel would repent and the earthly
kingdom be set up, or whether they would refuse, and the
kingdom purpose fall into abeyance.
In Acts 13 we find the apostle Paul using the Old Testament
Scriptures in much the same way. When the Jews manifest their
envy at the Gentile acceptance of the gospel, the apostle says:
`... It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to
you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of
everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord
commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that
thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth' (Acts 13:46-47).
Commencing once again with the Epistle to the Romans, we
observe that the gospel which was `promised afore ... in the
Holy Scriptures', was also for the `obedience to the faith among
(unto) all nations' (Rom. 1:1-5).
In chapter 3 the apostle brings forward as an argument, the
fact that God is One.
`Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of
the Gentiles also: seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision
by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law
through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law' (Rom. 3:29-31).
This basic fact was evidently in the apostle's mind when he
addressed the men of Athens and commented upon the worship
of the `Unknown God'.