devoted thing' i.e., devoted to the Lord. Peter and the apostles stood somewhat in the same position as did Joshua,

and wielded the same awful discipline.

Pentecost anticipates the Millennium: the gifts are called `the powers of the world to come' (Heb, 6:5), and so

the summary judgment of the day of the Lord is seen to be in operation during the early days of the Acts:

`He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within My house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in My sight. I will

early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD' (Psa,

Millennial characteristics are also seen in Acts 4:23-26, where the opposition of the rulers to the ministry of the

apostles is regarded as a partial fulfilment of the last times:

`And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said

unto them. 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: Who by the mouth of Thy servant

David hast said, 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'(Acts 4:23-26).

The language of the passage clearly shows the minds of the apostles fully occupied with millennial expectation.

Perhaps it is not quite right to single out the healing of the lame man and call it a `dispensational miracle', for the

miracles performed by the Lord and His apostles in almost every case foreshadow spiritual truths. The miracle of

the death of Ananias and Sapphira for instance, was a dispensational anticipation; and also the judgment of

blindness that fell upon Elymas. Nevertheless, while all miracles are called `the powers of the age to come' (Heb.

6:5), this initial miracle of the Acts in a special way follows on the day of Pentecost and illuminates its prophetic

We must first discover the general disposition of subject-matter, so that we may realise what are the salient

features of the narrative, and not omit any step that is essential to the carrying forward of the theme.

A 3:1-11.  The miracle. Its performance.

B a 3:12-16.

Explanation. `The Name'.

Prophetic application.

B a 3:25 to 4:10. Explanation. `The Name'.

Prophetic application.

A 4:13-22. The miracle. Its acknowledgment.

While each of these members has its own structure, we will not set out the opening and closing sections in detail,

as they are fairly obvious, and the explanatory teaching is developed in the central members. If we will but pay

attention to the way in which this explanation has been written, a number of items will fall naturally into place, and

we shall be able to concentrate on the dispensational foreshadowing which this miracle represents.

3:12-24. a D 13. The God of our fathers. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.

B

E 13. Glorified His Son Jesus.

F 14,15. Denial, detention and death of Christ.

G 15.

Witnesses to resurrection.