The testimony of the Acts of the Apostles to the second coming of the Lord is found at

the very opening of the book. As a result of forty days' instruction, opened Scriptures,

and opened understanding, the apostles asked: "Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again

the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1: 6).

While the actual time and season were not matters of revelation, the restoration of the

kingdom to Israel was a very real scriptural hope of Israel, as the testimony of the O.T.

and of the N.T. proves. At the ascension of the Lord the disciples are found steadfastly

looking toward heaven, and two men in white apparel, evidently angels, say to them:--

This ascension took place from the mount of Olives (verse 12), and the words of the

angels are a direct reference to Zech. 14: 4, Dan. 7: and Matt. 24: 30. The words,

"shall so come in like manner" spoken on the occasion, in the place, and circumstances

detailed, compel us to understand that the Lord's coming, as referred to here, will be

If these accompaniments are legitimately included in the words "so come" and "like

manner", we have but added to the kingdom passages and O.T. references, and have

introduced no feature that can be distinctly called "church truth", unless it be the elective

character of the company that witnessed the ascension. As there was not a single Gentile

in the company, this exclusiveness cannot be made to indicate the church.

Between the opening reference to the second coming and the next statement in

Acts 3: 19-26  comes Pentecost, and if the statement that "the church began at

Pentecost" is true, we may find a very distinct development in doctrine. It will be found

that Peter addresses "men of Israel", and speaks of God as "the God of Abraham, and of

Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers" (Acts 3: 12, 13).