(iv)  In both there is the hint that the Gentile may be blessed as a

result of Israel's attitude:

`Ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem ... and unto the

uttermost part of the earth' (Acts 1:8).

`Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless

you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities' (Acts 3:26).

That the Gentile, if not specifically mentioned here, is nevertheless

in mind, may be seen by reference to Acts 13:

`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 ... unto the ends of the

earth' (Acts 13:46,47).

The more the opening chapters of the Acts are scrutinized, the less is

warrant found for the introduction there of the Body.  All is intimately

bound up with the hope of Israel's restoration.  When we say `all', we mean

every item that is brought forward, such as the forty days' exposition of the

Old Testament Scriptures (Acts 1:3); the association of the baptism of John

with Pentecost (1:4,5); the extension of the witness to the ends of the earth

(1:8), and the Coming of Christ to the Mount of Olives (1:11,12).  All these

have a bearing upon the restoration of Israel; not one can be made to speak

of the church, without dislocation.  With the return of the disciples to

Jerusalem and their meeting together in prayer with the women, Mary, and the

Lord's brethren, the introduction to the Acts finishes, leaving the way open

for the examination of the new story of Acts itself, which commences at 1:15.

In view of its prominence in the opening chapters of the Acts, and its

close bearing upon many points of doctrine and practice found both in the

Acts and in the epistles of the period, it will be of service if we give the

matter of Israel's restoration further consideration.  The very use of the

word `restore', presupposes loss, forfeiture, cessation or lapse, and the

history of Israel clearly shows that the covenants and promises that were

made with them and the fathers were withdrawn, or postponed, because of the

faithlessness of the people.

Three great causes of Israel's rejection are indicated in the

Scriptures, namely, (1) idolatry; (2) rejection of Christ; (3) antagonism to

the preaching of the Gospel.  Other intermediate causes will be found, but

these are the most prominent.  The message concerning restoration in Acts

3:21 flows out of the dispensational miracle of the healing of the lame man.

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 things to come, as for

example, the judgment of blindness that fell upon Elymas (Acts 13:11).

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 character.

We must first discover the general disposition of subject-matter, so

that we may realize what are the salient features of the narrative.