It would be foolish for any of us to try to “second guess God”, but we need not guess concerning the things that God had plainly revealed in His Word concerning His work on earth among mankind. I am amazed, and sometimes appalled, at the things I hear people say about God and what He is presently doing, both on earth and in heaven. I want to say clearly that God has never been confused about anything that He has done, is doing or will do. God has forever known the end from the beginning, and that blows my mind, yet it is a fact. One good man used to say, “Did it ever occur to you that nothing ever occurred to God?” This is a good question that all of us need to answer, for if we get it wrong, that means we have too small a view of Who God really is. Even though God does allow even wrong human choices, as well as choices by Satan and the fallen angels, yet God is not surprised, nor alarmed, by any of these, even though He is often displeased with them. God is sovereign, meaning that He does what He wants to do. He is also all wise and all knowing, meaning that nothing surprises Him, nor does anything defeat Him.
With this said, we will look again at Acts 15:13-18: “And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon (Simon Peter) hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom My name is called, saith the Lord, Who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.”
Our verses show that Peter (Simeon) has made a declaration that God would “at the first visit the Gentiles”. What does Peter mean by the words: “at the first”? The context of our verses show that Peter meant that God would do a work among the Gentiles, namely that of establishing a basically Gentile church, before He would do the work of restoring Israel. By the way, there are likely more Christians who do not believe that Israel is going to be restored than there are who believe it is. The problem with that kind of theology is that it leaves out a major part of God’s plan for both Israel and the church. God has never started a plan that He cannot, or will not, finish. Yes we, as humans, have done much against the plan of God, but that does not negate either God’s plans, or His ability, to carry out those plans. Our word “Gentiles” simply means the nations other than Israel, and presently God is visiting the nations to take from them a people for His name. No, everybody is not going to receive Christ for salvation, in fact, only a small percentage of the world will do so, but that does not defeat the plan of God to save all who will come to Him in faith and receive the death and resurrection of Jesus as the full payment for their sins. The sad note, however, is that all have the offer of salvation, but most will determine by their own wills not to receive Jesus’ sacrificial death as the full payment for their sins. There is absolutely nothing we can do to be saved, except to repent of our sins and receive the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus as sufficient payment for our sins. Those who have not yet done this need to see the danger they are in, for those who know about Jesus and understand their need to be saved, yet refuse to take Jesus’s death and resurrection as the full payment for their sins are fully responsible for their sins!
By J. Briggs King, Rainsville, AL (678) 451-0921