The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 1:6-11, “So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, ‘Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’
7 He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.
11 They also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.’”

Ancient peoples often cast lots in order to determine their gods’ will for certain activities. Jews, Egyptians, all Old Testament people, used this means to realize supernatural determination of all kinds of matters. (Remember this when the referee tosses the coin at the commencement of a football game. This is the origin of the coin toss.)

Jesus is assembled with some 120 people on the occasion of His ascension into Heaven. Jewish believers were always concerned about the timing of the restoration of their kingdom. He told them to wait for the Holy Spirit, as all of that lay in the hands of the Father in Heaven. They would know when it was time for them to know, but not until the LORD revealed it. Then they witnessed Him ascend into Heaven.

Yet after they returned to Jerusalem, Peter got anxious and urged them to chose someone to take Judas Iscariot’s place with the 12, Judas having hanged himself. Peter was obviously not waiting on the Holy Spirit. And it was then that they prayed and “drew lots” (v. 26) according to the Judaistic way; and Matthias was numbered with the eleven apostles. The only other mention of “casting lots” in the New Testament is where the Roman soldiers “cast lots” at the foot of the cross for the seamless garment that Jesus wore (Lk. 23; Jn 19).

The teachings in these verses are multiple. We must pray and wait on the Holy Spirit to give us counsel regarding everything we do. God’s timing of events is always superior to ours. Be patient. Notice carefully the difference between Old Testament Judaism and New Testament Christianity. Judaism uses Law; Christianity relies on Grace, the leadership of the Holy Spirit. If you’re a Christian, you must rely on the Holy Spirit. He is given to you to guide and instruct you in the way of the LORD.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom