Act 3:22-23 | KingComments | STEP | That God will let the times of the restoration of all things come, has everything to do with Him to Whom Peter refers again by a quotation from one of those “holy prophets from ancient time”, that is Moses ( ). Like for David, whom Peter quoted in Acts 2, the Jews also had great admiration for Moses. Moses spoke of a Prophet Who would be raised up by God in the same way like God had raised him up. Moses was raised up by God as a prophet for His people at a time when the people were in bondage and in great need. This also happened to the Lord Jesus. Just as Moses was raised up in the midst of his brethren, so the Lord Jesus also came in the midst of his brethren, that is to say, by being born an Israelite, He became an Israelite. In the quote Moses calls upon to give heed to everything He says. That is what Peter holds out to his audience. Besides the similarities between Moses and the Lord Jesus as a prophet, there is also a big difference. Moses was an instrument that passed on the words of God. But not everything Moses said were words of God. However, what the Lord Jesus would say and did say, were all exclusively words of God. That is why Moses says that the people should hear “to everything He says to you”. “Everything” means every word, not a word excepted. Moses also adds the serious warning that whoever does not hear to that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. As a result, such a person is forever cut off from the blessing that is the part of that people when He will reign. And not only Moses spoke about the coming of that Prophet, the Lord Jesus. From Samuel, the first prophet appointed by God in His people, God has pointed out the coming of His Son. All the prophets who came after Samuel did. Peter points out to the people their privileged position as sons of the prophets. By this he also means to say that they must walk in the way the prophets have shown the people because only through that way the blessing of God can be received. That way is always the way of repentance and conversion. Furthermore, they are not only sons of the prophets, but also of the covenant that God made with their fathers and in which He promised them His blessing. In that covenant God has pointed out blessing for the bodily offspring of Abraham, that is the people to whom Peter speaks here. God also promised blessing to all families of the earth through the offspring of Abraham ( ; ). God’s blessing in the realm of peace goes through Israel to the whole earth. That is why God has first of all sent them the Lord Jesus, Who by Peter again is called God’s “Servant” ( ; ). The “raising up” does not refer to the resurrection, but to the begetting of the Lord Jesus as Man on earth. When it comes to the resurrection out of death, we do not read that God resurrected Him, but that He Himself has risen. When it is about God’s work in the resurrection, we read that God raised Him up. The ‘raising up’ refers to the first coming of the Lord Jesus to earth, His birth and His life, as we find it described in the Gospels. The blessing God wants to give by sending the glorified Christ is to turn every one of them from their wicked ways. Wickedness is the hindrance to receive the blessing. If they confess their wickedness, that hindrance is taken away. This is already a great blessing that also opens the door to the even greater blessings of the realm of peace.

‏ Acts 3:22-23

The Prophet Raised Up by God

That God will let the times of the restoration of all things come, has everything to do with Him to Whom Peter refers again by a quotation from one of those “holy prophets from ancient time”, that is Moses (Deu 18:15-19). Like for David, whom Peter quoted in Acts 2, the Jews also had great admiration for Moses. Moses spoke of a Prophet Who would be raised up by God in the same way like God had raised him up.

Moses was raised up by God as a prophet for His people at a time when the people were in bondage and in great need. This also happened to the Lord Jesus. Just as Moses was raised up in the midst of his brethren, so the Lord Jesus also came in the midst of his brethren, that is to say, by being born an Israelite, He became an Israelite. In the quote Moses calls upon to give heed to everything He says. That is what Peter holds out to his audience.

Besides the similarities between Moses and the Lord Jesus as a prophet, there is also a big difference. Moses was an instrument that passed on the words of God. But not everything Moses said were words of God. However, what the Lord Jesus would say and did say, were all exclusively words of God. That is why Moses says that the people should hear “to everything He says to you”. “Everything” means every word, not a word excepted. Moses also adds the serious warning that whoever does not hear to that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. As a result, such a person is forever cut off from the blessing that is the part of that people when He will reign.

And not only Moses spoke about the coming of that Prophet, the Lord Jesus. From Samuel, the first prophet appointed by God in His people, God has pointed out the coming of His Son. All the prophets who came after Samuel did. Peter points out to the people their privileged position as sons of the prophets. By this he also means to say that they must walk in the way the prophets have shown the people because only through that way the blessing of God can be received. That way is always the way of repentance and conversion.

Furthermore, they are not only sons of the prophets, but also of the covenant that God made with their fathers and in which He promised them His blessing. In that covenant God has pointed out blessing for the bodily offspring of Abraham, that is the people to whom Peter speaks here. God also promised blessing to all families of the earth through the offspring of Abraham (Gen 12:3 ; Gen 18:18 ; Gen 22:18 ; Gen 26:3-4; Gal 3:8). God’s blessing in the realm of peace goes through Israel to the whole earth. That is why God has first of all sent them the Lord Jesus, Who by Peter again is called God’s “Servant” (Acts 3:26; Acts 3:13).

The “raising up” does not refer to the resurrection, but to the begetting of the Lord Jesus as Man on earth. When it comes to the resurrection out of death, we do not read that God resurrected Him, but that He Himself has risen. When it is about God’s work in the resurrection, we read that God raised Him up. The ‘raising up’ refers to the first coming of the Lord Jesus to earth, His birth and His life, as we find it described in the Gospels.

The blessing God wants to give by sending the glorified Christ is to turn every one of them from their wicked ways. Wickedness is the hindrance to receive the blessing. If they confess their wickedness, that hindrance is taken away. This is already a great blessing that also opens the door to the even greater blessings of the realm of peace.