Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets usince the world began
The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ac 3:19–21.
We could not forget this passage. It brings yet another angle to the first outing in the subsection on Fullness. There are 7 that I have counted. There may be more. Here this passage is very pivotal in how we see fulness interact here…several statements which tell of the role of Jesus, the Messiah in this fullness process.
I got to understand better. I learned much from dear minister friend Al Houghton from Word at Work Ministries. He came to discover that the traditional “second coming” belief concerning the return of Jesus was not so linear or within a second coming. Rather, it involved several specific visitations. Jesus would come TO the Church before He came FOR the Church so that He could come WITH the Church to judge and execute justice upon evil.
His teaching since when I was in Portugal, was always clear and consistent. He would say “Context of Scripture brings the meaning of Scripture” which put a lot in its place. This contextualisation is not confined to Al Houghton, I have found the Youtube Channel F4F with Chris Roseborough with the same context based Bible study. Therefore with the whole area of eschatology we must use this standard. Revelation is only understood more clearly when you treat the Book with this kind of interpretation.
You see Peter here set in its place the present position and ministry of Jesus. He is at the Right Hand, and the Father in Kairos times of refreshing would come TO the Church. I sense we are still in that phase. It is somewhat obvious in that Jesus has not yet come FOR His Church. This vision from Peter is only available when the Holy Spirit is poured out, and how we need to steer the modern church away from the blessing me theology and make an adjustment to a Jesus centered vision.
The Kairos times of refreshing were to bring the fulness of Jesus in the Holy Spirit to the Church. We see this absolutely in Acts chapter 4. It describes a subsequent coming of the Holy Spirit in response to Psalm 2 being understood and prayed through. This Psalm deals with the transition between human government and divine government established by the Father and deposited in the Son by the Holy Spirit.
“Whom Heaven must receive until times of restitution of all things…” here these “times” are set with the Kronos word, which means that these times of restitution are set within the years, months, days and hours, that God has set dates for these to take place. What would be interesting is to do a study on these times of restitution and see what these are specifically, and Peter says that the prophets of old had prophesied about them.
So what we discover is that times of refreshing are set in Kairos seasons, and times of restitution are set in Kronos.
The Greek for “refreshing” is ἀνάψυξις anapsuxis, an-aps´-ook-sis; from 404; prop. a recovery of breath, i.e. (fig.) revival:— revival.
James Strong, The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996).
And for “restitution” is ἀποκατάστασις apŏkatastasis, ap-ok-at-as´-tas-is; from 600; reconstitution:— restitution
James Strong, The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996).
ἀποκαθίστημι apŏkathistēmi, ap-ok-ath-is´-tay-mee; from 575 and 2525; to reconstitute (in health, home or organization):— restore (again).
James Strong, The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996).
Here we see “revivals” and “restorations”. Maybe these have to do with distinct arenas of which God will activate His fulness, the revivals being spiritual, the restorations being material. Maybe.
So Jesus’ coming has a lot to do with the fulness being accomplished in refreshings and restitution. This must be complete BEFORE Jesus returns. We think that somehow all things would be complete THROUGH Jesus’ return, but no, it seems this work is conducted with Jesus at the Right Hand. This has to be complete BEFORE He returns. Its interesting that restitution manifests in the return of the Exiles after 70 years in Captivity, and we see both refreshing and restitution working together. There is rebuilding that occurs that brings various refreshings take place.
How is this all relevant to our lives at present? This series is to address the role of “fullness” or “pleroma”, and we see there are 7 different fullness realities in Scripture, and how they relate to the upheavals, changes in the earth in our generation. It is necessary we prepare and adjust our theology away from the doctrines of men, to the Bible. In this series we find a totally different panorama.
What we find is clarity as to why Jesus is at the Right Hand of the Father. We also understand why He is in Heaven. Additionally, we see the role of the Church in this process. He is in heaven UNTIL the restitution of ALL things and the enemy is at His feet, Psalm 110. Restitution as it covers judgment on the Kingdom of darkness has all to do with what was robbed from us by this adversary. This is where our central theme lies. Fullness is the trigger for both judgment to work. It also triggers recompense at the same time.
As it is Jesus is still at the Right Hand, coming TO the Church, with Kairos times of refreshings, and specific dates for restitutions. I sense there will be days where we will wake up and experience during that day resolutions of many long standing situations, unlocked resources, and great advances after a long waiting time of faith.
The motivations for these refreshings and restitutions is to complete the preparation for Jesus’ return.
May we prepare NOW so we may be ready!
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