Revival

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; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you” Acts 3:19-20.

One of our readers called attention to this verse as a possible support for the doctrine of revivals.  The question reads: “What are the times of refreshing?  Are they times of revival?”

I am somewhat reluctant to answer this question, chiefly because the doctrine of revivals occupies an important place in the thinking of the people of the British Isles.  And, indeed, many look to a coming revival as the only hope of the restoration of true religion in the British Isles on any kind of wide scale.

I have made my objections to the doctrine of revivals known publicly in a speech which was printed and distributed by the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church.  That may still be available to all who are interested in this subject.  (Write to the address on the heading.)  I will not repeat my objections to revivals in this short article.  But let us put aside the debate concerning revivals, and take a look at this text.  There are some things which ought to be considered first of all.

In looking closely at the text, I consulted the Greek NT in which the Scriptures were originally written.  A comparison between the original Greek and the AV will show some deficiencies in the translation, which ought to be pointed out so that we may have a bit clearer idea of what the text says.

The clause which reads: “When the times of refreshing shall come” ought to read: “in order that the times of refreshing may come.”  It is the purpose of God’s work of blotting out our sins.  The clause, “which before was preached unto you,” ought to read, “who was beforehand appointed.”  Thus: “…in order that God may send to you Jesus Christ who was beforehand appointed.”

Even the word “refreshing” causes some difficulty in this text, because this passage is the only place it is used in the NT, and because it is used only once in the entire LXX (Septuagint – the Greek translation of the OT).  Some have even translated it “respite,” referring it then to the fact that repentance from the sin of crucifying the Christ would lead to a certain respite in the judgments pronounced on the nation of Israel by the OT prophets.

However all these things may be, the reference cannot be to revivals in the sense in which men speak of them today and pray for them.  The following reasons demonstrate this.

In the first place, revival, even as far as the term is concerned, presupposes the establishment of a church, a lengthy period of apostasy, backsliding, and spiritual lethargy in that church, and an outpouring of the Spirit in a special way to restore the church to its first high spirituality.  But this event which is described in the text took place immediately after Pentecost which the Spirit was poured out on the church for the first time, when the church was at a peak of spiritual strength, and when there was absolutely no need for revival.

In the second place, such times of refreshing as are spoken of in the text are connected to the sending of Jesus Christ: “…in order that times of refreshing may command in order that [God] may send Jesus Christ….”  The coming of Christ is not revival.

While there may be differences in the interpretation of this time of refreshing, it is not possible that the term refers to revival in the commonly accepted sense of that word.

If you should ask me what it does refer to, I answer that the reference is probably to the second coming of Christ at the end of time.  The following statements in the text itself seem to suggest this.

Peter’s word is to repent and be converted for the forgiveness of sins.  We live in that dispensation when forgiveness of sins comes through the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and through repentance and conversion.  This was the message of John the Baptist when he pointed out the passing of the old dispensation and the coming of the new dispensation (see Matt. 3:1-12).

Secondly, as I noted above, although the expression “times of refreshing” is unique to this passage, it is connected with the expression, “[God] will send Jesus Christ.”  The text really identifies the two.

Thirdly, that this latter expression refers to the second coming of Christ is evident from the fact that the last clause in vs. 20 must be translated, “who was before ordained for this;” or, “who was before destined for this.” 

Fourthly, that this all refers to the second coming of Christ is made unmistakably clear in vs. 21: “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things…,”where the expression, “restitution of all things” is very much like the expression  “times of refreshing,” and refers to Christ’s second coming.

Finally, these times of refreshing are said to “come from the presence of the Lord.”  That too is a unique expression.  The idea is that these times come from before God’s face.  That is a clear reference to Christ Himself who stands before God’s face in His exalted glory, and who comes from God’s face to accomplish all God’s purpose.

If any of our readers what to comment further on this, you must feel free to do this.