Take time to pray and consider that this may be referring to a time yet future not the 1st Advent. Give it a little thought a little prayer a little meditation then read the verses in Amos. Seems there is more here. Peter had already been to a Gentiles house, centurion, and knows that Gentiles are now also accepted by Jesus. So at this time bringing up verses from Amos' prophecy goes beyond the 1st Advent. If you don't see that possibility that's ok. Just realize that there are prophetic verses throughout the OT & NT. You should be aware of that. These verses certainly seem to be more likely future event than past event. The people here in this council were all 'Spirit' led and aware of Messiah. Seems almost certain they must be thinking something about future events or at least the writer, Luke, was led to record this for posterity and not necessarily perfectly understood while this council was occurring. Consider that James had the final say here. Why didn't Peter or Paul give final say? More here than meets the eye.
i usually try to look at the whole of what’s being said and accomplished so let’s do this and sort of observe the bc text that sets up chapter 15 and it’s resulting answers let’s look at the issue being addressed
“And
certain men which came down from Judæa taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
When therefore
Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should
go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.”
Acts 15:1-
So we can see there was a dispute between Paul and barnabus and the Jews insisting on observance of the old covenant circumcision and law Of Moses they go to settle the dispute to the apostles and elders of the church
We see peters argument against the idea of adding circumcision and the law to Jesus disciples
“But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”
Acts 15:5-10
peters final conclusion
“But we believe that
through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we ( Jews ) shall be saved, even as they.”( gentiles )
Peter is saying “we don’t believe anyone needs to be circumcised and keep the works of Moses law to be saved”
then Paul and barnabus are witnessing that the holy spirit has been working among gentiles ( un circumcised and not under the law of Moses form israel ) which wotnesses that God has accepted them apart from those rituals and carnal commands of the flesh.
“Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to
Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.”
Acts 15:11-12
Then it leads to mines witnessing that this is true because of what the prophets foretold
“And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Simeon 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.
( James argument leads us to his conclusion )
Wherefore
my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:”
Acts 15:13
Which they go on to agree and wrote this letter sent with Paul and barnabus to gentile churches who were disputing all these things about circumcision and adherence to Moses law it was an issue they came together to answer but it’s still an issue even today
“forasmuch as
we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:”
Acts 15:24 KJV
James is quoting what Simeon foretold about God choosing his people from gentiles as well abrams flesh line. The prophets were all witnessing the resurrection brother when they discuss God rebuilding the temple it’s just hidden until we start hearing the gospel and revelation of Jesus
They didn’t understand him because they were looking for a man made building and not Gods work to resurrect his temple as he promised
“
Jesus answered and said unto them,
Destroy this temple, and
in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But
he spake of the temple of his body.”
John 2:19-21 KJV
remember why they made the temple ? It is where Gods presence would dwell among the people hidden inside the temples inner most room upon the seat of mercy where the blood was shed once per year
“And thou shalt
put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and
in the ark thou shalt put the
testimony that I shall give thee.
And
there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon
the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in
commandment unto the children of Israel.”
Exodus 25:21-22
That’s a pattern for a Christian and tbier heart where we need to accept his testimony the gospel and believe so he can meet us there and commune with us there we don’t need a building we are his temple where his presence dwells
we aren’t going back to a pattern without Gods spirit in us so why would we need to send one man into his presence to hear from him commune with him and then come out of his presence and tell us what he said ?
once you receive Gods holy spirit there’s never going to be another need to enter a temple in order to worship God ot was a pattern of what’s true in heaven
now we have gods presence here in our inner room
“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
Galatians 4:6 KJV
this is where God meets us at his testimony now inside his living temple
“If ye love me,
keep my commandments.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that
he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but
ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I will not leave you comfortless:
I will come to you. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him.”
John 14:15-18, 23 KJV
See the reason Paul says this
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV
is because we can look at the temple and see the pattern of gods spirit dwelling inside our heart in the most holy place when we realize the revelation that
we are the temple and Gods home is in the center of our heart and as the temple was we need to be dedicated to Gods worship.
not by sacrificing animals and spreading blood upon a golden altar inside a building that’s been destroyed for almost two thousand years and has no use for anyone who has the Holy Spirit in them but by living our life following after the lord who taught us the gospel of were in Africa or Canada Russia or North Korea of Gods spirit is in us we are his temple d there is no need for another mediator Jesus already reconciles us
1
