The Book of Acts

Books by Ike Sidebottom

A Dispensational Study

The book of Acts is one of the most misunderstood books in the Bible because, for the most part, it is not read and studied from a dispensational point of view. This book presents the wonderful truths of God’s Word in a clear and understandable manner, carefully following the admonition of II Timothy 2:15 to “rightly divide the Word of truth.” It takes into account the revelation of the mystery committed to the Apostle Paul for this age, and thus puts God’s plans and purposes for Israel and the Church in proper perspective. To those who will read it carefully and prayerfully, it will help you grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (208 pp.)
 

Table of Contents

  • Introduction — God’s Distinctive Program for Israel
    In Luke 13:35, we have the following judgment pronounced upon the nation of Israel: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” The “house” in this ...
  • Chapter 1 From the Resurrection to Pentecost (Acts 1:1-26)
    From the resurrection of our Saviour to the day of Pentecost was exactly fifty days. The word “Pentecost” means “fiftieth.” The “day of Pentecost” was a Jewish feast day, which God instituted in the congregation of Israel under the Levitical law. The “fifty days” counted off between the “sheaf of the wave offering” and the “new ...
  • Chapter 2 The Advent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-47)
    The advent of the Holy Spirit was on a Jewish feast day—”Pentecost.” The origin of the day of Pentecost and instructions concerning it may be found in Leviticus 23:15-22—”And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: ...
  • Chapter 3 The Healing of the Lame Man (Acts 3:1-26)
    “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who ...
  • Chapter 4 Religious Leaders Oppose the Truth (Acts 4:1-32)
    “And as they (Peter and John) spake unto thepeople, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came unto them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (Acts 4:1-2). Just as the Pharisees opposed the atoning work of Christ on the cross, so the ...
  • Chapter 5 Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-42)
    It is reasonable to believe that both Ananias and Sapphira were present in the prayer meeting described in Acts 4:31. If this be true, they were at that time “filled with the Holy Ghost.” It was certainly their privilege to continue in the Spirit. However, we read the sad record of their fall and destruction in Acts 5:1-11—”But ...
  • Chapter 6 Leaven in the Church (Acts 6:1-15)
    We learned in our study of Acts, chapter 2, that the first suggestion of Pentecost, which means “fiftieth” (day), is found in Leviticus 23:15-17. The “two wave loaves” in this Levitical account were typical of the two classes of people in the Pentecostal church, namely Jews and proselytes. The fact that the Holy Spirit specifically instructed ...
  • Chapter 7 The Stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:1-60)
    The 7th chapter of Acts is of vital importance because it records another appeal on the part of the Holy Spirit to Israel. The message is concerning the King and the kingdom and it is borne, this time, by Stephen not Peter. Stephen was placed before the council in the closing verses of chapter 6. The ...
  • Chapter 8 The Church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1-40)
    The witnesses at the stoning of Stephen, “laid down their clothes (robes or outer garments) at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.” This young man was “consenting” unto Stephen’s death (Acts 8:1). That is, he heartily approved the stoning. He wanted the testimony cut off and was in favor of killing the preacher ...
  • Chapter 9 Saul (Paul) Fitted into God’s Plan (Acts 9:1-43)
    Acareful study of what is commonly called the New Testament scriptures will reveal two distinctly different Divine purposes. The one is the “Kingdom of Heaven,” which is to be set up on the earth when Christ returns in glory; the other is the “Mystery,” or the calling out of the church which is Christ’s body ...
  • Chapter 10 The Conversion of Cornelius (Acts 10:1-48)
    In the study of this chapter, we shall attempt to answer the following questions—When was Cornelius saved? To what was he added after he was saved? Why was there any question on the part of the Jews concerning his admission into fellowship with the Pentecostal church? Why was he baptized with water? First, we call attention ...
  • Chapter 11 The Circumcision and the Uncircumcision (Acts 11:1-30)
    “And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them” (Acts 11:2-3). These verses prove to us that even though God had begun to fulfill the words of the prophets by taking out from among both Jew ...
  • Chapter 12 The Death of James (Acts 12:1-25)
    “Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword” (Acts 12:1-2). This James was very probably the one who, with Peter and John, enjoyed such close and intimate fellowship with the Lord on various occasions. We recall that ...
  • Chapter 13 First Missionary Journey — Barnabas and Saul (Acts 13:1-52)
    “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and ...
  • Chapter 14 Paul and Barnabas Finish Their First Journey (Acts 14:1-28)
    Paul and Barnabas, having been expelled from the coasts of Antioch in Pisidia, moved on into Iconium. “And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving ...
  • Chapter 15 The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1-41)
    Dissension within the circle of the saved was stirred up by “certain men” which came down from Judaea to Antioch and taught the brethren, saying, “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1). James, who seems to have been the spokesman for the elders in Jerusalem, makes it ...
  • Chapter 16 Second Missionary Journey — Paul and Silas (Acts 16:1-40)
    In the closing verses of chapter 15, we have the account of sharp contention between Paul and Barnabas, which resulted in their separation. They had labored together on the first missionary journey, but when about to start out together again, they could not agree on the question of taking John Mark along with them. John ...
  • Chapter 17 The Synagogue, the Market Place, Mars Hill (Acts 17:1-34)
    In this chapter, we find Paul ministering the Word in the “synagogue” on the sabbath days, reasoning with others who met with him daily in the market place, and preaching the Word with power on Mars hill (Acts 17:1-3,10-17,22-31). Jesus Set Forth as King After finishing their ministry in Philippi, Paul and his company moved on to ...
  • Chapter 18 Paul’s First Ministry in Corinth (Acts 18:1-18)
    After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; and found a certain Jew namedAquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome;) and came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, ...
  • Chapter 19 Paul Back in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-41)
    Paul having passed through the upper coast “came to Ephesus” (Acts 19:1). This return visit to Ephesus was in fulfillment of a promise, which Paul had made to Aquila and Priscilla. The promise is recorded in chapter 18, verses 20-21—”When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; but bade them ...
  • Chapter 20 Paul Heads Toward Jerusalem (Acts 20:1-38)
    After the uproar referred to in chapter 19, “Paul called “unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed” from Ephesus “to go into Macedonia. And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, and there abode three months, and when the Jews laid in wait ...
  • Chapter 21 Paul Takes a Jewish Vow (Acts 21:1-40)
    Many students of the Word are quick to criticize Paul for making his last visit to Jerusalem. Still a larger number argue that he was entirely out of the will of the Lord when he arrived at Jerusalem, entered the temple and took a Jewish vow, and waited for the accomplishment of the days of ...
  • Chapter 22 Paul Addresses the Jews in Jerusalem (Acts 22:1-30)
    Paul’s presence in the Jerusalem Temple caused no small uproar in the capital city. The Jews drew him out of the temple, forthwith shut the doors and went about to kill him (Acts 21:30-31). The “chief captain,” a Roman officer in command of a thousand soldiers, took charge of Paul. Because of the violence of the ...
  • Chapter 23 Paul Brought Before the Chief Priests (Acts 23:1-35)
    In this chapter, Paul is brought before the chief priests of the Jews and their council, a group commonly known as the Sanhedrin. “And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day” (Acts 23:1). The expression, “earnestly beholding” means that Paul “fixed his eyes ...
  • Chapter 24 Paul Before Felix (Acts 24:1-27)
    When Paul left Jerusalem by command of the chief captain (Acts 23:23-24), he was really on his way to Rome. However, he was to stop over in Caesarea to appear before Felix the governor (Acts 23:24 through chapter 24), and Agrippa, the king (Acts chapter 25). By command of these three Roman officers: the chief captain, ...
  • Chapter 25 Paul Before Festus (Acts 25:1-27)
    When Festus “came unto Felix’ room” as governor, he found Paul in prison. Felix had left him there because he was willing “to show the Jews a pleasure” (Acts 24:27). The “more than forty” Jews, which banded themselves together “under a great curse” that they would not eat until they had slain Paul (Acts 23:12-14), were ...
  • Chapter 26 Paul Speaks For Himself Before Agrippa (Acts 26:1-32)
    “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: especially because I know thee to ...
  • Chapter 27 Sailing With Paul (Acts 27:1-28:15)
    The apostle Paul enjoyed that sweet and unusual fellowship with God which gives one courage in times of extreme testing. This explains why he became such a heroic figure in the midst of those who sailed with him on the voyage, which is described in the verses of our text. It was by the grace ...
  • Chapter 28 Paul’s Last Message to National Israel (Acts 28:16-31)
    Paul arrived at Rome under the protection of the centurion, who delivered his prisoners to the “captain of the guard.” However, “Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.” (Acts 28:16). Just three days after Paul arrived in Rome, he “called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were ...