Strange conclusions

Recently I came across an interesting post regarding progressive revelation:

http://www.predestinarian.net/content/124-Progressive-Revelation-in-the-book-of-Acts

This author recognizes the need to observe progressive revelation when studying the Book of Acts; however, he has decided on the front end that the earthly kingdom will never be restored to the nation Israel — which has caused him to come to some rather strange conclusions. For example, he says this:

“Many statements and events recorded in early Acts betray a lack of understanding of what God would ultimately reveal as the gospel in its fullness. Starting with the apostles’ question to Christ in Acts 1:6: Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? we see a sequence of immature persuasion on display. The Lord might have answered immediately: "Don’t you remember what I said in the parable of the vineyard laborers? The kingdom will NEVER be restored to Israel" but that is not what he did.  He left the weeding out of false beliefs to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit that would finally result in a full understanding of the truth of the gospel.

and this:

"The Lord did not see fit to correct this immature understanding even in Acts 8.  The Holy Spirit waited until after the application of water baptism before he came upon any of the converts in Pentecostal powers."

So he's saying that our Lord basically misled people until the full revelation was given??? 

Let me offer another option.  I propose that He didn’t correct the people's understanding in both instances because what they believed was true at the time — the earthly kingdom was still at hand, and it was still faith plus works — because Israel hadn't yet been put aside in unbelief. In fact, the kingdom was offered in Acts 3:17-26, and, baptism was still a required proof of faith at that time (see Acts 2:38), just as it had been during Christ's earthly ministry (see Matt 3:6 and Mk 1:4; 16:16). 

Furthermore, although the author of this post points out that even in Acts 8 the Holy Spirit waited until after believers were baptized before He came upon them, he doesn't mention that in this particular instance He also waited until after Peter and John had laid hands upon them.  But Scripture explains this for us as well.

In Acts 8:14-17 we are told, "Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit."  So why didn't these Samaritans, who had believed and been baptized, receive the Holy Spirit as according to Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38?  The reason can be found in the relationship between the Jews and Samaritans.

According to Ezekiel 37:15-19, the division between Samaria and Jerusalem must be healed before Christ can reign.  Israel and Judah — the ten tribes and the two — must be reunited for Christ is to reign over all twelve tribes.  The apostles recognized this because our Lord had promised them twelve thrones in the kingdom (Matt 19:28).  But it wasn't enough that the two be brought together.  The ten tribes were the ones which had apostatized and had made Samaria their capital city and had set up their own temple at Mt. Gerizim.  They had to renounce all this and recognize Jerusalem as the seat of authority because it is there that Christ and the twelve will reign. 

This fact was impressed upon the Samaritan believers, because although they had believed and been baptized, they didn't receive the Holy Spirit until two apostles had come from Jerusalem and had prayed for them and laid their hands upon them. 

Two apostles were enough for this according to Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15; and 2 Corinthians 13:1, and Peter and John, with Philip, made three witnesses.  In fact, our Lord had specified that any two of the apostles could act officially for Him in His absence in Matthew 18:18-20.

So the believers at Samaria recognized the authority of the twelve at Jerusalem and, had the kingdom been accepted, would have become one nation with the Jews.  As it is, though, the restoration of the United Kingdom of Israel under Messiah awaits a future day.