Book of Acts: An Encouragement to Israelis

We are heading into a special period of growth and multiplication. In Israel, the rains have been abundant (see Hos. 6:3); the almond flowers have blossomed (see Jer. 1:11); this is an “acceptable year of favor” (see Is. 61:2).

The book of Acts documents the growth in numbers of the early disciples. It started at the Holy Spirit outpouring in Jerusalem.

• Acts 2:41 – About 3,000 souls were added. It continued in the first community of faith there.
• Acts 2:47 – The Lord added daily those who were being saved. In the wake of healing miracles and religious persecution, more were added.
• Acts 4:4 – Many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of men came to about 5,000. After the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira, the numbers increased even more.
• Acts 5:14 – Believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women. The number increased among Greek-speaking Jews as well.
• Acts 6:1 – In those days the number of the disciples was multiplying. With new administrative and financial order, the numbers grew even more, including ultra-Orthodox religious Jews in the Temple.
• Acts 6:7 – The number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. The revival spread northward to Samaria.
• Acts 8:14 – Samaria received the word of God. It reached national proportions after Saul (Paul) came to faith.
• Acts 9:31 – The church in all Judea, Galilee and Samaria … grew in number. Greater Tel Aviv today includes Jaffa, Lod and Sharon. It contains the largest number of Jewish people living in one place at any time in history. This entire area turned to the Lord 2,000 years ago. (Notice the word “all.”)
• Acts 9:35 – All the inhabitants of Lydda (Lod) and Sharon turned to the Lord.
• Acts 9:42 – This was made known in all Joppa (Jaffa) and many believed. Hallelujah! All Tel Aviv (Jaffa, Lod and Sharon) had a revival. From there it spread into Europe, Asia and Africa. The growth continued in Antioch (see Acts 13:44), Iconium (14:1), Lystra (16:2), Thessalonica (17:1), Berea (17:10), Athens (17:15), all of Asia Minor (19:10), Ephesus (19:17), myriads in Jerusalem (21:17), Malta (28:9) and Rome (28:30).

May these verses from Acts about growth in numbers encourage you! All Israel will be saved (see Rom. 11:26); all Tel Aviv will be saved (see Acts 9:35). If it happened then, it can happen now. If it happened in Israel, it can happen in your nation.