Acts records the transition to this new age. One can hardly read its pages without being impressed by the multiple references to tongues, signs, wonders, healings, visions, angelic missions, prophecies, dreams, etc., especially as recorded in the early chapters. The question raised by these phenomena is: Were these unique to that period or are they to be normative to the Church at all times? Were they transitional as are much of the happenings in Acts or are they descriptive of what we should expect today? Before I address the question, note the documentation of these miraculous events below.

1. That the predominance of signs, wonders, visions, healings, etc., in the first column (Acts 1-12), occurs less and less frequently as the rest of the book unfolds? In fact, from chapter 20 to the close of the Book, i.e., in thirty-two per cent of the text, only two or three of these miraculous phenomena are recorded.

What I am trying to illustrate here is the temporary and transitional nature of the miraculous phenomena recorded in Acts. The diminution of the signs, the wonders, the miraculous and the special revelations as the Book progresses are indicative that these special gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit were winding down if not totally coming to an end even before Luke wrote the final sentence.

Paul himself writing in 56 A.D. (before the Book of Acts was composed) clearly stated that the extra revelatory gifts of knowledge, prophecy, and tongues were temporary and would cease (I Cor. 13:8). There we are told that tongues would "cease of themselves" (the voice is middle), indicating that they would phase out of their own accord, most likely when that generation passed away.¹ Knowledge and prophecy would "cease" or "vanish away." ²

Hebrews 2:3,4, written before 70 A.D., indicates that many of the gifts of the Holy Spirit so normative in the early portions of Acts (ca. 30-38 A.D.) had already ceased:

History also confirms that the miraculous, so common in Acts, was transitional and temporary, for after the first century, tongues and the miracle gifts are referred to by writers as phenomena unique to Apostolic times. John Chrysostom (ca. 345-407 A.D.), one of the great defenders of literal biblical interpretation, when writing on the miraculous spiritual gifts recorded in I Corinthians 12 stated,   

The very sovereign Lord who so abundantly bestowed the blessings and gifts manifested early in Acts also terminated them when His purposes for the early church were finished. They were once and for all happenings, not to be repeated. We are not to seek their repetition. Those who so do fail to realize the transitional nature of this marvelous and informative Book. Moreover, they are seeking what God has determined is not for our day.

The spectacular giving of the Law at Sinai is comparable. Angelic involvement was awesome. In recounting the event, Moses wrote:

Think of that: thousands upon thousands of angels swarming to and around the glorious presence of Jehovah as he descended upon Mt. Sinai from Seir and Paran to the east! What a glorious, yet sobering sight! The Israelites stood in terror and awe! The people were not to go near nor even touch the mountain under penalty of death. Thunders, lightnings, earth tremors, and blasts from a heavenly trumpet accompanied God as he called Moses to the mount.

Other writers of scripture call attention to the angelic involvement in this revelatory action:

• Stephen said, "The fathers (of Israel) received the Law by the disposition of angels…" NASV translates "as ordained by angels." (Acts 7:53) The meaning is that the Law was enjoined or communicated by angels!
• Paul wrote, "The Law was ordained ("commanded," " administered," " arranged") by angels in the hand of a mediator (Moses)." (Galatians 3:19) Amazing!
• The Writer to the Hebrew Christians stated, "… the word spoken by angels was steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward…" (Hebrews 2:2) Angels were not just peripherally involved: their communications were authoritative!

Sinai marked an outstanding and dramatic event in God’s revelatory dealings with mankind in general and Israel in particular. Israel at Sinai was being called into a Law-covenanted relationship with Jehovah: Sinai highlighted their transition to a theocratic state.

The multitudinous and varied manifestations of God over the forty days and nights and even the year that completed their stay at Sinai are unique. VERY MUCH LIKE THE BOOK OF ACTS, THEY HAPPENED OVER A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD OF TIME, THEN CEASED AND WERE NOT TO BE REPEATED!

The transition to the Church Age, recorded in Acts, is filled with extra revelatory acts of our risen Lord. Once the Church was established and the canon of scripture complete, the special gifts and multiplied revelations from God ceased and are not to be repeated during the Church Age. God now calls us to faith in His Word, not to miracles, signs, and wonders.

Stated another way: The miracles and varied revelations in Acts via visions, dreams, Christophanies, angelic missions, prophecies, etc., are all part of the transitional nature of the Book of Acts. Miss that and you miss one of the main thrusts of the Book!

Footnotes:

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