Peter, Ananias and Sapphira, and the sons of thunder

I cannot leave our discussion of no condemnation in New Testament prophecy, without discussing the anomaly of the Ananias and Sapphire incident. I am calling it an anomaly because, as we saw earlier (24th November), God’s normal mode of operating since Christ, is that wrath and condemnation are postponed until the day of Judgement (Romans 2:5). But in the story of Ananias and Sapphira, judgement was not only not delayed until judgement day, it was immediate! They were both (I would argue) taken home prematurely to heaven for “simply” lying about how much they had received for the sale of their land (Acts 5:1-11).

Related to our issue, is the incident where James and John had asked Jesus if they could call down fire from heaven. They were outraged, because a village of the Samaritans had not received Him. Jesus rebuked them, and in one version we read that He told them “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of” (Luke 9:54). It is interesting to me, that he did not tell them that they did could not do it, that they did not have the authority to do that (Matthew 28:18-20). Kris Vallotton tells the story of an early mentor of his pronouncing death to someone who was resisting him, and the man fell down dead! So it can be done, but I understand Jesus to be saying that that is not of His Spirit!

If you think about it, if this was the norm of the way that the Lord operates in this day and age, there would be people dying left right and centre. I mean which one of us has not lied? But to say it again, His mercy is designed to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4). This does not mean that the Lord cannot, nor does not, take people home when their behaviour is detrimental what He is wanting to do. He is sovereign! In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, it seems to me, that at the birth of the church, the leaven of the hypocrisy that lay behind Ananias and Sapphire’s lie, needed to be nipped in the bud.

Father, I am left with a question, and it is a question not a statement. It is clear that James and John were operating in Old Testament mode in their request. My question is, was Peter operating in the same way with the Ananias and Sapphira? I mean he certainly was later, when under pressure he no longer sat with the Gentiles (Galatians 2:11)! In any case Lord we seem to need Your help, both inside and outside the prophetic, to operate our of mercy rather than judgement (James 2:13), and I am asking You for that help today and every day, in Jesus Name Amen