How does this verse connect to Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah? Acts 2:24 in Context “ ‘But God raised Him up, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches.’ ” • Peter’s statement sits at the center of his Pentecost sermon. • He is explaining that the resurrection was not an unexpected twist but the fulfillment of God’s revealed plan. Psalm 16—The Promise of No Decay Peter immediately supports his claim with Psalm 16:8-11 (Acts 2:25-28). • Psalm 16:10: “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.” • David wrote the psalm, yet his tomb was still with them (Acts 2:29). • Therefore the words must point beyond David to the Messiah who would literally be kept from bodily corruption. • Acts 2:24 declares that God broke death’s grip; Psalm 16 foretold that death’s grip would never close permanently on the Holy One. Foreshadows in the Prophets • “After He has made His soul a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, prolong His days…” • The Servant dies, yet He later “prolongs” His days—resurrection is the only way both statements stand literally true. • Acts 2:24 shows the moment those prolonged days begin. • “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.” • Paul later ties this verse to the resurrection (Acts 13:33). The “today” is the day God raises the Son and publicly affirms His royal status—exactly what Peter is celebrating in Acts 2:24. • “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” • Resurrection is required before enthronement. Acts 2:24 leads straight to Acts 2:33, where Jesus is now exalted at the right hand of God, matching the psalm. The Sign of Jonah and Hosea’s Third Day Hope Jonah 1:17; 2:10 • Three days and nights in the fish prefigure three days in the tomb. • Jesus Himself connected Jonah’s experience to His own resurrection sign (Matthew 12:40). Acts 2:24 records the historical completion of that prophetic pattern. • “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.” • Though spoken of Israel’s restoration, the verse finds fullest expression in Messiah’s third-day rising, making life in God’s presence possible for His people. David’s Eternal Throne—2 Samuel 7 • God promised David a descendant whose kingdom would be established “forever” (2 Samuel 7:13). • An eternal reign demands a living, never-dying King. • Acts 2:24 supplies the necessary event: the King conquers death, guaranteeing the “forever” of the covenant. Summary Connections • Acts 2:24 is the historical hinge on which multiple Old Testament prophecies turn. • Psalm 16 pinpoints victory over decay; Isaiah 53 and Hosea 6 reveal life beyond death; Psalm 2 and 110 show enthronement that presupposes resurrection; Jonah’s pattern and David’s covenant depend on it. • Peter’s declaration is therefore not a new idea but the literal fulfillment of God’s long-announced plan for His Messiah. |
    |