What did God offer Israel through Jesus, and why did Israel not receive it?
Through Jesus, God offered Israel the Kingdom with Him as their King, if they would simply believe. Israel did not receive it because they would not believe; they rejected Him, stumbled at His lowly coming on a donkey’s colt rather than a conquering royal steed, exercising their free will to refuse the offer.
Les explains that the offer went out to Israel that Jesus was their King and that He was ready to give them the Kingdom if they would just believe. But their response was rejection—they asked, “Does anything good come out of Nazareth?” Instead of arriving on a big prancing white Arabian steed as emperors did, He came on the colt of a donkey, the lowliest, and that threw them a curve. Les also teaches that God in His sovereignty is in control of everything, yet He never takes away the free will of men and nations. Before creation, the Godhead knew by foreknowledge exactly what every person and nation would do, so God could plan for every contingency without removing human free will. Israel had absolute freedom to accept Him and have the Kingdom, but they also had free will to reject it, and that is what they were doing. It did not throw God a curve, because He knew what they would do.