Les Feldick Bible Study

Did Israel's rejection and crucifixion of Jesus surprise God or was it part of His plan?

Israel’s rejection and crucifixion of Jesus did not take God by surprise. It occurred according to God’s foreknowledge and the determined counsel of the Godhead, decided before anything happened. God knew what Israel would do, yet their choice remained real, and they acted by wicked hands in crucifying Him.

Les explains that God in His foreknowledge knew every person’s response to His offer of salvation, including what Israel would do. He knew this from the time He brought the nation on the scene through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In His foreknowledge, everything would come together according to His plan, but that did not take away Israel’s choice; God simply knew what they would do with their choice. Peter says they did not take God by surprise when they rejected and crucified Jesus. It was all decided before anything happened, according to the Determined Counsel, the full agreement of the Godhead, and foreknowledge of God. Yet Israel still took Him and by wicked hands crucified and slain Him.