How is God's plan of redemption connected to Israel and the seed promise?
Redemption is tied to the promised seed, who is Christ—both the seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15 and the seed of Abraham through whom all kindreds of the earth would be blessed. God's covenant promise ran through Israel, the covenant people, and Peter declared that blessing was sent to them first.
Les explains that Peter, speaking to the nation of Israel, calls them children of the prophets and children of the covenant God made with their fathers. That covenant said to Abraham, “And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” Les ties this seed promise back to Genesis 3:15, the seed of the woman, and identifies it as Christ. So God's plan of redemption for the whole human race was connected to Israel, because it was going to come through the nation of Israel. Peter pleads with them as the covenant people to believe and accept Him as King and Messiah. In verse 26, “Unto you first,” God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless them in turning away. Les points out that every Jew had to believe and be converted and understand Jesus was the Christ. Then they could have had the Tribulation, the King, and the Kingdom just that quick, and afterward evangelize the whole Gentile world as the Old Testament prophesied.
Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.