What did Peter say God would do if Israel repented?
Peter said that if Israel repented, God would send the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord and send Jesus Christ, their promised Messiah, back to them. Israel would be restored to fellowship, and their sins would be blotted out through that promised kingdom blessing.
Les explains that Peter’s statement is not a period but a semicolon; the thought continues into verse 20. If Israel would repent, God would send the refreshing in the person of the Lord Jesus Himself, sending Jesus Christ who was before preached unto them. The nation could be restored to fellowship and their sins blotted out when times of refreshing come from the Lord’s presence. Les notes that if Christ returned, the kingdom would become viable and visible, but not immediately eternal; it would first last a thousand years. Scripture does not indicate that thousand-year timeframe until Revelation. Peter spoke of the kingdom promised to Abraham: when their Messiah returned based on Israel’s repentance and believing who Jesus is, God would have sent Christ. But verse 21 required a seven-year interlude Daniel spoke of in chapter 9, the seven years of tribulation, which is the times of restitution mentioned here.