What did Israel have to go through before the King and kingdom could come?
Before the King and kingdom could come, Israel especially had to go through seven horrible years—the tribulation—described as the restitution of all things. This included the lifting of the curse, Satan’s defeat, and the earth’s regeneration so it could be made gloriously beautiful again for the kingdom reign.
Les teaches that Peter, in full agreement with the Old Testament, understood heaven must receive or hold Jesus until the times of restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all God’s holy prophets since the age began. The Old Testament is full of the truth that before the king and the kingdom could come on the scene, Israel especially was going to have to go through those seven horrible years of restitution of all things. That period involves the lifting of the curse, the tribulation, the defeat of Satan, and the earth being regenerated and made gloriously beautiful again for the kingdom reign. Psalms 110:1 says to sit at the Father’s right hand until His enemies are made His footstool, which would be done during the tribulation. Then Israel could have her king and her kingdom, and Peter was expecting it. He was enraptured with the idea that if Israel would repent and believe who Jesus was, their Messiah would return and they could yet have the kingdom, though he seems to have forgotten Jesus’ earlier indication that Peter would suffer an ignominious death.