Les Feldick Bible Study

What did God send Jesus to bless Israel by doing and what was required of every Jew?

God sent Jesus to bless Israel by turning away every Jew, requiring every Jew to repent of sin and follow with water baptism, as Acts 2:38 shows, as the prerequisite for the King. This was a valid offer, but God knew Israel would not do it, so He would go to the Gentiles without Israel.

Les explains that God raised up His Son Jesus and sent Him to bless Israel by turning away every Jew. Every Jew had to turn; that was the prerequisite for the King. Every Jew had to repent of their sin and follow it with water baptism, and Acts 2:38 was still appropriate. Then Christ would have ushered in the tribulation, lifted the curse, and brought in the kingdom, and Israel could have gone out and evangelized the nations and brought them to a knowledge. Les notes that was a valid offer, but God knew Israel wouldn't do it, and so He would go to the Gentiles without Israel. He also stresses that from the crucifixion until the destruction of the temple by the Roman army was 40 years; Acts is a 40-year period in which God is still dealing with His covenant people, even though He starts going to the Gentiles before that 40 years is up. At the end of the 40 years, Israel is still adamant in unbelief, so the sovereign God permits Rome to come in, destroy the city and temple, and send Israel into dispersion among all the nations.

Acts 3:26

Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.