Les Feldick Bible Study

How did God bless Israel by sending Jesus?

God sent Jesus to bless Israel by turning away every Jew from sin. Every Jew had to repent and be water baptized as the prerequisite for the King, after which Christ would have ushered in the tribulation, lifted the curse, brought the kingdom, and Israel could have evangelized the nations.

Les explains that the blessing was conditional: God raised up His Son Jesus and sent Him to bless Israel by turning away every one of them. Every Jew had to turn, repent of their sin, and follow with water baptism; Acts 2:38 was still appropriate. That national turning was the prerequisite for the King. Then Christ would have ushered in the tribulation, lifted the curse, brought in the kingdom, and Israel could have gone out to evangelize the nations and bring them to a knowledge. But it was only a valid offer, because God knew Israel would not do it, and He would go to the Gentiles without Israel. Les also notes that from the crucifixion to the Roman destruction of the temple was 40 years, the book of Acts covering that 40-year period while God still dealt with His covenant people. At the end of the 40 years Israel remained adamant in unbelief, so God permitted Rome to destroy the city and temple and sent Israel into dispersion among all nations, a dispersion that has begun to end but has not fully ended.