Why did God raise up Paul after Peter in early Acts?

After Israel rejected and crucified their Messiah, and Peter could not bring them to believe in early Acts, God raised up Saul of Tarsus, known as Paul. Paul was sent primarily to the Gentiles, just as Peter had gone primarily to the Jews.

Les explains that Israel had rejected and crucified their Messiah, and Peter could not get them to believe in the early chapters of Acts. Therefore God raised up that other little Jew, Saul of Tarsus, whom we know as Paul, and sent him primarily to the Gentiles. This was a contrast with Peter, who went primarily to the Jew. Just as there were Gentile exceptions while God dealt with Israel, there are individual Jews who can be saved in the age of grace.

When did God call Paul to go to the Gentiles?

God called Paul to go to the Gentiles well into the book of Acts, when Paul was called aside and told he would be sent far hence to the Gentiles. By Acts 28 Paul had already been among Gentiles many years, going first to Jews in synagogues, then turning to Gentiles upon rejection.