Why did God raise up Paul and send him primarily to the Gentiles after Israel rejected Christ?
After Israel rejected and crucified their Messiah, and Peter could not bring them to believe in the early chapters of Acts, God raised up Saul of Tarsus, known as Paul, and sent him primarily to the Gentiles. This mirrored earlier Gentile exceptions while God dealt with Israel, though individual Jews can still be saved in the age of grace.
Les explains that the nation of Israel 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, known as Paul, and sent him primarily to the Gentiles. Earlier, God had gone primarily to the Jew, with Gentile exceptions; now Paul goes primarily to the Gentiles, while individual Jews can still be saved in the age of grace. Les also stresses that God is not through with Israel; Jeremiah 31:35-36 and Jeremiah 30:5 show the tribulation is primarily God dealing with Israel, not the church.