Why did Israel miss the Messiah?
Israel missed the Messiah because they sought righteousness not by faith but by the works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, Christ Jesus of Nazareth, rejecting the precious truths concerning Him and His finished work on the cross. Salvation is by faith plus nothing, not human merit or legal works.
Les explains that Israel missed the Messiah because they sought righteousness as it were by the works of the law, not by faith. They stumbled at the stumbling stone, which is Christ, Jesus of Nazareth. He remains the stone of stumbling for the world today. Scripture says, 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.' The same works-religion mindset is still present in 90% of Christendom, including Protestantism, Catholicism, and the cults, where people think they must do this and that so maybe God will accept them. But Paul screams it is not of works; it is all of faith, faith plus nothing, relying on the finished work of Christ on our behalf. Israel's error was seeking acceptance through legal works rather than believing on the stumbling stone.
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;