Was God surprised when Israel rejected and Rome crucified the Messiah?
No. Scripture shows Christ's rejection and crucifixion were not unforeseen events but occurred according to God's determinate counsel and foreknowledge. Peter declared that Israel crucified the Messiah by God's predetermined plan, and it was all determined in eternity past. Therefore, God was not caught off guard by Israel's rejection or Rome's execution.
Les explains that God in His sovereignty keeps things hidden from human understanding until it is His time to reveal them (s238-s242). He then points to Acts chapter 2, where Peter preaches to the nation of Israel about having crucified their Messiah and says, “Him who by the determinate counsel of God and His foreknowledge you crucify” (s247-s252). Les asks whether God was surprised when Israel rejected the Messiah or when Rome crucified Him, and answers no, because it was all predetermined back in eternity past (s253-s258). He applies the same principle to the truths Paul says were hidden in the mind of God (s243-s246).
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
More Questions
Was God caught by surprise when Israel and the Gentiles opposed Jesus?
God was not caught by surprise by what happened to Jesus; nothing occurred that He had not foreordained, because it was all in His eternal purpose.
Was God caught off guard by the rejection and opposition to Christ?
God was not caught by surprise when the rulers and peoples gathered against His Christ.