How did the nation of Israel respond to Jesus at His first advent?

Les explains that the nation was in a Jewish background under the covenant promises and the law, and nothing had changed except that their Messiah had made His appearance. He had presented Himself to Israel as their King, Redeemer, and Messiah, but for the most part the nation rejected it. Though several thousand came around to it, on the whole Israel rejected Christ at His first advent and crucified Him. The same pattern continued in Acts: Peter appealed to the nation over and over to repent of having crucified their Messiah, yet God had raised Him from the dead, and He was alive and still in a position to come back as their King, but Israel rejected Him. Israel went on in unbelief until Acts chapter 9, when God supernaturally saved Saul of Tarsus and announced He would send him far hence to the Gentiles.