Was Jesus' offer of Himself as King to Israel a genuine, valid offer, and what was He coming to be for them?
Yes, Christ’s presentation of Himself as Israel’s King was a genuine and valid offer. He came to His own people to be their Redeemer and King, but they rejected that offer. Their rejection did not thwart God’s eternal purpose; it opened salvation by faith alone to the whole human race.
Les teaches that when Christ came and presented Himself as the King of Israel, it was a valid offer. He came to His own to be their Redeemer and King, but as a valid offer, they rejected it. Les explains that this rejection fulfilled the eternal purposes: salvation came to the whole human race without Israel, without the Law, without the Temple, and without proselyting. It became salvation by faith, and faith alone. Les says this is glorious and something believers should get more excited about, while avoiding both wild emotionalism and staid religionism. He also connects this to Galatians 3:14, where Christ became the curse—hung on a stake like Deuteronomy’s wayward rebel son—so that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, not through the salvation of Israel.