What would have happened after Jesus' ascension if Israel had accepted Him as the Christ?
According to the Old Testament, if Israel had accepted Him as the Christ after His ascension, He would not have stayed at the Father’s right hand long but would have come right back and set up His kingdom, and Israel could have evangelized the Gentiles. This was hypothetical, based on Israel’s obedience and belief.
Les teaches that the Old Testament expectation was that after His ascension, the Christ would not have stayed at the Father’s right hand very long. If Israel had believed and obeyed, recognizing that the crucified One was the Christ and their King, He would have come right back and set up His kingdom. The book of Acts shows Peter and the eleven preaching this to Israel: the One you crucified was the Christ, He is alive, and He can yet come and be their King. All these things were prophesied to fall into place with the coming King and kingdom, and then Israel could have evangelized the Gentiles. But Les emphasizes the big “if”: this was hypothetical, because in reality Israel rejected it in unbelief, and God instead turned to the Gentiles with the age of grace.