No—God did not give up on Israel after they crucified Jesus.
God, in His grace, continued to appeal to the nation of Israel after the crucifixion through Peter and the eleven, offering them the King and the Kingdom if they would repent and believe. Les Feldick teaches that Israel's rejection reached its crescendo at Stephen's stoning, yet God is not through with Israel and will still fulfill His covenant promises.
Acts 3:17 — Peter directly addresses Israel after the crucifixion, acknowledging their ignorance—showing God was still speaking to the nation.
Acts 3:19-21 — The promise that repentance would lead to the return of Christ shows the offer of the King and Kingdom was still open to Israel.
After the crucifixion, Acts 3 shows Peter still addressing Israel directly. Peter says, "And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." His message calls the nation to "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." The passage then ties that repentance to the return of Christ: "And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." The words "brethren" and "your rulers" show that the very people who had orchestrated the crucifixion were being directly addressed and offered forgiveness and restoration. The Bible therefore presents Israel as still being the people God is dealing with after the cross, not a nation abandoned at that moment.
Les Feldick teaches that God had not canceled the nation of Israel after the crucifixion. In the early chapters of Acts, Peter and the eleven continue to plead with Israel to recognize that the One they crucified was the Messiah, their King, who was alive and could still be their King. God was still giving Israel the opportunity to repent of killing their King and to receive the King and the Kingdom if they would only believe. Les explains that Israel's rejection reached its crescendo at the stoning of Stephen in Acts chapter 7. From that point, Israel slid into dispersion and the temple was taken away in 70 A.D., and God turned to the Gentiles. However, Les emphasizes that God promised from day one that He would not give up on them—He is not through with the Jew and will yet bring them back to the land and fulfill all the covenant promises made to their forefathers.
Les points out that after the ascension, Peter is "strictly appealing to the Jew" in the early chapters of Acts. Jesus had spent 40 days after the resurrection appealing to the nation through the eleven, and God "has yet not canceled the nation of Israel." Everything was still within the prospect that Israel could have the King and the Kingdom, even though Christ knew what they would do.
Peter's theme in the early chapters was that the One Israel had crucified was the Christ, their King, and that He was alive and could still be their King. He pleaded with the nation to repent of the horrible sin of having crucified their King and still held out the opportunity for the King and the Kingdom if they would believe. He also told them, "I know that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers."
Les says Israel's rejection reached the "crescendo" when they stoned Stephen in Acts chapter 7. From that point, Israel just slid down into dispersion, the temple was taken away in 70 A.D., and God turned to the Gentiles. Yet Les clarifies that this was not a final rejection of Israel by God.
Les teaches that God promised from day one that He would not give up on Israel; one day He will yet bring them back to the land and fulfill all the promises He made to their forefathers. God is not through with the Jew and will come back to keep His covenant promises with them as a nation, though they have suffered catastrophe after catastrophe because they rejected their Messiah.
Acts 4 Explained: No Other Name — Only Jesus Saves
We don't have any, what shall I say, no underwritten, and we just depend on God's people. And again, I just always like to let you know how we appreciate your letters, your little short notes of encouragement. And as I said earlier, nothing thrills me more than when you write and say that you're finally understanding what the Bible has been all about and not to change a thing.
Israel's Crescendo of Rejection
Les shows that Israel's rejection of God's offer reached its highest point at Stephen's stoning, after which Israel slid into dispersion and God turned to the Gentiles.
Peter's Message: The Crucified One Is King
Les explains that the whole theme of Peter and the eleven was that the One Israel crucified was the Christ, that He was alive, and that He could still be their King.
God Had Not Canceled Israel
Les emphasizes that after the resurrection and even in early Acts, God had not canceled Israel and the King and Kingdom were still a real prospect for them.
God Promised Not to Give Up on Israel
Les teaches that God promised from day one He would not give up on Israel and will yet fulfill all the promises made to their forefathers.
The Kingdom Offer Still Open
Les shows that in the Book of Acts, God still gave Israel the opportunity to repent of crucifying their King and to have the King and Kingdom if they would believe.
Peter's Appeal to the Jew
Les notes that Peter's early Acts message was strictly an appeal to the Jew, extending the offer Israel had been given during Christ's earthly ministry.
God Not Through With Israel
Les states plainly that God is not through with the Jew, while also highlighting Peter's words that Israel acted through ignorance.
Acts 3:17: And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
Peter addresses Israel after the crucifixion, acknowledging their ignorance and showing God was still speaking to them.
Acts 3:19: Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
The call to repent implies that Israel's sins, including crucifying Christ, could still be blotted out.
Acts 3:20: And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
The promise of Christ's coming is still held out to Israel if they repent.
Acts 3:21: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Heaven receives Christ until the times of restoration, showing God's ongoing prophetic plan with Israel.
No. Les explains that in the early chapters of Acts, God continued to deal with Israel through Peter and the eleven. Only after Israel rejected the message, culminating in Stephen's stoning, did Israel slide into dispersion and God turn to the Gentiles.
Les points to Peter's statement that they acted through ignorance—"through ignorance ye did it"—though he also notes Israel should have known and could have known. Their ignorance did not cancel God's later promises.
Yes, according to Les. God promised from day one that He would not give up on them; He is not through with the Jew and will yet keep the covenant promises made to their forefathers.
Watch the Teaching: Acts 4 Explained: No Other Name — Only Jesus Saves