Yes — God knew from eternity past that Israel would reject Jesus as their King, even though the offer of the Kingdom was genuinely valid.
Les Feldick teaches that God was never caught by surprise. The Godhead pre-planned redemption before creation, and Acts 2:23 states that Jesus was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. Yet that same foreknowledge did not make the Kingdom offer empty — Israel could have had the King, but in His foreknowledge God knew they would crucify Him.
Psalm 2:1-2 — Psalm 2 pictures the rulers of the earth taking counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed — the passage Les uses to explain that both Israel and the nations conspired to reject and crucify the Messiah.
Acts 2:23 — Peter's statement that Jesus was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God directly shows that God was not surprised by the crucifixion.
Psalm 2:1-2 asks, 'Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.' The psalm describes rulers conspiring against God's anointed King, and Psalm 2:4 answers, 'He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.' In Acts 2:22-23, Peter tells the men of Israel that 'Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.' The passage plainly ties the crucifixion to the very counsel and foreknowledge of God. Psalm 110:1 shows the ascended Messiah seated at God's right hand — 'The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool' — and Matthew 23:37 records Jesus' lament over Jerusalem: 'How often would I have gathered thy children together... and ye would not!'
Les Feldick is emphatic that God was not caught by surprise. He says the crucifixion was all in God's foreknowledge — Jesus told the twelve in detail that He would be scourged, beaten, put to death, and raised on the third day, and He knew it from eternity past. Even in Acts 2, when Peter accuses Israel of crucifying their Messiah, Les points out that the nation did not take God by surprise: it was all decided before anything ever happened, according to the determinate counsel, the full agreement of the Godhead, and the foreknowledge of God. Long before creation, the Godhead planned to bring the human race on the scene, knowing they would sin and need a Redeemer, and in His foreknowledge God knew Israel would reject the King. At the same time, Les stresses that the Kingdom offer was valid. Comparing it to God's offer of the Promised Land at Kadesh Barnea, he says the offer was genuine — but Israel rejected it in unbelief. Les also reminds his students that God makes valid offers knowing they will not be accepted, as He did with Adam and Eve in the garden. If Israel had accepted the King, Les says, God in His own providence would still have taken care of the sacrifice that had to be accomplished. Les also clarifies who was responsible for the rejection: Psalm 2 pictures the rulers of Israel and the kings of the earth conspiring together, and at the crucifixion Jew and Gentile together consorted to put the Messiah to death. Yet none of this forced Israel to act — Les says God's sovereignty never takes away the free will of men and nations. Israel's response to the King was 'Does anything good come out of Nazareth?' and Jesus' lament was 'you would not.'
Yes. Les Feldick compares Israel's offer of the King and the Kingdom to God's offer of the Promised Land at Kadesh Barnea: the land was laid out before the nation and God said it was theirs for the taking, but they rejected it in unbelief. He also points to Adam and Eve, who were given a valid offer to remain in the garden as long as they did not sin, even though God knew they would. In the same way, the Kingdom offer to Israel was valid — and after the resurrection and ascension, Peter again presented the nation with the King and the Kingdom, and again Israel rejected it in unbelief.
No. Les Feldick teaches that the entire event was in God's foreknowledge. Long before anything was created, the Godhead determined that they would create the human race, knowing that man would sin and need a Redeemer — it was all pre-planned. When Peter preached in Acts 2, he told the nation that Jesus was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, and that they had taken Him and by wicked hands crucified and slain Him. Jesus Himself also told the twelve in detail, before they went up to Jerusalem, that He would be scourged, beaten, put to death, and raised on the third day.
Both, according to Les Feldick. He teaches that Psalm 2 predicted that the rulers of Israel and the kings of this earth would consort together and put the Messiah to death, and that is exactly what the crucifixion was: Jew and Gentile together consorted and crucified Him. Because Psalm 2 shows both groups acting together, Les says he does not know where people get the idea that Israel alone is guilty of killing Christ.
Yes. Les Feldick says that even though the offer of the Kingdom was valid, God in His own providence would still have taken care of the sacrifice that had to be accomplished. God's foreknowledge meant the crucifixion did not take Him by surprise, even though the nation acted freely in unbelief.
Psalm 2 Introduced
Les begins his review of Psalm 2, reading the opening question about why the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing — the passage he will use to explain the rejection of the King.
God's Foreknowledge of the Crucifixion
Les states plainly that God was not caught by surprise — the crucifixion was all in His foreknowledge, and Jesus told the twelve in detail what would happen to Him in Jerusalem.
The Valid Offer of the King and Kingdom
Les compares Israel's offer of the King to the valid offer of the Promised Land at Kadesh Barnea — the offer was genuine, God knew they would reject it, and God would still have accomplished the sacrifice in His own providence.
The Determinate Counsel and Foreknowledge of God
Les explains that Peter's accusation in Acts 2:23 shows Israel did not take God by surprise — the rejection and crucifixion were decided by the full agreement of the Godhead before anything ever happened.
Pre-Planned Before Creation
Les shows that long before creation the Godhead planned to bring the human race on the scene knowing they would sin and need a Redeemer, and in His foreknowledge God knew Israel would reject the King.
Jews and Gentiles United Against the Anointed
Les reads Psalm 2 as a picture of the rulers taking counsel against the Lord and His Anointed, rejecting His offer to be King — and he notes Rome was involved in the crucifixion alongside Israel.
Sovereignty and Free Will
Les stresses that God's sovereign control of everything never removes the free will of men and nations — Israel freely responded, 'Does anything good come out of Nazareth?' and Jesus' lament was 'you would not.'
God's Repeated Valid Offers
Les lists valid offers God made knowing they would be refused — Adam and Eve in the garden and Israel at Kadesh Barnea — and notes that Peter again presented the King and Kingdom after the resurrection and ascension.
Psalm 2:1-2: Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
The opening question of Psalm 2, which Les reviews to show that the rulers of Israel and the kings of the earth would conspire against God's Anointed.
Psalm 2:4: He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
God's response from heaven to the foolishness of the rulers who rejected His King.
Acts 2:23: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Peter's direct statement that the crucifixion happened by God's determinate counsel and foreknowledge — the key verse Les uses to show God was not surprised.
Psalm 110:1: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Les cites this verse to show that after His ascension Christ was ready to return and have His enemies made His footstool if Israel would have believed.
Matthew 23:37: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not!
The verse behind Jesus' lament that Les echoes when he says Israel's response to the offered King was 'you would not.'
Yes. Les Feldick teaches that God's foreknowledge included Israel's rejection. From eternity past the Godhead knew the human race would sin and need a Redeemer, and in His foreknowledge God knew Israel would reject the King. Jesus told the twelve in detail what would happen to Him before they went up to Jerusalem.
Yes. Les Feldick compares the Kingdom offer to God's valid offers to Adam and Eve and to Israel at Kadesh Barnea. The offer was real and could have been accepted, but God's foreknowledge knew the nation would refuse it in unbelief.
According to Les Feldick, yes — God in His own providence would still have taken care of the sacrifice that had to be accomplished. The death of Christ was necessary, and God was not dependent on Israel's rejection to accomplish it.
Yes. Les Feldick stresses that God's sovereignty controls everything, yet He never takes away the free will of men and nations. Israel's rejection of the King was a free act of unbelief, just as their response to Peter's preaching after the resurrection was a free act of rejection.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Church Age Is Hidden in the Old Testament