The prophets God sent to Israel were rejected, mistreated, and killed — and Israel then did the same to the Son.
The biblical record shows that Israel mocked God's messengers, despised His words, and misused His prophets until there was no remedy. Les Feldick makes the same point: Israel killed the prophets or threw them in the dungeon, refused to hear them, and then killed God's Son when He came. As a result, the nation was removed from God's sight and eventually dispersed into spiritual blindness.
2 Chronicles 36:15-16 — Directly records God sending messengers to Israel and the people mocking, despising, and misusing them until wrath had no remedy.
Acts 7:52 — Stephen summarizes that Israel's fathers killed the prophets who foretold the coming Just One, and his hearers became His betrayers and murderers.
2 Kings 17:23 — States the outcome: the Lord removed Israel out of His sight and carried them to Assyria, as He had said by His servants the prophets.
According to 2 Chronicles 36:15, 'the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place.' Verse 16 records what the people did: 'But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.' In 2 Kings 17:23, the outcome for the northern kingdom is stated: 'Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.' In Acts 7:52, Stephen applies the same pattern to the religious leaders: 'Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.'
Les points out that God sent prophet after prophet to Israel — Elijah and Elisha to the northern kingdom and Jeremiah to Judah — constantly trying to bring them back, but they would not. Israel killed the prophets or at best threw them into the dungeon and refused to hear them. Jeremiah, who warned that the Babylonians would come and overrun Judah and kill without mercy, was found in one of the dankest, deepest, wettest dungeons in Jerusalem because he prophesied things Israel did not want to hear. Les then draws the line to the Messiah: God did not cancel Israel after the prophets were rejected; He sent His Son, and they killed Him too. Because the nation rejected its Messiah, it was dispersed, put into spiritual blindness, and has suffered catastrophe after catastrophe.
2 Chronicles 36:15 says the Lord God of their fathers sent them by His messengers, rising up betimes and sending, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. Les notes that God sent prophet after prophet, first to the northern kingdom through Elijah and Elisha and then in the same way to Judah through Jeremiah, constantly trying to bring them back, but they would not.
Les says Israel killed the prophets, or at best threw them in the dungeon, and refused to hear them. Stephen's indictment in Acts 7:52 confirms that Israel's fathers persecuted and slew those who 'shewed before of the coming of the Just One.' Jeremiah, according to Les, was found in one of the dankest, deepest, wettest dungeons in Jerusalem because he prophesied things Israel did not like to hear.
Yes. Scripture says they mocked the messengers, despised God's words, and misused His prophets until 'the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy' (2 Chronicles 36:16). Les also shows from 2 Kings that God removed Israel out of His sight and they were carried away to the Assyrians because they walked in the sins of Jeroboam.
Les explains that even after the prophets were rejected, God did not cancel Israel — He sent His Son. But Israel killed Him too. Since then, Les says, the nation has been dispersed and placed in spiritual blindness, suffering catastrophe after catastrophe because of rejecting their Messiah.
God Sent Prophet After Prophet to Bring Israel Back
Les shows that God sent Elijah and Elisha to the northern kingdom and Jeremiah to Judah, working the nation constantly, but Israel would not listen.
Israel Killed the Prophets and Then Killed the Son
God the Father sent the prophets to His covenant people; they killed them or threw them in the dungeon, refused to hear them, and then did the same to His Son.
Jeremiah in the Dungeon and Stephen's Indictment
Jeremiah was placed in a dank, deep, wet dungeon for prophesying unwelcome truths, and Acts 7:52 accuses Israel of slaying those who announced the coming Just One and of becoming His murderers.
Israel Removed Out of God's Sight
Les reads from 2 Kings that the Lord rejected Israel, afflicted them, and eventually removed them out of His sight, carrying them to the Assyrians.
Jeremiah Warned Israel and Judah
Jeremiah foretold these judgments and tried to warn Israel as well as Judah, but the people had turned their back on everything God had tried to do.
Why Did the Holy Spirit Fall BEFORE Baptism? Acts 10
All the way on up through the Old Testament, except when they went so far down into idolatry and they lost belief in God. But any time that they had a knowledge of God and His word, Israel was a separated people. And as soon as they lost that separation, God's judgment fell.
Israel's Long Suffering for Rejecting the Messiah
God is not through with Israel, but they have suffered catastrophe after catastrophe because they killed their Messiah; Peter acknowledges they acted in ignorance.
Dispersal and Spiritual Blindness
After Israel rejected the Messiah, they were dispersed into every nation and placed in spiritual blindness, losing their Temple, city, and homeland.
2 Chronicles 36:15: And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
Shows God's motive in sending prophets: compassion for His people.
2 Chronicles 36:16: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Directly answers what Israel did to the prophets and the result.
2 Kings 17:23: Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
Records the judgment that followed Israel's refusal to heed the prophets.
Acts 7:52: Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Stephen's accusation that Israel's fathers killed the prophets and the leaders killed the Messiah.
Les says they were killed, or at best thrown in the dungeon, and refused to hear them. Jeremiah, for example, was found in one of the dankest, deepest, wettest dungeons in Jerusalem because he prophesied what Israel did not want to hear.
According to Les, Elijah and Elisha were two great prophets of the northern kingdom, and Jeremiah was a prophet in Judah. God sent prophet after prophet to work the nation constantly.
No. Les explains that even after Israel killed the prophets, God did not cancel the nation. Instead, He sent His Son — and they killed Him too.
Scripture says the wrath of the Lord arose against His people until there was no remedy, and Israel was removed out of His sight and carried to Assyria. Les adds that after Israel rejected the Messiah, they were dispersed and placed in spiritual blindness.
Watch the Teaching: The Lost Ten Tribes of Israel — What the Bible Really Says