The prophecies Peter cites in Acts 3 are significant because they prove that the events surrounding Jesus — His crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and promised return — were foretold by the prophets and connected to God's covenant with Israel.
Peter tells the crowd that all the prophets from Samuel onward foretold "these days," and he then ties the prophetic message to the covenant God made with Abraham. Les Feldick shows that Peter is addressing the nation of Israel and appealing to the Abrahamic covenant, so the prophecies point to Israel's promised King and kingdom.
Acts 3:24 — Peter directly states that all the prophets from Samuel and those after him foretold the days of Messiah's ministry, rejection, crucifixion, resurrection, and return.
Acts 3:25 — This verse shows that Peter connects the prophetic events to the covenant God made with Abraham, calling his hearers children of that covenant.
Acts 3:24 declares, "Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." The verse presents the whole prophetic witness, beginning with Samuel, as pointing to the days Peter is describing. Earlier in the same speech, Peter quotes Moses: "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you" (Acts 3:22). He also warns that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people (Acts 3:23). Acts 3:25 connects all of this to the covenant: "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." Peter then calls his hearers to repent and be converted so that their sins may be blotted out, "when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19), and says that God would send Jesus Christ, who was before preached unto them (Acts 3:20).
Les Feldick explains that in Acts 3 Peter is continuing the same prophetic program that God had with the nation of Israel. Peter is "strictly appealing to the Jew" ([Clip 3]) and is still claiming "nothing more than the promises of this covenant" — the Abrahamic covenant ([Clip 4]). The days the prophets foretold are the days Israel had just experienced: the appearance of their Messiah, His miracles, His rejection, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension, and His readiness to return ([Clip 1], [Clip 2], [Clip 4]). Les also shows that Peter expected the prophetic order to continue with the tribulation and then the return of Israel's King and the kingdom, but Israel rejected that offer ([Clip 5]). Peter's words "in thy seed" are tied back to Genesis 3:15 and the seed of the woman, showing that the seed ultimately is Christ ([Clip 6]). For Les, Peter's appeal to repent was an offer that would have led God to send Jesus Christ at the Second Coming to fulfill the covenant and Kingdom promises made to Israel ([Clip 7]).
Peter says, "Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days" (Acts 3:24). Les Feldick identifies these days as the appearance of the Messiah, His miracles, His rejection, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension, and His readiness to return ([Clip 1], [Clip 4]). Les notes that the Bible writers thought these things would happen in order, with the King's return following soon after ([Clip 4]).
Acts 3:25 says, "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." Les Feldick says Peter is claiming the Abrahamic covenant and nothing more than the promises of that covenant ([Clip 4]). He also connects "in thy seed" back to Genesis 3:15, the seed of the woman, and identifies that seed as Christ ([Clip 6]). Peter is pleading with Israel: "You're the covenant people" ([Clip 6]).
Peter told the nation, "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" (Acts 3:19). Les explains that the times of refreshing are the fulfilling of the covenant promises and the Kingdom promises, and that God would send Jesus Christ — that is, the Second Coming — to fulfill those promises ([Clip 7]). Peter's point was that even though Israel had killed Christ, God raised Him from the dead and He could still be their King ([Clip 7]).
Les points out that after the ascension in the book of Acts, it is still the same premise: Peter is strictly appealing to the Jew ([Clip 3]). The prophetic program is an extension of God's dealing with the nation of Israel, and Peter goes on expecting the tribulation and the return of Israel's King and the kingdom ([Clip 5]). Israel, as the covenant people, was to be the channel through which the Gentiles would be blessed, but Israel rejected Peter's message ([Clip 5], [Clip 6]).
Psalm 110 and the 'Until' of Christ's Session
Les explains Peter's quotation of Psalm 110:1 and the time word 'until,' showing that Christ will not sit at the Father's right hand forever but will return as King of the promised kingdom.
The Days Foretold by All the Prophets
Les identifies the days all the prophets from Samuel onward foretold: the appearance of the Messiah, His miracles, rejection, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and readiness to return.
Peter Sticks with the Old Covenant Prophets
Les shows that Peter is still appealing to the Old Testament prophets and the Old Covenant program, quoting Moses and then Samuel and all who followed.
Peter's Jewish Audience in Acts
Les emphasizes that Peter is strictly appealing to the Jew, and the book of Acts continues the same prophetic premise of God's dealings with Israel.
The Abrahamic Covenant in Acts 3:25
Les explains that 'these days' include the King's crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and soon return, and that Peter is claiming nothing more than the Abrahamic covenant promises.
Peter's Prophetic Expectation and Israel's Rejection
Les shows that Peter expected the tribulation, the return of Israel's King, and the kingdom next, but Israel rejected that prophetic program.
The Seed of Abraham and the Seed of the Woman
Les connects 'in thy seed' in Acts 3:25 back to Genesis 3:15, showing the seed is Christ, and understands Peter's plea as an appeal to Israel as the covenant people.
Repentance and the Second Coming
Les teaches that Peter's call to repent was an offer for God to send Jesus Christ at the Second Coming to fulfill covenant and Kingdom promises.
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;
Peter's call to repentance is tied to the coming times of refreshing and the prophetic program.
Acts 3:20: And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
This verse shows the prophetic promise of Christ's return, which Les links to the Second Coming.
Acts 3:22: For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
Peter cites Moses as part of the prophetic witness beginning before Samuel.
Acts 3:23: And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
This is the warning attached to the prophet Moses said would come.
Acts 3:24: Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
This is Peter's key statement about the prophetic significance of "these days."
Acts 3:25: Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Peter explicitly connects the prophetic events to the Abrahamic covenant.
Psalm 110:1: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Quoted by Peter in the previous chapter; Les uses the word "until" to show Christ's session is temporary and His return will fulfill the kingdom.
Genesis 3:15: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Les traces "the seed" in Acts 3:25 back to this first promise of the seed of the woman.
Peter refers to the prophetic testimony of all the prophets from Samuel onward. He says those prophets foretold the days of the Messiah's appearance, His miracles, rejection, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and His readiness to return (Acts 3:24; [Clip 1]).
Peter tells his Jewish hearers that they are children of the prophets and of the covenant God made with Abraham, quoting "in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." Les Feldick emphasizes that Peter is claiming the Abrahamic covenant and that the seed refers to Christ ([Clip 4], [Clip 6]).
Peter told them to repent and be converted so their sins could be blotted out and times of refreshing could come. Les explains that God would then send Jesus Christ — the Second Coming — to fulfill all the covenant promises made to Israel ([Clip 1], [Clip 7]).
Watch the Teaching: What Shall We Do? Acts 2 & God's Foreknowledge Explained