The expectation was that once Israel received her King and the Kingdom was established, the Gentiles would come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord — not that Jewish believers would go out to the Gentiles beforehand.
Les Feldick explains that the twelve apostles understood from the Old Testament, especially Zechariah 8, that Israel could not begin a ministry to the Gentiles until the King was ruling in Jerusalem. At that point, ten men out of all nations would take hold of a Jew's skirt and say, 'We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.' This is why the apostles deliberately remained in Jerusalem.
Zechariah 8:20-23 — This prophecy describes the future day when Gentiles from all languages would come to Jerusalem and attach themselves to a Jew, which is the very expectation Les Feldick says the Jewish believers held.
Isaiah 2:2-3 — Isaiah 2 is cited in the teaching to show that the Gentiles would flow to Jerusalem once the Kingdom was established.
The Old Testament laid out a future program in which Jerusalem would be the center of Gentile worship. Zechariah 8:20-23 says that people and the inhabitants of many cities would come, and that many people and strong nations would come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD of hosts and to pray before the LORD. In those days, ten men out of all languages of the nations would take hold of the skirt of a Jew, saying, 'We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.' Isaiah 2:2-3 likewise declares that in the last days the mountain of the LORD's house would be exalted above the hills, and all nations would flow unto it. Many people would say, 'Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.'
Les Feldick emphasizes that the twelve apostles were not derelict in their duty by remaining in Jerusalem after Pentecost. They knew from the Old Testament that Israel had to first receive her King; then Christ could return and set up the Kingdom. Until that happened, they understood they had no ministry to the Gentiles. Zechariah 8 was the passage Les used repeatedly to show what Israel was supposed to do regarding the Gentiles: once the King was in Jerusalem, Gentiles from every language would take hold of a Jew and ask to go with him because God was with them. Les also explains that the apostles deliberately stayed in Jerusalem because the King was to return to the Mount of Olives. They were afraid that if they left for places like Cairo or Rome, the Messiah would return to Jerusalem while they were gone. Peter understood that he had no ministry to the Gentiles until Israel's King was in place. Once the Kingdom was established, Israel's role would open up — as Les puts it, the Jew could then go into all the corners of the world and evangelize the Gentile.
The apostles knew that the next thing on the prophetic agenda was the return of Christ to Jerusalem to set up His Kingdom. They deliberately remained because they expected the King to return to the Mount of Olives. Even under severe persecution, they would not leave, because they feared that the Messiah would come again while they were gone. Les Feldick describes this as waiting for an imminent arrival; leaving Jerusalem for places like Cairo or Rome would risk missing the King's return.
Zechariah 8 describes a future time when many people and strong nations would come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD of hosts and to pray before the LORD. Les Feldick highlights the verse where ten men out of all languages of the nations take hold of the skirt of a Jew and say, 'We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.' This, Les says, is the clearest Old Testament picture of how Israel was to reach the Gentiles — through the Kingdom in Jerusalem.
Les Feldick teaches that Israel's ministry to the Gentiles could only begin after the King was ruling in Jerusalem. The Kingdom had to be established first; then the Jew could go into all the corners of the world and evangelize the Gentile. This was understood as the proper order, so the twelve did not attempt a Gentile ministry while Israel had not yet accepted her King.
Seven Years After Pentecost
Les shows that even seven years after Pentecost the twelve were still in Jerusalem — not because they were derelict, but because they knew Israel had to have her King before they could go beyond Israel's borders.
The Twelve Stayed While Others Left
The twelve would not leave Jerusalem because they understood the Old Testament prophecies: once the King and Kingdom were in place, Gentiles would take hold of a Jew and say, 'We will go with you.'
Kingdom First, Then Gentile Evangelism
Les explains the Old Testament order: the King would set up His kingdom in Jerusalem, and then the Jew could go into all the corners of the world to evangelize the Gentile.
No Gentile Ministry Until King and Kingdom
The disciples understood they had no role in evangelizing Gentiles until they had the King and Kingdom, after which the Gentiles would flow to Jerusalem as Isaiah 2 says.
Repentance for Israel First
If Israel repented, the tribulation could run its course, Christ could return, and then the eleven could take the gospel of the God of Abraham to the Gentile world — but not until.
Jerusalem as the Place of Gentile Seeking
Zechariah pictures Gentiles coming to Jerusalem to seek the Lord of hosts and pray before Him; these are Gentiles out of all languages, reflecting Israel's role as a kingdom of priests.
What Happens to Gentiles After the Tribulation? Isaiah 24
It's going to be a mixed group of Jews who will escape where God will protect them for that last three and a half years, so that when Christ returns in glory, and remember we saw in Matthew 24, they're going to see Him coming in power and great glory, and then in our closing moments, we took you back to Zechariah, where they're going to see the nail prints in His hands, they're going to see the wo…
Fear of Missing the Returning Messiah
The twelve stayed in Jerusalem because they expected the Messiah to return there; they feared leaving for Cairo or Rome only to miss His coming, and Peter understood he had no ministry to Gentiles until Israel's King was in place.
Zechariah 8:20-23: Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
This is the central Old Testament passage Les Feldick says clearly reveals Israel's future role regarding the Gentiles.
Zechariah 8:23: Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
Les quotes this specific verse in multiple clips to show Gentiles taking hold of a Jew and saying they will go with him because God is with Israel.
Isaiah 2:2-3: And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
This passage is cited in the teaching to show that the Gentiles would flow to Jerusalem after the Kingdom is established.
No. Les Feldick explains they knew they could not go beyond the borders of Israel until Israel had her King. They were waiting for the King to return to Jerusalem and set up the Kingdom; only then would the way be open for the Gentiles.
Zechariah 8 says many people and strong nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD of hosts, and ten men out of all languages will take hold of the skirt of a Jew and say, 'We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.'
According to Les Feldick, Israel's ministry to the Gentiles would begin once the King was ruling in Jerusalem and the Kingdom was established. Then the Jew could evangelize the Gentile world, and the Old Testament picture shows Gentiles also coming to Jerusalem to seek the Lord.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Rejected the Gospel — Acts 8 Explained