God sovereignly allowed the temple's destruction and Israel's dispersion as discipline for their rejection of their Messiah and His kingdom offer.
After the crucifixion and Pentecost, Israel continued to reject the offer of the King and His kingdom for forty years. Because they remained stiff-necked and in unbelief, God permitted the Roman army under Titus to destroy the temple and Jerusalem and dispersed the Jews into every nation. This dispersion lasted until the modern return of Jews to the land.
Deuteronomy 28:64 — This verse predicts the dispersion of Israel among the nations as a consequence of disobedience, directly addressing the question.
The Bible records that Israel, from her inception, was chosen to be a light to the Gentiles and to carry the knowledge of God to the nations (see Isaiah 42:6, 49:6). However, the nation repeatedly rejected God's messengers and ultimately rejected the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, the offer of the kingdom was extended to Israel in the book of Acts, but they continued in unbelief. As a result, God disciplined them. The Old Testament prophets had foretold that if Israel disobeyed, they would be scattered among the nations (Deuteronomy 28:64). The New Testament records that Jerusalem would be besieged and the temple destroyed (Luke 19:43-44, 21:20-24). These events happened in 70 AD when the Roman army under Titus destroyed the temple and dispersed the Jewish people.
Les Feldick teaches that after the crucifixion and the beginning of the church age at Pentecost, God gave Israel a period of forty years to repent and accept the offer of the kingdom. During this time, Peter and the apostles appealed to Israel to turn from sin, be baptized, and believe. However, Israel rejected the King and the kingdom. Because of this rejection, God sovereignly allowed the Roman army under Titus to destroy the temple and Jerusalem, and He dispersed the Jews into every nation. This dispersion was a disciplinary act. Les emphasizes that God is not through with Israel; His mercy has never departed from them, and He has been bringing them back to the land since the early 1900s, culminating in the rebirth of the nation in 1948, preparing for their Messiah's return.
God gave Israel forty years after the crucifixion and Pentecost to respond to the offer of the kingdom. This forty-year period was a time of testing, as had been the case in Israel's history. During that time, the apostles continued to appeal to the nation to repent and believe. God knew Israel would not accept, but He allowed the time to demonstrate their stubborn unbelief, and then He permitted the temple's destruction.
If Israel had repented and accepted the King, Les teaches that Christ would have brought in the tribulation, removed the curse, established the kingdom, and Israel would have carried the knowledge of God to the nations. They were intended to be the light to the Gentiles, but they rejected this role by rejecting the King.
The dispersion lasted for centuries, but God has been regathering the Jewish people to their homeland since the early 1900s. In 1948, they became a sovereign state. Les sees this as God's sovereign preparation for the fulfillment of prophetic events and the coming of the Messiah, showing that God is not finished with Israel.
Israel's Rejection and Heavenly Kingdom
Les explains that Israel rejected the King and kingdom, leading to a heavenly-centered kingdom rather than an earthly one.
Seven Years of Rejection and Dispersion
Les states that after seven years of rejecting Peter's appeal, God set Israel aside, and soon the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed, leading to a long dispersion until modern times.
Forty Years and God's Sovereign Action
Les emphasizes the forty-year period after the crucifixion when Israel continued to reject the promises, leading to God's sovereign destruction of the temple in 70 A.D.
Dispersion and National Identity Loss
Les shows that because of their rejection, Israel was funneled back into humanity, the temple and priesthood were destroyed, and they almost lost their national identity.
Discipline and Spiritual Blindness
Les describes how God disciplined Israel by bringing the Roman army under Titus, taking down the temple stone by stone, and dispersing them, yet God's mercy remains.
Dispersion After Rejection
Les teaches that Israel rejected Jesus and was dispersed into the mainstream of humanity, placed in spiritual blindness like the Gentile world, but this was not permanent.
Sovereign Discipline and Restoration
Les explains that God took Israel out of the land as a disciplinary act because they rejected everything at Christ's first coming, and now He is bringing them back.
God's Separation and Discipline
Les reiterates that God dealt primarily with Israel, but because of their stiff-necked unbelief, He allowed the temple's destruction in 70 A.D., and the land has always been their homeland.
Deuteronomy 28:64: And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.
This verse foreshadows the dispersion as a consequence of covenantal disobedience, directly relating to the question.
Luke 19:43-44: For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
Jesus prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem because Israel did not recognize Him as their Messiah, which is the reason for the temple's destruction.
Luke 21:24: And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
This prophesies the dispersion of the Jewish people among the nations, which is exactly what happened in 70 A.D.
Acts 3:19-21: 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; 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.
This is the offer of the kingdom to Israel that they rejected, leading to the judgment.
Les teaches that God gave Israel a period of forty years after Pentecost to repent and accept the offer of the kingdom. This period was a time of testing, as seen in Israel's history, to show their continued stubbornness and unbelief.
Yes, Les teaches that God sovereignly permitted the Roman army under Titus to destroy the temple and Jerusalem in 70 A.D. as a disciplinary action against the nation of Israel for their rejection of the Messiah.
No, Les says the dispersion has not completely ended, but in modern times, since the early 1900s, Jews have been returning to the land, and in 1948, they became a sovereign state. This is part of God's plan to prepare for the coming of the Messiah.
Had Israel accepted the King and kingdom, Les believes Christ would have brought in the tribulation, removed the curse, and established the kingdom. Israel would have been the light to the Gentiles, carrying the knowledge of God to the nations.
Watch the Teaching: Why Peter Said "Whom You Crucified" — Acts 3 & 4 Explained