Yes—Israel's dispersion came because the nation rejected Christ, and God then turned to the Gentiles with the age of grace.
Peter's Acts 3 appeal was the final offer: repent so God could send Christ and bring the times of restitution. When Israel refused, the nation reached the crescendo of rejection at Stephen's stoning, God set the nation aside, and He began calling out a Gentile Body for His name.
Acts 3:19-21 — Peter's call for Israel to repent was the expected prerequisite for God sending Christ and bringing the times of restitution; when Israel would not repent, the prophetic order was interrupted.
Psalm 110:1 — Shows the biblical basis for Christ remaining in heaven until the Father makes His enemies His footstool—the period before restoration.
In Acts 3, Peter directly appeals to the nation of Israel to repent of their rejection of Christ. He promises that if they repent and are converted, their sins will be blotted out and the times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord. He then says God will send Jesus Christ, who was preached before them, but that heaven must receive Him until the times of restitution of all things, which God spoke through all His holy prophets since the world began. This passage shows the expected prophetic order: Israel's repentance would lead to the return of Christ and the restoration of all things. It also reveals that Christ's session in heaven is not permanent—He will leave heaven again at the appointed time. Psalm 110:1 likewise pictures the Lord sitting at God's right hand until His enemies are made His footstool.
Les Feldick teaches that God's original purpose was for Israel to be a light to the Gentiles through the nation's Messiah. But when Israel rejected Peter and the eleven's appeal for seven years, God set the nation aside. Israel reached the crescendo of rejection at the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7, and from that point the nation slid into dispersion. In 70 A.D. the Roman armies destroyed the temple and Jerusalem, and the Jewish people went into a dispersion that lasted until the modern return to the land and 1948 statehood. Les emphasizes that God then turned to the Gentiles with a plan of salvation based not on temple worship or keeping the Law, but on the fact that Christ died and paid the sin debt. This is the Church Age, during which God has been calling out a Body of Christ from the Gentiles, though not exclusively—some Jews are still being saved. Peter himself did not yet understand this turn, because he was still appealing to Israel on the basis of Old Testament prophecy. Even at Cornelius's house, Peter would have never gone voluntarily; God had to put pressure and proof on him to go.
The scriptural order given through Peter was that Israel would repent, their sins would be blotted out, God would send Jesus Christ, and heaven would receive Him until the times of restitution of all things. Les Feldick connects these times of restitution to the Tribulation, describing it as God's paying off the mortgage that Satan has held since Adam's fall. In that period the earth will experience the restoration of all things, just as the prophets spoke.
Les Feldick explains that Peter and the eleven preached to the nation of Israel, telling them that the One they crucified was the Christ and King, and that He could yet come and be their King if they repented. Israel rejected that appeal out of hand. Les identifies the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 as the crescendo of Israel's rejection. From that point, Israel slid into dispersion, the temple was taken away in 70 A.D., and God turned to the Gentiles.
God had always intended Israel to be a light to the Gentiles, but that was to happen through Israel's Messiah and through the nation. When Israel rejected that role, God set them aside and turned to the Gentiles with the age of grace. Les emphasizes that this turn was not exclusive—some Jews were still saved—but for the most part the last 1,900-plus years have been God calling out Gentiles to comprise the Body of Christ. Peter needed special divine pressure to go to Cornelius, because his Jewish mentality made him reluctant to have anything to do with Gentiles.
Les Feldick plainly says that God is not through with the Jew. The nation's return to the land and its 1948 statehood are evidence that God is preparing for the fulfillment of prophetic Word. He notes that there is no prophecy directed to the church, but the events happening with Israel today are setting the stage for what God will still do with the nation.
The Times of Restitution Connected to the Tribulation
Les ties the 'times of restitution of all things' in Acts 3:21 to the Tribulation, when God will restore the curse-cursed earth and Christ will leave heaven at the appointed time.
Israel Set Aside and the Dispersion
Because Israel repeatedly rejected Peter and the eleven's appeal for seven years, God set the nation aside, and soon Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, sending the Jews into a dispersion lasting until the modern return to the land.
Salvation Comes to the Gentiles, But God Is Not Finished With Israel
Les says because Israel was set aside, salvation has come to the Gentiles, but he warns against thinking God is through with the Jew, pointing to Israel's continuing role.
The Dispersion and Calling Out the Body of Christ
God put Israel into dispersion, took away their temple, and turned to the Gentiles—not exclusively, since some Jews are still saved—calling out the Body of Christ over the last 1,900-plus years.
Israel Rejected the King and the Kingdom Offer
Peter and the eleven preached that the crucified Jesus was the Christ and King and could still come; Israel rejected it in unbelief, so God turned to the Gentiles with the age of grace.
The Crescendo of Israel's Rejection at Stephen's Stoning
Les identifies Stephen's stoning in Acts 7 as the crescendo of Israel's rejection; from that point Israel slid into dispersion, the temple was removed in 70 A.D., and God turned to the Gentiles.
God's Plan Was Israel to Evangelize the Nations, But Peter Needed Pressure
Israel was meant to bring Gentiles to God, but Peter's own mindset kept him from going to Cornelius; God had to put pressure and proof on him to obey.
Peter's Continuing Appeal to Israel After the Ascension
Les shows that even in Acts, Peter was still appealing to the Jew, and Jesus' three years of earthly ministry continued the same prophecy of presenting Israel's Messiah; only after rejection did the focus shift.
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 for Israel to repent was the expected first step in the prophetic order.
Acts 3:20: And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Repentance would lead to God sending the Messiah back to Israel.
Acts 3:21: 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.
Christ's stay in heaven is temporary and tied to the future times of restitution.
Psalm 110:1: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Les references this verse in the context of Christ remaining at the Father's right hand until His enemies are made His footstool.
No. Les Feldick says God is not through with the Jew. Israel's return to the land and 1948 statehood show the nation is being prepared for future prophetic fulfillment. There is no prophecy directed to the church, but Israel is still in God's plans.
Peter would not have gone to a Gentile on his own. God had to put pressure and proof on Peter to show that this turn to the Gentiles was His purpose. Even though Israel was set aside, God was now calling out a people for His name from the Gentiles.
God put Israel into dispersion and took away the temple, then turned to the Gentiles with salvation by grace apart from the Law. During this age God has been calling out the Body of Christ, though some Jews are still being saved. The dispersion was not permanent—Israel has begun returning to the land in preparation for future prophecy.
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