Yes – prophecy must be fulfilled because God's faithful track record guarantees that all He has spoken will come to pass.
Les Feldick points out that much of Old Testament prophecy has already been fulfilled 'to the last jot and tittle,' so there is no reason to doubt the rest (Clip 6). He also teaches that everything God foretold about Christ's suffering and death 'had to happen, and they did' – you cannot stop God (Clip 1). Fulfilled prophecy therefore matters because it demonstrates God's reliability and guarantees that every remaining prophetic word will be accomplished.
Acts 3:18 — This verse directly answers the question by stating that what God showed through the prophets about Christ's suffering, He has fulfilled.
Acts 3:18 declares, 'But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.' This is a direct statement that God's prophetic words concerning Christ were carried out. The same passage calls Israel to repentance: '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). In Daniel 9:24, the prophet was told that seventy weeks were determined upon Israel and Jerusalem 'to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.' Scripture therefore ties prophecy to God's determined purpose and to what He has promised to do for His people.
Les Feldick teaches that fulfilled prophecy is the evidence that God's Word can be trusted. He makes the point that as much of the Old Testament has already been fulfilled 'to the last jot and tittle,' believers have no reason to doubt the portion that still remains; the same God who fulfilled the first 90 percent of prophecy will finish the last 10 percent (Clip 6). He also stresses that the Old Testament was full of predictions about how Christ would come, suffer, die, be buried, rise, and ascend. Israel did not understand these prophecies, but that did not stop them from being fulfilled. As Les puts it, 'You can't stop God... all these things had to happen, and they did' (Clip 1). Les further explains that the crucifixion was carried out in ignorance, which he calls God's loophole for Israel, but ignorance did not change the fact that the prophecy was fulfilled (Clip 0). He ties this certainty to Israel's future, saying Peter promised that if the nation repented God would send Jesus Christ back to fulfill all the covenant promises (Clip 4). Les also clarifies that no prophecy per se is being fulfilled today; the stage is being set and the events will unfold when the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel (Clip 3).
Les notes that the Old Testament was full of prophecy that Christ would come, suffer, die, be buried, and rise again. He points to Acts 3:18 as the proof that those things have been completed: what God showed through the prophets, 'He hath so fulfilled.' Les also calls attention to Daniel 9:24, where 490 years were determined upon Israel to finish transgression and make reconciliation for iniquity – a decree fulfilled at the cross even though future aspects remained (Clip 7). Because so much prophecy has already been fulfilled to the last jot and tittle, Les reasons that there is no doubt the remaining prophecy will also come to pass (Clips 1, 6). He also observes that the crucifixion was carried out by men in ignorance, yet this ignorance did not prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled – it gave Israel a loophole of mercy (Clip 0).
Les emphasizes that Israel did not comprehend the prophetic picture. The Old Testament spoke of Christ's coming and suffering 'in such subdued language and in such latent terms that nobody understood it,' and even when Jesus told the disciples He would be put to death and rise again, they did not comprehend it (Clip 2). Yet the lack of understanding did not change God's plan. Les says all those things which God had shown by the prophets that Christ should suffer, He fulfilled. 'You can't stop God. Oh, He may move slowly, but you can't stop Him' (Clip 1). So prophecy had to be fulfilled and was fulfilled despite human ignorance.
Les teaches that all prophecy is directed to the nation of Israel. Since God is not currently dealing with the nation, no prophecy per se is being fulfilled today; instead, everything is getting ready. He pictures the current events as the stage being set and the players getting ready. The curtain will rise at the signing of the seven-year treaty by the Antichrist with Israel, and then the seven-year tribulation will begin – again God dealing prophetically with Israel (Clip 3). The fulfillment of prophecy is yet future, but the fact that past prophecy has been fulfilled exactly guarantees that this coming prophecy will also be completed (Clip 6).
Les highlights Peter's message to Israel in Acts 3. Peter said plainly that if Israel repented and was converted, God would send Jesus Christ back to fulfill all the covenant promises He had made to the nation (Clip 4). Peter also said that all the prophets from Samuel onward had foretold those days. Les explains the Old Testament program: after Israel rejected and crucified her Messiah, He would ascend until His enemies were made His footstool; then He would return and set up His kingdom, and Israel would be the apple of His eye and the center of activity in bringing people to a knowledge of God (Clip 5).
Crucifixion Ignorance and God's Loophole
Les explains that those who crucified Jesus acted in ignorance, which he calls God's loophole for Israel; ignorance did not stop the prophecy of Christ's death from being fulfilled.
Christ's Sufferings Fulfilled
Les stresses that the Old Testament prophesied Christ's suffering, and Acts 3:18 says God fulfilled it; all these things had to happen, and they did.
Old Testament Prophecy Hidden in Plain Sight
Les points out that Old Testament prophecy was spoken in such subdued language that no one understood it, but that did not change its certainty.
No Prophecy Being Fulfilled Today
Les teaches that prophecy is directed to Israel and is not being fulfilled now; the stage is being set and future fulfillment begins with the Antichrist's seven-year treaty.
Peter's Promise of Christ's Return
Les shows that Peter promised Israel that if they repented, God would send Jesus Christ back to fulfill the covenant promises, and all the prophets foretold these days.
The Future Kingdom Promises
Les explains that after Israel rejected the Messiah, He would ascend until His enemies were made His footstool; He will return, set up His kingdom, and make Israel the center of blessing.
Fulfilled Prophecy Guarantees the Rest
Les gives the key argument: because God has fulfilled the first 90 percent of prophecy exactly, He will also finish the last 10 percent.
Daniel's 490-Year Prophecy
Les references Daniel's prophecy that 490 years were determined upon Israel to finish transgression and make reconciliation for iniquity, fulfilled at the cross with future aspects still to come.
Acts 3:18: But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
This verse is Les's core proof that God fulfilled what the prophets said about Christ's suffering.
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;
This verse connects Israel's repentance to the promised times of refreshing and Christ's return.
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 verse shows that the prophets from Samuel onward all foretold the days of Messiah.
Daniel 9:24: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
This verse lays out God's determined decree for Israel, which Les says was fulfilled at the cross with future aspects still to come.
No, according to Les. Because much of Old Testament prophecy has already been fulfilled to the last jot and tittle, he argues there is no reason to doubt the rest. The same God who fulfilled the first 90 percent will finish the last 10 percent (Clip 6).
No. Les teaches that Israel crucified the Messiah in ignorance, and Jesus prayed 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' That ignorance gave Israel a loophole of mercy, but the prophecy of Christ's suffering still had to be fulfilled and it was (Clips 0 and 1).
Les says no. He teaches that all prophecy is directed to the nation of Israel, and because God is not currently dealing with the nation, no prophecy per se is being fulfilled today. The stage is being set, and future prophecy will begin when the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel (Clip 3).
Watch the Teaching: What Peter Really Preached in Acts 3 — Israel's Call to Repent