a) “Accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6)
In Romans chapters 10 and 11 we read that because of idolatry Israel’s eyes have been
blinded and this has opened up a way for the Gentiles to
‘come in.’
Because of Yahweh’s judgement of His called out people, the Gentiles have been
given a chance to know Him, to be ‘brought nigh to the
Covenants of Promise,’ (Ephesians 2:12-14) and to be ‘grafted in to the Olive Tree.’
We read of many righteous Gentiles or people from the nations
being added to Israel and made part of the Olive Tree. (Romans 11:11-25)
The floodgates have been opened, a way has been made for non-Israelites to come in.
None more so than the peoples mentioned in the New Covenant
Scriptures. They may be missing largely from the Old Covenant, but in the New
Covenant they are prolific. Here, they come into their own. Yahweh
has a great time table, known only to Himself, and there is a time allotted
for the Salvation of the Gentiles, but this will, in His time, come to an end, and Yahweh
will again turn His attention to the re-gathering and salvation of His people, Israel.
Luk 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."
Some Gentiles came to know Him
before Yahshua came to die, the majority have come to faith in Yahweh’s own time,
after the death of His beloved Son. I would like to clear up a
misconception here, about the Jewish people. Some people think that because the
Jewish people did not recognise Yahshua as their Messiah when
He walked through the cities of Israel as a man, they mistakenly believe that they
(Jewish people) have been cut off!
Rom 11:17 "And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them,
and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;"
What a fallacy! If it wasn't for the Jew, there would be no Bible, and no Christians.
The disciples (Jewish) wrote the accounts of the life of Yahshua, they also wrote the letters and
the historical accounts we read in Acts. John (Jewish) wrote down his revelations on Patmos and
so the whole of the New Testament (Covenant)
scriptures were recorded by Jewish believers. They preserved these writings as well as
the whole of the Old Testament (Covenant) Scriptures despite
persecutions, re-settlement and many attempts by mankind to destroy
them along with the the whole body of Scripture, Torah, Bible. Humanity
owes an incredible debt to them with Eternal repercussions and consequences.
Far from
being 'cut off' they are the world's proof that there is a loving Elohim. Who
then were cut off? Read this link.
b)What about the Syro-Phoenician woman, a Gentile
(Mark 7:26)
Yes, Yahshua did say to the Gentile woman “It is not meet that I take the childrens’
(i.e. Israel) bread and cast it to the dogs” intimating that He came to seek the
‘lost sheep of the House of Israel’ only, but when He noted her
humility, persistance and faith He relented and cast out the evil spirit
from her daughter. There has always been a place for the repentant and faith-filled
Gentile in the purposes
of Yahweh, the gospels themselves declare “For Yahweh so loved
the world that …..whosoever believeth upon Him has Eternal Life” (John 3:16)
Matthew 8:5 is another example, " And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum,
there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
And saying, 'Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.'
And Jesus saith unto him, 'I will come and heal him.'...
When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, 'Verily I say unto you,
I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.' Yahshua was so happy to witness
the Roman's (Gentile) faith.
c) Multitudes of Gentiles came to hear Him and be healed.
In Matthew ch. 4:23-25 (and I am sure there are many more examples in the Gospels) Yahshua walked through Galilee which is surrounded by Gentile
nations. His fame travelled afar, and multitudes from these nations came to hear Him and to be healed. People from Syria and Decapolis (a vast country
east of the Jordan) People from the Gentile countries 'beyond Jordan' came along to see Him and witness his teachings. Of course, we know of the
time He visited Gadara, a Gentile country at the other side of the Sea of Galilee where He met with and healed the man possessed of many 'devils' (Mark
5:1-20) Yes, Yahshua came 'for the lost sheep of the House of Israel' but He also had compassion on the many, many Gentiles who also came to Him.
d)The Gentiles spoken of in Acts
Yahweh Himself specially called the Apostle Paul to preach to the Gentiles. This is how much
He loved them and desired their salvation. Because they were completely unschooled in
the ways of Yahweh and came from idolatrous backgrounds, the Apostles gave them
guidelines in order that they may not be overwhelmed with the righteousness that they knew
Yahweh required of His people.
Act 15:28 "For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no
greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols,
and from blood, and
from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves,
ye shall do well. Fare ye well."
They were given these four laws to begin their spiritual journey.
Then they were then exhorted to attend Synagogue in
order to learn and understand Torah. (Law of Moses)
Act 15:21 "For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read
in the synagogues every sabbath day."
So, there was definitely a part
for them to play, a door for them into Eternal Life. Paul
travelled far across the Mediterranean and Asia preaching to Gentile peoples. He even called
himself “The apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13)
He converted many and established Churches among them leaving behind a godly order.
He continually prayed for and wrote to them.
He taught them
to believe in the risen Jewish Messiah, Yahshua.
e)The letters of Paul
He then spent his life visiting and writing to the newly formed
“... congregations of the Gentiles” (Romans 16:4) Yes, there was a great door
opened to the Gentile peoples after the death and resurrection of Yahshua. Paul wrote
lengthy letters to them all encouraging them and helping
them to come to terms with the God of Israel and His ways and will for their lives.
He wrote to the Greeks, he wrote to Gentile believers all
across the then known world.
f)Their place in Yahweh’s plan
We then read and understand that through the Gentiles embracing the faith, the Jews will be
‘provoked to jealousy’ and those who have gone astray will
be (Romans 10:19 and 11:11) brought back to faith in their Elohim once more.
Rom 10:19 "But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to
jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you."
What a privilege to be used in this way.
However, first they must change. They need to leave behind their ‘former behaviour’
and take on holiness, learn about the righteousness expected of them
by the Elohim of Jacob. They are dealing now not with the gods of the nations but
with the Mighty One of Jacob, who is the same ‘yesterday, today
and forever.’ His standards of righteousness remain, and the Gentile nations need to
study to learn His ways, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead
them into His righteousness in the risen Jewish Messiah, Yahshua.