Matthew 3:9 “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
The Nature of a Gentile
Matthew 6:31-33 “For after all these things do the Gentiles seek. . . .” [food, drink, and clothing]
[In other words, Gentiles are not particularly spiritually minded.]
1st Corinthians 10:20 “. . . the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. . . .”
[Gentiles are religious, but their religion is vain.]
In Christ, Gentiles Become Jews
1st Corinthians 12:1-2 “Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.”
[A “born again Christian” is no longer a Gentile, even though he was born that way the first time.]
John 10:14-16 “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”
Ephesians 2:11-22 “For he . . . hath made both one . . . that he might reconcile both unto God in one body. . . .”
3:1-6 “. . . Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ. . . .”
Acts 15:1-9 “And God, which knoweth the hearts . . . put no difference between us and them. . . .”
[This is a new thing, because there used to be a difference.]
Romans 10:11-13 “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek . . . unto all that call upon him.”
[This is a new thing, because at one time there were those who were definitely excluded.]
(Deuteronomy 23:1 “He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord.”)
(Acts 8:26-38 “. . . and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.”)
QUESTION: When did this become a new thing, that eunuchs could have a place in God’s kingdom?
(Isaiah 56:1-8 “. . . even unto them [the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths] will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters. . . .”)
Exodus 12:48-49 “. . . a stranger [being circumcised] . . . shall be as one that is born in the land. . . .”
Leviticus 19:33-34 “. . . the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you. . . .”
Romans 11 “. . . thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature. . . .”
Ephesians 4:17-24 “. . . henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk . . . put off . . . the old man, which is corrupt. . . .”
[The “old man” is Gentile!]
1st Thessalonians 4:1-5 “. . . every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God. . . .”
1st Peter 4:3-6 “For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles . . . wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. . . .” [They’re still Gentiles!]
Prophecies That Gentiles Will Be Accepted
Deuteronomy 23:3-5 “An . . . Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord . . . for ever. . . .”
Ruth (1:4,16 & 4:13,17,21,22) [Kind David’s great grandmother was a Moabite!]
(Oh, the unsearchable riches of God!)
Nehemiah 13:1-3 [The prohibition has not been done away with!] (Draw a conclusion.)
HINT: (see Ruth 1:16 again) “thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. . . .”
(Ruth became an Israelite.)
Genesis 12:3 “. . . and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
22:15-18 “. . . and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”
Deuteronomy 32:18-21 “They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.”
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
66:4 “All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.”
102:15 “So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.”
vs. 18-21 “This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.”
Isaiah 9:2 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”
11:10 “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.”
42:1-7 “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.”
49:6 “. . . I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”
54:1 “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.”
55:5 “Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.”
56:8 “The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.”
60:3-5 “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light . . . the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.”
65:1-5 “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.”
Jeremiah 3:17 “At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. . . .”
Hosea 2:all (23) “And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.”
[I don’t believe this verse is saying anything about Gentiles directly, but in this verse is shown the mercy and patience and forgiveness of our God, even as the Lord is toward Gentiles now.]
Zechariah 2:10-11 “And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people. . . .”
Luke 2:25-32 “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Gentiles Are Accepted
Matthew 12:17-21 (quoting Isaiah 42) “And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.”
Acts 10:44-48 (45) “And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
[Ignorant Christians act astonished that the Lord would care about Israel, just as ignorant Jews were astonished that God would care about Gentiles, and want to open their eyes.]
QUESTION: Why did Jonah not voluntarily go to Nineveh?
ANSWER: Because he knew that it was the Lord’s will that Nineveh would repent and that the Lord would forgive them and not destroy them. Jonah didn’t want that.
See: Jonah
11:1-18 “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”
13:46-48 “For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles. . . .”
14:27 “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.”
26:8-18 “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee. . . .”
28:17-28 “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”
Romans 10:19-20 (quoting Isaiah 65:1) “I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.”
15:9-12 “. . . that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.”
Galatians 3:13-14 “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. . . .”
3:7 “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”
[See the beginning verse.]