THE CALLING OF THE GENTILES

Isaiah 65:1

This passage of Scripture is a prophecy given by Isaiah, under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, which directly asserted the fact that God would cast away the Jews as a people and call out his elect from among the Gentiles. We are not left to figure this out for ourselves. The Apostle Paul, also writing by divine inspiration, tells us plainly that this is the meaning of Isaiah’s words. Read Romans 10:20-21.

If we go on to read the eleventh chapter of Romans, we find Paul explaining that it was always God’s purpose to save a people out of every nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue. He never planned to bestow his grace upon the physical seed of Abraham alone. The Israel of God is a spiritual nation, kingdom, and people. The Israel of God, is the church and kingdom of God made up of chosen, redeemed sinners out of all the nations and kingdoms of this world. Some of God’s elect were chosen from among the Jews. The rest were chosen from among the Gentiles. All shall be gathered to him by his grace and power. And when “the fullness of the Gentiles (has been) brought in, all Israel (All the Chosen) shall be saved.” This is clearly the teaching of Holy Scripture.

God’s purpose was not frustrated or defeated when the Jews rejected Christ and his gospel, but was fulfilled (Rom. 11:25-26). Many teach that the Lord Jesus came into this world to establish a kingdom among the Jews; but the Jews rejected his offer and crucified him. Therefore God had to change his plan to include the Gentiles. Nothing could be further from the truth. God’s plan was for Christ to be rejected by the Jews, delivered by them into the hands of the Romans, and crucified at Calvary as a sin-atoning Substitute for his people(Acts 2:23). Our God is immutable. He never changes! He does not conform his plans to the devices of men and devils. He conforms the devices of men and devils to his plans (Psa. 76:10).

When Paul thought about this glorious work of God’s free, sovereign, and unchanging grace, demonstrated in the way he raises up and casts down all the nations of the world for the salvation of his elect out of every nation, he was filled with wonder, adoration, and praise. Read Romans 11:32-36. Truly, God’s thoughts and ways are infinitely superior to ours! Having predestinated us unto the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:4-6), our heavenly Father predestinated all things that are now, have been, and shall hereafter be and sovereignly manipulates them to accomplish his purpose of grace toward his elect (Eph. 1:11; Rom. 8:28-30). To accomplish that end, the Lord God has sacrificed entire nations. To deliver Israel out of Egypt, God sacrificed Egypt (Isa. 43:3-4); and to save his elect out of all the nations of the world, he sacrificed the nation of Israel (Rom. 11:32). That which God has done in the past, he will do again. He raises up nations and destroys them, according to his eternal purpose of love and grace toward his elect. Why does that surprise us? He who sacrificed his Son to save his elect will not hesitate to sacrifice nations of men to save them!

AMEN.

Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For Today Radio Message #600

2734 Old Stanford Road - Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net