What is God’s total purpose beyond Israel according to Ephesians?
According to Paul’s words in Ephesians, God’s total purpose is His eternal purpose, which looks beyond Israel to the whole human race without Israel. He would go to all people apart from Israel, and He has now done so. Yet Scripture first unfolds His dealings with Israel before this broader outreach.
Les explains that in His total purpose, as Paul speaks of it in Ephesians, God is operating in the eternal purpose. He is looking beyond His dealing with Israel to the time when He would go to the whole human race without Israel, which He has done. But Les emphasizes “first things first”: Scripture must be taken as it unfolds, and in the Isaiah context God is dealing with Israel. The promises and covenant language are given to the nation of Israel, even while the total purpose extends beyond them.