Why were the Gentiles without hope and without God while God was dealing with Israel?
During the time God was dealing with Israel, Gentiles were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise. They were not part of the nation of Israel, so they were without Christ or Messiah, without hope, and without God in this world.
Les explains that this describes the time when the Jew was uppermost in God’s program and Israel was in the driver’s seat. A Jew referred to a Gentile as uncircumcision, or uncircumcised. From the call of Abraham until the Apostle Paul, the Jew, the nation of Israel, was uppermost in Scripture. While God was dealing with Israel, the Gentile was outside, not a part of the nation of Israel, so he was without hope and without God in this world. Verse 12 says Gentiles were without Christ or Messiah, aliens, non-citizens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise. Les notes that verse 12 confirms it was Jew only, with exceptions. But the next verse begins, “But now, in Christ.”
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
More Questions
Why were the Gentiles without hope and without God before Paul?
Gentiles were without hope and without God in the world while God was dealing with Israel because they were not part of the nation of Israel.
What was the spiritual condition of the Gentiles before God dealt with them?
The Gentiles' condition was one of having no hope and being without God in the world, which was the lot of the Gentiles.