What time period is Ephesians 2:12 referring to?
Ephesians 2:12 refers to the Old Testament period when Israel was under the covenant promises. During that time God dealt only with His covenant people, with exceptions such as Jonah going to Nineveh and Rahab the harlot, while Gentiles were called uncircumcision by the circumcision.
Les explains that Ephesians 2:12 points back to the whole period of time during the Old Testament when Israel was under the covenant promises and God was dealing only with His covenant people. He notes there were exceptions, such as Jonah going to Nineveh, Rahab the harlot, and Nahum and the Syrian. Paul is writing to predominantly Gentile believers at Ephesus, reminding them that in times past they were Gentiles in the flesh, called uncircumcision by the circumcision made in the flesh with hands. Les then begins to take the phrase "alien" slowly.
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: