What was Israel's mission toward the Gentiles?
Israel's mission toward the Gentiles was to give light to those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. Having the light of the world, Israel was to take that light out to the Gentiles. This was their lot after coming to spiritual, political, and physical fulfillment.
Les explains that Israel's mission toward the Gentiles was to give light to those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. In the Old Testament, Israel had two parallel thoughts: the king and the kingdom, and a suffering Savior. Every Jew wanted the king and kingdom but did not want to deal with the Savior, and that was their problem. They were to be saved from physical enemies, have a physical kingdom, physical peace and prosperity, but they also had to have spiritual salvation. After coming to that spiritual, political, and physical fulfillment, the next step for Israel was to give light to the Gentiles. Les teaches that this was to be Israel's lot: they now had the light of the world and were going to take it out to the Gentiles. This then moves right into the New Testament, as Les turns to Acts chapter 1.