Yes — with Christ's finished work on the cross the relationship was completely reversed: Gentiles once far off and outside Israel's covenants are now made nigh by the blood of Christ, while Israel was set aside temporarily.
In the Old Testament economy God dealt with the Jew only, aside from a few exceptions, and Gentiles were without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God (Ephesians 2:12). But now, because of the finished work of the cross, those who were far off are "made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:13) — not by the Law and not by entering the covenants. When Israel rejected Christ, God set them aside temporarily and turned to the Gentiles in grace, so that the Jew now has no advantage over the Gentile.
Ephesians 2:11-13 — This is the passage Paul uses to describe the Gentiles' former status outside Israel and their being made nigh by the blood of Christ — the direct biblical answer to the question.
Romans 3:29 — Paul here states plainly that God is the God of the Gentiles also, confirming that the relationship between Jews and Gentiles has changed.
Ephesians 2:11-12 describes the former condition of the Gentiles: "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision made by hands in the flesh; 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." This is the Gentile's standing while God was dealing with His covenant people, the Jew. Verse 13 declares the change brought by Christ: "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." The change is not said to come through the Law or through the covenant promises, but through the blood of Christ. Romans 3:29 extends the same truth: "Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also." And Romans 10:20 applies the Old Testament prophet's words to this very turn: "But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me."
Les teaches that from the Old Testament through Christ's earthly ministry, God's dealings were "Jew only, with a few exceptions" (Clip 0). In that time Gentiles were "without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in this world" (Clips 3, 5). Paul writes this to Gentile believers at Ephesus to remind them of what they once were (Clips 0, 5). Les emphasizes that the change did not come by the Law or by the covenants: "in Christ Jesus, you who were sometime far off as Gentiles were then, are made nigh, that is to God, not by the Law, not by the covenants, but by the blood of Christ, the finished work of the cross" (Clip 2). The Gentiles were steeped in paganism with no knowledge of the God of Abraham, yet now they are made nigh by the blood (Clip 1). When Israel refused and rejected Christ, God set them aside temporarily and turned to the Gentiles in grace (Clip 2). This turn to the Gentiles fulfills Isaiah's word, "I was found of them that sought me not" (Clip 0). Les also stresses the new equality: "We're now on a level playing field. The Jew has no advantage over the Gentile" (Clip 6). It took the Jews a long time to get out of their system that they were God's separated people — even Peter struggled to sit with Gentile believers (Clip 7).
Les says the Old Testament economy was "Jew only, with a few exceptions" (Clip 0). Paul describes the Gentile's former state in Ephesians 2:11-12: they were "called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision," and "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" (Clips 3, 5). Les adds that they were steeped in paganism and had no knowledge of the God of Abraham (Clip 1).
Paul's answer is Ephesians 2:13: "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Les makes the point emphatic: the Gentile is made nigh "not by the Law, not by the covenants, but by the blood of Christ, the finished work of the cross" (Clip 2). The blood of Christ refers to the crucifixion (Clip 4).
Les teaches that "when Israel refused it, and rejected it, God set them aside temporarily, and He turns to the Gentile in grace" (Clip 2). This is exactly what Isaiah had said: "I was found of them that sought me not" (Clip 0). The Jews were offended that anyone would go to pagan Gentiles, because for almost two thousand years God had shown them they were His separated people (Clip 7).
Paul asks in Romans 3:29, "Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also." Les says that was not the concept in the Old Testament, but "now it's on a level playing field. The Jew has no advantage over the Gentile. We have no advantage over the Gentile or over the Jew" (Clip 6).
Old Testament: Jew Only
Les draws the Old Testament boundary: it was "Jew only, with a few exceptions," and Paul addressed Gentiles at Ephesus as those who were "Gentiles in the flesh" in times past. He also shows that Isaiah's words — "I was found of them that sought me not" — anticipated the turn to the Gentiles.
Made Nigh by the Blood
Les shows that on the basis of the finished work of the cross, God is now dealing with Gentiles — those once far off and steeped in paganism are "made nigh by the blood," resting on the two premises of faith and the shed blood.
Blood, Not Law or Covenants
Les gives the precise mechanism of the change: the Gentile is made nigh to God not by the Law and not by the covenants, but by the blood of Christ, the finished work of the cross; and because Israel refused and rejected it, God set them aside temporarily and turned to the Gentile in grace.
Without Christ, Aliens, Strangers
Les describes the pre-Christ Gentile position: called "uncircumcised" by the Jew, they were without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in this world.
No Longer in That Position
Les confirms the Gentile is no longer in that far-off position — those once outside the covenants and without God are made nigh by the blood of Christ, which refers to the crucifixion.
Paul's Reminder to the Ephesians
Les stresses that Paul wrote to remind Gentile believers of their former state — uncircumcised and outside the covenant promises when God was dealing with Israel alone.
A Level Playing Field
Les draws the result of the change: there is now a level playing field — the Jew has no advantage over the Gentile, because God is the God of the Gentiles also.
Jewish Resistance to Gentile Inclusion
Les explains the Jewish response to Paul's Gentile ministry: after nearly two thousand years of being God's separated people, it took the Jews a long time to accept Gentile believers, and Peter himself withdrew from them at Antioch.
Ephesians 2:11: Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision made by hands in the flesh;
Paul reminds Gentile believers that in time past they were called "Uncircumcision" by the Jews — this is the former state the question asks about.
Ephesians 2:12: 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:
This verse enumerates exactly what the Gentiles lacked before Christ: no Christ, no citizenship, no covenants, no hope, no God.
Ephesians 2:13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
This is the hinge of the answer: the far-off Gentiles are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Romans 3:29: Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
Paul's rhetorical question establishes that God is also the God of the Gentiles — the change in relationship.
Romans 10:20: But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
The Gentile turn was prophesied: God was found by those who did not seek Him.
Les says the Old Testament was "Jew only, with a few exceptions" (Clip 0). The general Gentile state was to be "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" (Ephesians 2:12; Clips 3, 5).
Not by the Law and not by the covenants, but by the blood of Christ, the finished work of the cross (Clip 2). Ephesians 2:13 says, "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Les stresses that the only way to deal with old Adam is on the premises of faith and the shed blood (Clip 1).
No. Les teaches that Israel "refused it, and rejected it, God set them aside temporarily" — the setting aside is temporary, not permanent — "and He turns to the Gentile in grace" (Clip 2).
Because for almost two thousand years God had been telling them and proving to them that they were different — His separated people — and it took them a long time to get that out of their system (Clip 7). Even Peter struggled, withdrawing from Gentile believers at Antioch when his fellow Jews came from Jerusalem (Clip 7).
Watch the Teaching: Why Did Israel Reject God? Romans 10:18-21 Explained