By God's grace the Gentile world has received the blessing Israel lost, many eagerly accepting the Gospel even as the age also reveals Gentile iniquity.
God promised Abraham that all families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). When Israel rejected her Messiah and King, God set the nation aside and by grace put the whole Gentile system into Israel's former position of blessing (Clip 0). Les describes how pagan Gentiles 'began to just almost swarm to the Gospel' when Paul first preached (Clip 3). Yet he also identifies the present period as the 'times of the Gentiles,' during which the Gentile world fills the cup of its iniquity (Clip 6).
Genesis 12:3 — This is the foundational promise that all families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham, establishing the opportunity later given to the Gentiles.
Romans 11:11 — This verse directly states that through Israel's fall, salvation came to the Gentiles, answering how the opportunity moved from Israel to the Gentile world.
In Genesis 12:3, God promised Abraham, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." This promise made provision for all nations, not Israel alone. Centuries later, Peter declared to Israel in Acts 3:25, "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." The blessing was offered to Israel first. After Israel's rejection of her promised Messiah, Paul explained in Romans 11:11, "I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy."
Les teaches that Israel enjoyed the fatness of the root of Abraham, living within the promises given to Abraham. Because God had also promised Abraham that all families of the earth would be blessed, God set Israel aside and, by grace, put the whole Gentile system into the place Israel had enjoyed (Clip 0). This was not an accident or an afterthought; God preordained to go another way when Israel continued to reject her Messiah and King (Clip 5). When the Apostle Paul took the Gospel to the pagan Gentiles, their response was striking — Les says they "began to just almost swarm to the Gospel" (Clip 3). Israel, by contrast, had every opportunity to receive the King and the Kingdom, but rejected it, and thereby opened the door for the Gentile age of grace (Clips 2, 4). Les also points to the present age as the "times of the Gentiles," a period in which the Gentile world is overlording Israel and filling the cup of Gentile iniquity (Clip 6). Thus, Les presents both an eager initial Gentile response and a continuing age of Gentile domination and iniquity.
Israel had every opportunity to receive her Messiah, King, and Kingdom, but she rejected it (Clip 4). Les explains that if every Jew had responded, the King could have returned and Israel could have evangelized the world — but they "miffed it" and rejected it (Clip 2). God did not act accidentally; He preordained to go another way when Israel continued to reject (Clip 5).
The whole Gentile system was put into the place that Israel had enjoyed, partaking of the fatness of the root of Abraham (Clip 0). God opened the windows of heaven for Gentiles whose forefathers were pagan idolaters, and He sent Paul to them (Clip 3). Les describes this as a unique outpouring of God's grace upon the Gentile masses, enabling them to experience salvation and become members of the Body of Christ (Clip 1).
Many Gentiles responded eagerly when the Gospel first went out — they almost swarmed to it (Clip 3). Yet the present period, the times of the Gentiles, is one in which the Gentile world is overlording Israel and filling the cup of its iniquity (Clip 6). The response has therefore been a mixture of eager reception and continuing Gentile failure.
Gentiles Put Into Israel's Place
Les teaches that Israel enjoyed the fatness of the Abrahamic root, and after Israel was set aside, the whole Gentile system was graciously put into that same place of blessing.
Gentiles Receive Salvation by Grace
Les describes the present age as a unique outpouring of God's grace upon the Gentile masses, enabling them to become children of God through faith alone.
Israel Miffed the Opportunity
Les shows that Israel's total rejection of the Gospel meant the King could not return and Israel lost the opportunity to evangelize the world.
Gentiles Swarm to the Gospel
Les recounts that Paul's Gentile hearers, whose ancestors were pagan idolaters, began to almost swarm to the Gospel.
Israel Had Every Opportunity but Rejected
Les emphasizes that Israel had every opportunity to receive the King, Kingdom, and Messiah, but rejected it; through their fall, salvation came to the Gentiles.
God Preordained to Go to the Gentiles
Les explains that God was not taken by surprise; He preordained to turn to the Gentiles with the Gospel of grace after Israel's continued rejection.
Times of the Gentiles and Iniquity
Les identifies the present age as the times of the Gentiles, when the Gentile world is overlording Israel and filling the cup of its iniquity.
Why Did Jesus Only Go to Israel? Matthew 10:5-6 Explained
So the Book says, and I didn�t put this in there, but yours says it too. This was the law of the Gentiles, because God was dealing with covenant promises, and it was only for the nation of Israel until she should be such a prepared, spiritual, obedient people, and then what would God do? Hey, He would send them into the Gentile world, and they could then bring the Gentiles to a knowledge of their …
Genesis 12:3: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
This promise to Abraham establishes that all nations, not just Israel, would be blessed through him.
Acts 3:25: Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Peter applies the Abrahamic promise to Israel first, showing the offer of blessing was made to the nation.
Romans 11:11: I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
This verse explains that Israel's stumble opened the door of salvation to the Gentile world.
Yes. Israel had every opportunity to receive her Messiah, King, and Kingdom, but rejected it (Clip 4). God then set Israel aside and put the Gentile system, by grace, into the place of blessing Israel had enjoyed (Clip 0).
According to Les, when Paul went to the pagan Gentiles, they "began to just almost swarm to the Gospel" (Clip 3). Their eager response contrasts with Israel's rejection.
Les describes it as the period of history in which the Gentiles are overlording the nation of Israel, and he calls it the filling of the cup of iniquity of the Gentiles (Clip 6).
Watch the Teaching: Wild Olive Tree Grafted In — What Romans 11 Says About Gentiles