The Gentiles began as the mainstream of humanity that descended from Adam and continued through the nations scattered from the tower of Babel.
The Gentile nations were not a separate people God created or chose. They were the continuing stream of humanity — the same race that came out of Adam. After the flood, humanity rebelled at Babel and God scattered the nations with confused languages. About 150 years later, God called Abram out of that mainstream to begin the nation of Israel (Clips 1, 4, 6).
Genesis 11:9 — This verse records the scattering of the nations from Babel, the moment the divided Gentile nations began spreading across the earth.
Genesis 12:1 — This records God's call of Abram out of his country and kindred — the point at which Israel was separated from the Gentile mainstream.
Genesis 12:3 — This covenant promise blesses 'all families of the earth' through Abraham, showing God's continuing plan for the Gentile nations.
Genesis 11 opens with the whole earth speaking one language. As people journeyed from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and dwelt there, deciding to build a city and a tower 'whose top may reach unto heaven' so they could 'make us a name' and not be scattered abroad (Genesis 11:1-4). The LORD came down to see the city and the tower, and said, 'Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech' (Genesis 11:7). The LORD then scattered them abroad from Babel upon the face of all the earth, and the city was called Babel, 'because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth' (Genesis 11:9). Later, God called Abram out of his country and his kindred, telling him, 'I will make of thee a great nation' (Genesis 12:2), and promising, 'in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed' (Genesis 12:3). These verses mark the point at which one family — Israel — is separated from the rest of the families of the earth.
Les Feldick teaches that the Gentiles were not a separate people originally created or chosen by God. The whole human race was one stream 'coming out of Adam' (Clip 1). After the flood, the people repopulated the Middle East for about 200 years, and then in total rebellion against God's command to scatter, they gathered under Nimrod at the tower of Babel (Clip 0). Les explains the tower was a place of religion meant to usurp God's throne religiously, and that every pagan, mythological, cultic, and false religion today has its roots at Babel (Clip 0). God scattered the nations from Babel with confused languages (Clip 6). From that point, the mainstream of humanity — the nations spreading across the earth — are the Gentiles. About 150 years after Babel, God did something totally different: He put His finger on one man, Abram, in Ur of the Chaldees, and brought him out of that mainstream of humanity to be the father of a whole new race, the nation of Israel (Clips 1, 4, 6). Les stresses that Abram himself was not a Jew — he was a Syrian genetically (Clip 5). His blood didn't change; God's covenant made him the father of the Hebrew nation, and Isaac became the first real Jew by birth (Clip 5). From Abraham onward, the Bible divides mankind into two categories: Jew and Gentile (Clip 2). The rest of humanity, including even the Arabs who were next of kin, are still considered Gentiles (Clip 2). Les describes the Gentile system as an 'old no good olive tree' that has been grafted into Israel (Clip 7).
No. Les Feldick explains that Abraham was part of the same race of people coming out of Adam (Clip 1). The Gentiles were not purposefully separated out by God. Rather, they are the continuing stream of humanity that God allowed to 'drift along in their godless state' while He pulled Abram out of the mainstream to begin Israel (Clip 4). The Gentile nations are simply the rest of mankind after God separated one man to start the Jewish race.
Les teaches that after the flood, humanity repopulated for about 200 years in the Middle East. Then, in total rebellion against God's instruction to scatter, they gathered at the tower of Babel under a man named Nimrod. The tower was not an attempt to reach heaven with brick and stone, but a place of religion by which they could 'literally usurp the throne of God religiously.' God scattered them with the confusion of languages (Clips 0, 6). From Babel, the nations began to populate the earth as God intended, and every false religion, from pagan mythology to modern cults, has its roots at Babel (Clip 0).
According to Les Feldick, yes. Abraham came out of the same mainstream of humanity as every other descendant of Adam. The Jewish nation was not yet on the scene. Les points out that Abraham was a Syrian — he had two brothers in Syria — and even after his call, his blood didn't change; he was still genetically a Syrian (Clip 5). Yet by virtue of God's covenant promises, Abraham became the father of the Hebrew nation, and Isaac, as the son of promise, is described as the first real Jew by birth (Clip 5).
Les Feldick says the Bible divides the whole human race into two categories: Jew and Gentile. The nation of Israel began when God called Abraham out of Ur, out of idolatry, and gave him the covenant promises (Clip 2). Before that call, there was no separate Jewish race — only the mainstream of humanity that continued from Adam through the nations scattered at Babel. Even the Arabs, who are next of kin by virtue of Abraham, Ishmael, and Esau, are still considered Gentiles in Scripture; only a Jew is considered a Jew (Clip 2).
Root of the Nations at Babel
This clip shows why Babel is the starting point for both the scattered Gentile nations and the world's false religions — humanity's rebellion that brought God's scattering.
Abraham Pulled Out of the Gentile Mainstream
This clip explains that Abraham came from the same race as all humanity, and God pulled him out of that mainstream to father the separated nation of Israel — leaving the rest as Gentiles.
The Bible's Two Categories: Jew and Gentile
This clip establishes that from Abraham's call onward, Scripture divides all humanity into Jew and Gentile, with even the Arabs counted as Gentiles.
Abram Called Out of Idolatry
This clip shows that the whole human race was steeped in paganism, and Israel began when God called Abram out of Ur to the land of Canaan.
One Man Pulled From the Mainstream of Humanity
This clip teaches that after 2,000 years from Adam, God pulled Abram out of the mainstream of humanity to begin Israel, letting the rest of mankind drift along as Gentiles.
Abraham's Syrian Genetics
This clip explains that Abraham was genetically a Syrian, not a Jew, and that Isaac would be the first real Jew by birth.
Nations Scattered From Babel
This clip explains that about 150 years after Babel God called Abraham, while the rest of the nations went on in their own pagan way — those nations are the Gentiles.
The Gentile System Grafted Into Israel
This clip describes the Gentiles as the 'old no good olive tree' grafted into Israel, showing that all Gentile nations trace back to the same stream from which Abraham came.
Genesis 11:1: And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
Shows the undivided human condition before Babel, before the Gentile nations emerged.
Genesis 11:4: And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
Records the people's rebellion against God's command to scatter, the sin judged at Babel.
Genesis 11:7: Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
God's judgment of confusing human language, leading to the scattering that produced the nations.
Genesis 11:9: Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
This is the point where the single human race was scattered into the nations that became the Gentiles.
Genesis 12:1: Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
This marks the call of Abram out of the Gentile mainstream to begin the nation of Israel.
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.
Shows that all the families of the earth — the Gentiles — would eventually be blessed through Abraham.
The Gentiles began as the mainstream of humanity descending from Adam. After the flood, they repopulated the Middle East, rebelled at the tower of Babel, and God scattered them into the nations with confused languages. That scattered mainstream continued as the Gentiles (Clips 0, 6).
No. Les Feldick teaches that God did not originally pull a separate Gentile line out of humanity. The Gentiles were the continuing stream; the Jew began when God called Abram out of that mainstream about 150 years after Babel (Clips 1, 4, 6).
Abraham was originally part of the same race coming out of Adam, and Les says he was genetically a Syrian. God's covenant made him the father of the Jewish race, but Isaac, the son of promise, would be the first real Jew by birth (Clips 1, 5).
At Babel, humanity rebelled against God's command to scatter, so God confused their languages and scattered them over the earth. The nations that went out from Babel are the Gentile nations, and Les also traces every false religion back to Babel (Clips 0, 6).
Watch the Teaching: Why God Chose Abraham: Israel's Purpose Finally Explained