Yes — God changed His focus to the Gentiles because Israel rejected His offer in unbelief, and He raised up Saul of Tarsus as His chosen vessel to the Gentiles.
Israel was the favored nation and could have brought the Gentiles to God, but she rejected and crucified the King and kept rejecting the gospel in the early Acts. In response, God turned directly to the Gentiles and saved Saul of Tarsus by grace, revealing to Ananias that Saul would bear His name before the Gentiles, kings, and Israel.
Acts 9:15 — God declares that Saul is a chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles — the clearest biblical statement of the new direction toward the Gentiles.
Romans 1:16 — The gospel is the power of God for everyone who believes, ordered 'to the Jew first, and also to the Greek,' showing the place of both Jew and Gentile.
In Acts 9:15, after Saul's encounter on the road to Damascus, the Lord tells Ananias: 'But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.' This verse reveals that God's purpose for Saul would reach far beyond national Israel to the Gentile world. Romans 1:16 states: 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.' The gospel is offered to everyone who believes, with the Jew having the first place in the order of proclamation, but not an exclusive place.
Les explains that Israel had been chosen as God's special nation and was intended to be a kingdom of priests who would bring the Gentiles to a knowledge of Jehovah God. But Israel missed that calling, rejected the Messiah, crucified Him, and continued rejecting the message even while Peter and the eleven preached in the early chapters of Acts. Rather than abandoning His purpose, God did something totally different: He set the nation aside and went to the Gentiles without Israel by raising up one Jew, Saul of Tarsus. Saul, a religious zealot who had persecuted believing Jews, was saved by grace on the road to Damascus. Even before he left Damascus, God told Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. Les emphasizes that Saul was primarily the apostle of the Gentiles, though he could go to the Jew also. The age of grace is predominantly Gentile in nature, but Jews are not locked out of salvation by grace. Paul's practice in the Book of Acts was to begin in the Jewish synagogue, because Israel had been the covenant people and were steeped in the Word of God. But after roughly thirty years of continued rejection, Paul made the final statement: 'from henceforth we go to the Gentiles.' Even after Cornelius was converted, the Jewish believers who saw the sign did not tell Israel for another eight to ten years that God was now dealing with the Gentiles on His own ground.
Les says that Israel's calling was to be a priesthood and to evangelize the Gentiles, but the favored nation failed. Instead of taking the whole nation of Israel, God did something different after Israel rejected Christ and continued rejecting the early Acts preaching. He turned directly to the Gentiles without the nation of Israel.
God raised up Saul of Tarsus, a former persecutor of believing Jews, and saved him by grace. Ananias was told that Saul was a chosen vessel to bear God's name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel, and Saul was sent far hence to the Gentiles. Les describes this as a totally different work, predominantly Gentile in nature.
Paul began in the synagogue of the Jew wherever he went because it was a logical place to start: Israel had been the covenant people, steeped in the Word of God, and were the writers of Scripture. But after about thirty years of continued rejection, Paul's final statement was 'from henceforth we go to the Gentiles.'
Les emphatically answers, 'No way.' Israel had stumbled, but God did not remove them completely. The age of grace is predominantly Gentile, but a Jew is not locked out of salvation in grace. Israel can still be saved, though the present work is primarily to the Gentiles.
Saul Prepared as a Special Vessel
The Lord tells Ananias that Saul of Tarsus is being made ready for something special, pointing to his unique role in the new direction of God's program.
Saul Sent to the Gentiles
Because Israel missed its priestly calling, God raised up one Jew, Saul of Tarsus, and sent him 'far hence to the Gentiles' as the apostle of the Gentiles.
Saul to Bear God's Name Before Gentiles
After Israel's continued rejection, God saved Saul by grace and told Ananias that Saul would bear His name before the Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel.
God Turns to the Gentiles Without Israel
God chose Israel so she could reach the Gentiles, but when she failed, God went to the Gentiles without the nation of Israel.
Paul's Final 'We Go to the Gentiles'
Paul started in the synagogues because Israel was the covenant people, but after decades of rejection he announced the turn to the Gentiles.
Saul the Chosen Vessel to the Gentile
God bypassed unfaithful Israel and brought Saul of Tarsus on the scene as the chosen vessel to take the Word to the Gentile.
Saul's Salvation: The Epitome of Grace
Israel could have had the King and the Kingdom and evangelized the nations, but after rejecting Him, God saved Saul by grace and sent him far hence to the Gentiles.
Jewish Believers Slow to Announce the Change
Even after Cornelius, Peter and those with him did not tell Israel for another eight to ten years that God was now dealing with the Gentiles without Israel.
Acts 9:15: But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
This is the Lord's direct statement to Ananias about Saul's commission to carry God's name to the Gentiles.
Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
This verse shows the gospel order — the Jew first, and then the Greek — while making the gospel available to every believer.
Les says the favored nation failed and missed its opportunity to evangelize the Gentiles, but God did not remove Israel completely. God turned the gospel to the Gentiles without the nation of Israel and later raised up Saul as the apostle to the Gentiles.
Saul was a religious zealot, but after Israel rejected the gospel, God saved him by grace and told Ananias he was a chosen vessel to bear God's name before the Gentiles, kings, and Israel. Les calls his salvation the epitome of grace.
No. Les says the age of grace is predominantly Gentile in its nature, but a Jew is not locked out of salvation in grace. Some Jews can be saved, even though the emphasis has shifted to the Gentile.
Paul started at the synagogue because Israel had been the covenant people, steeped in the Word of God and its writers. But after about thirty years of continued rejection, he said, 'from henceforth we go to the Gentiles.'
Watch the Teaching: Why Most People Miss Who Jesus Really Is — Colossians 1:15 Explained