God did not reveal His plans to the Gentiles initially because He was first working through the nation of Israel, and His purposes for the Gentiles were kept secret until revealed in His own timing.
Ephesians 2:12 shows that before Christ the Gentiles were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise, and without hope and without God. Les Feldick explains that this was not unfair: God knew the Gentiles had already trampled His offer of salvation for 2,000 years. The plan was part of a mystery hidden in God from the beginning of the world and first unveiled through the Apostle Paul.
Ephesians 2:11-13 — This passage describes the Gentile status before Christ and how they were brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 3:9 — This verse states that the mystery was hidden in God from the beginning of the world, explaining why the plan was not revealed sooner.
Paul writes to Gentile believers and calls them to remember their past condition: they were 'Gentiles in the flesh' and '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 2:11-12). The passage then shows the change that took place in Christ: those who were once 'far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ' (Ephesians 2:13). Paul also declares that the mystery of this inclusion was 'hid in God' from the beginning of the world (Ephesians 3:9), and the Old Testament promised that the Gentiles would trust in the root of Jesse (Romans 15:12).
Les Feldick teaches that God was not being unfair to the Gentiles. He knew what they would have done with His offer of salvation—they had already trampled it underfoot for 2,000 years—so He chose to deal with one nation, Israel, in order to bring them to a place where He could use them to go back to the Gentiles. The Gentile's lot was to be strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world, because God was dealing only with the Jew. While Israel was central, God never forgot the Gentiles; He had them on His mind all along. But the church and the rapture were secrets kept in the mind of God, revealed only through Paul. When Israel rejected her King and Messiah, God turned to the Gentiles with a gospel of grace—free, without works, religion, ritual, or priesthood. What changed at the cross is summarized in Ephesians: those who were far off were made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Les directly addresses this concern: 'He wasn't being unfair, because He knew what those Gentiles would have done with His offer of salvation. He knew they trampled it underfoot for 2,000 years already, and so He says, I'm going to do something different.' God was not dealing with the Gentile nations in that early period; He was dealing only with Israel. The Gentile's condition of being without hope and without God was not an arbitrary cruelty but part of God's unfolding plan to one day go to the whole Gentile world.
Yes. Les says, 'God had the Gentiles on His mind. Don't ever lose sight of that. But it was under a whole different set of circumstances.' He also stresses that 'God from the beginning knew the day would come when He would go to the whole Gentile world with His salvation.' The Old Testament promise of the root of Jesse indicated that the Gentiles would trust in Him. So the plan for the Gentiles was always present, but it was hidden until God's appointed time.
Les explains that the Old Testament writers could not mention the church or the rapture because these were still secrets kept in the mind of God, and only Paul had the revelation. The mystery was 'hid in God' from the beginning of the world, and Paul was made a minister 'to make all men see' the fellowship of the mystery. After Israel rejected her King and Messiah, God turned to the Gentiles with the message of salvation through the cross.
Secrets Kept in God's Mind
The Old Testament writers and gospel writers did not mention the church or the rapture because these truths were kept secret in God's mind until revealed through Paul.
God's Fairness and Gentile Rejection
God was not unfair to the Gentiles; He knew they would have trampled His offer of salvation, so He set Israel apart instead.
Israel's Fall Opens the Door
Israel's rejection of her King and Messiah opened the way for God to take the grace gospel to the Gentiles.
The Mystery Hidden From the World's Beginning
The mystery was hidden from the beginning of the world, but God had the Gentiles in mind under a different set of circumstances.
Salvation Comes to the Gentiles
Because Israel was set aside, salvation came to the Gentiles, though God is not finished with Israel.
God's Plan for the Whole Gentile World
From the beginning, God knew He would go to the whole Gentile world; Israel was to be the channel but failed.
The Gentile's Former Condition
The Gentile's prior condition was being strangers to the covenants, without hope and without God, until the blood of Christ brought them near.
The Root of Jesse and the Gentiles
God never forgot the Gentiles; the Old Testament promised they would trust in the root of Jesse.
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 in the flesh made by hands;
Paul reminds Gentile believers of their former identity outside Israel's covenant community.
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 defines the initial condition of the Gentiles before God's plan for them was revealed.
Ephesians 2:13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
It marks the change: through Christ's blood, the far-off Gentiles were brought near.
Ephesians 3:9: And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Paul explains that the mystery had been hidden in God from the beginning of the world, showing why it was not revealed earlier.
Romans 15:12: And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
Paul quotes Isaiah's promise that the root of Jesse would reign over the Gentiles and that they would trust in him.
No. Les says God didn't forget about the Gentiles; He had them on His mind and knew the day would come when He would go to the whole Gentile world with His salvation. The Old Testament even promised that the Gentiles would trust in the root of Jesse.
Les says no. God knew what the Gentiles would have done with His offer of salvation—they had already trampled it for 2,000 years—so He was not being unfair. He was simply working out His purposes through Israel until the cross.
Because it was a secret kept in the mind of God until revealed through Paul. The Old Testament writers could not mention it, and only Paul writes of the rapture in the New Testament.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did God Hide Secrets in the Bible Until Now?