I am posting a brief study on the role of Gentiles in the millennial reign of Christ. Largely because I do not see a lot of emphasis on this subject in dispensation teaching and literature; which to someone without a dispensational understanding of scripture, can lead them to believe that we think that the Old Testament, Gospels, and "general" epistles are only concerning Israel. It also leads them to quote verses like Romans 15:9 and think that it totally refutes Mid-Acts Dispensationalism.
Romans 15:8-9 "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name."
Dispensationalists do not dispute that God has a plan and purpose for the Gentiles within the dispensing of the gospel of the kingdom and millennial reign of Christ. I think there has been a failure on our part to communicate that plan and purpose, due to our emphasis on God's purpose for Israel during those dispensations. With that being said, here are some thoughts and scriptures on God's purpose for the Gentiles in the Millennial reign.
Gentiles have always been welcome in God's plan, even when God's dispensation for the age was that of Law.
Isaiah 56:
[3] Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself
to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his
people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
[4]
For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and
choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
[5]
Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place
and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an
everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
[6] Also the sons
of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to
love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth
the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
[7]
Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my
house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be
accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of
prayer for all people.
[8] The Lord GOD which gathereth the
outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those
that are gathered unto him.
Though Gentiles in past ages were "strangers from the covenant of promise" and "without God" (Eph. 2:12), Gentiles could come to Israel and "join themselves to the LORD". Notice that Gentiles joined themself to the Lord by observing the law, not by grace through faith alone like in the present dispensation. "that keep my sabbaths, and
choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant...every one that keepeth
the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant...their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be
accepted upon mine altar". This is consistent with what God said about the Gentiles even before the Law was given. God told 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." (Gen. 12:3) God's plan included Gentiles, but they had to come to God through the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel is where the temple was for observing the law, but the nation of Israel is also the only one to whom God revealed His word to in that dispensation.
Psalm 147:19-20 "He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD."
Romans 3:1-2 "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God."
This was true in the past age when the Law was in effect. Gentiles came to God by observing the Law and they had to come through the nation of Israel. As in the past age, so to will it be in the Millennial reign of Christ. Gentiles will come to the capital of the kingdom (Jerusalem) to observe the Law and come to God through the nation of Israel. The believing Jews will be the nation of priests that rule with Christ over the other nations in the Millennium (1 Pet. 2:9, Exod. 19:5-6, Isa. 61:6). Not all citizens in the Kingdom of God on the Earth will be equal. There is a real structure and government that functions as such.
Matthew 19:28-30 "And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first."
See in Isaiah 2:1-4, Malachi 4:1-3, and Zechariah 8:20-23; 9:9-10; and 14:8-21 that God's plan for the Gentiles is that they will live in peace in the Millennial Kingdom, in subjection to the nation of Israel where Christ is ruling from. They will be required to observe the Law during the Millennium. They are not "under grace" (Rom. 6:14) and they are not part of the body of Christ where there is neither Jew nor Gentile (Eph. 2:14). In fact, Isaiah 14:1-3 states that Gentiles will be servants and handmaids to Israel during the kingdom age. Some people think that being a "servant" for 1,000 years sounds bad or that this sounds wrong, but that is God's plan and purpose for Gentile nations during that age. Besides, we are all supposed to be servants to God and each other (Gal. 5:13). Service to God is what we have been saved for! Salvation was not just a free ticket to heaven, though that part is quite nice!
Isaiah 2:
[1] the word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
[2]
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the
LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall
be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
[3]
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the
mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will
teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion
shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
[4]
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and
they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into
pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah 14:
[1] For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose
Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be
joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
[2]
And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the
house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants
and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they
were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
[3] And it
shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from
thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou
wast made to serve,
Micah 4:
[1] But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain
of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall
flow unto it.
[2] And many nations shall come, and say, Come,
and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the
God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his
paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from
Jerusalem.
[3] And he shall judge among many people, and
rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up
a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Zechariah 8:
[20] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:
[21]
And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go
speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will
go also.
[22] Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.
[23]
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that
ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall
take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with
you: for we have heard that God is with you.
Zechariah 9:
[9] Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of
Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having
salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an
ass.
[10] And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and
the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he
shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea
even to sea, and from river even to the ends of the earth.
Zechariah 14:
[8] And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out
from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them
toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
[9] And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
[10]
All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of
Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from
Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate,
and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.
[11] And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
[12]
And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the
people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume
away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away
in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
[13]
And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the
LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand
of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his
neighbour.
[14] And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and
the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together,
gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
[15] And so
shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the
ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this
plague.
[16] And it shall come to pass, that every one that is
left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up
from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep
the feast of tabernacles.
[17] And it shall be, that whoso
will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to
worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
[18]
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain;
there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen
that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
[19] This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
[20]
In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO
THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD's house shall be like the bowl's
before the altar.
[21] Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in
Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that
sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that
day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of
hosts.
As seen above, the Gentile nations will keep and observe the Law that will go out from Jerusalem where Christ will reign. And as we can see in Zechariah 14, Gentile nations that do not come to keep the feast will be punished by not receiving rain on their land. Some people have a misconception about the Millennial reign that there will be no more sin or death, but remember that God does not do away with sin and death until after the Millennial reign (Rev. 21:1-4). The Millennium will be a time of peace and prosperity on earth, but the eternal state will not begin until after the 1,000 year reign. Remember that Satan will be released and allowed to deceive some of the nations at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:6-10, Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39). During the Millennium Christ will reign with a "rod of iron" (Ps. 2-12). Remember that the believing remnant of Israel and those that are resurrected to enter into the Kingdom will have the Holy Spirit poured on them causing them to walk in God's statutes and law (Isa. 44:3; 59:21, Jer. 31:33; 32:40, Ezek. 36:26-27; 37:14; 39:29, Joel 2:28-29). This very well explains what John wrote concerning, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin".
1 John 3:8-9 "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
The Jews who believed the gospel of the kingdom will receive their new body and God's Spirit, after which they will not be sinning (Ps. 17:15, Job 19:25-27, Isa. 26:19, Ezek. 37:1-14, 1 John 3:1-3). Israel will be born again and will not commit sin after their resurrection at the Second Coming (Isa. 44:1-4; 46:3; 66:8, Ps. 22:31). This is distinct from the resurrection of the church the Body of Christ. Our rapture will be to heaven, not to Jerusalem (Col. 3:1-3, Phil. 3:20-21, Titus 2:13, 1 Cor. 15:51-58, 1 Thes. 4:13-18). My point in mentioning Israel being born again and not committing sin during the Millennium is that the Gentiles that are in the kingdom age are not given these promises. Some Gentiles will be allowed to enter the kingdom based on the fact that they blessed the Jews, no doubt by faith (Matt. 25:32-46), a promise based on Genesis 12:3, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." But such Gentiles are not born again at the Second Coming and the new covenant is not made with them. In light of this, the fact that Christ rules with a rod of iron and punishes some nations during the Millennium makes a lot more sense than if all people were born again and living without sin.
This is not to say that the Gentile nations will not know the Lord or have a relationship with him. Many verses refer to them knowing God during the Millennium.
Ezekiel 36:
[36] Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know
that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was
desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.
[37]
Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house
of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a
flock.
[38] As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in
her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of
men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 37:
[21] And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will
take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be
gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own
land:
[22] And I will make them one nation in the land upon
the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and
they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into
two kingdoms any more at all:
[23] Neither shall they defile
themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things,
nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all
their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them:
so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
[24] And
David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one
shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes,
and do them.
[25] And they shall dwell in the land that I
have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and
they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their
children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince
for ever.
[26] Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with
them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place
them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them
for evermore.
[27] My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[28] And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
Those are just two passages from Ezekiel on the Gentiles having a relationship with God, but there are many more elsewhere in scripture, especially in Psalms (Ps. 22:27-28, 46:10, 67:4, 72:1, 102:15-16). These passages describe their relationship as a joyful one of service to God. They are rejoicing because God "shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth" (Ps. 96:10). Gentiles have never had righteous rulers that judged in truth, this will be a big deal to them and something to rejoice in. The Gentile nations will fear the Lord and rejoice in His rule. As stated previously, God will loose Satan for a short time and allow him to deceive some of the nations at the end of the 1,000 years, and some will still rebel against God even though they lived in peace and blessing for 1,000 years.
There is a Possibility that some Gentile nations may refuse to to serve Israel during the Millennium. I say that based on Isaiah 60:12, "the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted". Though this could be more of a hypothetical statement, emphasizing Christ's rule is with a rod of iron. Here is the passage:
Isaiah 60:
[1] Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
[2]
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the
people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen
upon thee.
[3] And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
[4]
Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves
together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy
daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
[5] Then thou shalt
see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged;
because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the
forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
[6] The multitude
of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all
they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they
shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.
[7] All the flocks
of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth
shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine
altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
[8] Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
[9]
Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to
bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto
the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he
hath glorified thee.
[10] And the sons of strangers shall
build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my
wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
[11]
Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut
day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles,
and that their kings may be brought.
[12] For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.
[13]
The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree,
and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will
make the place of my feet glorious.
[14] The sons also of
them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that
despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and
they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of
Israel.
[15] Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so
that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a
joy of many generations.
[16] Thou shalt also suck the milk
of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know
that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of
Jacob.
[17] For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will
bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make
thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
[18]
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction
within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy
gates Praise.
[19] The sun shall be no more thy light by day;
neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD
shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
[20]
Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself:
for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy
mourning shall be ended.
[21] Thy people also shall be all
righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my
planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
[22] A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.
My best conclusion from scripture is that the majority of the nations that enter the kingdom initially will serve God gladly, there may be a small number that rebel and Christ will make an example out of them just as at the rebellion that will take place at the end of the Millennium.
To conclude our study into the Gentiles role in the kingdom age, we should also look at Isaiah 61.
Isaiah 61:
[1] The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath
anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the
opening of the prison to them that are bound;
[2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
[3]
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for
ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit
of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the
planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
[4] And they
shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations,
and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many
generations.
[5] And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
[6]
But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the
Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in
their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
[7] For your shame ye
shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their
portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double:
everlasting joy shall be unto them.
[8] For I the LORD love
judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their
work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
[9]
And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring
among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they
are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
[10] I will greatly
rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath
clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the
robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
[11] For as
the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things
that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause
righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
We see again that the Gentiles are serving Israel and are described as feeding their flocks and tending to their crops for them. And yet again, we see that the majority of the nations will gladly serve the Lord and rejoice in their position of service. "Righteousness and PRAISE" will spring forth before all nations (vs. 11).
The Gentiles were well aware of what their position would be in the kingdom age as were the Jews. This is the relationship that Christ in His earthly ministry taught that they would have.
1.) Christ taught that Israel would be the light that the Gentiles came to
Matthew 5:14-16 "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Isaiah 60:1-3 "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."
2.) Christ taught that the Gentiles would serve Israel
Matthew 15:
[22] And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts,
and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David;
my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
[23] But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
[24] But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
[25] Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
[26] But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
[27] And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
[28]
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be
it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from
that very hour.
3.) Christ taught to follow the Law (see also Matthew 19:17)
Matthew 5:17-20, 34-35 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven...But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King."
Isaiah 2:[3] And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.Christ did not come to teaching the doctrine of the dispensation of grace and He did not teach that Jew and Gentile would be one new man where there is no distinction. As established in previous posts, He came offering the Kingdom to Israel (Matt. 4:23, 9:35, 24:14; Mark 1:14). The kingdom was at hand (Matt. 3:2, 4:17, 10:7; Mark 1:15; Acts 1:6-8, 3:19-21).
One question that comes up is how will there be Gentiles in the Millennial kingdom if Christ destroys the nations that were deceived by the Antichrist at the Second Coming. The answer is that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the word and there will be Gentiles in the nations that will believe it, and help the Jews that are being persecuted by the Antichrist.
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature
Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Because the gospel of the kingdom will go to all nations, many Gentiles will believe it and that is how you will have Gentile nations helping the Jews during the 70th week of Daniel as we see in Matthew 25.
Matthew 25:
[31] When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
[32]
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
[33] And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
[34]
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed
of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world:
[35] For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
[36] Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
[37] Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
[38] When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
[39] Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
[40]
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren,
ye have done it unto me.
[41] Then shall he say also unto them
on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels:
[42] For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
[43] I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
[44]
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an
hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and
did not minister unto thee?
[45] Then shall he answer them,
saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the
least of these, ye did it not to me.
[46] And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
The gospel of the kingdom was not just for the Jews. Though it was to be preached to Israel first (Matt. 10:5, Luke 24:47) for it was Israel that was being offered the kingdom (Acts 3:19-21), what good what it do if all of Israel believed the gospel of the kingdom but then all the nations died and went to hell? There would be no one for them to rule over in the kingdom age. The gospel of the kingdom was meant to go to the whole world (John 3:16-17, Matt. 28:19-20, Mark 16:15).
A key thing to remember in this study is that in the kingdom age the Gentiles are blessed through Israel's "rise" and "light" (Isaiah chapters 60 and 61), but in the present dispensation of grace we are blessed through their "fall" and "diminishing" (Romans chapter 11).
The mystery of the present dispensation is not that Gentiles would be blessed, but that through Israel's fall Jew and Gentile could become part of the church the body of Christ where there is neither Jew nor Gentile. This is by believing the gospel of the grace of God (1 Cor. 15:1-4, Eph. 3:1-9) not by being a blessing to the Jews. Gentiles in the present age are not under the law (Rom. 6:14, Col. 2:10-23) but the Gentiles in the kingdom age are.
Hopefully this will be a help to some people who may not have ever seen these distinctions before.
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