‘Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.
Acts 11:19
For 2000 years, from Abraham’s call (2000 BC) to Paul’s apostleship (37–40 AD), God exclusively engaged with His chosen people under covenants. The Gentile world received no salvation message or doctrinal guidance during this period, illustrating God’s preparation of His chosen people (Exodus 19:5–6). Acts 11:19, the post-Jerusalem church persecution led by Saul (later Paul), emphasizes this biblical truth. Those who dispersed preached exclusively to Jews, armed only with the Old Testament promises, heralding Jesus as the promised Messiah—the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 9:35). This underscores that attempting to inject unrevealed doctrines into early Acts or the gospels is untenable. The scriptural clarity in Acts 11:19 dispels any notion of introducing concepts unknown to that period.
Between Genesis 12:1 and Acts 9, there is no gospel or “good news” extended to the Gentile world (Ephesians 2:11–12). Throughout these 2000 years, in which God exclusively interacted with the nation of Israel, only 9 Gentiles found salvation. From Genesis 12 until the divine appointment of the apostle Paul, God’s revelations were confined to the nation of Israel under covenants.
The Gentile world received no message of salvation or doctrinal guidance during this period. God’s focus was on preparing His chosen people to eventually serve as the conduit for salvation to the pagan Gentile world. They were to be a “kingdom of priests,” a holy nation (Exodus 19:5).
The Call of Abraham and the “Abrahamic Covenant”
God set in motion His divine, preordained blueprint for the nation of Israel through the call of Abraham and the establishment of the Abrahamic Covenant. This foundational covenant served as the bedrock for all subsequent agreements between God and Israel. The overarching purpose of these covenants was to shape Israel into a holy nation and a kingdom of priests, as outlined in Exodus 19:5–6. Despite Israel falling short of this goal, the sovereign nature of God ensures its eventual realization in the future. The unwavering faithfulness of God guarantees the fulfillment of every promise made through these covenants. These covenants were God’s promises to Israel, and God cannot and will not break His promises. The culmination of these promises is destined to unfold when the Lord returns to establish His kingdom on earth, reigning as Israel’s King and ruling all the nations from David’s throne in Jerusalem, as prophesied in 2 Samuel 7:11–16 and Luke 1:31–33.
Recommend reading
0 Comments