"This Is the Heritage Of the Servants of the Lord, Their Righteousness Is Of Me," Saith the Lord - Part 1654

"Be it known therefore, unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." (Acts 28:28)

In order to understand the critical importance of Jesus Christ (in terms of His abundant love and mercy, and our salvation) we need to recognize that the Gentiles remained outside of the old covenant ordinances and law. The Israelites having been the Lord God's chosen in the old testament (before the cross). This is not to suggest that there were no exceptions but rather to show how the Lord's plan of salvation, which was in the bosom of the Father from the very beginning, was extended by design to those of us who were not Israelites.

Jesus said, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, [and] one shepherd." (John 10:16)

"So then [it is] not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy .... shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], "Why hast thou made me thus?" Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew [His] wrath, and to make His power known endured with much long suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom He hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" (Romans 9:16-24)

In other words, we have been called according to His purpose. By deliberate design, the Lord God Himself prepared a plan of salvation that could only hinge on His love for His creation. That is, God robed Himself in flesh, having prepared for Himself a body, and in so doing, He became the perfect sacrifice on a cross for us, so that we might experience His love and mercy in our hearts. 

"He was in the world and the world was made by Him but the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10) 

God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) The Lord Himself having come into this world as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6) 

This is why some apostles in the early church grieved with great heaviness and continual sorrow for the Israelites, "to whom pertain the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh [came] who is over all, God blessed for ever, amen." (Romans 9:4-6)

But I digress. So, again, for further clarity -- "[what] if God, willing to shew [His] wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom He hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

As He saith also in Osee, "I will call them My people, which were not My people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, "Ye [are] not My people; there shall they be called the children of the living God." Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: for He will finish the work, and cut [it] short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth."

And as Esaias said before, "Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith." (Romans 9:22-30)

"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:14)

The scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith. (Galatians 3:8) The scripture having concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But BEFORE faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith. But after faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster -- for ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:15-29)

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree." (Galatians 3:13) 

In other words, the Lord Himself, God in Christ paid the ultimate price for our transgressions. He shed His precious blood on an old rugged cross for His beloved. And, as a consequence of believing in Jesus by faith, we are no longer children in bondage, under the elements of the world. Because "when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Galatians 4:1-6)

The love of God being shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us, when we repent, and are water baptized in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:36-38)

All this foretold in scriptures, foretold through the prophets, so that we would not be caught unaware of the greatest love story ever told to mankind.

"And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious." (Isaiah 11:10)

"Behold My servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect, in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." (Isaiah 42:1)

"I the LORD have called Thee in righteousness, and will hold Thine hand, and will keep Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles ... " (Isaiah 42:6)

And He said, "It is a light thing that thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6)

Thus saith the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will lift up Mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up My standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders." (Isaiah 49:22)

" ... and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited." (Isaiah 54:3)

"And the Gentiles shall come to Thy light, and kings to the brightness of Thy rising." (Isaiah 60:3)

"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." (Isaiah 60:5)

"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." (Isaiah 60:16)

"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." (Isaiah 61:9)

"And the Gentiles shall see Thy righteousness, and all kings Thy glory: and Thou shalt be called by a new Name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name." (Isaiah 62:2)

For thus saith the LORD, "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees." (Isaiah 66:12)

"And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles." (Isaiah 66:19)

Jesus -- a witness to the people!

This is why we are to seek the Lord while He may be found, and call ye upon Him while He is near because He, in His willingness and mercy hast made an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Stand in the offering plate.