You Should Rejoice — and Israel Also

You Should Rejoice — and Israel Also



A first century Jew reading Isaiah 49:6 should have rejoiced in Gentiles being included in the restoration of Israel. So they should today, for it is among the greatest of the promises made to Israel.

“He says [of the Messiah, called in Greek, the Christ], ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You A LIGHT TO THE NATIONS so that My salvation may reach to THE END OF THE EARTH.”

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Christ Spoke of the Ends of the Earth

Christ himself referred to those from “the ends of the earth” being included in the scope of future restoration:

“So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, ‘Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’

“He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times and epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will received power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to THE END OF THE EARTH.’”

The restoration of Israel includes the nations—those from THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, and Pentecost, just following the conversation above, was the beginning of that great harvest.

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And So Did The Apostles

This concept was entrenched in the mind of the Apostles. Read this thoughtfully, and rejoice that you are included:

“The next Sabbath nearly the whole city [Pisidian Antioch in Galatia] assembled to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.

“Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

“For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’”

“When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.”

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The Gentiles rejoiced—and the Jews who read the Old Covenant should also. It is the fulfillment of their hopes!

And you should as well.