WHO ARE THE GENTILES???👦👧👱👩👴👳

Gentiles: a person who is not Jewish. The split between Jews and Gentiles began with Jacob. Before Jacob, there were no Jews.

Noah, Abraham, and Isaac were not Jews. The term “Jew” refers to the descendants

Where it ALL began!

In Genesis 32:28, God gave Jacob the new name of “Israel.”

In the Old Testament, the descendants of Jacob are known as the Israelites. After the reign of Solomon over the nation of Israel, the nation divided into two nations in 931 BC; one continued the name of Israel and the other became known as Judah.

Jacob’s son Judah descendants made up the majority of this second country. Over time, many people from Israel came to live in the nation of Judah.

In 722 BC, the nation of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians, but the nation of Judah continued.

By around 687 BC, the people of the nation of Judah were being called “Jehudi,” a Hebrew word that we translate as “Jew” (Jeremiah 34:9; Daniel 3:8, 12; 2 Kings 25:25).

Many of the twelve tribes of Israel had taken up residence in the country of Judah, the term included descendants of the other tribes.

In the book of Esther, Mordecai, of the tribe of Benjamin, is called a Jew (Esther 2:5).

Only those descended from Jacob are Jews, EVERYONE ELSE are considered Gentiles.

Thus, the Arabs, who are descended from Abraham through Ishmael, ARE NOT JEWS AND WOULD RESIST BEING CALLED JEWS.

Other descendants of Shem, Noah’s son through whom Abraham came, also would be considered as Gentiles, as would all the descendants of Ham and Japheth, Noah’s other two sons.

Genesis 10: 2. The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

3. And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

4. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

5. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; everyone after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

Being a Gentile is not based Faith!

Being a Gentile has nothing to do with faith or belief; it has everything to do with family, bloodline, and nationhood. Gentiles are not a religion, and they are not a faith. They are the nations aside from the house of Jacob.

These are the sons of Japheth, the son of Noah; they are who the Gentiles are. During the time of Jesus Christ on earth, the Romans in Jerusalem were referred to as the Gentiles.

There are prominent Gentiles throughout the Bible that include:

Jethro – The father-in-law of Moses was a Midianite priest. He and his family joined Moses in the desert. When Jethro heard of all God had done for Moses and the Israelites, he declared that certainly their God was greater than any other gods.

Rahab – She was an Amorite living in Jericho during the time the Lord was going to hand over Jericho to Joshua. Rahab and her family were spared when Joshua captured Jericho because she hid the spies sent by Joshua. Rahab acknowledged that their God was powerful more than any other.

Ruth – She was a Moabite who married a Judean. Ruth’s husband died, but she stayed with her mother-in-law, Naomi, and declared that Naomi’s God was her God, too. She devoted herself to following the ways of the Israelites, eventually marrying Boaz, another Israel.

Naaman: A Syrian general who was healed by the prophet Elisha and acknowledged the God of Israel (2 Kings 5).

The Ninevites: The people of a major Assyrian city who repented in response to Jonah's preaching (Book of Jonah).

Luke – He was the author of the Gospel of Luke and Acts, which make up a significant portion of the New Testament. It is believed that Luke was a Greek physician who became a believer in Jesus. He was also a noteworthy companion in ministry to the apostle Paul.

Cornelius – was the first Gentile pulled into the Church under the new covenant, and he was of the Italian band ((Roman) Acts 10).

He was a Roman centurion who converted to Christianity. He, along with his family, are one of the first gentiles converts and it is noted that he was highly devout to the Lord.

Philemon – He was a wealthy Gentile who converted to Christianity, likely led to believe in Jesus by Paul. Philemon was also a slave owner to whom Paul wrote on behalf of Onesimus, Philemon’s slave, who wronged Philemon by running away. Paul urged Philemon to forgive Onesimus.

In the New Testament, the distinction between Jews and Gentiles becomes a central theme, especially with the coming of Jesus Christ.

Jesus himself ministered to some Gentiles, demonstrating God's love for all people (e.g., the Roman centurion in Matthew 8 and the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15).

After Jesus' ascension, the apostles were commissioned to take the gospel to "all nations" (Matthew 28:19), which included the Gentiles.

The Apostle Paul played a crucial role as the "Apostle to the Gentiles," spreading the Christian message throughout the Roman Empire (Romans 11:13).

The inclusion of Gentiles into the Christian community without requiring them to follow all Jewish laws became a significant issue in the early church, resolved through events like Peter's vision (Acts 10) and the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15).

The New Testament emphasizes that in Christ, the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles is broken down, and both are now part of God's people through faith (Ephesians 2:11-22, Galatians 3:28).

In the Old Testament, we find records of gentiles becoming Jewish converts and followers of God, such as the prophet Obadiah, who was from Edom.

THERE ARE ACCOUNTS OF VERSES THAT HIGHLIGHT THE PROMISE THAT ALL NATIONS WILL ONE DAY BE ABLE TO SERVE GOD.

It is prophesied that gentiles, too, would have an opportunity to become part of God’s nation, even if they were not Jewish.

“I will sow her for Myself in the land I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, And I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!' And they will say, 'You are my God!'” (Hosea 2:23).

“And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14).

“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6).

Jesus became the bridge the GAP between the gentiles and God. Jesus’ message of repentance, salvation, His death, and resurrection all extend to NOT ONLY Jewish people, but to gentiles, as well.

The disciples in the early Churches were to bring the Gospel message to ALL nations, which fulfilled the promise that God had made that all nations would be able to worship and serve Him.

God’s plan of redemption has always included the Gentiles. Before His death and resurrection, Jesus told His disciples to go into all nations with the Gospel and baptizing all people. Paul wrote that Jesus’ saving work was for ALL to receive and that no longer was Jewish descent what saved someone, rather, it was belief in Jesus Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

Paul focused his ministry on preaching to gentiles, He was committed to reach all nations. The torch has been passed to ALL BELIEVERS to continue sharing the Gospel message to anyone who has not yet heard of or decided to follow Jesus.