A Biblical Vision, Part I: Mastering the Old Testament Witness to Christ

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A B i b l i ca l Vi s i on, Par t I : Mas ter i ng the Ol d Tes tament Wi tnes s to Chr i s t

b. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those who believed

Eph. 3.4-11 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, [5] which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. [6] This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. [7] Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. [8] To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, [9] and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, [10] so that through the Church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. [11] This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord. same body, and partakers of the

(1) Acts 2.17-21 – “And in the last days it shall be,” God declares, “that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; [18] even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. [19] And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; [20] the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. [21] And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

(2) Joel 2.28-32

c. The full explanation of the Gentiles as fellow heirs and citizens in the salvation promise given to Abraham, cf. Eph. 3.4-6.

IV. The Apostolic Testimony of the Promise Universalized: Old Testament Messianic Predictions in Acts and the Epistles

Old Testament Anticipation of Gentile Inclusion

In the old dispensation, Israel was the people of God. Israel’s rejection of her Messiah leads Paul to the question, ‘Has God rejected his people?’ (Rom. 11.1). No further qualifier is necessary to desig nate Israel as God’s people. Paul devotes a long discussion to the problem of Israel (Rom. 9-11) in the course of which he makes it clear that the Church is God’s new people. This is most vividly expressed in the use of quotations from Hosea. The prophet speaks of the present apostasy of Israel and her eschatological salvation. Hosea was directed to name one of his sons ‘Not my people,’ for apostate Israel was no longer God’s people and he was not their God (Hos. 1.9). However, in the day of salvation, this situation will be changed; they will be called “sons of the living God” (Hosea 1.10). “And I will say to Not my people, ‘You are my people;’ and he shall say, ‘Thou