As its name implies, our weekly video podcast, A Voice to the Gentile Church, is a message to Christians who have no association with Israel or things Jewish. The English term “gentile” is derived from the Latin gens or the Greek genos and has come to be used as the translation for the Hebrew word goy or goyim, meaning non-Hebrew nations. A gentile Christian, then, is a believer in Jesus who doesn’t see themselves as part of the nation of Israel.
But Paul’s words to the Ephesians give us the perspective the church should have regarding Israel:
“…remember that you were at that time separate from (Messiah), excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in (Messiah) Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of (Messiah).” Eph. 2:12-13.
Separation from Him means being separated from His covenants, His promises and His people. Union with Him grafts us in to the “rich root of the olive tree.” Rom. 11:17. By His cleansing blood and life in us, we are now members of that commonwealth of Israel and are to take our place with Him, in the midst of our adoptive people, Israel, encouraging and exhorting them to believe and trust in His promises, provision and protection.
“For I say that (Messiah) has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers…” Rom. 15:8.
The purpose of A Voice to the Gentile Church is to encourage believers in Messiah Jesus to see themselves not as gentiles/goyim, but as men and women who have been grafted into the commonweatlh of Israel. As such, we can say to Messiah Jesus what Ruth said to Naomi:
“Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” Ruth 1:16
Today many Christians believe that Jesus came to separate His followers from Israel and to replace God’s original covenant people with the church. But as the above scriptures and numerous others throughout the Old and New Testaments show, this was never God’s intention. For Jesus said:
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.” Mat. 5:15
A Voice to the Gentile Church, then, brings a message of the Hebraic roots of the church and how we as believers in Messiah Jesus should relate to one another and to the Jewish community. The weekly program begins with informal discussions examining world and national events in light of the Scriptures and ends with an in-depth look at questions submitted by our listening audience, usually centered around Torah (first five books of the Bible), the relationship between the church and Israel, Israel’s role in God’s purposes and Biblical prophesy as it relates to His people and end time events. The program seeks to open the scriptures and bring an understanding of God’s plan of redemption and how the church and the nation of Israel should function in concert.
To listen to the audio versions of our podcasts click here; to watch the video version, go to A Voice to the Gentile Church, or watch on YouTube and Vimeo.