We are told in Ga 3 that at that time the covenant God made with Abraham back in Ge 12 was in no way affected or annulled by the law which came 430 years after at Sinai. The epistle to the Romans has much to say about Abraham and the covenant and the law.
The question then that comes to mind is the relation of the covenant made to Abraham and the mystery. Did the mystery annul the covenant? Did Abraham have any knowledge of the mystery? Will he have a part in it? The law was added to the covenant because of transgressions, or the great transgression (the worship of the Golden Calf). Was the dispensation of the mystery added to these things? Not many seem to know the answers to these questions. They are confused.
Peter had opened the doors of the kingdom to Israel at Pentecost in Acts 2. Again he opened the doors of the kingdom to Gentiles in Acts 10 at the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. But there is strong evidence that Paul closed these doors of the kingdom in Acts 28 and that Israel as a nation was set aside. How long was that setting aside going to last?
Ho 6:2 says that this period is to be 2 days.
There is a vast amount of prophecy concerning Israel that has not been fulfilled yet today. And there are some people who think and teach that Israel is finished, written off the books and will never again be in God's favor. But what says The Book?
If Israel has been set aside now for approximately 2000 years, then what of their law, their rituals, and their obligations? What of the New Covenant which was promised to them and ratified by the blood of their Messiah whom they murdered? If they are now out of God's program, then certainly there must be a new and entirely different administration or dispensation in force today. Christendom with one voice says that there has been no change of dispensation and that the new covenant has been sent to the Gentiles. But the Bible says that the salvation of God was sent to the Gentiles, not the new covenant
Acts 28:28
Most of us have a lot to learn and to unlearn in regard to these things. Tradition is a veil that covers the eyes of Christendom today lest they should see the truth and give God the glory. And who is it that veils the eyes and blinds men to the truth? It is the god of this world, the evil one.
We have in these days revealed to us a mystery, a secret that had been hid in God from ages and generations, but made known for the first time by the apostle Paul. See his claim in Col 1:21-29. A special dispensation of grace was given to Paul alone that he might make known this wonderful gospel of the mystery. If that is true, if the Word of God is right, then Abraham never knew about it. It was no part of the promise; and that it was the adding of Gentiles to Israel and her hope, is utterly false, a lie.
Before the mystery was made known to Paul, the blessing upon Gentiles, as well as Jews, was Abrahamic, millennial, and even of the New Jerusalem, in character. The promise was still in effect. Salvation was still of the Jews. The earth was their hope (the New Jerusalem will be on the earth). But we must now turn to Romans to check this.
During the times of the gospels and the Acts, Gentiles are mentioned in connection with the synagogues. The synagogue was a place of meeting to study the Scriptures. It was also a law court and could condemn accused ones and mete out punishments. But in the synagogue was a congregation or assembly. It was made up of males of 12 and over who were of the circumcision. Women and children attended the synagogue, but sat in a separate room or behind a partition of some kind. Gentiles who attended were in another room or behind another partition. So there were 3 divisions or groups in the synagogue.
These Gentiles who were believers and attended the synagogue were looked down upon by the Jews as being the uncircumcision, without a promise of the Messiah, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; therefore without a hope of their own, and even Godless in the world. For all those advantages belonged to Israel, and the Gentile could only partake of them as a wild olive branch could partake of the sap of the true olive tree (Ro 11).
But now, that is, at the beginning of the church all this difference is put away. No more middle wall of partition in view. Men, women, children, Jews, and Gentiles make up one congregation and are no longer separated. No difference.
The middle wall of partition was broken down and the Jew and Gentile reconciled and made one. They were created one new man, the church. So the beginning of the church was a creation associated with the doing away with Jewish and Gentile differences. Gentile believers no longer strangers and foreigners.
There is another tremendous truth associated with this new creation. Before this the highest revelation of Christ was that of King of kings and Lord of lords. But now it is revealed that He is the Head of this new creation, the church. And further than that, He is revealed as Head of all things in heaven and earth. So the beginning of the church has a vital relationship with the mystery of Christ and its full unfolding.
Before this time God had dwelt among His people in the Holy of Holies, in tabernacle and temple, but now the church is likened unto a temple in which God is to dwell by the Spirit. This temple grows; so it must be made of living stones, its members.
This church was built as a temple on the foundation of apostles and prophets, those given by the ascended Christ
Eph. 4:1
. There is no place for these since that time, for one does not continue to build a foundation, but to build thereupon. Nor is there any more combining of Jew and Gentile as at the first. Any believer today may come in by the door of Eph 2:8-10. Few find the door.
This chapter of Ephesians is a natural sequence to the statement of Acts 28:28 announcing that the salvation, of God is sent to the Gentiles. They still hear Eph 2:8-10 and enter into the household of the mystery. For the old rule, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, is still in force.
