You Who Were Far Off Have Been Brought Near

 
“But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ,” Ephesians 2:13 ESV

We were far off from the mercies of God because of what happened during Deuteronomy 32:8-9 ESV, where God disinherited the nations and assigned sons of God to look after the nations until the time of Christ. However, God kept a nation for himself, which was started through Abraham and Jacob (Israel).

Seventy nations were assigned to divine beings by the Most High God to watch over. These divine beings, also called the sons of God, were a part of God's divine council. However, these sons of God rebelled against the Most High once they were in place as overseers, leading the people astray. They also demanded that the men of these nations worship them instead of the Most High God. Their rebellion brought chaos and darkness upon these seventy nations, but there was one nation that stood firm: Israel. Admittedly, Israel had their problems, despite the chaos and destruction, but God's chosen nation grew and became more robust through time.

It was heartbreaking for the Father when the Sons of God rebelled. They were meant to represent the Father's love for mankind until Jesus came to earth and redeemed humans to their Heavenly Father. Sadly, their rebellion only caused pain and grief for both humans and the divine council as well. Many loyal angels went to war against these principalities and powers to keep them in line and prevent them from crossing their allotted boundaries.

During the feast of Pentecost in ancient Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit started calling out to the seventy nations to return to God. Many visitors from these countries were in the city and heard the disciples proclaiming the mercies and glory of God in their native tongues, creating a buzz. Through the sacrifice of His son Jesus, God was reaching out to the nations in a way they could understand. The stir in the city was a call to action for the outcast people to return to God and embrace His love. It was the beginning of a new era, a time when foreign nations could come together and unite with the Jews under the banner of Christ. (See Acts chapter 2.)

It was Paul who was first given the ministry to reach out to the Gentiles with the message of the gospel. Paul states “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16 ESV

Paul's missionary journeys were driven by a deep desire to spread his ministry and reach out to as many of the disinherited nations as he could before his inevitable imprisonment and execution in Rome. His unrelenting passion led him to set his sights on Spain, which was widely regarded as the "end of the earth" during his time. The early church scholars Jerome and Clement believed that Paul had reached Spain before his untimely death. This serves as a testament to the unwavering conviction that fueled Paul's mission and inspires us to reach out to as many as would receive Christ as their savior to build the Kingdom of God.

Paul was unaware of the many nations beyond his missionary journeys that needed to know about the savior, including China, Russia, Ireland, England, and many other European nations. But we, as gentiles, have been called out to by the disciples who spoke in unknown tongues to declare the glory of God. Through time and space, God is reaching out to us, seeking to restore us to Himself through Christ Jesus. Let us be open to God's love and restoration and share the good news with those around us so that everyone can know His love and be saved.

We now become co-heirs with Christ by receiving His gift of redemption through faith in Him. In doing so, Christ is restoring Eden and bringing us back to our loving Heavenly Father, who desires to fill His house with His family. It was never about following rules, laws. or ordinances to please our Heavenly Father, but rather about having a relationship with Him based on believing loyalty. Our Heavenly Father demonstrated believing loyalty by setting an example for us, and He knew that the best way to do that was to become the example Himself. That's why He became Christ Jesus the man, to model believing loyalty to the world. That is now the only requirement for redemption.

The statement "you who once were far off have been brought near" is more than just words - it's a lifeline. The Father has paved the way to bring you back to the love of a Father who has His arms outstretched, waiting to receive you. He has always wanted His sons and daughters to know that they have a safe space to come and be embraced, to rest, and to be reminded that they are loved and valued in His eyes.

Stephen Barnett