I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 8:11 NIV
God called Abraham to leave everything behind and to go to a strange place. And, as Abraham did, God blessed him. He was promised descendants as numerous as the stars and sand. And that he would be a blessing to the whole world. It was popular among Abraham’s physical descendants to see this promise and blessing as being limited to them. And indeed, they were set aside as a kingdom of priests. But as priests to mediate between God and the rest of the world. A task they generally failed at.
But God’s plan has always been to reach out to all people. The Old Testament prophets looked ahead to the inclusion of the Gentiles. And here Jesus does the same. I am so thankful that I have been invited to the feast and that a place has been reserved for me. And not only for me. But for all who call on the name of the Lord and walk with him in faith.
