Did you know God knew the main witnesses for Christ and the church would be the Gentiles?

As I was studying my Sunday School lesson for this week, I came upon a verse that surprised me and that I had not really seen before. The verse is Malachi 1:11 “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of Host.“

Malachi is the last of the old testament prophets (unless you want to include John the Baptist in that group because he was a prophet before Christ began His earthly ministry and mankind still fell under the old covenant). In the first chapter of Malachi, the prophet tells the nation of Israel God sees how you do not reverence me. How you do not show me respect and there is no fear before me for your actions. As a result, I will turn to the Gentiles and they will accept me. They will spread the news about me from the morning to night. From the east to the west. They will offer up prayers (incense) for me everywhere they go. And then He uses the phrase “saith the Lord of Host”. When this phrase refers to God as “Mighty Warrior”. See God turned to the Gentiles because the people He had chosen had fallen short on keeping their agreement with Him.

God needed people to fight in this world to spread the gospel and to lead souls to Him. To follow the Might Warrior. We can thank God that He loved us so much to trust us to do His work. We as Gentiles have been given this great honor. How are we doing? Well because of the Efforts of Gentiles, the whole world can hear the gospel. The Bible has been translated into hundreds of languages to enable people of every creed and nation to read His word and seek His face. Christian Universities and Seminaries have trained hundreds of thousands to preach and teach the gospel. Churches have been established around the world because of the efforts Gentiles have committed to the cause of Christ. and missions. God told us that this would happen in Malachi 1:11.

Now, His world also tells us of a great falling away. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,..” We are living in that great falling away. We see it in our schools, we see it in our Universities, we see it in our workplaces, we see it on our TVs, we see it in our Churches, we see it in our homes, and yes, we even see it in ourselves. Are we as close to God today as were yesterday? Have we committed ourselves to the spread of the Gospel more now as we the day approaching? Yes, the Gentiles were used by God to do great and might things for Him, but that day is drawing to a close and there is a great falling away. Will you stand in the gap and hold the line to allow just a few more to make it in before the door closes and time passes? I pray we all turn toward Him and lean on His Holy Spirit in these days we have ahead.