You know we often hear the term ‘breaking down walls.’ But in reality, Jesus is the ultimate wall breaker. By his death, burial and resurrection, Jesus broke down the wall of hostility that existed between men and races. The wall has already been torn down. Men just need to know and understand that it’s so. When we come to Jesus when men give their hearts to God when they experience the new birth, the love of God comes on the inside of them and transforms and changes them into the image of Jesus. So, union between the races comes because of union with Him. On the idea of union, have you ever thought about coffee? Many people drink coffee with cream. When cream is added to coffee, a union occurs. The blackness of the coffee and the whiteness of the cream are now integrated and made one. The coffee becomes brown because of the union. The coffee is not considered black-and-white coffee; it’s just a cup of coffee! When you drink it, you now must drink the black coffee with the white cream because they have become one. If someone were to try to separate the cream from the coffee, there would be chaos in the cup. Once the union of cream with coffee has occurred, no separation is possible. The Bible says that when we came to Jesus Christ for salvation, we entered into an indissolvable union with Him so that what happened to Jesus happened to us. Jesus died. We died. Jesus arose. We arose with Him. Jesus ascended. We ascended with Him. Jesus brought us all into union – guess what? What God has joined together, you cannot separate.1 Why Jesus Breaking Down the Wall Between Men and Races Matter, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.
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Accept the Challenge
Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put it into operation.
This week’s call is:
The challenge today is to realize how Jesus is the one who has and is breaking down the walls between men and races. And by knowing and understanding that, allowing that revelation to change our relationships with others.
Join the Conversation
Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11). Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony.
This week’s question is:
Question: How does knowing that Jesus has broken down the walls between men and races change your perspective on your relationships with others? Would you please share your thoughts in the comments section below?
Episode Resources:
If you need healing in your body, you can find additional information on the subject of Miracles in the resources listed below.
- Why Divine Healing Is Better for Your Life [Podcast]
- Changing A Life Through Miracles
- Becoming A Student of Miracles: More Lessons
- Is God A Miracle Working God?
- The Value of Humility and Consecration In the Miracles of God
- Healing Scripture List
- How You Can Know Jesus Will Do Miracles for You [Podcast]
- Why You Should Absolutely Be a Student of Miracles [Podcast]
- How to Use the Name of Jesus to Live a Miracle Life [Podcast]
- Why This Miracle of Jesus Matters [Podcast]
About Emery
Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 40 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 35 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.
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Podcast Notes
Jesus Breaking Down the Walls: Paul Reiterates It Again
Ephesians 3:1–14 (ESV) — 1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
- Let’s reread verse one because there is something you need to know when you get to verse two.
- Paul has been talking in chapters one and two about how we are unified in Jesus and how that was God’s great plan from ages past.
- And he doesn’t quit going along this line when we hit chapter 3.
- Paul says, ‘For this reason, I’m a prisoner Jesus Christ on behalf of the Gentiles,’ but what he does here when we hit verse 2 is that he goes on a parenthetical binge from verses two all the way down to verse 13.
- You understand that a parenthetical statement is words in parenthesis that qualify or explain.
- Have you heard the expression ‘going on a rabbit trail?’
- Paul goes on a rabbit trail here from verses two to thirteen, but it’s the same trail he has been on in chapters one and two.
- He can’t turn it loose.
- He wants to go and talk about prayer and praying – ‘for this reason, I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ but, not just yet, I want you to understand this Gentile thing — that this mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.’
- So what you have between verses two and verse thirteen is a parenthetical summary of our union with Jesus of why Jesus broke down the wall between men and races and why it matters.
The Old Testament Hints at Breaking Down Walls
- The Old Testament strongly hints that walls would be broken down between men and races.
- Let’s look at this by starting with a summary statement in Roman 16.
Romans 16:25–26 (ESV) — 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—
- Did you hear those words ‘all nations?’
- Are there any nations left out of the words ‘all nations?’
- No, the scripture said, ‘all nations.’
- Let’s go to Isaiah.
Isaiah 19:25 (ESV) — 25 whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”
- Now, this is an astounding verse in the book of Isaiah.
- Let’s drill down into it. I think you’ll see it. Look at the nations represented here in this list, Egypt and Assyria.
- Who were Egypt and Assyria in relation to Israel?
- I mean, what kind of past do these three nations have with one another.
- Why would God call Egypt His people?
- Weren’t the Egyptians anti-Israel?
- You all know the Exodus account.
- You know about the 400 years that Israel was enslaved in Egypt.
- But the Lord is saying that the Egyptians are blessed.
- The same thing holds with the Assyrians.
- Look at how they enslaved and pummeled Israel.
2 Kings 18:13 (ESV) — 13 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.
2 Kings 18:28–36 (ESV) — 28 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand. 30 Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ 31 Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern, 32 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey, that you may live, and not die. And do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” 33 Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 35 Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’ ” 36 But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was, “Do not answer him.”
- This was the Lord’s response – God heard what this Assyrian official Rabshakeh said.
2 Kings 19:20–22 (ESV) — 20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. 21 This is the word that the Lord has spoken concerning him: “She despises you, she scorns you— the virgin daughter of Zion; she wags her head behind you— the daughter of Jerusalem. 22 “Whom have you mocked and reviled? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes to the heights? Against the Holy One of Israel!
- Now, look at who delivered the message.
- Who prophesied these words from God to King Hezekiah?
- Isaiah the prophet – remember that.
2 Kings 19:28, 35–37 (ESV) — 28 Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come into my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came… 35 And that night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 36 Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went home and lived at Nineveh. 37 And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword and escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.
- One hundred eighty-five thousand Assyrians died by the word of the Lord that came from the mouth of Isaiah the prophet.
- But it was this same prophet who, by the Spirit of God, said, ‘Blessed be my people, Assyria the work of my hands.”
- What are you saying – here is what I’m saying – God considered the Assyrians to be His people despite the idiots running the country that led to the death of 185,000 people!
- God said they are my people – Gentiles.
- How could the Lord say that?
- Because God’s great plan in Jesus was to bring the Gentiles in.
- Remember?
Ephesians 1:7–10 (ESV) — 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
- Do you think God just started liking Gentiles in the first century?
- Or did God love the Gentiles from the fullness of time?
- Now, carry this thinking forward to the 21st century.
- What about the Russians?
- We have them invading Ukraine.
- Aren’t the Russians not God’s people?
- Yes, they are! – despite the idiots that are running the country.
- Don’t confuse the people with the politics.
- The leaders of these nations are the problem, not the people who live in the lands they rule.
- The Sennacheribs and the Putins of planet earth are the problems — not the Assyrian and Russian people.
- What about the Chinese?
- Aren’t they God’s people?
- Oh, Oh Revelation — sixteen.
Revelation 16:12 (ESV) — 12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east.
- Kings of the East are the Chinese, we’ve been told.
- But aren’t they Gentiles?
- Are they not God’s people too in His mind?
- Yes! – they’re Gentiles.
- Again, don’t confuse the people with politics.
- It’s the idiots running the country that’s the problem, not the people.
- What about the North Koreans?
- Aren’t they God’s people?
- Yes! – they are Gentiles.
- Don’t confuse the people with the politics.
- It’s the leaders of these nations that, in many cases, are evil, not the people who are forced to live under their regime.
- Jesus is breaking down the dividing walls.
- These people in these hostile regimes are beautiful people who need the light of the gospel.
- They need Jesus — they need the gospel.
Breaking Down the Walls: David and Gentiles
- Did you know that King David had Gentiles in his army and that they became part and parcel of Israel?
2 Samuel 6:10–11 (ESV) — 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.
- Who was Obed-edom the Gittite?
- Let’s ask it a little simpler.
- Who were the Gittites?
- They were residents of Gath.
- Gath is one of five Philistine cities.
- It was the home of Goliath.
- Read about it in 1 Samuel 17.
1 Samuel 17:1–4 (ESV) — 1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
- So, Goliath was from the Philistine city of Gath.
- The Gittites came from Gath.
- David was super familiar with Gath because, if you remember from reading the Old Testament, Saul was trying to kill him and David on several occasions hid in Gath to try and get away from him.
1 Samuel 27:2–7 (ESV) — 2 So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow. 4 And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him. 5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6 So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
- So here’s what I want you to get, David took the ark of God into the household of a Gittite, knowing Gittites came from Gath, a Philistine city.
- Wow! — this is stunning.
- David took the ark of God, which represents the Presence of God, into a Gentile home.
- God is sending up huge flares at this point. I mean, he might as well have sent an Angel to write it in the sky, you know, as those airplanes do.
- He’s telegraphing his intention big time.
- God’s not just after the Jew; He’s after everybody.
- He’s not just bringing salvation to the Jews. He’s bringing His very Presence to the Gentiles — to the nations.
- Now, here’s the question: I want you to hear it – Was there any conversation about how the Gittites were Gentiles and not Jewish?
- Was there any excluding language — separation language – any of this ‘You’re not a part of us – get out of here kind of thing?
- No, that’s not what David said — it’s not what he did.
- David was a type of Jesus; he bought the Presence to the Gentiles.
- That is so cool!
Jesus Breaking Down the Walls: The Cherethites and Pelethites
2 Samuel 8:18 (ESV) — 18 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.
- Who were the Cherethites and the Pelethites.
- I’m glad you asked — I was going to tell you anyway.
- Cherethites and the Pelethites are two ethnic, racial groups of people whose origins are uncertain.
- What is certain is that they are not Jewish because if they were Jewish, we would know it.
- So, they are not Jewish; they are something else mostly unknown.
- The point is — they were Gentiles, and David is a type of Jesus.
Breaking Down the Wall: David’s Mighty Men
- The Bible gives us a list of the chief warriors in David’s army.
- These men are known as ‘David’s mighty men.’
1 Chronicles 11:10, 41 (ESV) — 10 Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.
- And, what you have starting at verse 11 is a list of these men and, of course, some of these names you don’t know and have a hard time pronouncing.
- But, one name in this list of mighty men that should be familiar is found in verse forty-one.
1 Chronicles 11:41 (ESV) — 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,
- One of David’s mighty men was a Hittite named Uriah.
- Now, Uriah was the husband of Bathsheba.
- The Hittites were Gentile; they were not Jewish.
- The Hittites were an Indo-European group that rose to power from the 17th to the 12th century BC.
- Indo-European refers to a family of languages in Europe, and Asia, including Northern India, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. that were found to have a remarkable structural relationship.
- It turns out that the languages spoken by these peoples – all Gentile — which include Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Hittite, Old Irish, Gothic, Old Bulgarian, Old Prussian, share surprising attributes.
- They were not Jewish.
- So we have Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan — heavy Muslim nations in this list.
- Are they not God’s people?
- Meaning, doesn’t the Lord want to reach them with the message of Jesus?
- Again, don’t confuse the idiots with the people.
- So, Uriah was a Hittite, a Gentile, one of David’s mighty men.
- And David was a type of Jesus.
- I am telling that Jesus is breaking down the walls.
1 Chronicles 11:46 (ESV) — 46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,
- Now, we have on this list a Moabite.
- Moabites are definitely not Jewish.
- Now, they are related to Israel through Lot.
Genesis 19:37 (ESV) — 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.
- Israel had toxic encounters with Moab — bad stuff.
- Look at Solomon, David’s son.
1 Kings 11:1 (ESV) — 1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,
- These were all Gentiles — they were foreign in that they were not Israel.
- Now, Solomon loved many of these foreign women — and really, you should read foreign as ‘foreign to God.’
- Look at the result.
1 Kings 11:7,33 (ESV) — 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem… 33 because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did.
- So David had a Moabite in his army as one of his mighty men.
- Again, don’t confuse the idiots with the people.
- God loved the people of Moab — they were Gentiles — they were in David’s army.
- Let me show you how much God loved them.
- The first chapter of the book Ruth takes place in Moab.
- And the book centers around who was a Moabite.
- If you read the story, Ruth gets married to Boaz, who gives birth to Obed, and you find all this summary in the genealogy in Matthew.
Matthew 1:1–2, 5- (ESV) — 1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
- And so, what we end up here with is that We have Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Uriah’s widow — “her that had been married to Uriah”—who is Bathsheba.
- All of these lovely people are Gentiles.
- And Paul is saying I am a minister from God to the Gentiles this is the mystery that was revealed unto me that the Gentiles are part and parcel of the gospel.
- It was predicted long ago.
- It was acted out in the Old Testament.
- My, my, it’s even in the genealogy tables of Jesus, and here we see Jesus breaking down the walls between men and races.
- And here we are now down into verse fourteen – we will pick it up with Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians and a prayer that all of us should pray for one another.
- Did you get anything out of this today?
- You guys have a great God week, and we’ll see you again for another edition of Light on Life.
__________
References:
- Tony Evans, Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009), 35. ↩
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