Who did God Intend to be His Chosen People?
The New Testament authors often quote the Old Testament to show that the Gospel — the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ — is for all nations, including Gentiles. These are some key New Testament passages that quote the Old Testament to support this truth:
1. Romans 15:8–12
Paul makes a clear case that the inclusion of the Gentiles was always part of God’s plan, quoting multiple Old Testament verses:
“As it is written: ‘Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.’ (Psalm 18:49)
Again, it says, ‘Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.’ (Deuteronomy 32:43)
And again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.’ (Psalm 117:1)
And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.’ (Isaiah 11:10)
Here Paul brings together many Old Testament prophecies to prove that Gentile inclusion is rooted in Scripture.
2. Acts 13:47
Paul and Barnabas first explained the gospel to the Jews in Pisidian Antioch. When they rejected this message and the offer of eternal life he decided to turn to the Gentiels. (Acts 13:44-47) He justified this by reminding them what Isaiah had said:
“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Isaiah 49:6)
3. Acts 15:15–17
When the question of the admission of Gentiles to the Christian church was discussed at the Jerusalem Council, James quoted the prophet Amos to support Gentile inclusion:
“After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. . . that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name…” (Amos 9:11–12)
This text helped to substantiate that it was always God’s intention to include Gentiles do not need to become Jews to be saved.
4. Romans 9:25–26
Paul quotes Hosea to show God’s mercy to the Gentiles:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one.” (Hosea 2:23, 1:10)
5. Matthew 12:18–21
In Matthew’s gospel we read thatJesus quoted Isaiah 42:1–4 to show that God’s chosen Servant, the Messiah, brings hope to the Gentiles:
“In his name the Gentiles will put their hope.”
These examples demonstrate that the New Testament does not invent the idea of Gentile inclusion — it shows how the Old Testament had prophesied it all along. This reinforces the unity of the Bible and the unfolding of God’s salvation plan for all nations through Jesus Christ.
Old Testament Passages referring to the future inclusion of Gentiles into God’s people
1. Genesis 12:3
“…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
God’s promise to Abraham shows that the blessing would reach all nations, not just Israel.
2. Psalm 22:27
“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him.”
3. Psalm 67:1–2
“May God be gracious to us… so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.”
4. Isaiah 11:10
“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.”
The “Root of Jesse”, the Messiah, is for all nations, not just Israel.
5. Isaiah 19:24–25
“In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.’”
Gentile nations (Egypt and Assyria) are explicitly included as God’s people.
6. Isaiah 42:6
“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness… I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles.”
7. Isaiah 49:6
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob… I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
8. Isaiah 60:3
“Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
9. Jeremiah 3:17
“At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honour the name of the Lord.”
10. Daniel 7:14
“He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him.”
Daniel has a vision of a man who is accepted as God’s equal who will reign throughout the world. His tile would be ‘the Son of Man’ , a title that Jesus claimed for himself as the Messiah.
11. Hosea 2:23
“I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”
Later quoted in Romans 9:25–26 as applying to Gentiles.
12. Micah 4:1–2
“In the last days… peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord…’”
Nations (Gentiles) seek God’s presence.
13. Zechariah 2:11
“Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people.”
14. Zechariah 8:22–23
“Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty.”
An international movement will grow out from Judaism and people from all over the world will turn to the one god who created his world.
15. Malachi 1:11
“My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets…”
These verses show that God’s plan for salvation always included the Gentiles — to be fulfilled later in the New Testament through Jesus Christ.
