THE BOCC PRESENTS “Not the Nations You Think: When ‘Gentile’ Means Scattered Israel”

THE BOCC PRESENTS “Not the Nations You Think: When ‘Gentile’ Means Scattered Israel”
Theme: In Scripture, “Gentiles / nations” (Heb. goyim; Gk. ethnē) can, at times, describe Israelites living like the nations in diaspora—cut off from covenant life—rather than non-Israelites.
Texts Opened:
• 2 Kings 17:8, 33–35, 41 — Israel adopted “the statutes of the nations,” mixing worship until they were reckoned among the nations.
• Hosea 1:9–11 — those called Lo-Ammi (“not my people”) will again be named sons of the living God, pointing to re-identification of scattered Israel.
• Ephesians 2:11–12 — people called “Gentiles in the flesh,” aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, brought near by Messiah.
• Ephesians 2:14–16 — Messiah breaks down the middle wall of partition, creating one new man, reconciling returning exiles into one body.
• Ezekiel 37:16–22 — the two sticks (Judah and Joseph/Ephraim) are reunited under one King, a prophetic picture of restored Israel.
Key Insights:
Goyim/ethnē can denote peoples in general—including Israel when she lives outside covenant obedience (cf. Exod 19:6).

Assyrian exile (2 Ki 17) blurred Israel’s identity, so exiles were counted among the nations.

Hosea promises reversal: Lo-Ammi → Sons in the very lands of dispersion.

Ephesians 2 explains how Messiah restores access to the commonwealth of Israel, forming one new man without erasing Israel’s promises.

Ezekiel 37 shows the endgame: reunified tribes under one Shepherd-King.

Call to Action: If we have lived as the nations, it’s time to repent, return, and reclaim covenant identity—moving from Lo-Ammi to sons of the living God, walking in the unity Messiah purchased.
Targeted Keywords / Tags
meaning of gentiles in the Bible
goyim ethnē definition
diaspora Israelites
2 Kings 17 syncretism
Hosea 1 Lo-Ammi
Ephesians 2 one new man
commonwealth of Israel explained
Ezekiel 37 two sticks prophecy
biblical identity of gentiles
scattered Israel restored

Hashtags
#GentilesInScripture #DiasporaIsrael #Ephesians2 #Ezekiel37 #Hosea1 #2Kings17 #CommonwealthOfIsrael #OneNewMan #BiblicalIdentity #ReturnAndRepent