1 Kings 8:41-43, "Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Thy people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Thy name's sake (for they will hear of Thy great name and Thy mighty hand, and of Thine outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to Thee, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Thy name, to fear Thee, as do Thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Thy name.
This morning, we want to continue with our consideration of how The Lord was, very early on, including those who would be considered foreigners and strangers into the course of building the beth ab that would be the eternal house of God. It was never intended, much to the chagrin of those who hold to exclusivity within the Jewish religious foundation, to just be the central family of Hebrew lineage. God had His plan and His purpose in place, as we have seen in evidence, throughout His Word as an encouragement to all the nations of the earth. 
We began this look with how King Solomon gave voice to that call of God when even foreigners would come to the temple that represented the dwelling place of God. This was within the nation through which He chose to show to the world the full measure of His love and shalom. 
Those who were not of the Children of Israel would still be able to call upon His name and pray to Jehovah with reference to this being the place in which God could be met. There was that provision for the alien to come close and to have their prayers voiced unto and heard by God with reference to finding that spiritual reality of Jehovah answering the every prayer of those who would seek Him and find Him.
The Prophet Isaiah next gives voice to what needed to take place within the very people of God with respect to caring for those who are not of the Jewish lineage, yet are made to be part of God’s Beth Ab. This is through their inclusion into that family which God builds. Please reference Isa 60:7-16, as we rejoice in the fact that we were in His heart long before Jesus opened the floodgate for any to come to the Father.
Isa 60:7-16, "All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth will minister to you; They will go up with acceptance on My altar, And I shall glorify My glorious house. "Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like the doves to their lattices? "Surely the coastlands will wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish will come first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their gold with them, For the name of the Lord your God, And for the Holy One of Israel because He has glorified you. "And foreigners will build up your walls, And their kings will minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, And in My favor I have had compassion on you. "And your gates will be open continually; They will not be closed day or night, So that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, With their kings led in procession. "For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish, And the nations will be utterly ruined. "The glory of Lebanon will come to you, The juniper, the box tree, and the cypress together, To beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I shall make the place of My feet glorious. "And the sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet; And they will call you the city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. "Whereas you have been forsaken and hated With no one passing through, I will make you an everlasting pride, A joy from generation to generation. "You will also suck the milk of nations, And will suck the breast of kings; Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. 
	The whole world will be shaken and brought to the place of bringing honor to the Lord God Jehovah in Whom the hope of the entire world rests. There will be such a turning of the nations to the people whom God has set forth as the expression of His Holiness and Righteousness. There will be that lifting up of praise and adoration for The Mighty God and Creator of all that is made. This will include the fact of His Sovereignty as established in the hearts of those whom He has redeemed unto Himself, Jew and Gentile alike.
	The prophet then continues with this recognition of the whole world of Jehovah and His people as in Isa 64:1+2. Isa 64:1+2, Oh, that Thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, That the mountains might quake at Thy presence — As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil — To make Thy name known to Thine adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Thy presence! 
	While this announces the recognition of God Almighty in the terms of His awesome power and amazing breadth of control over the entirety of the created universe, there is that fact that He will be seen and recognized and honored in accordance with what is evidenced in His tremendous presence and mighty Omnipotence displayed. It will create a terror in the nations, a terror in the fact that they have not known and acknowledged Him in His place as the Lord God All Sovereign. Hearts will be rent and torn with the anguish of the foolishness that has been accepted in the place of the reality of The One True Living Lord God Almighty. Accordingly, there will be that humble acclamation from the gathered peoples that He is Lord now and evermore.
	The prophet Zephaniah, in Zeph 3:8-10, picks up this recognition from the Gentile nations. There will be that day of The Lord that will proceed forth unto the salvation of many who see, through the witness of the redeemed of The Lord, Who He is and all that He has done.  
Zeph 3:8-10, "Therefore, wait for Me," declares the Lord, "For the day when I rise up to the prey. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All My burning anger; For all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal. "For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, That all of them may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder. "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, My dispersed ones, Will bring My offerings. 
	Those who see the truth of God and the wisdom of His Omniscience in place of the foolishness of this age will turn to Him, even through that so trying and refining fire, and will call upon Him and be saved. They will become enmeshed within the family of God and will work together as one people, no longer Jew or Gentile, but the redeemed of The Lord. They, we, will bring offerings of praise and adoration and worship and honor and reverence to Our God. There will be a coming together as one in Christ Jesus to present to the rest of the nations the living reality that Our God reigns forever and forever!
	The prophet Zechariah proclaims, in Zech 8:20-23, that there will be a recognition that will flood the entire world with the desire to come to Jehovah. There will be so many people from so many nations who will seek to know the Lord God Almighty of the Hebrews.
Zech 8:20-23, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 'And the inhabitants of one will go to another saying, "Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will also go." 'So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.' "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew saying," Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." 
	This reality was already in evidence, even in the days when Christ was walking the earth. There were those people from other countries who respected and honored the God of the Jews. They believed in the Lord and they did what they were allowed to do to so bring Him praise and honor and glory.
	Consider, as an example, the encounter that Jesus had with the Roman centurion who sought for the healing of his servant. This is recorded in Matt 8:5-11, if you would turn to it and read along with me.
Matt 8:5-11, And when He had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, entreating Him, and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering great pain." And He said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. "For I, too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled, and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. "And I say to you, that many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven… 
	Not only was this centurion’s faith in Jesus rewarded with the healing of his servant, but it caused Jesus to make the statement that rings forth to all who have come after Him. It is in reference to the fact that, in Jesus Christ, there will be that full inclusion for those who are not of the Hebrew lineage. What was to have been their witness among all the nations of the world of the manifested loving embrace of God was fully opened and brought to fruition in Jesus, the Only Begotten of the Father. 
"And I say to you, that many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven… 
	This seemingly simple proclamation rings throughout the ages of ages with the Good News that salvation unto God, that redemption into the very Beth Ab of the Father is now fully opened to any who will but call upon the name of Jesus. The manner of this reclining with the patriarchs of the Children of Israel establishes the grafting in of the believing Gentiles into the same placement as part of God’s family tree, His children, redeemed through the death and resurrection of the Only Begotten of God.
	Again, rejoice together in this manifested reality as expressed another time in Matt 15:22-28. Even as Jesus was come for the House of Israel, to cause them to become what the intention had been all along, there were those people who were not of the tribes of Israel, who moved His heart to express that eternal compassion and grace. 
Matt 15:22-28, And behold, a Canaanite woman came out from that region, and began to cry out, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed." But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came to Him and kept asking Him, saying, "Send her away, for she is shouting out after us." But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, your faith is great; be it done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once. 
	Jesus would not forsake anyone who was truly seeking after a greater and more meaningful relationship with Him, with the Father, and with the Holy Spirit. He could not but show forth that great love from which He was sent forth into this world. He took upon Himself the flesh of humanity, and He could not practice the exclusionary tactics of those who would hold superiority over another person, be they Jew or Gentile. 
That was utter anathema to the Savior of all who would but believe upon Him. He was sent to the Jews to fulfill that mission of redemption. That mission, through those who would believe upon Him, was the salvation of anyone who would call upon His Glorious and Awesome and Wondrous and Amazing and Triumphant and Magnificent and Majestic name as Messiah, as Christ, as Savior and as Lord! 
This is our heritage in Christ Jesus, voiced even through the mouth and the prayer of Solomon! Therefore, we will continue one more week in this passage of thankfulness unto God for making His family open to us in Jesus, Lord willing. So be it!
"Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Thy people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Thy name's sake (for they will hear of Thy great name and Thy mighty hand, and of Thine outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to Thee, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Thy name, to fear Thee, as do Thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Thy name. Amen.

This morning’s benediction is Ps 9:1. I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Thy wonders. Amen.