by Election…
Your thoughts on this:
Gentiles of time past, Eph.2:2,11.
Eph.2:12 “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”
No direct access to God…Gentiles had to come to God through the nation Israel, by believing that the God of Israel is the true God, and acknowledging that Israel is His people/representatives on earth, Is.60:3, and by blessing Israel/Abraham, Gen.12:3.
An example of this would be the Roman Centurian, Lu.7:3 “And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.”
Today:
Rom.11:17 “And if some of the branches be broken off, (Israel, Rom.11:11), and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;” Olive Wood represents direct access to God.
Gentiles (the wild olive tree) now have direct access to God, by believing the gospel, 1Cor.15:1-4.
Israel had the “direct” access to God, through their High priest going into the “the Holy place”, Heb.9:25. The wood that was used for the entry to the “Oracle”, was Olive wood, 1Kings 6:31. Because of the blood of Christ making us “nigh”, Eph.2:13, and the veil being rent from top to bottom when Jesus was crucified, Matt.27:51, we, the body of Christ, have direct access to God, without having to go through Israel.
Once we are removed to heaven, Rom.11:25; 1Thes.4:14-18, it will go back to Israel having the direct access, Rom.11:26-28, with Gentiles receiving blessings, for blessing Abraham, Gen.12:3; Is.61:6.
I also think that when God is talking about election, about who has direct access to Him, Israel was, and will be again the elect, but today the body of Christ is.