Hence, in preaching salvation to the Gentiles, Paul was carrying out the prophecy of Isaiah. (Acts 13:44-47.)
Paul preached to Jews and Gentiles alike, and affirmed that there was no distinction; and the people of Berea searched the Scriptures daily to see whether his preaching was so. This led many of them to believe. (Acts 17:10-12.) Now, if the prophets had said nothing concerning the plan of salvation Paul was preaching, but had always foretold that Gentiles would be blessed only through Israel restored and in subservience to Israel, their searching the Scriptures would have led these Bereans to the conclusion that Paul was wrong.
Paul was sent to preach especially to the Gentiles; he was the apostle to the Gentiles. Not only did he preach to the Gentiles independent of the Jews, but in spite of them. “For this cause,” said he to Agrippa, “the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me. Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come: how that the Christ should suffer, and how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.” The gospel which he preached was foretold by the prophets and Moses, and he preached nothing that had not been foretold by them. Because of this he said to Agrippa: “King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.”
“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, which he promised afore through his prophets in the holy scriptures.” Paul’s call is recorded in Acts 26:12-20. Concerning this call he later said: “But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood.” (Gal. 1:15, 16.) And Paul fought hard to keep the gospel of Christ free from all taint of Judaism and to maintain his right to preach the gospel to the Gentiles; and he pronounced a curse upon those Judaizing Christians who would corrupt the gospel by mixing it with Judaism (Gal. 1:6-9); and he affirms that this gospel which he preached was the gospel which God “promised afore through his prophets in the holy scriptures.” The whole theory of the future-kingdom advocates, as well as some things they boldly affirm, is an emphatic denial of what Paul here says. It is plain to any thoughtful person that the plan of salvation which Paul preached is the scheme of redemption foretold by the prophets.