10 And again he says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!” 11 And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!”
We see the universal scope of the Messiah’s work among both the Jews and the Gentiles in verses 10 to 12 by a series of quotations. The common factor in all these quotations is Gentiles.
15:10
And again he [Moses] says:
Moses called the Gentiles to rejoice in victory with the Jews (De 32:43). What Christ did, He did for both Jew and Gentile.
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”
Gentiles are to rejoice along with Jews about Jesus the Messiah. Both Jew and Gentile with a single voice praise God.
15:11
And again:
Here a Psalmist challenged Gentiles to praise the Lord (quote from Ps. 117:1):
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Gentiles can praise God because the Messiah came for them as well as for the Jews.
Laud Him, all you peoples!”
Nations are governmental entities. Not only Gentiles but also national entities are to rejoice over the coming of the Messiah.
PRINCIPLE:
There is power in the use of Scripture for exhortation.
APPLICATION:
The memory of Scripture strengthens the Christian life. Paul quoted a string of Scriptures in Romans 3:10-18, many times in 9-11, some in chapters 12 and 14, and then these Scriptures in chapter 15. In this immediate passage, he quoted four Old Testament texts (Ps 18:49; De 32:43; Ps 117:1; Is 11:10).
Memory of Scripture has helped me many times to confront temptation at the point of enticement. Applying a principle of the Word at that point will not only help us to overcome temptation but to grow with each appropriation.
