Once again, these are questions and/or statements that I have heard over the years, but this particular string of questions came under the guise of “I would like to talk about Revelation 21 and 22.

 Your questions and challenges.

I sit with several groups of men, and issues like this come up every once in a while. The problem is, attempts at answering a clear portion of the question, always seem to bring up some other train of thought, interrupting my own, and taking us down some unrelated rabbit trail. In responding like this, I can avoid those non-productive rabbit trails.

My initial response went like this. I never try to do battle without sharpening my sword. That being said, you write down your questions and such and send them to me.

This is what I received.

1. The time of the new heaven&earth when God sets up his kingdom. I always believed this was after the removal of all sinful people. but these chapters talk about being worthy and what is inside and outside the city. outside is murderers and the like.

2. "About the earth it says the valley’s will fill and the mountain brought low with no more see. In Luke the earth that was perished in the flood. A new earth grew from the destruction of the old. Why has my mind always imagined the universe being erased like a chalkboard when I read new heaven and earth. I could argue that it will be reborn after some form of purification and that in fact that sun 🌞 will be done away forever. But it’s looking like man,good and evil, remain even after the new Jerusalem."

My response to Question #1.

You are not alone in your, hopefully previous, belief. The Monday morning “Bible teacher” used to hammer this false teaching, among others, into the brains of the men that showed up. I think he is still adhering to his twisted beliefs. By this man's standard, no one but believers enter the millennial kingdom. He takes his opinion one racist step further and inappropriately excludes the Jews.

Sorry if this bursts your bubble, but as you have apparently figured out, surviving Jews and those from among nations who have endured will go into the millennial kingdom. By Jewish definition, the nations are any who are NOT Jews. Not only that, but those among the nations that have children during this time, have the freedom to NOT worship God and, therefore, within reason, act any way they chose. The huge difference between now and then, is that we, the believers, will be immortal/eternal and, therefore, cannot be harmed, but those among the nations can be. Violence will NOT be tolerated and will be suppressed faster than they can blink. There will be peace.

Isaiah 4:3 NASB “It will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy--everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem”

Another strong reproach to those who choose to NOT believe.

Isaiah 10:20 NASB “Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel”

It is clear to me that the Jews will be the evangelists if you must call them something, and they, among others, will bring healing and the change that allows them entrance into the new Jerusalem, that comes through the leaves on the trees of life.

The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed, and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it, and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Revelation 21:24-27 NASB)

Zechariah speaks of the nations that came against Jerusalem coming to the new Jerusalem.

Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. (Zechariah 14:16 NASB)

Ask yourself, how would these, from among the nations, understand all that is to take place at the Feast of Sukkāh, or booths, as we gentiles say?

Someone would have to teach them. Who better than Jews that have knowledge of the law?

Ezekiel 44:10-11 NASB "But the Levites who went far from Me when Israel went astray, who went astray from Me after their idols, shall bear the punishment for their iniquity. (11) "Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the house and ministering in the house; they shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them.

So, by these passages, we know that the nations and the Jews will be there; among them or part of them will be, those who are unclean, those who practice abominations, and liars. I hesitate to include verse eight, as this could just as easily apply to the previously dead, before the millennial kingdom. But think about it, sin has no qualifiers, and, therefore, this crowd could include those described in verse eight.

Before I move on and continue this discussion about the earth being burned with fire, think for a moment with me. For a human, this fire that will purge the filth of earth should purge it from humanity as well. Since God is merciful beyond our understanding, then I can't see that happening until after the great white throne.

If you are asking, why at this point in time, just think about it; after this judgment, all sin is purged from, not just the earth, but from all creation, including the universe. Heaven and earth will be as they were meant to be; and though I cannot imagine what that will be like, it will be serenity.

The second of your questions is a puzzlement for me as well - but why?

If the earth is burned with fire during seven-years of God's wrath, then how is it possible that there would be any survivors, including the 144,000 Jewish men that we see set apart in Revelation 7:4? Note, these 144,000 cannot be harmed by the judgments of God, and that should include any burning of the earth.

Why burn everything?

Maybe because the earth is polluted. Many plastics will take 10,000 years to break down, but vaporizing those same plastics, which are everywhere, and it should not take long at all.

Obviously, getting rid of pollutants is a plus, but what about the pollution that humanity brings along with it, like toxic waste materials?

It does not seem logical to attack humanity, especially if Jesus took all sin on Himself at the cross and paid for any debts owed by us. So Purging humanity is obviously not the goal, but purging unrepentant humanity might be.

What in the Revelation gets purged by fire or burned?

One of our more prominent examples comes from Revelation 19.

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was seized, and with him, the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
(Revelation 19:19-20 NASB)

Who then, at this point, is thrown into the lake of fire?

Satan, the beast, and the false prophet. No one else gets thrown into the lake of fire. Again, this is NOT what many teach. Ah, but note, the rest that came to battle with Jesus were killed with the sword. An interesting, but incorrect assumption we religious people make, is that Jesus kills everyone from the nations. Once again, let me remind you that this Bible of ours is a Jewish-centric book, and so the nations, for the Jew, include the Christian community.

While it is contestants from the nations, here doing battle, does everyone come, and, therefore, get killed by Jesus?

No. The verse above tells you who gets killed in this battle with Jesus - the beast; the kings of the earth; their armies, and those assembled to make war against Jesus. Now, while mama and the children may hate Jesus, the Jews, and the people of the Book (the Bible,) they are NOT killed unless they decided to join in the fight.

So let's get back to this idea of everything on earth burning.

Maybe this is where everyone gets toasted because there is an angel in charge of fire.

Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe." (Revelation 14:18 NASB)

But what does he do?

He calls out another, who has a sickle, and that angel begins to carry out a puzzling order. The angel is told to, "Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe."

I would assume that we are the grapes and that we are ripe, sort of like the bride, ready for the groom. But that is not the context and in verses 19-20 we see that these crushed grapes are representative of the blood that flows through the Megiddo Valley, deep as their bridles, for 200 miles. Clearly, we are being shown the wrath of God, but He did it without fire.

So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles. (Revelation 14:19-20 NASB)

How did we transition from fire to a sickle?

It is the angel who has power over fire that is calling forth him who has a sharp sickle, and he is the one who is gathering the clusters.

So, where does the fire come into play?

The next time we see fire is in Revelation 16, and it is scorching humanity.

The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. (Revelation 16:8 NASB)

Throughout the Bible, you see statements, such as all were there. If I used Daniel as an example of this, I would show how ALL were commanded to bow, and yet Daniel was not bowing because he was NOT there.

Merely because Revelation 16:8 tells us that it was given to scorch men, it does not mean all, because, here again, NO ONE would survive.

Does everyone that goes to the beach get severely sunburned?

If not, why not? Because many make efforts to hide from the Sun and its' effects.

Also under the bowl judgments.

The first angel pours out his bowl and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. Students of the Bible should immediately understand that this is the most logical place in the timeline of events and, therefore, the second half of the seven-years of God's wrath.

In Revelation 16:3 we see the second angel pouring out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.

The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters, and they became blood.

And I heard the angel of the waters saying, "Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it."
(Revelation 16:5-6 NASB)

"For they have poured out the blood of saints and prophets," who did this?

Well, if you know your Bible, then you also know that this is speaking of the scribes and Pharisees in Israel, and, it is also pointing at the global elite of the world.

Let's get back to the fire/scorching of humans.

Men were scorched with fierce heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.
(Revelation 16:9 NASB)

Some people might think of scorched in terms of a sunburn. The Greek word kaumatizo translated as scorched also means to burn. If I were cooking, this piece of meat would most likely be trash at this point.

“Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.” (Isaiah 24:6 NASB)

A couple of keywords in Isaiah 24.

• “and those who live in it are held guilty.”

  Forgiven of sin, what are we being held guilty of?

  Refusal to believe and follow Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

• “Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left”

  The Hebrew word for burn is chârar, and though it means hot and scorched, it also means to be dry and angry.

Notice something from Revelation 16:9.

Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory. (Revelation 16:9 NASB)

Scorched with a fierce heat, they blasphemed the name of God and did not repent. Obviously, the scorching was NOT to death for all, but it was meant to drive them to repentance.

In Isaiah forty-two the context is Israel.

So He poured out on him the heat of His anger And the fierceness of battle; And it set him aflame all around, Yet he did not recognize it; And it burned him, but he paid no attention. (Isaiah 42:25 NASB)

Have no doubts, God does bring His fire upon the unrepentant, and we saw that in the story of Lot. Elijah is another.

Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. (2 Kings 1:10 NASB)

And, God, during the beginning of the seven-years of wrath, will set His two witnesses in the streets of Jerusalem, who spew fire out their mouths, among other things.

Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. (2 Kings 1:10 NASB)

I appreciated the questions as I have been motivated to look at things like fire, as part of the end times scenario, more thoroughly, and I must say, do not see the earth awash in fire, as yet. Fire is undeniable and is primarily associated with the Lake of Fire. From a scientific point of view, if the Sun was acting up, as it appears to be, then why couldn't it supernova and destroy everything nearby; that might be where this is going, however, the final purging of pollution from the earth seems more effective between the great white throne and an eternity completely purged of sin.

Has God rejected His own people? Romans 11:1-24.

We open our study of Romans 11 with the last three verses of Romans 10. Why?

Because chapter 11 is a continuation of thought, and, as you will see, opens with what seems like an important.

If we have some form of Christian world view, one that is aware of the angry tones which accompany the voices of those who say, God is done with Israel, and their fate is hell. Is this question that Paul asks, “did the people of Israel really understand,” a valid one? Paul tells us that they did understand, and he uses himself as an example, but, as he says in verse 21, “they were disobedient and rebellious.”

Romans 10:19-21 NLT  But I ask, did the people of Israel understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said, “I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation. I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”  (20)  And later, Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying, “I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”  (21)  But regarding Israel, God said, “All day long, I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.”

When we open chapter 11, we immediately we see Paul using another rhetorical question. Watch how he answers it analytically and insight-fully.

”I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel?
Of course not!
I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.”
(Romans 11:1 NLT)

Far too many have tried to answer this question; however, they would tell you that God has rejected His own people. How and why would you do that, when the Holy Spirit has seen fit to put an answer there on the page for you to see. A man I sat under for a short time, would say things that conflicted with the Word of God. Called on his error by showing him the truth in the Word, he would respond with, “that's my opinion, and that is all that matters.”

So then, God has not rejected his people and the fact that Paul is speaking into our lives proves that point.

God didn't turn his back on his people. After all, he chose them. Don't you know what Scripture says about Elijah? He complained to God about Israel.
(Romans 11:2 NIrV)

Look at what Leviticus says,

But for all that, when they are in the land of their haters, I will not let them go, or be turned away from them, or give them up completely; my agreement with them will not be broken, for I am the Lord their God. (Leviticus 26:44 BBE)

I believe that 1Kings 19, beginning with verse 10, is what Paul is referring to when he speaks of Elijah's complaint.

"Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him." (1 Kings 19:18 NASB)

It is evident that Elijah felt very alone,

"Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE."
(Romans 11:3 NASB)

Paul pointed out in the ninth chapter of this letter to the church in Rome that only a remnant would survive; is God telling us, based upon the number that He gave to Elijah, that the remnant will equal 7000? I am not so sure, and here is why.

"It will come about in all the land," declares the LORD, "That two parts in it will be cut off and perish, but the third will be left in it. 

(Zechariah 13:8 NASB)

Even though Zechariah speaks of a third that does not perish, a significant number of passages speak of only a few surviving. As of October 2019, Israel claims a population of 9,108,500 inhabitants. If a third survived what is coming, we could potentially be looking at somewhere around 3 million people; a tenth would be 900,000. To only have 7000 walking into the millennial reign is a shockingly small number.

But what is the divine response to him? "I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL."
(Romans 11:4 NASB)

Don't we also sometimes feel alone, especially when we see the truth in God's Word, and it conflicts with what is being taught from the podium and then professed by the lost sheep that we sit by in our churches? I have experienced this feeling on multiple occasions. A pastor of mine was trying to explain the communion, and it’s origins, in his closing comments to a men’s retreat. He said, “Jesus did not want to die for you.” Now, I can give the man some grace and say that he misspoke, but the damage was done, and he made no attempts to correct his error. If you are one of those lost sheep, and cannot, or will not read for yourself, then this conversation is pointless to you. However, I have studied my bible and know what it says,

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 NASB)

The Apostle John tells us this about God and His attitude toward us.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NASB)

Does that sound like someone who did not want to die for you? No, I didn't think so.

Now watch as Paul, speaking to an audience in which the majority are Jewish Christ-followers, says, it is not so different today. Remember, context is everything and may exclude me from applying this next verse to the time frame in which we live.

“In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice.”
(Romans 11:5 NASB)

Just as the story about Elijah lamented what appeared to be his solitary efforts to promote God, we too are not alone, and, though you may not see them, the others are out there. Many, not needing the spotlight, pray their tears out before God; they pray in this manner because they too feel alone.

The NLT translation does a better job of moving us through Romans 11:5, so let's look at that.

It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them.
(Romans 11:5 NLT)

Note the phrase undeserved kindness.

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For, in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.
(Romans 11:6 NLT)

“And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works.” Who is the “they” in this sentence? The Jews, but as Paul already pointed out, anyone can jump on board.

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
(Romans 3:21-24 NLT)

• “God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law”
• “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.”
• “this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.”
• “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
• “Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in his sight.”
• He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.”

What is Israel seeking?

What then [shall we conclude]? Israel failed to obtain what it sought [God's favor by obedience to the Law]. Only the elect (those chosen few) obtained it, while the rest of them became callously indifferent (blinded, hardened, and made insensible to it).
(Romans 11:7 AMP )

So the question is, what is Israel seeking?

Some might say they are seeking a Messiah. Sadly, He came, and they would not recognize Him. Will they know Him when God's wrath is poured out on them once again?

Have a look at Eugene Peterson's translation.

Romans 11:7 MSG  And then what happened? Well, when Israel tried to be right with God on her own, pursuing her own self-interest, she didn't succeed. The chosen ones of God were those who let God pursue his interest in them, and as a result, received his stamp of legitimacy. The "self-interest Israel" became thick-skinned toward God.

Has Israel ever stopped trying to be right, pursuing her own self-interests?

If what Peterson sees is those who allow God to pursue His interests in them, do we see Israel as doing that? Apparently not.

2 Corinthians 3:15-16 NASB, But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

So Israel will have to turn to the Lord, and that day will come.

Romans 11:8 NET. as it is written,

"God gave them a spirit of stupor,

eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear,

to this very day."

Romans 11:9 NLT  Likewise, David said,

“Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve.

Romans 11:10 NLT 

Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”

Paul is quoting much of Romans 11:8-10 from Psalms 69, but he, like Jesus frequently did, is only taking a portion for Psalm 69 speaks of their homes being deserted. Now, this may be the destruction that is coming to Israel, but who would wish that on someone?

Psalms 69:22-25 NIrV  Let their feast be a trap and a snare. Let my enemies get what's coming to them.  (23)  Let their eyes grow weak, so they can't see. Let their backs be bent forever.  (24)  Pour out your anger on them. Let them feel its burning heat.  (25)  May their homes be deserted. May no one live in their tents.

Romans 11:11 CEV 

Do I mean that the people of Israel fell, never to get up again?

Certainly not!

Their failure made it possible for the Gentiles to be saved, and this will make

the people of Israel jealous.

Pay attention to this next verse.

Romans 11:12 CEV  But if the rest of the world's people were helped so much by Israel's sin and loss, they will be helped even more by their full return.

Another translation.

Romans 11:12 Williams  But if their stumbling has resulted in the enrichment of the world and their overthrow becomes the enrichment of heathen peoples, how much richer the result will be when the full quota of Jews comes in!

Consider this idea of a full quota. Quota means a just part or share; or the share, part or proportion assigned.

So God already has a number in mind, knowing full well that, regardless of the open invitation, only so many will come.

Paul now speaks directly to those who were among the nations, but are now a part of the flock.

Romans 11:13 ERV  Now I am speaking to you people who are not Jews. I am an apostle to the non-Jewish people. So while I have that work, I will do the best I can.

Other terms for this people group are the nations and the Gentiles; it all works. The GW translation puts it this way.

(GW)  Now, I speak to you who are not Jewish. As long as I am an apostle sent to people who are not Jewish, I bring honor to my ministry.

Question: was Saul/Paul an apostle to the Gentiles from the very beginning? 

No.

What evidence do we have that Saul/Paul was initially an apostle to the Jews?

(Acts 9:22 BBE)  But Saul went on increasing in power, and the Jews in Damascus were not able to give answers to the arguments by which he made it clear that Jesus was the Christ.

Now some might try to argue that Paul was preaching to Greeks based on Acts 9:29, so let's look at that for a moment.

(Acts 9:29 NASB) And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death.

Two things to note from Acts 9:29: In the NASB, the word Jews are italicized, meaning it is not found in the original text, it was added for continuity and understanding. Based on the context, I would agree that the term fits the conversation. The other thing to pay attention to is that many of the audience were deemed Hellenists. The word Hellenistic means a Jew by birth or religion who speaks Greek; it is used chiefly of foreign Jews and proselytes whether converted to Christianity. That term, Hellenist might seem odd in Jerusalem, but there was a change, and under Roman rule, Greek became the acceptable language. 

Could this term Hellenists just as easily apply to a Gentile who had converted to Judaism? 

Certainly, because the definition of a Hellenist also includes those who are Jews by conversion.

Almost as though the writers of the CEV translation had been there in Jerusalem, they state,

(Acts 9:28-29 CEV)  Saul moved about freely with the followers in Jerusalem and told everyone about the Lord.  (29)  He was always arguing with the Jews who spoke Greek, and so they tried to kill him.

In Acts 11, we see an interesting transition that eventually includes Paul.

(Acts 11:19-20 NASB) So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. (20) But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Pay attention to verse 19, as it says, that those scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen, preached the Word to no one except for Jews alone. This persecution can directly be tied back to Saul (soon to be called Paul.)

And now follow verse 20, where it states, “But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.” Who or what gave them the freedom or thought to speak to the Gentiles about Jesus, the Jew that will return to rule the world, is not clear, however, I suspect the Holy Spirit's influence.

(Acts 11:22-26 NASB) The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. (23) Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; (24) for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. (25) And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; (26) and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year, they met with the church and taught considerable numbers, and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

At this point, there is no aversion on the part of Paul to speak to Gentile believers. The word church here is ekklēsia, and, in this instance, means an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting. (Thayer Definition)

The phrase, an assembly of Christians, has no stipulations on it, and may well have included Jewish and Gentile converts. If I am following this story, holding to a chronological timeline, I still find Paul headed to the Synagogue on the Sabbath.

(Acts 13:13-14 NASB) Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. (14) But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.

(Acts 14:1 NASB) In Iconium, they entered the synagogue of the Jews together and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.

When did his mission change based upon what we see in Acts?

Acts 13:46-49 NASB Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. (47) "For so the Lord has commanded us, 'I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'" (48) When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. (49) And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.

So here in Acts 13:46-49, Paul says, because you (Jews) judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles.

Was Peter prompted by the Holy Spirit to be an apostle to the Gentiles?

Yes.

Did Peter pursue his calling to the Gentiles? 

It would not appear so beyond the household of Cornelius.

So Paul made it his goal, “to make my fellow-countrymen jealous.”

(Romans 11:13-14 Williams)  Yes, I now am speaking to you who are a part of the heathen peoples. As I am an apostle to the heathen peoples, I am making the most of my ministry to them, to see  (14)  if I can make my fellow-countrymen jealous, and so save some of them.

What would possibly make them jealous? God is showing grace, mercy, and acceptance to the nations.

(Romans 11:15 Williams)  For if the rejection of them has resulted in the reconciling of the world, what will the result be of the final reception of them but life from the dead?

Since God has brought in the world under the same glorious terms He offered Israel, then life from the dead is also part of the deal.

(Romans 11:16 Williams)  If the first handful of dough is consecrated, so is the whole mass; if the tree's root is consecrated, so are the branches.

Then we are consecrated as well if we believe.

It is the rootstock that supports us.

(Romans 11:17-18 NASB) But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, (18) do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

Romans 11:19-24 NASB, Williams.

You will say then,

"Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."

Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off,
and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. (Williams)
Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
Behold then the kindness and severity of God;
to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness,
if you continue in His kindness;
otherwise, you also will be cut off.
And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in,
for God is able to graft them in again. (NASB)
For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature,
and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock,
how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock? (Williams)

Consider, if this is something that could happen, such as being cut off, why then would anyone be comfortable saying such lousy things about Israel as God has cast them aside, losing out on His mercy?

Micah 5:9-15. They will be like a lion among the animals in the forest.

Since you have been following me, then you understand what I tried to convey as I spoke of the destructive properties of these last days, and the armies that converge on Israel. Allow me to point out now, that only a third of Israel's population will survive. With roughly eight million people in the land that will leave approximately two million survivors.
Some will ask, where do you get this information?
Zechariah 13:7-9 ERV  The LORD All-Powerful says, "Sword, wake up and strike the shepherd, my friend! Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will run away. And I will punish those little ones.  (8)  Two-thirds of the people in the land will be struck down and die," says the LORD, "but one-third will survive.  (9)  Then I will test those survivors by giving them many troubles. The troubles will be like the fire a person uses to prove silver is pure. I will test them the way a person tests gold. Then they will call to me for help, and I will answer them. I will say, 'You are my people.' And they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'"
If Zechariah does not convince you, perhaps passages from Ezekiel will. Ezekiel may be giving us a more explicit definition of how the Jews within Israel die.
Ezekiel 5:12-14 ERV  A third of your people will die inside the city from diseases and hunger. Another third will die in battle outside the city. And then I will pull out my sword and chase the last third of your people into faraway countries.  (13)  Only then will I stop being angry with your people. I will know that they have been punished for the bad things they did to me. They will know that I am the LORD and that I spoke to them because of my strong love for them!"  (14)  God said, "Jerusalem, I will destroy you (and-) you will be nothing but a pile of rocks. The people around you will make fun of you. Everyone who walks by will make fun of you.
Never forget that God, has on occasion, used others, namely the nations, to wield His sword. The death and destruction will seem like it happened overnight, but the process will begin, either right before the church is caught away to Jesus, or, immediately after that.
With that information let's move on to the study:

A Remnant Shall Be Delivered

Micah 5:7-8 ERV  “But those from Jacob who are still living and scattered among the nations will be like dew from the LORD that does not depend on anyone. They will be like rain on the grass that does not wait for anyone.  (8)  Those from Jacob who are still living are scattered among the nations. But they will be like a lion among the animals in the forest. They will be like a young lion among flocks of sheep. If the lion passes through, he goes where he wants to go. If he attacks an animal, no one can save it. The survivors will be like that.”

• “But those from Jacob who are still living and scattered among the nations.” A read of Zechariah's prophecy doesn't inform us that Israel may, once again, be scattered. The idea of scattering comes across more like, run for your life! The Complete Jewish Bible translates this verse in this manner. “The remnant of Ya`akov among the nations, surrounded by many peoples, will be like a lion among forest animals, like a young lion among flocks of sheep—if it passes through, tramples and tears to pieces, there is no one to rescue them.” (Micah 5:7 CJB)

This reference to a young lion in the forest comes across as though the nations are now in fear of Israel. Understanding the text requires a look through spiritual eyes, for perhaps the nations have always been afraid of Israel, and that is why they have unceasingly tried to destroy Israel.

• “Those from Jacob who are still living are scattered among the nations. But they will be like a lion among the animals in the forest. They will be like a young lion among flocks of sheep. If the lion passes through, he goes where he wants to go. If he attacks an animal, no one can save it.”

Micah 5:9 CJB  "When that day comes," says Adonai, "I will cut off your horses from among you and destroy your chariots.
Most translations say something like this: “Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries.” We want to believe that, and if we watch the news, you can actively see Israel retaliating against aggressive acts, of which there are many. If I chose to read this loosely, and not study the verse out, I could take this statement, seen here in the CJB, as being one against Israel. The NASB and the NLT prove otherwise.
Micah 5:9 NASB Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, And all your enemies will be cut off.
Micah 5:9 NLT  The people of Israel will stand up to their foes, and all their enemies will be wiped out.
This standing up to one's foes all sounds bold, but it is in stark contrast to the devastation that we see coming against Israel. Destruction, however, does not mean that Israel did not put up a fight. Regardless, scripture shows two-thirds of Israel being killed off, and the city being trampled by the invaders. (Zechariah 13:7-9)
There is only one point in time in which I can envision Israel acting so boldly, and that is when their Messiah returns to earth as the warring King they expected. Revelation 19 clearly shows us this King.
Revelation 19:11-16 NLT  “Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.  (12)  His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself.  (13)  He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.  (14)  The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses.  (15)  From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a wine press.  (16)  On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.”
A consideration. If you have spent your life living in a state of fear, as I have, then you tend to look at this scenario in one of two ways. You either see yourself rejoicing that you are finally going to be rescued from the bullies of the world or, you feel that with the appearance of Christ you will grow a backbone and gladly lend a hand. Imagine living in a world without fear or retaliation from enemies. It is possible that none of my scenarios is a reality, and we may be asked to stand back while Jesus clears the world of bullies for us. This hope is not a fairy tale; it is a scriptural reality that both Micah, Joel, and the prophet Isaiah spoke of.
Isaiah 2:3-4 NASB And many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (4) And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples, And, they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. A nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.
Micah 5:10 NASB "It will be in that day," declares the LORD, "That I will cut off your horses from among you And destroy your chariots.
Again, we have to ask, which day? The answer is the day when Jesus comes back as the warring Messiah. So many things will happen quickly.
The Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury has this to say about this verse. “This seems to refer to those happy times when the Jews shall be converted and restored to their own land, and all their enemies being destroyed, shall have no further need of cavalry or fenced cities.”
Is this statement by the writers of the UCRT a solid supposition?
We understand that the remnant, after the Messiah's return, will come to the mountain of Lord, to worship the Lord, and, they will be the teachers of the nations. In case you missed what I said there - The Jews are the remnant, and by my archaic calculations, there will be well over two million of them.
Will they live in a restored Jerusalem?
No, but they will live in the NEW Jerusalem.
If they are restored to their land, could they live outside the walls of the New Jerusalem?
I don't see why not, as there is evidence that free will still exist during the millennial reign.
What of this statement, “all their enemies being destroyed, (Israel, and those who also live as citizens during this period,) shall have no further need of cavalry or fenced cities.”?
We already understand this from Isaiah 2:4, as you can see above. As one trained in Horticulture, I get a little excited about growing my own crops; and some of these Jews may feel the same way. Micah gives us this:
“Each of them will sit under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid, For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.” Micah 4:4 NASB
The context of Micah 4:4 applies to the nations, and not the Jews, or me. So, my assumption (and I think it is logical,) is that while there would no longer be a need for weapons of war; there may, however, indeed be a need for horses and farming equipment. This line of reasoning could apply; nonetheless, there is clearly a dissembling of the large and small scale war machine. Fences, though not entirely war-related, could still fit into this scenario, as they keep people divided from one another.
Micah 5:11-15 NASB "I will also cut off the cities of your land And tear down all your fortifications. (12) "I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you will have fortune-tellers no more. (13) "I will cut off your carved images And your sacred pillars from among you So that you will no longer bow down To the work of your hands. (14) "I will root out your Asherim from among you And destroy your cities. (15) "And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath On the nations which have not obeyed."
There are some interesting statements in Micah 5:11-15.

• “I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you will have fortune-tellers no more. I will cut off your carved images And your sacred pillars from among you So that you will no longer bow down To the work of your hands.”

Most people don't read the Bible for themselves and therefore are unfamiliar with this young man. Manasseh, the 12-year-old who became king over Judah, and ruled for 55 years. Look at how 2 Chronicles describes his actions.
“He made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. Then he put the carved image of the idol which he had made in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon, his son, "In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; (9) Thus Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the sons of Israel.” 2 Chronicles 33:6, 7, 9 NASB
Keep in mind that Manasseh learned none of this on his own. He was taught, either through active training or by observation.

• "I will root out your Asherim from among you And destroy your cities. Strong's Concordance tells us:'ăshêrâh - asherah (or Astarte) a Phoenician goddess. While The Word Study Dictionary gives us this: A feminine noun which signifies the Canaanite fertility goddess believed to be the consort of Baal. Because of this association, the worship of Baal and Asherah was often linked together (Jdg_3:7; 1Ki_18:19; 2Ki_23:4). The noun is most often used for a carved wooden image of the goddess instead of a proper name (Jdg_6:26; 1Ki_14:15). Israel was deeply entrenched in idol worship, and Aaron's making of the god Molech should be all the evidence you need.
• "And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath On the nations which have not obeyed." It is evident that the nations played a role in the idolatrous downfall of Israel. The prophet for hire, Balaam, told King Balak how he could bring about the destruction of Israel by bringing in women from nearby nations to them. The men of Israel gave up their souls for these young girls. "Therefore wait for Me," declares the LORD, "For the day when I rise up as a witness. 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.” Zephaniah 3:8 NASB

While on the one hand, this ends with the Messiah ruling over a restored kingdom - a kingdom into which we, the followers of Christ, have been engrafted. And although I despise the word, sin, Israel has been neck deep in it, and God told them they would have pay severely if they did not stop; and, they did not. So we have a nightmarish mix of damage, but it will, someday, end in peace. I know that so many of you are living amidst the horrors of the Islamic invasion, brought under the guise of refugees. Joel chapter speaks of some of us standing our ground in the Name of Jesus. I don't know you, but I know the God you serve, and I am calling you out to speak against these things, just as the Prophet Elijah spoke to the rain. If you have a relationship with Christ, then you have the most powerful force on the face of this planet living within you, the HOLY SPIRIT. Stand your ground, and declare, NOT ON MY WATCH!