Ever since attending a missions congress as a teen I have had an interest in Missions. One year living in Japan and a few opportunities to preach and teach in Europe, Asia and Africa have been the sum of my first hand experience in missions. Yet like many of you, I have read articles and books on God's work around the world, and interacted with many international workers. I have also pastored two multi-ethnic congregations.
Yet I think that now, in our present location, I am more sensitive than ever to notice how often the nations, not just Israel, are mentioned in the Bible. God's heart for the world, and sometimes a human concern for the nations, shines through brightly.
In the case of Isaiah, at one point he called for God to reveal himself out of concern for God's reputation. "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! --- come down to make your name known among your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you." (64:1, 2) The prophet saw far too many people opposed to God and to Israel, the nation that represented God. In our day, don't you often want God to "come down" so that His name would no longer be used as a curse; that millions would cease worshipping idols; that His principles and laws - His righteousness would be honoured?
In spite of the spiritual darkness of our many cultures, God really does love the people on planet earth. The promise of "one day" rings through so many pages of Scripture. For example, again in Isaiah, God says that He is "about to come and gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see my glory. --- They will proclaim my glory among the nations. And they will bring all your brothers from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord ---." (66:18 - 20)
In one sense, the nations now worship God. Never has the Good News been so widely spread. There are reports of at least some followers of Jesus in every nation of the world. (Although not yet in every known people group).
However we know that in another sense, it will not be until Jesus returns that we will see the nations honour our Triune God as He deserves. Until then we pray, give, and share the Good News with others. For most of us, our witness to the nations is in our own city: through immigration, the nations have come to us. For others of us, there is still a call to go across an ocean or language barrier, to another nation and share the Good News. We all firmly believe that the final great day - when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess - that day is coming!
Yet I think that now, in our present location, I am more sensitive than ever to notice how often the nations, not just Israel, are mentioned in the Bible. God's heart for the world, and sometimes a human concern for the nations, shines through brightly.
In the case of Isaiah, at one point he called for God to reveal himself out of concern for God's reputation. "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! --- come down to make your name known among your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you." (64:1, 2) The prophet saw far too many people opposed to God and to Israel, the nation that represented God. In our day, don't you often want God to "come down" so that His name would no longer be used as a curse; that millions would cease worshipping idols; that His principles and laws - His righteousness would be honoured?
In spite of the spiritual darkness of our many cultures, God really does love the people on planet earth. The promise of "one day" rings through so many pages of Scripture. For example, again in Isaiah, God says that He is "about to come and gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see my glory. --- They will proclaim my glory among the nations. And they will bring all your brothers from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord ---." (66:18 - 20)
In one sense, the nations now worship God. Never has the Good News been so widely spread. There are reports of at least some followers of Jesus in every nation of the world. (Although not yet in every known people group).
However we know that in another sense, it will not be until Jesus returns that we will see the nations honour our Triune God as He deserves. Until then we pray, give, and share the Good News with others. For most of us, our witness to the nations is in our own city: through immigration, the nations have come to us. For others of us, there is still a call to go across an ocean or language barrier, to another nation and share the Good News. We all firmly believe that the final great day - when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess - that day is coming!
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