OLD TESTAMENT EVANGELISM

“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son . . .”  No phrase is better known or better captures the depth and extent of God’s love for man.  Christians are clear about this in the New Testament.  We know God wants others to come to know Him, too.  We understand the Church, His called out people, are to spread the Good News of this message around the world to every people.  We know the eternal consequences for those who are never reached, who never accept God’s salvation.  But think a minute about the nations of people in the Old Testament. Were they not to be reached?  Did God not love them, too?  Did He not want to be known to them?

God called out Abram to establish a new people, a people for His name.  From the  beginning, God was clear about His ultimate plan to bless all nations, through Israel:

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy
kindred, and from thy fathers house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will
make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and
thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that
curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
-Genesis 12:1-3

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
 -Genesis 22:18a

And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. . . .
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the
tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a
light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the
earth.  -Isaiah 49:3, 6

While these verses today are applied prophetically to the Messiah, at the time they were given they applied directly to the nation of Israel.  The ability of Israel to be a blessing to all nations hinged on her being obedient, so God could bless her, setting an example of His greatness and mercy:

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast
obeyed my voice.  -Genesis 22:18b

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.  
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said
they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.
-Psalm 126:1-2

Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God
commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.  Keep
therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight
of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great
nation is a wise and understanding people.  -Deuteronomy 4:5-6

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.  For,
behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the
Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.  And the Gentiles
shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.    -Isaiah 60:1-3

From the above scriptures, God clearly wanted an obedient and blessed Israel to be a light to the gentiles.  In her obedience, Israel would prosper on earth, being an earthly people.  All nations would be drawn to her God.  Those who opposed Israel would be completely defeated.  God had a plan for reaching the nations even in the Old Testament.  He cares about the lost.  But He works through His people.  As a light to the nations, Israel was largely ineffective.

NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELISM

Certainly the Church would not make the same mistake as Israel.  Of course, we are no different, we are subject to the same world system that opposes God, and are made of the same nature.  Let us look carefully at God’s plan for us, and see how we are doing.

Let’s begin with our mission, to evangelize the world.  For Israel, this meant becoming a successful nation blessed by God.  That was the context for Israel to draw people to the Saviour.  We often think of this task in the New Testament as something done on an individual basis.  The required context, however, for our effectiveness in reaching the lost is found in our Lord’s prayer for us in John 17:

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.  As thou hast sent me into the
world, even so have I also sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify
myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.  Neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That
they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be
one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.  -John17:17-21

The RSV and NIV emphasize, “so that the world may believe . . .”  An imperative for the Church to succeed in her mission to evangelize the world is our unity.  Note the following passage in I Corinthians, when denominationalism reared it’s head in Paul’s day:

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all
speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be
perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  For it hath
been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of
Chloe, that there are contentions among you.  Now this I say, that every one of
you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.  Is
Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of
Paul?  -I Corinthians 1:10-13

In America alone there are today 215 denominational headquarters listed in the Handbook of Denominations in the United States, 10th edition.  I know this cannot be fixed, or rather, I don’t have faith and vision strong enough to imagine it being fixed.  But it cannot be what our Lord expects from us.  I think what Paul expressed to the Philippians is important to our success as an evangelizing agency:

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I
come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast
in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
-Philippians 1:27

Ephesians is the great treatise on the Church.  What does God reveal to us about his expectations on unity?

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  There is one
body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord,
one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through
all, and in you all. . .
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
-Ephesians 4:3-6, 13

Perhaps this is the greatest need for evangelism in our day, to be one. 

I ask you to consider refraining from the phrases, “My church,” or “Our church,” or even, “Your church.”  In each case, the correct phrase is, “His church (here, there), or at least, “the church (here, there). 

If we recognized His ownership, His commandership, it would be more difficult to look askance at one another because of light, or lack of it.  We are all part of His glorious church, His body, here as a vehicle and testament of His love and wisdom in gathering His own from among the nations.  Don’t you think?

Old Testament and missions

• Genesis 12:1-3 ...in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (repeated in Gen. 18:18, 22:17-18, 26:24 and 28:12-14)
• Exodus 9:14-16 -- purpose of the plagues
• Exodus 19:6 -- Israel was to be a "kingdom of priests"
• Numbers 14:21 -- glory of Lord fills the whole earth
• Deuteronomy 4:6-8 -- show your understanding to the nations
• Deuteronomy 10:19 -- "You are to love those who are aliens"
• Deuteronomy 28:10 -- "all the peoples on the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord"
• Deuteronomy 32:1 - "Hear, O earth, the words of my mouth."
• Joshua 4:24 -- "That all the people of the earth might know"
• 1 Samuel 2:10 -- "The LORD will judge the ends of the earth."
• 1 Samuel 17:46 -- "the whole world will know there is a God in Israel"
• 1 Kings 8:41-43, 59-60 (also in 2 Chronicles 6:32-33) -- "so that all peoples of the earth may know your name" (Solomon's prayer at dedication of Temple)
• 2 Kings 19:15 -- "Hezekiah prayed . . . : O LORD, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.'"
• 1 Chronicles 16:31 "Let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, The Lord reigns!'"
• 1 Chronicles 16:24 -- "Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples"
• 2 Chronicles 6:33 -- "so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you"
• Psalm 2:7-10 -- "You are my Son . . . I will make the nations your inheritance"
• Psalm 7:7-8 -- "Let the Lord judge the peoples"
• Psalm 8:9 -- "How majestic is your name in all the earth!"
• Psalm 18:49 -- "I will praise you among the nations"
• Psalm 19:1-4 -- "their words to the ends of the world"
• Psalm 22:26-28 -- "all the families of the nations will bow down"
• Psalm 22:27 -- "All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord"
• Psalm 24:1 -- "The earth is the Lord's"
• Psalm 33:13-15 -- "The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men"
• Psalm 45:17 -- "The nations will praise you for ever and ever"
• Psalm 46:10 -- "I will be exalted among the heathen"
• Psalm 47:7-8 -- "God is the King of all the earth"
• Psalm 48:10 -- "According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth"
• Psalm 49:1 -- "Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world"
• Psalm 50:1 -- "the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof"
• Psalm 57:9 -- " I will sing unto thee among the nations"
• Psalm 59:13 -- "let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth"
• Psalm 65:5-8 -- "O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea"
• Psalm 66:4 -- "All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name"
• Psalm 67:4 -- "O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth"
• Psalm 68:32 -- "Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth"
• Psalm 72:17 -- "men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed"
• Psalm 82:8 -- "Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations"
• Psalm 86:9 -- "All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name"
• Psalm 96:3 -- "Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people"
• Psalm 97:1 -- "The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof"
• Psalm 98:3 -- "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."
• Psalm 98:9 -- "with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity"
• Psalm 102:15 -- "The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory."
• Psalm 102:22 -- "when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord"
• Psalm 105:1 -- "O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people"
• Psalm 108:3 -- "I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations"
• Psalm 108:5 -- "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth."
• Psalm 117:1,2 -- "O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us"
• Psalm 126:2 -- "then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them"
• Psalm 138:4 -- "All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth"
• Isaiah 2:3 -- "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.
• Isaiah 6:3 -- "They were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.'"
• Isaiah 11:9 -- "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD"
• Isaiah 11:10 -- "a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek"
• Isaiah 12:4 -- "Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted"
• Isaiah 24:16 -- "From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous'"
• Isaiah 25:6 -- "the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples"
• Isaiah 42:4 -- "in His law the islands will put their hope"
• Isaiah 42:6 -- "I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles."
• Isaiah 34:1 -- "Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples!"
• Isaiah 37:16 -- "O Lord Almighty . . . , you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth."
• Isaiah 42:4 -- "He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."
• Isaiah 43:6 -- "I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'"
• Isaiah 45:6 -- "from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me."
• Isaiah 45:22 -- "Turn to me . . . all you ends of the earth"
• Isaiah 49:1-6 -- "I will make you a light for the Gentiles"
• Isaiah 49:22 -- "The Sovereign Lord says: "See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift up my banner to the peoples."
• Isaiah 52:10 -- "The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God."
• Isaiah 56:7 -- "my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations"
• Isaiah 59:19 -- "From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere His glory."
• Isaiah 60:3 -- "Nations will come to your light"
• Isaiah 62:11 -- "The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth"
• Isaiah 66:19 -- "They will proclaim my glory among the nations"
• Jeremiah 3:17 -- "All nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the Lord"
• Jeremiah 16:19 To you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, "Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good."
• Ezekiel 36:22-23 -- "The nations will know I am the Lord"
• Daniel 2:47; 4:1-2; 6:25 -- "Surely your God is the God of gods"
• Daniel 7:13, 14 -- "all peoples, nations and languages should serve Him"
• Jonah's story -- the missionary book of the Old Testament [ e-book on Jonah ]
• Micah 1:2 -- "Hear, O peoples, all of you, listen, O earth and all who are in it."
• Micah 4:2 -- "Many nations will come"
• Micah 5:4 -- "His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth."
• Habbakuk 2:14 -- "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the water cover the sea"
• Zephaniah 2:11 -- "Nations on every shore will worship him"
• Zephaniah 3:9 -- "Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord."
• Haggai 2:7 -- "Desire of all nations"
• Zechariah 2:11 -- "Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people"
• Zechariah 8:20-23 -- "Many peoples and inhabitants of many cities will come"
• Zechariah 9:10 -- "He will proclaim peace to the nations"
• Zechariah 14:9 -- "The Lord will be king over the whole earth."
• Malachi 1:10-11 -- "My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun"

New Testament and missions

• Matthew 4:8-11 -- Temptation of Jesus
• Matthew 6:9-10 -- The Lord's prayer
• Matthew 8:11 -- "Many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast . . . in the kingdom of heaven"
• Matthew 10:18 -- "On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles."
• Matthew 13 (Ezekiel 17:23) -- parables of sower, weeds, mustard seed, fishing net
• Matthew 24:14 -- the gospel will be preached in the whole world
• Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15 - The Great Commission (which many say is a re-statement of God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12) [ Rev. Susan Fitkin's reflection on the passage ]
• Mark 11:17 (Isaiah 56:7) -- a house of prayer for all nations
• Mark 13:10 -- "the gospel must first be preached to all nations"
• Mark 16:15 (see Matthew 28:19-20)
• Luke 2:32 -- "a light for revelation to the Gentiles"
• Luke 10:2 -- "harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few" (see John 4:35)
• Luke 10:27 -- "love your neighbor as yourself"
• John 3:16 [ text of verse ]
• John 4:35 -- whitened fields (see Luke 10:2)
• John 12:32 -- "I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
• John 21:4-14 -- some Biblical commentators have said the 153 fish equals the number of all the tribes and nations which the ancients thought existed on earth
• Acts 1:8; 2:5-12 13:47 (Isaiah 49:6) -- witnesses in all the earth
• Acts 3:25 -- "He said to Abraham, Through your offspring, all peoples on earth will be blessed.'"
• Acts 9:15 "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings."
• Acts 11:18 -- "They praised God, saying, So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.'"
• Acts 13:47 -- "I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6)
• Acts 14:27 -- "They reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles."
• Acts 28:28 -- "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!"
• Romans 1:5 -- "We received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to obedience."
• Romans 3:29 -- "Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too."
• Romans 10:12-15 -- "How can they hear?"
• Romans 15:10 "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." (Deuteronomy 32:43]
• Romans 15:11 "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples." (Psalm 117:1)
• Romans 16:26 -- So that all nations might believe
• 2 Corinthians 4:15 -- "grace that is reaching more and more people"
• 2 Corinthians 10:16 -- "so that we can preach the gospel to the regions beyond you"
• Galatians 3:8 -- "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: All nations will be blessed through you.'" (Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18)
• Galatians 3:14 -- "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles."
• Ephesians 1:10 -- "To bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ."
• Ephesians 2:11-19 -- "you are no longer foreigners and aliens"
• Philippians 2:10 -- Every knee shall bow
• 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16 -- "to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved"
• Hebrews 6:13-14 -- God's promise to Abraham
• 2 Peter 3:9, 12 -- "not wanting anyone to perish"
• 1 John 2:2 -- "He is the atoning sacrifice . . . for the sins of the whole world"
• Revelation 5:9 -- "you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation"
• Revelation 7:9 -- Every tribe, tongue, people and nation
• Revelation 14:6 -- "The angel had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth -- to every nation, tribe, language and people."
• Revelation 15:4 -- "all nations will come and worship before you"
• Revelation 21:23-24 -- "The Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light"