Mystery of the Nations: Scene Three
Let’s never forget God’s original intention for mankind to be fruitful, multiply, subdue, and rule over the earth with Him. His goal was to fill the earth with His glory and our destiny was to re-present Him to the world. That hasn’t changed, however, the timing did. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are now waiting for His return when we get back on track with every nation present in the eternal Kingdom of God on earth.
Jesus, being the Son of Abraham, knew that God’s chosen people were the Jews, however, is there any indication that He knew about ‘the nations’? He said He was sent to the lost sheep of of Israel: what about everyone else? Even His mother prophesied regarding the nations,
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever. Luke 1:54-55
Every believer, for all time, is the offspring, or the seed of Abraham. We are the ‘all people’ the angels declared to the shepherds at Jesus’ birth,
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people”. Luke 2:10
It wasn’t ‘your people’ or the Jewish people, it was all people … who believe; they are the offspring of Abraham and included in the covenant. Simeon was so excited about the birth of Messiah that he prophesied,
Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel. Luke 2:29-32
Jesus opened the way for the Gentiles, the ethnos, the nations of the world to come into the master plan of filling the earth when they believed in Him. Jesus, Himself quoted the prophet Isaiah when He described His ministry tour,
… but in the latter time He has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. Isaiah 9:1-2
Jesus’ ministry headquarters wasn’t Jerusalem, it was the Galilee region, Galilee of the Gentiles … the nations. As you read the gospels you’ll find many nations, represented by one person, that were foretastes of His original purpose. Jesus ministered to a Roman centurion, Syrians (Damascus and Antioch), Jordanians, a Lebanese woman (Canaanites), and don’t forget Jesus’ parents sought refuge in Egypt! He’s all about the goyim, the ethnos, the nations.
And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. Luke 13:29
We’ll all be sitting together at that table; why not appreciate the variety of color, cultures, and foreign lands now?
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