You guys responded in a big way! In last week’s Brigada, we asked for ideas for a Master List of scriptures on the “Bible Basis for Missions.” Wow. You came through with flying colors. Just click “Read More” and this item will open up TONS of scripture options to include in your next Theology of Evangelism elective or “Motivation for Missions” class. Thanks to all who responded! Brigada rocks!!!
First, thanks to Howard for sharing his article on the topic:
https://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/engage.htm
Second, here are two videos on the subject. (Thanks Grant!)
Third, here are a list of scriptures, some with comments. (Thanks to Grant for suggesting many of these!)
Gen 1:28 – God’s first words to humankind: “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, rule over it”.
Gen 3:1-24 – Sin enters the world bringing death and separation from God passed down through all generations until God repents that he had made man, decides to wipe out the whole earth by a flood and start over with one man’s family.
Gen 9:1,7 – God’s first words to Noah after he got off the ark: “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, rule over it”.
Gen 11:1-4 – There was one language on the earth; the people’s main sin at Babel was that they wanted to make a NAME for themselves and NOT be scattered.
Gen 11:7-9 – God scrambles the languages and the people spread throughout the earth setting the stage for our story.
Gen 12:1-3 – Genesis 12:1-3 – “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (ESV) (Thanks Grant!)
— God chooses a man named Abraham and his descendants (Israel) as his special people to be blessed by him (top line of the covenant) so that they would be a blessing to all peoples (bottom line of the covenant).
Gen 18:17-19 – Covenant repeated to Abraham in the presence of other men.
Gen 22:15-18 – Abraham hears the covenant again after his willingness and obedience to sacrifice his son… God says “I swear by myself” that this will happen so we know that it is going to pass.
Gen 26:2-4 – Isaac gets the same promise passed on to him.
Gen 28:12-14 – Jacob gets the same promise passed on to him. Our story breaks with Joseph in Egypt and the Israelites growing in number as the slaves.
Ex 6:1-5 – God reminds Moses of the covenant and says that he is going to free Israel from slavery because of it.
Ex 12:37-38 – “Other people” went with the Israelites when they left Egypt.
Dt 2:25 – God would make all the nations under heaven hear about and fear Israel. Why? So that all worship Yahweh.
Dt 4:5-8 – God gives Israel the ten commandments and other righteous laws so that the nations would see their wisdom, understanding, and know that Israel’s God is near them (personal) and hears their prayers .
Josh 2:1-24 – Rahab helps Israel because she has heard about their God. (Pages 62 and 63 of the book Unveiled at Last gives a lot of examples of Jews blessing Gentiles in the OT.)
1 Sam 17:45,46 – David defeats the Philistines so that the whole world would know that there is a God in Israel.
1 Chr 14:17 – The Lord makes all nations fear David. Why? He was a man after God’s own heart.
1 Chr 16:8, 24, 28, 31 -David begins announcing that all the nations should worship God.
2 Chr 9:22-23 – King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all kings on earth; people from all nations listened.
Neh 6:15-16 – All the nations were in awe when the wall was rebuilt in 52 days.
Psalms 2:8 – ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. (Thanks Charlotte!)
Ps 67:1-7 – “God be merciful to us and bless us….That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
Interesting: There are only three people in the Bible who say, “God bless me.” And, this unknown Psalmist is the only one who says why he wants God’s blessing. (Thanks Neal Pirolo!)” – David understood God’s heart for the nations – (v. 7) God blesses us so that the ends of the earth may fear him.
Ps 46:10 – Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations in all the earth.
Is 26:17-18 – Israel understood that its task was to be God’s messenger of salvation to the nations and had not done its job.
Is 42:1 – God will put His Spirit in His servant and chosen one (Jesus) and bring justice to the nations.
Eze 5:5-7 – This is Jerusalem which I have set in the center of all the nations, but she has rebelled against my laws; look at Israel’s central geographic location in the world and see how God was being strategic in using it as a blessing to all nations.
Dan 6:25-26 – A Gentile king, Darius, tells all peoples, nations, and languages to fear and revere the God of Daniel; sometimes God let his chosen instruments be taken into slavery or into exile in order to be a blessing to all nations.
Dan 7:13-14 – Son of Man given dominion, power, and the kingdom where all nations and peoples serve him.
Amos 9:7 – God loves all peoples equally.
Mal 1:11 – God’s name will be great among all the nations.
Word nations is used over 500 times in the OT.
Mk 11:17 – Jesus understood God’s desire for all nations; “my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”.
Mt 24:14 – This gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.
Mt 28:19-20 – Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing and teaching them to obey Christ.
Lk 24:45-49 – Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures (Old Testament); Christ will suffer and rise on the third day (bless us) and then repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached to all nations (to bless others).
Mk 16:15, Jn 20:21
Acts 1:8 – The Holy Spirit will give you power; be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Samaria, Judea, and the ends of the earth.
Acts 2:6 – The disciples were from Galilee not Jerusalem (7), Jesus said to stay in Jerusalem because it was a strategic center not because that is where they were from and familiar.
Acts 2:4, 6, 8-11 – Jesus talked about the coming of the Holy Spirit as the highlight of the New Testament; the disciples were to wait for Him to come before ministering; it’s the day the first century church started; 3000 people got saved; the Holy Spirit begins his ministry and sets the tone of the rest of the N.T. by having people from every nation under earth hearing the gospel in their own language.
Gal 3:7-9 – Paul called “the gospel” Abraham’s call to bless the nations; we need to know we are sons of Abraham by faith.
2 Pe 3:9; 1 Tim 2:1-4; Rom 10:13-15 (Is 52:6-10); Rom 15:18-21
Romans 10:13-15. Verse 13 gives completes the thought of the process of missions. It gives the goal…the objective…of all missions activity, the salvation of the lost. (Thanks neal Pirolo!)
Rev 5:9 – people were redeemed from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation
Rev 7:9-10 – people from all nations, tongues and people groups worshiping the Lamb!
[Don’t forget to come back after the next edition of Brigada for more comments and scriptures.]
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