+o

T
hcrc is a rumor abroad that thc ld Tcsta
mcnt docs not havc a missionary mcssagc or
vision. !t is, so gocs thc popular adagc, a book
and a mcssagc dcdicatcd solcly to thc Jcws and thcir
own nationalistic lortuncs. 8ut that rumor and vicw
will not squarc with thc claims that thc ld Tcstamcnt
itscll makcs. vcn il wc limit our invcstigation to thrcc
kcy ld Tcstamcnt tcxts, wc will obscrvc immcdiatcly
that thcsc thrcc tcxts prcscnt thrcc ol thc most powcr
lul statcmcnts ol a missionary call that can bc givcn
anywhcrc. Vc would havc bccn morc hcsitant in our
suspccting that thc ld Tcstamcnt has no missionary
challcngc had wc paid closc attcntion to how thc ld
Tcstamcnt bcgins. Ccrtainly thc mcssagc and scopc ol
thc carlicst chaptcrs in Gcncsis, namcly Gcncsis 111,
arc univcrsal in thcir appcal and intcrnational in thcir
audicncc. id God not dcal with all thc lamilics ol
thc carth whcn Hc movcd in saving gracc at thrcc
spccic juncturcs in Gcncsis 111: To bc spccic, was
it not truc that altcr thc Fall ol Man, thc Flood ol thc
arth, and thc Failurc ol thc Towcr ol 8abcl, God gavc
thc grand mcssagcs ol salvation in Gcncsis 3:15, 9:27
and 12:13:
And should wc doubt that thc word to Abraham in
Gcncsis 12:13 was intcrnational and univcrsal in its
ocr, scopc and intcntion, thcn lct us quickly rcmind
oursclvcs that it was paintcd against thc backdrop ol
thc Tablc ol thc Scvcnty Nations ol all thc world in
Gcncsis 10. Tc samc lamilics ol thc carth appcar
thcrc and in Gcncsis 12:3.
Old Testament Gentiles Came to Faith
Tc phcnomcnon ol Gcntilcs coming to laith in thc
coming sccd or Man ol Promisc was not unknown
or without constant rcmindcrs in thc ld Tcstamcnt.
Considcr Mclchizcdck (in Gcn 14), a pricstking ovcr
Salcm ( Jcrusalcm). Tis Gcntilc opcnly conlcsscd his
laith in Jchovah (Yahwch). Jcthro, a Midianitc and
Moscs lathcrinlaw, dcmonstratcd his commitmcnt
to thc samc Lord cspouscd by Moscs and Aaron by
sitting down with thcm around a lcllowship sacricial
mcal in xodus 18. No onc could accusc 8alaam ol
bcing proJcwish or chauvinistic in his attitudc, lor hc
badly wantcd to obligc thc king ol Moab and cursc thc
nation ol !sracl. Yct hc was Gods oraclc ol truth, cvcn
though hc had a vcry rough start in which his donkcy
showcd kccncr spiritual insight than hc did. Ncvcrthc
lcss, 8alaam gavc us two lantastic chaptcrs, including
thcgrcat (and only) star prophccy ol thc Mcssiah, in
Numbcrs 2324.
Timc lails mc to rcmind us ol wholc citics that
at timcs rcpcntcd at thc prcaching ol onc Jcwish
prophctlor cxamplc, Jonah and thc Nincvitcs. vcn
though Gods scrvant was morc than rcluctant and
bccamc vcry downinthcmouth and had a whalc
olancxpcricncc (litcrally) bclorc hc nally prcachcd
to dirty Gcntilcs who massacrcd Jcws, thc city camc to
know thc Lord in grand proportions bccausc Jonah did
prcach. vcn thcn, hc hopcd this was onc scrmon in
which no onc would comc lorward.
8ut somc may still doubt that thc ld Tcstamcnt
cxplicitly cnjoincd bclicvcrs and mcsscngcrs in thc
ld Tcstamcnt to go to thc Gcntilcs. id God, thcy
Israels Missionary Call
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.
Rcprintcd with pcrmission lrom Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader. Tird dition. Pasadcna, CA: Villiam Carcy Library, 1999, pp. 1016.
Valtcr C. Kaiscr, Jr. is thc Colman M. Mocklcr distinguishcd Prolcssor ol ld Tcstamcnt and Prcsidcnt ol GordonConwcll Tcological Scminary in South
Hamilton, Massachusctts. Hc prcviously taught at Trinity vangclical ivinity School and Vhcaton Collcgc and has scrvcd as a pastor. Among his numcr
ous writings is thc widcly rcad Toward an ld Tcstamcnt Tcology.
Exploring Origins -N1
+o6 !sv~vis Missiox~vv C~ii
ask, cvcr scnd an !sraclitc or thc wholc nation with thc
Grcat Commission:
Tree Basic Texts
Tcrc arc thrcc basic tcxts that makc it clcar that God
did do just that. Tcsc tcxts arc: Gcncsis 12:13, xo
dus 19:46, and Psalm 67. Tcsc thrcc tcxts arc so basic
to our undcrstanding ol thc missionary mandatc that
God had dcsigncd lor thc wholc nation ol !sracl that it
is impossiblc to vicw thc ld Tcstamcnt lairly without
trcating thcsc tcxts in thcir missionary contcxt. !sracl
had always, in thc plan and purposc ol God, bccn
rcsponsiblc lor communicating thc mcssagc ol Gods
gracc to thc nations. !sracl was mcant to bc a commu
nicating nation.
Lcst wc think that thcsc thrcc ld Tcstamcnt tcxts
havc no rclcvancc to thosc ol us who livc in thc Chris
tian cra and that thcir mcssagc is a 8.C.datcd injunc
tion, lct it bc plainly dcclarcd that thcy arc also Gods
call to us. Put in outlinc lorm, thcir mcssagc is Gods
call to us:
!. To Proclaim His Plan to 8lcss thc Nations (Gcn 12:3)
!!. To Participatc in His Pricsthood as Agcnts ol
Tat 8lcssing (x 19:46) and
!!!. To Provc His Purposc to 8lcss all thc Nations (Ps 67)
Genesis 1-11
No onc can say that thc ld Tcstamcnt bcgins in a
chauvinistic way or that thc God ol that tcstamcnt was
so proJcwish that missionary outrcach did not occur
until thc Timc ol thc Gcntilcs arrivcd. Gcncsis 111,
as wc havc statcd, clcarly argucs lor thc rcvcrsc. Tc
scopc ol that tcxt is worldwidc in its ocr ol salvation
lor all who would bclicvc. Tc countcr thcmc in thosc
samc chaptcrs is thc nations qucsting lor a namc lor
thcmsclvcs. 8oth in Gcncsis 6:4 and Gcncsis 11:4,
thc solc objcct ol mankind was to makc a namc lor
thcmsclvcs and to advancc thcir own rcputationbut
at thc cxpcnsc ol thc namc ol God.
Tus thc sons ol God (whom ! bclicvc to bc tyran
nical and polygamous dcspots in thc contcxt ol Gcn
6) took to thcmsclvcs this divinc titlc along with its
prcsumcd prcrogativcs, and distortcd thc vcry instru
mcnt ol thc statc that God had sct up lor justicc and
abuscd it lor thcir own dcsircs and lusts. Tis constitut
cd thc sccond grcat lailurc ol thc prcpatriarchal cra ol
Gcncsis 111. !t had bccn prcccdcd by thc Fall ol Man
in Gcncsis 3 and it climaxcd in thc third lailurc ol thc
Towcr ol 8abcl in Gcncsis 11.
Genesis 12:1-3: Proclaim His Plan
Ncvcrthclcss, lor cach ol thcsc thrcc lailurcs, our Lord
had a saving word ol gracc: Gcncsis 3:15, 9:27, and
12:13. !t is this third gracious word that conccrns
us hcrc, lor it cmphasizcs Gods word ol gracc ovcr
against thc lailurcs ol mcn and thcir idolatrous qucst
ing lor a namc or rcputation. Fivc timcs God said, !
will blcss you, ! will blcss you, ! will blcss you, !
will blcss thosc blcssing you, and !n your sccd all thc
nations ol thc carth shall bc blcsscd.
No doubt thc kcy word hcrc is blcss or blcssing. Tat
samc word had charactcrizcd this wholc scction, bc
ginning with thc word to Adam and vc: Hc blcsscd
thcm saying, 8c lruitlul and multiply, just as Hc had
also graciously promiscd to blcss thc animals.
And yct man continucd to scck mcaning on his own
tcrms by qucsting lor a namc. vcr against thc
vacuum ol that day (and ours), thc vacuum ol look
ing lor human status, rcputation and achicvcmcnt
dcvoid ol God, Gcncsis 12:2 suddcnly announccs that
God would givc Abraham a namc as a blcssing lrom
abovc, rathcr than as an achicvcmcnt ol works which
lclt God out ol thc picturc.
Tc signicancc ol this grandcst ol all missionary tcxts
cannot bc lully apprcciatcd until wc bcgin to rcalizc
that thcrc arc actually thrcc promiscs ol blcssing in
Gcncsis 12:23 in which God promiscs:
1. ! will makc you a grcat nation,
2. ! will blcss you, and
3. ! will makc your namc grcat
8ut this is immcdiatcly lollowcd by a purposc clausc.
!t is so that you may bc a blcssing. Not onc ol thcsc
thrcc promiscs ol blcssing wcrc to bc lor Abrahams
scllaggrandizcmcnt. !ndccd, hc and his nation wcrc
to bc blcsscd so that thcy might bc a blcssing. 8ut to
whom: How: For thc answcrs to thcsc qucstions, wc
must go on with two morc promiscs.
Tcrc wcrc to bc two wholc classcs ol pcoplc: thc
blcsscrs ol Abraham and thc curscrs ol Abraham. Tc
two additional promiscs wcrc:
Exploring Origins -N2
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. +o
4. ! will blcss thosc blcssing you, and
5. Tosc who cursc you, ! will cursc.
Again, howcvcr, thc writcr ol Gcncsis adds a purposc
clausc, whilc shilting thc tcnsc ol thc vcrb, so that a
lullcr statcmcnt ol his purposc can bc givcn. Now it
was so that in you all thc lamilics ol thc carth might
bc blcsscd.
Tat, thcn, cxplains why thcrc was so much blcssing.
Tis man and his dcsccndants wcrc to bc missionar
ics and channcls ol thc truth lrom thc vcry bcginning.
!t is cxcccdingly important that wc rccognizc that
thc Hcbrcw vcrb in this casc must bc translatcd as a
passivc vcrb (bc blcsscd) and not rccxivcly (blcss
thcmsclvcs), sincc all thc carlicr Hcbrcw grammars,
vcrsions, and Ncw Tcstamcnt undcrstandings insist on
it. !t is a mattcr ol gracc, not ol works or copycatting!
Tc nations wcrc to bc blcsscd in this mans seed.
!ndccd, thc sccd ol thc woman (Gcn 3:15), thc sccd
ol Shcm in whosc tcnts God would comc to tabcrna
clc or dwcll (Gcn 9:27), and thc sccd ol Abraham
lormcd onc collcctivc wholc which was cpitomizcd
through its succcssion ol rcprcscntativcs who actcd
as downpaymcnts and carncsts until Christ himscll
should comc in that samc linc and as a part ol that
succcssion and corporatc cntity.
Tc rccipicnts ol this blcssing initially wcrc listcd as
nonc othcr than thc 70 nations listcd as all thc lami
lics ol thc carth in Gcncsis 10. Tis chaptcr topically
prcccdcs mans third lailurc at 8abcl, which in turn
lcads in Gcncsis into thc inbursting word ol Gods
purposc and plan to bring all thc nations ol thc world
to Himscll. Tc word to Abraham was mcant to havc a
grcat impact on all thc lamilics on thc lacc ol thc carth.
Tis is indccd high and lolty missionary tcaching.
Somc may rcmain somcwhat skcptical, saying that
thcy cannot scc any gospcl or good ncws in Gcncsis
12:23. ur answcr is lor thosc unconvinccd doubtcrs
to obscrvc that Paul namcd Abraham in Romans 4:13
thc hcir ol thc wholc world. Tat inhcritancc obviously
must bc spiritual in its naturc. Morcovcr, Paul plainly
statcd in Galatians 3:8 that Abraham had thc gospcl
prcachcd to him ahcad ol timc whcn hc rcccivcd Gcn
csis 12:3: in you shall all thc nations bc blcsscd. Tat
was and still is thc Good Ncws ol thc gospcl.
And il wc today bclicvc, thcn wc arc part ol Abrahams
sccd (Gal 3:29). Tc objcct ol laith and trust is still thc
samc, thc local point lor !sracl and thc nations ol thc
carth is that Man ol Promisc who was to comc in Abra
ham and avids sccd and is now comc in Jcsus Christ.
Tc mcssagc and its contcnt, in lact thc wholc purposc
ol God, was that Hc would makc a nation, givc thcm
a namc, blcss thcm so that thcy might bc light to thc
nations and thcrcby bc a blcssing to all thc nations. To
shrink back would bc cvil on !sracls part. !sracl was to
bc Gods missionary to thc worldand so arc wc by
virtuc ol thc samc vcrscs! Tc mission has not changcd
in our own day. Abraham and !sracl wcrc not intcndcd
to bc passivc transmittcrs ol thc sccd any morc than wc
arc to bc passivc. Tcy wcrc to bc a blcssing so that thcy
actually could communicatc Gods gilt to thc world.
Tc nations wcrc vicwcd dicrcntly, but thc way God
dcalt with thcm was always dircctly rclatcd to how
thcy rcactcd to this Man ol Promisc who was to comc
through thc nation God had madc grcat, and to which
Hc had givcn this calling to blcss and bc a blcssing. !s
racls calling was not thc occasion or basis lor rcjccting
any ol thc nations ol thc world, but instcad thc vcry
mcans ol blcssing thcm all. Tc qucst lor a namc,
lor lamc, lor rcputation still gocs on today, whcn God
would givc His own namc. Hc will still givc His
spccial namc to thosc who will bclicvc in that samc
sccd. !t is thc only mcans by which thcy and all thcir
kindrcd upon thc lacc ol thc carth will bc blcsscd and
madc part ol thc lamily ol God.
Somc may agrcc that thc objcct ol laith was indccd to
bc thc coming sccd lrom Abrahams stock, but thcy
may not agrcc that God thcrcby cxpcctcd or dcmandcd
ol Abraham and his succcssors anything likc our
missionary mandatc. Pcrhaps thcy wcrc mcant to bc
cntircly passivc whilc God was thc wholc actor in thc
ld Tcstamcnt.
Exodus 19:4-6: Participate in
His Priesthood
xodus 19:46, thc sccond ld Tcstamcnt tcxt lor our
considcration, will not allow that intcrprctation. !n
Moscs lamous aglcs Vings Spccch, God rcvicws
with !sracl how hc borc thcm along lrom gypt likc
an caglc would transport hcr young lcarning how to
y. Sincc thcy wcrc thc rccipicnts ol this gilt ol dcliv
crancc, thc tcxt pointcdly says, Now thcrclorc. !t
implics a natural conscqucncc ought to bc lorthcoming
lrom Gods miraculous aid in thcir cscapc lrom gypt.
Exploring Origins -N3
+o8 !sv~vis Missiox~vv C~ii
To bcgin rcading xodus 19:5 without thc now
thcrclorc, and to strcss thc iyncss ol thc words
that lollow, is to miss thc cmphasis ol thc tcxt. Tis
tcxt, likc xodus 20:1, must bcgin in thc cnvironmcnt
ol gracc. ! am thc Lord your God who brought you up
lrom out ol thc land ol gypt. Tc now thcrclorc
lollows bccausc ol thc prcvious blcssing ol God.
xodus 19:56 gocs on to say: il you will obcy my
voicc and kccp my covcnant, you shall bc my spccial
posscssion among all pcoplcs, lor all thc carth is minc,
and you shall bc my kingdom ol pricsts and a holy na
tion (italics minc). Tcsc arc thc thrcc ministrics God
spccics lor Abrahams dcsccndants.
!n thc rst placc, thcy wcrc to bc Gods spccial posscs
sion, or as thc oldcr translations havc it, my pcculiar
pcoplc. Tc old nglish word pcculiar camc lrom
thc Latin word which mcant valuablcs or any kind
ol movablc goods which wcrc not, in contrast to rcal
cstatc, attachcd to thc land, such as jcwcls, stocks, or
bonds. Tc lact was that !sracl was to bc Gods son,
His pcoplc, His rstborn (x 4:22), and now His
spccial trcasurc. Tc cmphasis hcrc is on thc portability
ol that mcssagc and thc lact that God has placcd such
high valuc on pcoplc. Tis is cxactly as Malachi 3:17
dcscribcs us: jcwcls.
Anothcr rolc !sracl was to pcrlorm was that ol bcing
kings and pricsts lor God. Tc gcnitivc or construct
lorm, kingdom ol pricsts, is bcttcr translatcd (bascd
on six occurrcnccs in prosc tcxts) kings and pricsts,
kingly pricsts, or royal pricsts. !t is hcrc that !sracls
missionary rolc bccamc cxplicit, il any doubt had
rcmaincd. Tc wholc nation was to lunction on bchall
ol thc kingdom ol God in a mcdiatorial rolc in rclation
to thc nations.
!n lact, it was this passagc that bccamc thc basis lor
our lamous Ncw Tcstamcnt doctrinc ol thc pricsthood
ol bclicvcrs (scc 1 Pct 2:9, Rcv 1:6 5:10). Unlortu
natcly lor !sracl, thcy rcjcctcd this pricsthood ol all
bclicvcrs and urgcd Moscs to go up to thc mountain ol
Sinai on thcir bchall and as thcir rcprcscntativc. Ncv
crthclcss, cvcn though Gods original plan was lor thc
momcnt lrustratcd and dclaycd until Ncw Tcstamcnt
timcs, it was not dclcatcd, substitutcd, or scrappcd. !t
rcmaincd Gods plan lor bclicvcrs. Tcy wcrc to havc a
mcdiatorial rolc!
!sracl was to havc a third lunction: a holy nation.
Holincss in thc 8iblc is not just a lorm ol cthcr that
invadcs audicnccs on Sunday mornings and makcs
thcm somcwhat listlcss and passivc, but holincss is
wholcncss. To bc holy is to bc wholly thc Lords.
!t is a shamc that wc had to dividc thc nglish word
into two words: thc onc rcligious (holy) and thc othcr
sccular (wholly), but thc root was thc samc in Anglo
Saxon history.
Tc samc is truc lor thc Hcbrcw root. !sracl was to bc
givcn wholly ovcr to thc Lord as a nation. Tcy wcrc to
bc sct apart not only in thcir livcs, but also in thcir scr
vicc. Tcir calling and clcction ol God was lor scrvicc
and that scrvicc had bccn dcncd as carly as thc days
ol thcir anccstor Abraham.
As pricsts wcrc to rcprcscnt God and mcdiatc his word
to thc nations, so !sracl as a holy nation was to assumc
two rclations: onc sidc towards God, thcir King, and
thc othcr sidc towards thc nations. Tcy wcrc to bc
a nation lor all thc timcs and lor all thc pcoplcsct
apart. 8ut instcad, !sracl bcgan to act lor hcrscll, as
wc also oltcn do, as a club ol thc pious, rathcr than
rcmcmbcring hcr call to bc sharcrs ol thc blcssings,
truth, gilts and thc Sccd to thc nations. !n a scnsc,
thcy carricd a portlolio which rcad Ambassadors ol
thc Coming Man ol Promisc.
Now ! havc not lorgottcn thc distinction bctwccn
!sracl and thc Church. !t is possiblc to distinguish
bctwccn thcsc two institutions, just as onc can distin
guish bctwccn malc and lcmalc. Yct that middlc wall ol
partition which dcmandcd dcath lor any Gcntilc that
transgrcsscd and passcd its boundarics in thc tcmplc
complcx has now bccn knockcd down by Christs
dcath. Malcncss, lcmalcncss, Jcwishncss, Gcntilcncss,
slavc status or whatcvcr no longcr mattcr. All who
bclicvc arc onc pcoplc ol God. !ndccd, that had bccn
thc continuity tcrm to idcntily all who had bclongcd
to thc Savior in all agcs. And Pctcr makcs it cxplicit by
calling thc Gcntilc bclicvcrs ol his day a choscn racc,
a royal pricsthood, a holy nation, Gods own pcoplc
(1 Pct 2:9). Tc usc ol xodus 19 is vcry obvious and
transparcnt. Tc point is, do wc rccognizc thc continu
ity in thc purposc and plan ol God:
Pctcr wcnt on to makc his point clcar. God had callcd
His pcoplc by thcsc lour titlcs so that (thcy) might
dcclarc thc wondcrlul dccds ol Him who callcd (thcm)
out ol darkncss into His marvclous light (1 Pct 2:9).
Tc rcason why !sracl, and now Gcntilc bclicvcrs havc
bccn namcd a royal pricsthood, a holy nation, thc
Exploring Origins -N4
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. +o
pcoplc ol God, His choscn racc, His spccial, movablc
posscssion, is that wc might announcc, dcclarc and bc
His missionarics and witncsscs.
Nonc ol thcsc gilts wcrc mcant to bc consumcd on
oursclvcs. Tcy wcrc not mcant to bc mcrc badgcs.
Tcy wcrc lor thc purposc ol dcclaring His wondcr
lul dccds and calling pcoplc to His marvclous light.
ncc, says Pctcr in that samc contcxt (borrowing lrom
Hoscas symbolic namcs lor his childrcn), wc wcrc: no
pcoplc (LoAmmi), without mcrcy (LoRuhamah).
8ut now wc arc thc pcoplc ol God and now wc havc
rcccivcd Gods mcrcy and gracc.
Pctcr is trying to show us that thc pcoplc ol God in
all agcs havc bccn onc. vcn though wc can idcntily
within thc onc pcoplc ol God scvcral aspccts, such as
!sracl and Church, and cvcn though wc can list scvcral
aspccts to thc singlc plan and purposc ol God that all
thc nations ol thc carth might bc blcsscd, ncvcrthclcss
thc unity ol all bclicvcrs and thc continuity ol that pro
gram bctwccn ld and Ncw Tcstamcnts is a ccrtainty.
And in both tcstamcnts wc wcrc all intcndcd by God
to participatc in that pricsthood who would bc agcnts
ol blcssing to all thc nations ol thc carth. xodus 19
has shown us that this was Gods plan.
Psalm 67: Prove His Purpose
ur third and nal tcxt comcs lrom Psalm 67. Vc
havc sccn how God calls us all: 1) to proclaim His plan
to thc nations in Gcncsis 12, 2) to participatc in His
pricsthood as agcnts ol blcssing to all thc nations in
xodus 19, and now 3) to provc His purposc to blcss
all thc nations in Psalm 67. Tis Psalm is dcrivcd lrom
thc Aaronic bcncdiction lound in Numbcrs 6:2426:
Now may thc Lord blcss you and kccp you,
May thc Lord makc his lacc shinc upon you, and bc
gracious to you,
May thc Lord lilt up his countcnancc upon you, and
givc you pcacc.
Tis word is oltcn hcard at thc closc ol most Christian
scrviccs today.
8ut look what thc Psalmist docs hcrc. Rathcr than say
ing Yahwch (LR), !sracls covcnantal and pcrsonal
namc lor God, hc substitutcs lohim (God), thc namc
uscd whcn Gods rclationship to all mcn, nations and
crcation is nccdcd. Tc Psalmist praycd: May God bc
gracious to us and blcss us. ncc morc hc changcd
thc wording cvcr so slightly, using thc words among
us (litcrally) instcad ol upon us...And may hc causc
His lacc to shinc among us.
!t is signicant that this missionary Psalm has applicd
what God gavc through Aaron and thc pricsts to all
thc pcoplcs. Tc purposc lor this cnlargcd blcssing is
givcn immcdiatcly in vcrsc 2: so that your way may
bc known upon thc carth, your salvation among all
thc nations (or Gcntilcs). Tat is why God had bccn
gracious and blcsscd !sracl and all who bclicvcd. Tis
agrccs, thcn, with Gcncsis 12:3.
Tc scntimcnt was: May God blcss us, lcllow !sraclitcs.
May Hc bc plcascd to bcnct us. May our crops incrcasc
and may our ocks producc abundantly. May our lamilics
grow largc and may wc prospcr spiritually, so that thc na
tions may look at us and say that what Aaron praycd lor,
by way ol Gods blcssing, has indccd happcncd.
Tc vcry bounty ol God dcmonstratcs that God has
blcsscd us. Tcrclorc, may thc rcst ol His purposc comc
to pass also, that in blcssing !sracl all thc nations ol thc
carth might comc to know Him as wcll.
Tis Psalm has bccn callcd thc ld Tcstamcnt Pater
Noster (ur Fathcr), or thc ld Tcstamcnt Lords
Praycr. !t has thrcc stanzas:
vv. 13 (cnding with: Lct thc pcoplc praisc thcc,
Lord, lct all thc pcoplc praisc thcc)
vv. 45 (cnding with thc samc rclrain)
vv. 67
Tis Psalm was probably sung at thc Fcast ol Pcntccost.
!t is all thc morc rcmarkablc that that is thc cvcnt whcrc
God was to pour out his Spirit on all thc nations and
an unusual ingathcring was to takc placcgrcatcr than
at any prcvious lcast. clibcratcly, thc Psalmist rclcrs to
thc ingathcring ol thc harvcst as an carncst, a downpay
mcnt, and a symbol ol thc spiritual harvcst lrom cvcry
tribc, tonguc and nation. So may thc Lord indccd bc
gracious (lull ol gracc) to us and blcss us.
Trcc timcs this Psalm rclcrs to thc blcssing lrom God:
vcrsc onc, vcrsc six and vcrsc scvcn. Tc structurc is almost
an cxact rcplica ol Gcncsis 12:23. 8lcss us, blcss us, blcss
usso that all thc nations might know thc Lord.
Tc Psalmist calls us to provc and tcst Gods purposcs
lor thrcc rcasons. Tc rcasons t thc structurc wc havc
alrcady obscrvcd. Tc rst is bccausc God has bccn
gracious to us (vv. 13). Vc havc cxpcricnccd thc gracc
Exploring Origins -N5
++o !sv~vis Missiox~vv C~ii
ol God in His ways and manncr ol dcaling with !sracl.
Vc havc cxpcricnccd that gracc in thc knowlcdgc
that His salvation has bccn cxtcndcd to all nations. !l
only all thc pcoplcs ol all thc nations would pcrsonally
comc to know that samc gracc lor thcmsclvcs!
A sccond rcason is bccausc God rulcs and guidcs all na
tions (vv. 45). Hc is not a judgc in a judicial, condcmn
ing or punishing scnsc in this contcxt, instcad, Hc is a
royal rulcr who judiciously rulcs in rightcousncss, as in
!saiah 11:3. Hc is a guidc lor thc nations as thc Grcat
Shcphcrd ol Psalm 23:3. Tus thc rclrain sounds again:
Comc on, all you pcoplcs ol thc carth, lcts hcar it! !ts
about timc you bcgan praising thc Lord.
Finally, a third rcason is givcn: thc vcry goodncss ol
God (vv. 67). Vc ought to provc thc purposc ol God
in blcssing thc nations bccausc Hc has bccn so good to
us. Tc land has yicldcd an abundant incrcasc and our
barns, grain bins, and silos arc lull to ovcrowing. Vas
this not an cvidcncc that God answcrcd thc praycr ol
Aaron and thc pricsts in Numbcrs 6:2426: Tc powcr
ol God is cvidcnt in thc vcry abundancc ol thc harvcst.
Now that samc powcr and prcscncc ol God which
brought thc matcrial incrcasc is availablc lor a spiritual
incrcasc. !l this powcr wcrc morc cvidcnt in our livcs
and prcaching, thcn thc spiritual rcsults abroad among
thc nations and in our own nation would bc witncsscd
by cvcryonc. Tc point is that thc Psalmist did not
mouth cmpty words and lorms, but hc gavc thc Psalm
so that !sracl and wc might cxpcricncc a rcal changc
in our livcs. Tc blcssing ol God comcs so that all thc
cnds ol thc carth might rcccivc spiritual bcnct. Vhat
has happcncd matcrially was only to bc an carncst ol a
blcssing with much longcr dimcnsions.
Ycs, God has blcsscd us, lct all thc cnds ol thc carth
lcar Him (v. 7). Tc word lcar hcrc docs not mcan
tcrror or lright. Tcrc arc two dicrcnt usagcs ol thc
word lcar. xodus 20:20 urgcs us: Fcar not, but
rathcr, lcar thc Lord. ont bc scarcd, but rathcr trust
and put your wholc souls commitmcnt on Him.
Hcncc, thc lcar ol thc Lord is thc bcginning ol cvcry
thing: ol undcrstanding, ol living, ol pcrsonal holincss,
as wcll as ol a vital pcrsonal rclationship to Him. Fcar
is onc ol thc ld Tcstamcnt words lor trust and bclicl.
Tc goodncss ol God to !sracl was mcant to bc onc ol
Gods ways ol bringing all thc nations on planct carth
to lcar Him, i.c., to bclicvc thc coming Man ol Prom
isc, our Lord Jcsus Christ. !sracl was to bc a witncssing,
proclaiming, and cvangclizing nation. Tc Gcntilcs had
to bc brought to thc light.
Tis purposc lor !sracl is sccn cvcn morc clcarly in a
passagc which is not part ol this discussion, namcly,
thc Scrvant ol thc Lord passagcs ol !saiah 42 and
49. !sracl is that scrvant ol thc Lord cvcn though thc
Mcssiah is thc nal rcprcscntativc ol thc wholc group
par cxccllcncc. As such, !sracl was to bc a light to thc
nations, just as Abraham had bccn told, thc writcr ol
xodus had cxhortcd, and Psalmist had sung.
Tc Psalmist longcd and dccply dcsircd that God,
thc King ol !sracl, might bc acknowlcdgcd as Lord
and Savior ol all thc lamilics ol thc carth. Should wc
do lcss: ocs God call us to anything lcss than also
proving, along with !sracl, His purposc in this passagc
ol Psalm 67: Gods challcngc to !sracl is also ours: wc
arc to havc a mcdiatorial rolc in proclaiming His namc
among thc nations. Tat is still Gods purposc. !s it
happcning in your lilc:
May thc amc ol thc gospcl, cncapsulatcd in Gcncsis
12:23, and thc call to bc a holy nation and a royal
pricsthood rc us lor proclaiming thc gospcl in thc days
that lic ahcad. May wc announcc, not only to North
Amcrica but to cvcry singlc nation on thc lacc ol thc
carth, that Jcsus is Lord to thc glory ol God thc Fathcr.
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