# Tracing Mission Through Scripture Some might say that a biblical theology of missions should begin with the Great Commission passages. Although these are of great importance, if one begins here, they have missed out on much of the story that God has already crafted. The Great Commission passages can serve as a culmination of sorts before the ultimate culmination at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in eternity. Yet, this is not where one must begin. Before beginning, what is the end? Ultimately, a biblical theology of missions displays how God is at work in the world to create a people for Himself. A biblical theology of missions develops the glory of God as the goal and the church as the agent and secondary goal of missions. Further, a biblical theology of missions displays how God intricately seeks to restore humans from all nations physically and spiritually to Himself. Finally, a biblical theology of missions displays the priority of sharing the Gospel since our loving God has always and will always want a relationship with us. To start to develop a biblical theology of missions, one should begin in Genesis. Genesis 1 teaches that there is a God who exists who is eternal, transcendent, and holy. He is also imminent, as He chooses to lovingly create humans out of His own free will and walk with them in the Garden. God has always been and always will be a loving and relational God. Humans originally were created to worship God and be in a relationship with Him while they tended and kept the Garden. God, in relationship with Himself in the Trinity, crafted us in His image, so we are also relational. Humans then broke this relationship by disobeying God in Genesis 2 and 3. The rest of the Bible is a love story where God is seeking after the lost. He has always loved us and will continue to love us. Genesis 3:15, amidst pronouncing curses, offers hope. One day, the seed of Adam will bruise the head of the serpent, while the serpent can only bruise the heel. This first glimpse of the Gospel offers us a glimpse of God's heart and purpose. He wants to redeem and restore humanity to a relationship with Him and will go to great lengths to do so. As the rest of the Old Testament unfolds, humans continue to rebel. They are constantly unfaithful and cannot do enough to earn salvation. Ephesians 2 tells us that salvation is ultimately not by works, but is a free gift of God. Although the Bible has not revealed that plainly yet (in Genesis), the New Testament does speak of this. Now, back to walking through the story of redemption. Genesis 12 (repeated in Genesis 15, 16, and 18) is the Abrahamic Covenant, where God promises to make Abraham a great people, land, nation, and blessing to all. Here, God is raising up Abraham to be a nation that the nations might be blessed. Thus, God already cares for all nations, not just what will one day become Israel. Genesis 22 is a beautiful story of God's provision that also points forward to the gift of Christ. Abraham is directed by God to offer his only son, who is supposed to be the heir to the covenant and the fulfillment of the promise. Abraham obeys. God then stops Abraham and provides a ram as atonement. God continues to build on the theme of atonement and shedding blood for the forgiveness of sins through the giving of the Law to the Israelites. The Law is given to reveal the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man, to provide atonement, and to drive Israel to proper worship. Before giving the Law, God shows Himself to be in the business of building his people as a beacon for the nations. Exodus 9-16 shows God sending plagues to Egypt as a testimony to who He is and to show He cares for his people. The crossing of the Red Sea and then the Jordan (Joshua 4) is another display of God that the authors write down as a testimony to what God is doing for His people. These events are a display of the power of God, not just for Israel, but for the nations. The Law ends in Deuteronomy with Israel being confronted with the fact that God loves Israel and the foreigner (Deuteronomy 28:10). He claims here that He loves all nations and wants Israel to be a beacon for them.  As Israel grows as a nation, God sends judges and kings to guide them. Yet, these are only a foretaste of the better judge and king to come.  During this time, the Bible gives us stories of God saving Gentiles, such as Rahab and Ruth. These stories are not mere asides to toss away. They are God revealing His heart! In the midst of making Israel a great nation, God directs Solomon to build the Temple. After building the Temple, Solomon addresses the people during the dedication. What is outstanding here is that God says that the Temple is not just a place for Israel but for the foreigner to come, worship, and recognize Yahweh as the one true God! Incredible. The Psalms pick up on this thread. Psalm 2 and Psalm 150 open and close the book of Psalms with a directive to the nations. They show that God desires all nations to come and worship. Psalm 46:10, Psalm 67, 86, and 96 are some other Psalms that discuss this theme. God not only wants Israel to know Him, but He desires all people to know Him. After the death of Solomon, many wicked kings led Israel away from Yahweh. During this time, God sends the prophets in order to call Israel back to repentance, but also to tell of the coming Messiah. The prophets focus on how the coming Messiah will be the Savior of Israel, God's chosen one. Yet, at the same time, the prophets show that the savior will not be for Israel alone. Isaiah 2:2-4 begins with a call to all nations. Isaiah 11 and 12 both discuss how salvation is not just for Israel and ultimately Isaiah says that the House of the Lord will be a house of prayer for all nations (56:7)! Jeremiah emphasizes the nations in chapter 3, while Ezekiel 36 and 37 points to the New covenant, where the Lord will do a work of salvation by circumcising the hearts of men. Daniel displays the authority of the Son of Man, even in the sinful country of Babylon. The Son of Man is given dominion and authority over all nations, not to destroy them, but so that all might know Him! The story of Hosea reminds us that God seeks after the lost, even amidst our unfaithfulness. Joel discusses the coming of the Spirit and how it will be poured out on all people! God directs Jonah to share with Nineveh that they might repent and respond to the Gospel! A whole nation of Gentiles! And Malachi 3, the final prophet in the Old Testament, again reminds us that God cares for the nations and wants to see them repent. Amazing. Throughout the whole Old Testament, God has repeatedly recognized people's need for a messiah, for salvation, and told us that He was going to do it! And not just for Israel, but for ALL NATIONS! This is then picked up in the New Testament through the ministry of Jesus. Jesus does not just go to the children of Israel, but shares the Gospel and heals those of Samaria and other nations. Jesus proclaims that he came to seek and save the lost. And he even references Isaiah 56 when talking about the Temple! Jesus knows that the Gospel is for all people. The ministry of Jesus culminates in the Great Commission passages (finally). It is here that Jesus' last words are documented. And his mission for his disciples is not just to convert Jews. But, he tells them to go to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem and then to the ends of the earth. His vision is for the globe to know Him! Matthew tells us that on Jesus' authority, we are to go to all _ethne_ and that Jesus will be with us in this ministry! The New Testament furthers this theme by discussing the conversion of Paul. Ultimately, Paul's task is to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. He is called to be an ambassador and witness to all people. Paul then explicates this in many of his letters, as he discusses that Jesus has destroyed the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2) and is creating one people for Himself. The references to the church as the Bride, the body, the family of God, and the new Temple all emphasize a new people made up of all nations! Finally, the Bible shows us in Revelation 5 and 7 that people of all nations, all languages, will be gathered around the throne of God, worshiping for all eternity. It is this image that compels us to share the Gospel with all nations. It is this image in Revelation that gives us hope. God cares for all people, desiring that none should perish (1 Peter 3:18)! Thus, as one can see, the whole Bible points to two things: God is in the business of redemption, and this redemption is for all people. Romans 10 and 2 Corinthians 5 remind us how we are to participate in the task of sharing. We are called to be ambassadors and witnesses. How can people be saved if they have not heard? Let us recognize the priority of sharing the love of God for the redemption of people through all eternity.