“I know everything they’ve ever done or thought. I’m going to come and then gather everyone—all nations, all languages. They’ll come and see my glory. I’ll set up a station at the center. I’ll send the survivors of judgment all over the world: Spain and Africa, Turkey and Greece, and the far-off islands that have never heard of me, who know nothing of what I’ve done nor who I am. I’ll send them out as missionaries to preach my glory among the nations. They’ll return with all your long-lost brothers and sisters from all over the world. They’ll bring them back and offer them in living worship to God. They’ll bring them on horses and wagons and carts, on mules and camels, straight to my holy mountain Jerusalem,” says God. “They’ll present them just as Israelites present their offerings in a ceremonial vessel in the Temple of God. I’ll even take some of them and make them priests and Levites,” says God. (The Message).

In the light of the judgment about which we read yesterday, what should the church be doing? The answer involves the spreading of the gospel on a worldwide scale.

It may be that these verses look ahead to the conversion of Israel, and its aftermath (see Rom.9-11, especially 11:25-32). We may well ask with Paul, ”But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!” (Rom.11:12).

Christians who believe there will be a literal reign of Christ on the earth for 1,000 years, after He comes back (‘the Millenium’, see Rev.20:6,7), may be inclined to see the fulfilment of this passage as lying in that future era.

But I find Barry Webb’s comments persuasive:

‘This last tremendous paragraph contains God’s entire programme for the evangelization of the world. It is summarized in verse 18. In a word, God’s fundamental response to the evil actions and imaginations of his creatures is one of grace. His gathering, rescuing activity, once restricted to the dispersed of Israel, is to be extended to all people. He wil come and gather people of all nations and tongues so that they may see his glory (18). The goal of mission is the glory of God, that God might be known and honoured for who he really is…It is the nations that are harvested, and converts from all nations that are presented to the LORD as holy offerings…What a stunningly accurate portrayal this is of things to come! No prophet understood more deeply the missionary nature of God’s heart, or the shape of the mission he would put into effect when the time was right. ‘Isaiah’, from pp.249-251.

Prayer:Lord, give us hearts to see the lostness of the world without you, and a deep willingness to play our our part in your mission to the world.