T-Minus 6 Days: The Law and Missions

Six days out and this is my meditation on missions as it reflects God's heart. It appears to me, that as God is unfolding the saga of redemption, he has at every point had a heart to reach all the nations. Again, we may be tempted to view missions (whether at home or abroad) as a New Testament reality due to the compartmentalized thinking about Scripture that seems to be so prevalent. But I find in the Old Testament as well a strong emphasis on God's idea of missions. Yesterday I very briefly introduced the idea of missions in the

covenants of God. Today however it comes up yet again in a place that perhaps few would think of finding it: the Law of God.

In Deuteronomy 4:5-8 we hear these words from God:

“See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it.

“So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

“For awhat great nation is there that has a god bso near to it as is the LORD our God cwhenever we call on Him?

“Or what great nation is there that has astatutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?"

So we understand that even during the time that the Mosaic Covenant and the Law were issued that God had an evangelistic and mission-focused agenda. Not only would the Law serve to guide the nation of Israel it would something that attracted the attention of the pagan nations around them. Here I might just stop for a moment and add this caveat. That the attraction would be in a most winsome way. They are noticing a God Who was withdrawn and cold. No, the God of Israel Who gave the Law, was a God Who was near. Amazing! The Law has a missions heart behind it that sweeps the nations! Let that sink in!

So as we are preparing for the mission that God has called us to in order to reflect His glory, let us understand the history of God's work in missions once again. And as a theological side note, let us be careful to preach and teach the whole counsel of God. Not despising any part because we feel it is irrelevant or passe. Such is the problem of antinomianism that is sweeping the church today.

Thank God He has a plan for the nations!