March 10: A KEY DISTINCTION

And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. Revelation 21:26

Today’s verse emphasizes a point made in verse 24. Whenever the Lord leads His people to reiterate a lesson from His word, you can be confident that it is purposeful and bears repeating. John is tuned in to the Old Testament prophets who diligently labored to remind God’s people that they had been entrusted with the oracles of Scripture for the purpose of reaching out to the nations with the Good News of salvation. Though the prophets’ messages were unpopular, the heavenly oracles compelled them to continue. Disapproval, criticism, and threats were heaped upon them. Jeremiah expressed his discouragement: Then I said, “I will not make mention of [the LORD], nor speak anymore in His name. But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.” (Jeremiah 20:9)

The national pride of ancient Israel parallels today’s denominational pride. Many of us are also being tripped up by a spirit of national pride in the USA. John repeated today’s statement in light of the love of God for all people, regardless of their background. Hear these prophets:

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; And all the nations shall flow into it. Isaiah 2:2 (see also 56:6-7)

At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts. Jeremiah 3:17

Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities. The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us continue to…pray…and seek the LORD of hosts. I myself shall go also.” Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD…  Zechariah 8:20-22

When Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14), it was the only positive item on a long list of terrible things coming upon the world at its end. Did this statement sound preposterous or outrageous to Jesus’s hearers? Indeed it did, but no more outlandish than the three previous Old Testament quotes made by the LORD to ancient Israel through His prophets. Jesus was addressing His church, a tiny minority of believers. His inner circle was a ragtag crew that He knew would flee at His arrest. He had prayed for His followers in the world not to be of the world (John 17:11,14,15). This distinction is key in spreading the gospel. It is the Lord Himself who does the work of sanctification. May we learn to develop an affinity for all cultures, knowing that a sanctified, multicultural glory that honors the Savior will characterize the New Jerusalem!

In those days, men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man*, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” Zechariah 8:23

For further study: Exodus 31:13; Leviticus 20:8; 22:32; Ezekiel 20:12; *Romans 2:29; Hebrews 2:11