Missions was on the heart of our God from the very beginning. Missions, getting the Gospel to the world, is the heartbeat of our God and reason of existence for the New Testament Church. As it was well said by missionary Hudson Taylor, the Great Commission is not an option to be considered, it is a command that must be obeyed. Below is a brief list of verses in both the OT & NT in which we find missions.
- Missions in the Old Testament
- Genesis 2:17 – since fall God wanted His restoration for mankind made to Him — Gen. 2:17; Rev. 20:14; Rom. 5:12
- Exodus 9:14-16 – purpose of the plagues (Romans 9:17)
- Numbers 14:21 – “But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.”
- Joshua 2:10-11 — everyone heard about crossing of Red Sea, what God did
- Joshua 4:23-24 — “That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord”
- 1 Samuel 17:46 – “the whole world shall know there is a God in Israel”
- 1 Kings 8:41-43, 59-60 (also in 2 Chronicles 6:32-33) — “so that all peoples of the earth may know your name” (Solomon’s prayer dedication of Temple)
- I Chronicles 16:24 – “Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.”
- Psalm 2:7-10 – “Thou art my Son… I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession”
- Psalm 8:9 – “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”
- Psalm 18:49 – “I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen”
- Psalm 24 – “The earth is the Lord’s”
- Psalm 47:8 – “God reigneth over the heathen”
- Psalm 48:10 – “so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth”
- Psalm 57 – “I will sing of you among the peoples”
- Psalm 66:1 – “Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands”
- Psalm 66:4 – “All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.”
- Psalm 67:3, 6 – “Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee” Vs. 7 – “all the ends of the earth shall fear him”
- Psalm 72:11 – “all nations shall serve him”
- Psalm 72:17 – “all nations shall call him blessed”
- Psalm 82:8 – “O God… thou shalt inherit all nations”
- Psalm 86:9 – “All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.”
- Psalm 96:1 – ” sing unto the Lord, all the earth”
- Psalm 96:9 – “fear before him, all the earth”
- Psalm 96:13 – “for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth”
- Psalm 105:1 – “make known his deeds among the people.”
- Psalm 105:7 – “He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.”
- Psalm 108:3 – “I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.”
- Psalm 117:1 – “O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.”
- Isaiah 43:10 — Jehovah said to Israel, “You are my witnesses .. .” Christ instructed His followers, “You will be my witnesses .. .” (Acts 1:8).
- Isaiah 45:22 – “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth”
- Isaiah 49:6 — “salvation unto the end of the earth”
- Jeremiah 16:19 – “O Lord… the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth”
- Ezekiel 36:23 – “and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord”
- Daniel – king Nebuchadnezzar, king Belshazzar, and king Darius all made proclamations that all the nations worship the true God.
- Whole book of Jonah – God sent him so the heathen could know God (Jonah at best was a very reluctant servant)
- Zephaniah 2:11 – “The Lord… will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him”
- Malachi 1:11 – ” For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles… for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.”
- Missions in the New Testament
- Matthew 13 (Ezekiel 17:23) – parables of sower, weeds, mustard seed, fishing net
- Matthew 24:14 – the Gospel will be preached in the whole world
- Matthew 28:19-20 – The Great Commission
- Mark 11:17 (Isaiah 56:7) – a house of prayer for all nations
- Mark 13:10 – “the gospel must first be published among all nations”
- Mark 16:15 – “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
- Luke 10:2 – “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few”
- Luke 15 — 3 parables, all about lost. Great rejoicing when lost are saved.
- Luke 19:10 — He came to seek and save lost
- Luke 24:47 – “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
- John 3:16 – For God so loved the world
- John 20:21 – “as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”
- Acts 1:8; 2:5-12 (Isaiah 49:6) – witnesses in all the earth
- Acts 13:47 — “salvation unto the ends of the earth”
- Romans 10:12-15 – “How can they hear?”
- Philippians 2:10 – Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess
- 2 Peter 3:9 – “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
- Revelation 7:9 – Every tribe, tongue, people and nation
- Revelation 22:17 – “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”