Meditation December 2024 –Seeking the Glory of the Nations
When Jesus confronted the devil during the Temptation, one of the challenges that Satan put before the Lord was an offer of all the kingdoms of the earth and their glory. (Matthew 4:8) Jesus, of course, refused to take what was rightfully His as an offer from the enemy because He knew that He would receive it legitimately through His obedience to the cross. Furthermore, He knew the promise of Psalm 102:15 that the heathen nations are to fear the name of the LORD and all the kings of the earth honor the Lord’s glory. In fact, one of the significant promises of the end time is that the glory of the Lord will be revealed throughout the earth (Habakkuk 2:14) and that the glory of the nations will be given over to the kingdom of God (Revelation 21:24, 26). Revelation 7:9 and 15:4 depict a time when people of every nation, kindred, people, and tongue will stand before the throne of God and worship Him. Revelation 11:15 further confirms that every nation will eventually become part of the divine kingdom. Twice in chapter twenty-one, the prophet predicted that the rulers of the nations will bring their glory and honor into the kingdom of God. (Revelation 21:24, 21:26)
John Piper made an excellent summation of God’s plan for the human race when he said that mission exists because worship doesn’t. In other words, the ultimate goal of church is to bring the message of the kingdom to every nation and people group so that they can join in voluntary praise to their Creator and Redeemer. At that point, the total purpose of human history will be fulfilled. When the early church leaders were trying to make sense of what had happened in and through the life of Jesus and the establishment of this new faith, they drew upon an Old Testament reference (Amos 9) that essentially brought them to the same conclusion as Dr. Piper.
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. (Acts 15:15-17)
The reference to the tabernacle of David speaks of a special tent that the king constructed in Jerusalem to house the Ark of the Covenant when he brought it back after the Philistines had captured it.