EMQ » October–December 2020 » Volume 56 Issue 4
By Steve Hawthorne
What does the Bible say about people groups in God’s mission? Far from being a recent construct of social sciences, the Bible speaks of the peoples, languages, and lineages of humanity, with all their diverse cultures, as God’s creation, and as greatly valued covenant partners.
The initial burst of interest in people groups decades ago was all about breaking down the task of world evangelization into doable endeavors. While there are ample biblical grounds for clear and strategic gospel communication in every cultural setting, in the biblical account peoples are much more than mere objects of our messaging. Instead of focusing on our outreach to humanity, the Bible emphasizes the outcome of God being loved by every people. The Bible speaks of each of the world’s peoples as having vast worth, and even glory, as greatly desired, much beloved worshippers.
God Creates All Peoples
Paul declares that God had “made … every nation (ethne) of humankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17:26).[1] How did this story of nation-making unfold?
God’s promise to Abram in Genesis 12:1–3 is often cited as the beginning of mission to humanity as families or peoples. Before Abram, however, we find the story of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9). God is often presented in the story of Babel as judging and punishing humanity by scrambling their one language into many. But in fact, there is no explicit mention of sin or judgment in the Babel account. God simply intervenes, interrupting the construction of the uni-culture project before it went too far: “This is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them” (11:6).
Instead of inflicting punishment, the myriad of languages can be seen as God’s way of helping and accelerating humankind to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (1:28, 9:1). The fullness of humanity on earth is more than mere geographic habitation. God created humanity in His image, which means, in part, that humanity was endowed with creative ability to form diverse cultures. Instead of being a curse, different languages gave each of the peoples capacity to cultivate distinctive intergenerational communities, flourishing with the glories and burdens of diverse cultures.
The Babel account describes the beginning of humankind being scattered “abroad over the face of the whole earth” (11:9). In the previous chapter, the so-called “Table of Nations” describes the dispersion in genealogical format, which means that it all unfolded over many generations. Four specific factors of ethnic formation are repeated four times (10:5, 20, 31, 32): according to their clans (mishpachot), according to their languages (leshonot), by their lands (artsot), and according to their nations (goyim).
As people scattered “over the face of the whole earth” (11:9), their languages and family groupings were constantly changing along with their locations. Ethnolinguistic factors were prominent, but the cultures and peoples were not fixed and unmixed realities. Even though we see specific names in the Genesis 10 “Table of Nations” genealogy, humanity then, as now, was not separated into discrete, unchanging entities. The peoples were morphing and blending as they were moving throughout the earth.
One Family to Bless Every Family
In the midst of this massive diasporic array of tribes, languages and peoples we meet Abram. He was told to depart “from your relatives and from your father’s house” (12:1). Abram may be the only one in the Bible who was clearly called to separate from his family in order to obey God.
It must have been bewildering for him to hear God’s promise that in him “all the families (mishpachot) of the earth will be blessed” (12:3). A common custom of that day was that a father’s blessing, or inheritance, would reveal the extent of his own family. How was it possible that Abram, one man, would be able to bless many families? Later, God would change Abram’s name to Abraham, “for I will make you the father of a multitude of nations” (17:5).
This promise of becoming God’s blessing to all peoples was repeated twice more to Abraham, but with a key difference. Instead of all nations being blessed by one person (12:3), the nations would be blessed by Abraham’s descendants (18:18–19, 22:18). God repeated this same forward-looking promise directly to Isaac, and yet again to Jacob, that all the peoples of earth would be blessed by their descendants (26:4, 28:14). Still, it was a mystery how one family would bring about blessing to all.
One People, Many Tribes
Near the end of his life Jacob recounted God’s promise, “I will make you a company of peoples” (amim, Genesis 48:4), before bestowing a distinctive blessing on his twelve sons and the tribe that descended from them – “every one with the blessing appropriate to him” (49:28). Before leaving Egypt, Israel was one people consisting of multiple tribes.
At Sinai, God established a covenant with the twelve tribes, addressing them as “the house of Jacob … the sons of Israel” (Exodus 19:3). Keeping the covenant would bring forth God’s purpose – to be served, loved, and worshipped by a special, or holy people among all the peoples of earth. The language is extravagant, describing the people as a “special treasure” to God:
If you will … keep My covenant, then you shall be My own special treasure among all the peoples (amim), for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (goy). (Exodus 19:5–6)
God’s purpose is relational, seen in the easily overlooked words, “to Me.” The phrase “kingdom of priests” was a poetic way of describing their essential identity as worshipers. The primary task of biblical priests was to serve God, standing before Him and helping God’s people give themselves to Him by their offerings and praise. To coin a word, the people were to bring a “God-ward” service, pleasing God as they came near in worship.
The Twelve Tribes and the All-Peoples Throng
The God-ward purpose of the Sinai covenant shines in John’s opening words of the Revelation: Christ has “made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father” (Revelation 1:5–6). This kingdom of priestly worshippers is heard again in the “new song,” exalting the slain Lamb:
Worthy are You … for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth. (Revelation 5:9–10)
As the new song extols the worthiness of the Lamb, John also hears of the worth of the diverse peoples. At the tremendous cost of the blood of the Lamb, men, women and children from every tribe (phule), language (glossa), people (laos) and nation (ethnos) have been purchased “for God” in order to become priests, or worship-servants, “to our God” (5:9–10).
John continued to hear, not a song, but a numbering of “those who were sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel” (7:4). The enumeration of the twelve tribes specifically mentioned the twelve tribal names (7:5–8). Then John saw what he had only heard. He must have been stunned by the sight of a vast expanse of people.
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation (ethnos) tribe (phule), people (laos), and language (glossa), standing before the throne and before the Lamb ….” (Revelation 7:9)
It was an immense, uncountable multitude, but John recognized that there were some from every ethnicity – every which way that humanity continues life together in any abiding way. Every. All. The fullness of humanity, ever-enduring as diverse, and yet united in the Lamb.
Israel’s many tribes had been formed together as one worshipping people, foreshadowing this great multitude comprised of persons of every people glorifying God in full-hearted worship.
We have jumped from the beginnings in Genesis to the end of days. But of course, there is more to the story of how God called to Himself a people from all peoples, tribes and nations.
Prophetic Expectations: The Pilgrimage of Nations
Many songs and prophecies of Israel lifted an expectation that many, or even all of earth’s peoples would come to His house – the temple – to worship Him. More than a dozen texts describe the nations streaming toward the mountain, the city, or the temple of the Lord to worship and learn to walk in His ways. This eschatological movement of the peoples in worship has been described as “the pilgrimage of the nations.”[2]
The psalter resounds with this hope: “All nations (goim) whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name” (Psalm 86:9).
Zechariah describes many peoples not just coming to the temple, but becoming part of God’s people. “Many nations (goim) will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become My people (am). Then I will dwell in your midst …” (Zechariah 2:11). Note that the foreign peoples will not be merely mingling in public gatherings. They will actually somehow “join themselves to the Lord.”
Isaiah wrote of a coming day when non-Hebrew people, described as “foreigners,” would “join themselves to the Lord” in order “to minister” as worship-servants “to Him” (Isaiah 56:6).
… The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD … even those I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be pleasing on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer from all the peoples (amim). (Isaiah 56:6–7)
The phrase “to love the name of the LORD” means that they would come to love God truly by embracing all that they heard about Him. Take note of the relational splendor of their worship: As they offer themselves to God by their offerings, God Himself is pleased, gladdened as they give themselves in worship. And He will make them joyful. Ultimately, this will not be limited to a few select foreigners. God promised to draw men and women “from all the peoples” of the earth to enter this relational fullness.
At a climactic moment of His life’s work, Jesus expounded Isaiah 56 before the crowds at the temple (Mark 11:15–18). It’s common to hear the phrase “house of prayer” as referring to local churches that focus on intercessory prayer for other countries. But Isaiah 56 does not speak of intercessory prayers. When read in context, the phrase “house of prayer” must refer to the temple, not a congregation or church. The foreigners bring sacrificial offerings intended to express honor and thanks. Jesus was announcing God’s purpose to receive worship from “all the peoples (ethne)” of the earth (Mark 11:17).
The Mandate to Disciple All Peoples
These promises perplexed Jewish leaders before Christ’s day. Would the nations come spontaneously? Or should Jewish people take initiative to become the promised “light to the nations (goyim)” (Isaiah 49:6)?
For years some streams of Judaism had sent emissaries who traveled “on sea and land,” to help Gentiles to become Jewish proselytes (Matthew 23:15). Proselytes were those who had passed through a two-fold process of conversion: the ceremony of circumcision and washing, thought to bring a ritual purity or holiness. This was followed by rigorous training to follow one of the traditions of Torah observance. By doing so, proselytes essentially renounced their family and ethnic identity.
Christ’s mandate in Matthew 28 calls for incorporating non-Jewish people into God’s people in a radically different way than converting individuals as proselytes. Jesus’ description of discipling involved two things which correspond to the two-fold process of proselytizing. Instead of circumcision as an initiation rite, baptism brought disciples into covenant belonging with the triune God (“baptizing them into the name …”). Instead of learning a package of Torah-keeping traditions, the new communities learned to obey Jesus (“teaching them to obey all that I commanded you”).
Neither baptism or obeying Jesus as Lord necessarily involves renouncing one’s family or ethnic identity. Instead of being divorced from family and culture, it is possible for disciples to continue with their people. Sincere followers repudiate sinful ways and learn lifestyles of obedient love, bringing changes to their behavior, and often to their culture. In this way the risen Christ has been redemptively changing diverse cultures without imposing something like a universal kingdom culture.
Communities of disciples are to be formed in “all the peoples (panta ta ethne)” (28:19). The word for “peoples,” ethnos, can sometimes refer to non-Jewish individuals. But in this grammatical construct in plural form (panta ta ethne) refers to collective entities with generational depth, such as ethnicities, languages, or sometimes countries.[3]
Affirmed by the Apostles: One People of Many Peoples
In the first movement of Christ followers a few tensions arose amidst the different cultures and familial loyalties of the re-gathered diaspora in Jerusalem. But we see those difficulties resolved by acknowledgement of the ethnic differences (Acts 6:1–5). As the movement expanded to other places and cultural spheres (11:19–20) we see indications that the blend of Jews and Greeks took on a generalized non-ethnic identity as “Christians” (11:26). Their leaders came from different backgrounds that matched the diversity of the movement (13:1).
At the Jerusalem council of Acts 15 leaders came to recognize and affirm the magnitude of what God was doing to form one people that would include all peoples.
What about the Gentiles who had recently been turning to God in Christ? Some were insisting that proselyte conversion was essential for these non-Jews: “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses” (15:5). Others, including Peter, asserted that God “made no distinction (diakrino, to discriminate) between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith” (15:9). Peter was referring to a circumcision of the heart since circumcision was considered a ritual of cleansing. The Spirit that fell upon them was “Holy,” thus demonstrating them to be clean. Peter had already heard from heaven, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy” (10:15, 11:9).
James then declared that God had begun to accomplish the long-promised greater exodus that would bring about the expected pilgrimage of all peoples to God. “God first concerned Himself about taking from among the peoples (ethne) a people (laos) for His name” (15:14). Here James was quoting well-known texts in which God had said that He was so “concerned” about the plight of His people in Egypt (Exodus 3:16, 4:31), that He was determined to “take you to Myself for My people (laos in the LXX)” (6:7).
The allusion to the exodus, in which multiple tribes served God together as one people was clear. But James also quoted a medley of different prophetic promises (Acts 15:15–18).[4] This proved decisive: Men and women from many peoples (ethne) were being received as worshippers of God and wearing His name. They were becoming one global covenant people (laos, a covenant people). What Gentile followers had in common with Jewish believers was the life and Lordship of Jesus: “… We [Jews] are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they [Gentiles] also are” (15:11).
Gentiles were becoming covenant worshippers of the living God in Christ, but were not becoming Jews or expected to adopt Jewish culture.[5] They were retaining, not renouncing, their family and ethnic identity.
The Glory of the Peoples
In our day, ethnic identities are not static. Surges of migrants, a globalized economy, urban complexities and ever-changing technologies are constantly shifting and hybridizing ethnic identities. It would seem that attempting to reach the world one people group at a time is an archaic, bygone idea. But now, more than ever, ethnic group identities matter.
Some leaders claim that churches flourish best as multi-ethnic congregations. Others make a case for people-specific gatherings to enhance fruitful evangelism in compartmentalized urban settings or rural and tribal communities. Either way, it matters that mission and church leaders recognize and respect every kind of group identity.
I have argued that people groups are important in mission primarily because of the value of each people group to the living God. The blood of the Lamb was shed to purchase men, women and children so that He would receive whole-life, culturally-enriched worship from every people.
At the first exodus God called forth a covenant people consisting of multiple tribes. This pre-figured a later, greater exodus, initiated in Christ, in which a global people is now being formed from every people. In some larger celebrations we enjoy diverse ways of worship. But our church gatherings only foreshadow the great multitude. Only on the final day will we behold one covenant people consisting of some from every one of the peoples.
Behold, the tabernacle of God is among people (anthropon), and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His peoples (laos plural)[6] and God Himself will be among them. (Revelation 21:3)
As we finally come home together, the heaven-on-earth city will shine with “the glory of God” (21:11). But there will be other glories:
The kings of the earth will bring their glory into it … and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations (ethne) into it. (Revelation 21:24, 26)
The glory of the peoples includes the distinctive music and literature, the diverse artistry, the various inventions and industries, all of the gorgeous and soul-stirring creations of culture – they will have been purged and redeemed by the Lamb. We labor in hope of beholding God’s joy as He is loved extravagantly by the peoples.
Steve Hawthorne serves as a mission and prayer mobilizer, building vision and practical passion for Christ’s glory among all peoples. He co-edited, with Ralph D. Winter, the course and book called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. He works to support Perspectives study programs that are growing in many parts of the world. He holds a PhD in mission theology from Fuller Seminary’s School of World Mission.
Notes
[1] All Scripture translations are the author’s own, unless otherwise cited.
[2] The promised coming of many peoples to worship the God of Israel was called “the pilgrimage of the nations” by Joachim Jeremias in Jesus’ Promise to the Nations, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1958), 57–62. A few of the important texts: 1 Kings 8:41–43, 1 Chronicles 16:23–30, Psalm 22:26–31, 47:1–9, 102:15–22, Isaiah 60:1–12, Jeremiah 3:17, Zephaniah 3:8–13, Haggai 2:7, and Zechariah 8:20–22. See also John Goldingay, Israel’s Faith (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 818–833, and Christopher Wright, The Mission of God (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic), 478–479.
[3] John Piper’s careful lexical work shows that in the New Testament the word ethnos in singular form always refers to a collective entity, something like an ethnicity, language or country. In plural form the word can refer to ethnicities or it can refer to non-Jewish individuals. But when used in the phrase panta ta ethne, in any of the cases, the word ethne “virtually never carries the meaning of ‘Gentile individuals’ but always carries the meaning ‘all the nations’ in the sense of people groups” (Piper, John, Let the Nations Be Glad, Third Edition [Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010], 189). This assessment is supported by over a hundred occurrences of the full phrase, panta ta ethne in the Septuagint, which always refer to peoples or nations.
[4] In addition to Amos 9:11–12, there are possible allusions to Zechariah 2:11, Jeremiah 12:15, Isaiah 45:21, and Hosea 3:5.
[5] The four prohibitions (Acts 15:19–12, 28–29, 21:25) were the only four practices that were forbidden for visiting foreigners while living among the Jewish people (Leviticus 17:8, 17:10–14, 17:15, and 18:6–18). No other part of the Torah was required. The fact that these were mentioned at all supports the idea that Gentile followers of Jesus were considered to be, in a sense, sojourning in the midst of the Jewish people, but remained Gentiles.
[6] Metzger, Bruce, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (New York: UBS, 1975), 763. Variant manuscripts contain both singular and plural forms, with the plural having slightly better evidence. The singular matches the oft-repeated covenant formula with three elements: “your God,” “My people,” “I will dwell among you,” making it more likely that the original was plural.
EMQ, Volume 56, Issue 4. Copyright © 2020 by Missio Nexus. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from Missio Nexus. Email: EMQ@MissioNexus.org.
