Genesis: The Nations Shall Obey the King

News headlines often lead us to think Christianity is currently trailing in the proverbial game of history, as though Jesus is at present getting his tail kicked by the opponent.

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But the media sound bites are simply misleading.

Don’t be misled: King Jesus is actually winning right now.

To see what I mean, let’s go back to the very first book in the Bible, Genesis.

In Genesis 49, Moses records for us a most interesting monologue. The patriarch Jacob, at the end of his life, offers a blessing to his sons. Of particular note is his commendation of his fourth-born son, Judah.

In verse 8, Jacob says, “Judah, your brothers shall praise you.”

Nice words, huh? No doubt Judah acted courageously in the final chapters of Joseph’s story, surely gaining the honor and respect of his siblings. But what’s the big deal?

The big deal is that Jesus the Messiah would ultimately come from the line of Judah.

And this Messiah would, according to Jacob’s own words, receive his royal due.

Notice verse 10:

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”

Did you catch that? The King will not cease to be the King—the scepter shall not depart from him—until tribute comes to him. And what’s more, “to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”

In other words, the royal kingship shall continue until all the peoples aka nations obey! Do you remember the Great Commission? At the heart of the King’s final earthly command is the call to baptize the nations and “teach them to obey” the King. And this is precisely what we see in the book of Acts and onward—people being baptized and learning to obey the King.

Paul longed for this trend to continue, even as he wrote to the Christians living in Rome, giving all glory to Christ, “through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience [italics mine] of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations [aka peoples]” (Rom. 1:5).

And do you recall Paul’s final words to the Roman Christians? Check out Romans 16:25-27:

“Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations [aka peoples], according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience [italics mine, once again to show its repetition] of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”

Folks, God is doing this right now all across our planet. God is saving sinners and bringing in the nations, from every tribe and language, to obey the King!

Wanna hear fresh stories of how God is bringing in the nations? My new book, Jesus in Beijing: A Missionary Memoir of Christ’s Victory in China, is available here.