Walter Kaiser, Jr challenges a deeply rooted assumption: that the proper missionary mandate started in the New Testament, with Jesus’ Great Commission and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.1 Many undermine the Old Testament’s role in mission theology. But did global mission begin long before the church sent missionaries? Could the Old Testament, often considered tribal or exclusive, carry a vibrant mission message?
A channel of divine blessing
At its heart, the Old Testament unveils a God of mission who planned to bless all creation. God creates humanity in His image and commissions them to steward the earth, fill it with life and goodness, and live in harmony with Him and one another. This twofold mission – worship and stewardship – forms the original mandate for humanity and remains foundational to understanding God’s purposes throughout the Bible.
The stories of the Flood, Babel, and the genealogies underline God’s enduring commitment to all humanity. Then comes a pivotal moment. In Genesis 12:1-3, God promises to bless Abraham – and, through him, all the families of the earth. This promise – reaffirmed to Isaac, Jacob and their descendants – shows that God’s redemptive plan was always global in scope.
Yet this mission is not simply about expanding influence – it’s about blessing. Blessing is God’s abundant giving, His provision for human flourishing, and, most importantly, His presence.2 Mission, then, is not merely about proclamation or conversion, but channelling God’s life-giving and restorative blessings to all people.
God includes outsiders in His covenant community. The Mosaic law grants the foreigners living in Israel legal protections equal to those of the Israelites (Numbers 15:15, 16). They were to be welcomed and integrated. This inclusive ethic underlines God’s care for the outsider, even during Israel’s formative stages.
Though the mission sometimes included judgement, this was not its central thrust. God’s purpose was always restoration. Stories like those of Rahab, Ruth and Naaman show that Gentiles were recipients of God’s grace and often exemplars of faith. These are not exceptions to the rule – they are glimpses of God’s universal intent.
Israel was always meant to be a ‘kingdom of priests’ (Exodus 19:6, NKJV) – a mediating nation through which God’s light would shine to the world. The Psalms repeatedly call the nations to worship the Lord (96; 98; 148). Solomon anticipates that foreigners will come to worship in God’s temple (1 Kings 8:41-43). Isaiah envisions a day when the nations will stream to Zion, when Egypt and Assyria – longtime enemies – will be counted among God’s people (Isaiah 19:19-25).
Detours and fulfilment
But Israel often neglected this calling. The temple eventually became a symbol of inward-looking religion rather than a beacon to the nations, and it lost its outward focus. Israel’s witness dimmed when its leaders apostatised. Yet, even in Israel’s failure, God continued His mission – sometimes through judgement, sometimes through exile, but always with the goal of restoration.3
The Jewish diaspora, with its synagogues scattered across the ancient world, became an unexpected platform for witness. God’s people carried His name wherever they went, often unintentionally. This shows that even when God’s people fail to go on mission, God remains on mission.
Ultimately, the centrifugal (outward-moving) and centripetal (inward-drawing) aspects of Israel’s mission were both intended by God. Israel was to live in such a way that nations would be drawn to YHWH, but they were also called to actively proclaim His greatness. The servant girl in 2 Kings 5 and the prophet Jonah demonstrate that Israelite individuals could and did serve as missionaries.
Blessed to be a blessing
The mission of both the Old and New Testaments shares the same heartbeat: God’s love for the world. Though marred by human failure, God’s mission endured – and it finds its perfect fulfilment in Christ.
Reflecting on this grand narrative, we are inspired to embrace our role in God’s mission. We are heirs to this ancient calling: to bless, proclaim and live so that all nations might see God’s love. The biblical story of mission still invites us to participate.
1Walter C Kaiser, Jr, Mission in the Old Testament: Israel as a Light to the Nations (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2000), p. 7
2Richard Bauckham, Bible and Mission: Christian Witness in a Postmodern World (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2003), p. 34
3Cristian Dumitrescu, ‘Mission Theology in the Old Testament: A New Paradigm’, Journal of Adventist Mission Studies 4/1 (2008), pp. 59, 60
*This article was originally published by Messenger UK and is reprinted here with permission.