History of Missions

History of Missions In Suriname, they say: “Learn from others and don’t make them learn from you.” They mean that we should study history to avoid the mistakes of the past. Some have said: Those who ignore history will repeat the mistakes of the past. We have a glorious history of God’s dealing with mankind. Let’s learn from it. I will mention that the first few pages outline briefly the missions emphasis of the Bible. This is covered in much more detail in the section on Theology of Missions. The reader who has already studied that section might want to just skim or even skip over the first few pages to the sections beginning with the church fathers. When we take a dispensational view of history, we can break the history in the Bible into seven segments. The first three are included in a time that God was dealing with all mankind. The first, of course, was the time of innocence, from the creation of Adam and Eve to their fall into sin. The second was the time of conscience, when man, now knowing good and evil, had a conscience to show him what he should do. But with a sin nature, man inevitably chose what was evil, and not good. Eventually God judged mankind, and only eight humans survived the flood. Third, we reach the time of human government, extending from the flood to the tower of Babel. Mankind refused to fill the earth, but rebelled to set up a human kingdom. God judged them and dispersed them by changing their languages. After the tower of Babel, God began dealing with a selected group of people, the Jews. Beginning with Abraham, God called out a people for His name. But His intention was still to reach all people. He promised Abraham: Genesis 12:3... And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Abraham was called out of Ur of the Chaldees to leave the idolatry of that great city. Abraham was to begin a nation which would be an example to all nations. Thus ultimately God wanted all nations to come to Him through the example of Abraham and his descendants, including the Lord Jesus Christ. This same promise to Abraham was repeated to Isaac and Jacob, and eventually to Judah. And during the time of the patriarchs, we see that they ministered outside the family of Abraham as well. Joseph ministered to Egypt as well as his own people, and also to the surrounding countries. Job was the most righteous person of his day, but he was not a Jew. Melchizedek was a priest of the most high God, but also not a descendant of Abraham. So although the dispensation of promise was primarily to the Jew, it was also dealing with the heathen world. Israel went to Egypt to escape a famine during the time of Joseph. However, when the famine ended, they remained in Egypt, and were eventually reduced to slavery. When Israel came out of captivity from the Egyptians, the dispensation of law began with the revelation of the law on Mt. Sinai. Israel was now being called as a nation to be a light to all nations. Israel was to call all nations to the worship of the true living God. Israel was to be an example of the holiness of God and also the blessings of serving Him. The law actually was designed to show the holiness of God, and that all men are sinners. Israel was presumptuous to think that her people could hold the law in their own strength. They quickly demonstrated that they were incapable of keeping the law. In addition to the moral law, the ten commandments, and the ceremonial law, which showed how sinners could come back to a righteous God, there was the civil law, which gave special protection not only to the widow and the orphan, but also to the stranger. The stranger in their midst could be the bearer of the good news to other countries. He could tell of the true living God, and the blessings of serving Him. Thus although the law was for the Jews primarily, the outreach through this time was still to be to all nations. For example, the queen of Sheba heard of the glories of the reign of Solomon. She had doubted that much of what she was told was true. She came bearing riches and spices. She left amazed at the glory of Solomon’s kingdom, as well as his supernatural wisdom. Thus most of the time, Israel would call other nations to come to her. There were not many missionaries in the Old Testament, but Jonah was a very successful one, although he was a very unwilling missionary to Nineveh. Other prominent Jews who ministered to the countries outside of Israel included Daniel and his three companions, Queen Esther, and Nehemiah. Sadly, Israel became proud of knowing the law, although she really did not keep it. Israel became proud of having the sign of a special relationship with God: all her males were circumcised. However, the Jews failed to realize that it was not the outward sign that was important, but circumcision of the heart. And finally, Israel failed to recognize her own messiah who had been clearly portrayed by her own prophets, and killed her own savior. Jesus came to earth under the law, and He alone fulfilled the law. Galatians 4:[4] But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,[5] To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. It was very clear that Jesus was indeed the promised messiah. He fulfilled the necessary line of ancestors. His ancestry could be traced clearly from Abraham through David. By having two birth lines, one from Joseph and one from Mary, He was able to meet all the requirements, including bypassing Solomon in terms of his human line, as well as the curse on Jehoiachin. He was born in Bethlehem of Judah under most unusual circumstances (Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, thou thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting). The timing of His ministry and presentation as King were announced in the seventy weeks prophecy of Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27 [24] Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. [25] Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. [26] And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.[27] And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.). The miracles which He performed - giving sight to the blind, enabling the lame to walk, and even raising the dead, clearly pointed to Him as the messiah. And His teaching was the teaching of the messiah as well. Jesus came under the law. He alone kept the law. He presented Himself as the king of the Jews. His message was that the kingdom of the Jews was at hand. But the official leadership of the Jews rejected Him as their king. (John 19:[13] When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.[14] And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King![15] But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priest answered, We have no king but Caesar.). They arranged to have their king crucified. But He arose victorious from the grave. True, He promised on earth that He would build His church. But He was still in the time of the law until His crucifixion, and the doctrine of the church for the age of grace was not yet given. So it is not surprising what the disciples asked in Acts 1:6-7 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying: Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7. And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. Now we see Jesus working in a different way.

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