Friday, December 20, 2013

Why Are Some Countries Not Mentioned in the Bible?

Does God care about non-Biblical nations? It might not seem so at first, but I believe the answer can be found in the history of Israel, especially in the kingdom of David.

When President Kennedy was asked in a press conference about the prototypical Mrs. Murphy being affected by a proposed public accomodations bill, he replied, "That depends on how much influence Mrs. Murphy has on interstate commerce." Everyone laughed, but they got the point.

In the same manner, a nation can have a rich culture and many people, such as Maylasia, but not be mentioned by name in the Old Testament. People try in vain to apply prophecy to the United States. Does God care about these people? If so, why are they not mentioned?

It is the question of their impact on the nation of Israel.

Small and "stiff necked" as they were, God selected them as His people, to be an example to the world. That they had no special worthiness is plainly revealed in the Bible. Like in the story "Pygmalion", and later "My Fair Lady", unworthiness was the whole idea. Election is funny that way.

One of my early texts had this inscription in its title page: "How odd of God, to choose the Jews." Yet other nations are judged by their relations to them.

Though Gentiles are referred to and their blessings are promised, it is in the book of Acts, chapter fifteen, that they come into focus. While Israel sleeps, people of every nation, language, and culture are being called out to be in the church. Here, the whole world is in view. No one is left out. Geopolitically the so called elite have chosen who rules for now, but in the end God chooses from every nation on Earth.

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