Missionary Effort in Ancient Times
ALL the Old Testament history and prophecy show that God was working through the chosen seed of Abraham to save the world. He was trying to induce them to fulfill their mission; namely, to carry the gospel of the kingdom to the whole world. When they would not do it, but instead of converting the heathen, became perverted by them, God made the truth known through the kings of the Gentiles. Read especially the second, third, fourth, and sixth chapters of Daniel. See how Jonah was sent against his will to the city of Nineveh. Read the direct appeals, warnings, and threatenings to the different nations by name, in the writings of the prophets. And, finally, read the words of God to Jeremiah: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jer. 1:5. The word “nations” is the same as Gentiles, or heathen. So hundreds of years before the advent of Christ, the Gentiles had a prophet specially ordained for them, just as afterward they had an apostle. He dealt as well by them before the crucifixion as afterward; but the most of the people whom he called would not go. Why did God choose Abraham? — Because when God called, Abraham obeyed. He calls all, but those who will not hear the call cannot be used. Why did he work through Israel for so long? — Because, headstrong as they were, they were the only people near enough to him for him to work through.— Selected.