What is God doing? And how can we join in what God is doing?
Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ (Isaiah 46:9–10)
God is God because He does whatever He desires. No one can impose his will over God’s. From verse 10 we see that God does something because He says, “I will do all that I please.” But what is God doing? What is His “purpose”? What does He “please” to do? What is His goal? What does He want to accomplish? I believe that what God shows us through His Word is that what God wants to accomplish is to glorify His name among the nations. And I think this is something that every one of us, and every church in Bulgaria and around the world, needs to grasp. It is simple, but very important. God glorifies His name among the nations. This understanding can change our whole worldview. Because we, as Bulgarians, are not inclined to look toward the nations. We tell ourselves that we are small, that we are a weak church. “How are we going to look toward the nations? We can’t even sort ourselves out, and we’re supposed to be thinking about the nations?” But we see that in the Great Commission God included the nations. God is greater than we are, and He is thinking about the whole world.
God wants to change our worldview — to make us stop thinking that Christianity is something focused only on ourselves. Because that is the Christianity we like. We imagine that we ought to be the center of the universe, so that God must save us, redeem us, heal us, bless us, and answer our prayers. We suppose that we are the center of the world and God simply has to serve us. This is the false picture that Satan wants us to hold of Christianity. But God’s goal, after He saves us, is to transform us so that we believe in Him, worship Him, and serve Him. That means turning things around so that at the center of our universe stands not us, but Him. It is not that He must serve us — because He has already served us, by creating us and giving His Son as a sacrifice for us — but that we must serve Him. Not us, but God must be at the center of our lives. This is the essence of the Bible, of Christianity, of faith in God.
We are used to hearing that the Bible is a love story, because in it we are told that God is love. But we tend to see only one side of the love it speaks of — that God loves us. Yet the love the Bible speaks of has two sides. God not only loves people. He transforms us in such a way that we too come to love Him with all our heart, mind, and strength, and to give glory to His name. So we must not only rejoice that God loves us, but also love Him with everything in us. This is the “Great Commandment of the Law” (Matthew 22:34–40).
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:34–40)
God wants us to love Him and to worship Him. But God can be loved only when He is known. So we could say that the Bible is an account of how God reveals Himself to the world and to the nations, so that, having revealed Himself, He might draw them to Himself and cause them to love Him with a sincere, unfeigned love — a love expressed in honor, authentic worship, and obedience.
God is gathering people from every nation to be His special possession, the bride of Christ. These are people who will be His friends throughout eternity.
The Bible is not a collection of unconnected stories, but a single unfolding account of God and His plan for His people and for the nations of the world. The laws, the history, the wisdom, the poetry, and the prophecies of the Scriptures — all of them tell one great story about one great Person. When we watch how God acts throughout the whole Bible, we see how zealously He guards the glory of His name and how He seeks for it to be known among the nations (Isaiah 48:9–11).
9 For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely. 10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another. (Isaiah 48:9–11)
TWO WAYS TO MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF
There are two ways to “make a name for yourself.” One is through human effort in defiance of God’s will; the other is through God’s grace in obedience to God’s will.
Abraham was blessed in order to be a blessing. But God’s goal was even higher than that Abraham should bless “all peoples on earth.” God desired to reveal His name to them and to be honored by them.
1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel — because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:1–9)
The genealogy of Noah’s son Shem, whose name meant “name,” leads to Abram. To him God promises:
1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1–3)
GOD GLORIFIED HIS NAME AMONG THE NATIONS BY HELPING ABRAHAM IN BATTLE
Abraham lived his life with faith in God, and this was visible to the people around him. For example, after he rescued Lot from the raiding marauder kings, Abraham testified that he had won not by his own strength but with God’s help. Abraham worshiped God and gave a tenth to Melchizedek in the presence of the king of Sodom — and the king of Sodom was a pagan king (Genesis 14:17–24).
17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me — to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre. Let them have their share.” (Genesis 14:17–24)
And so the king of Sodom heard that God is a great God, and that He gives victories to His own.
GOD GLORIFIED HIS NAME AMONG THE NATIONS THROUGH THE TEN PLAGUES AND THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT
Egypt served the most revered idols of that time. But through the ten plagues God brought judgment upon them. In Exodus 12:12 it says:
12 On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. (Exodus 12:12)
Through the plagues God not only destroyed the reputation of the false Egyptian gods, but He also set Himself apart from all other gods. Everyone was to understand that there is none like Him in all the world (Exodus 9:14).
14 Or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. (Exodus 9:14)
Through the plagues God desired to display His power in such a way that His name would be glorified among all the nations.
15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. (Exodus 9:15–16)
This would be the very heart of the story of God from that day onward. Through the plagues and the exodus from Egypt, God was making for Himself an everlasting name (Isaiah 63:11–14).
11 Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people — where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them, 12 who sent his glorious arm of power to be at Moses’ right hand, who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown, 13 who led them through the depths? Like a horse in open country, they did not stumble; 14 like cattle that go down to the plain, they were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord. This is how you guided your people to make for yourself a glorious name. (Isaiah 63:11–14)
God chose Israel, not so that they might be so great, but so that they might magnify His name among the nations.
This is our role too — to glorify God’s name among the nations.
GOD GLORIFIED HIS NAME AMONG THE NATIONS BY HELPING DAVID DEFEAT GOLIATH
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:45–47)
23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. 24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 27 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place. 28 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. 30 Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. 31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” (1 Chronicles 16:23–31)
GOD GLORIFIED HIS NAME AMONG THE NATIONS BY BLESSING KING SOLOMON
41 As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name — 42 for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm — when they come and pray toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name. (1 Kings 8:41–43)
1 When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan — with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones — she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed. 6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.” 10 And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. (1 Kings 10:1–10)
GOD GLORIFIED HIS NAME AMONG THE NATIONS THROUGH THE PROPHETS
22 Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. 23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes. (Ezekiel 36:22–23)
11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 1:11)
GOD GLORIFIED HIS NAME AMONG THE NATIONS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
Christ’s passion was to hallow the name of the Father. The prayer that Jesus taught His disciples began with the words, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). This is not merely praise of God’s name. It is a petition to the Father that could be paraphrased like this: “Father, make your name distinctive, special, honored among the nations. Show them who You truly are. Cause all the peoples of the earth to know You and to honor You.” And this is a prayer we must pray while thinking globally — in the way Jesus taught us — “on earth as it is in heaven.”
Jesus went to the cross in order to glorify God’s name (John 12:27–30).
27 Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name! Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. 30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. (John 12:27–30)
GOD GLORIFIED HIS NAME AMONG THE NATIONS THROUGH THE APOSTLE PAUL
For the apostle Paul, the people of the world were divided into two categories — people who knew the name of Jesus and people who did not know the name of Jesus:
20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. (Romans 15:20)
The apostle Paul sees himself as a priest who presents the nations as an offering to God.
15 Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:15–16)
We are called to do the same.
The goal of all this is the glory of God’s name (Romans 15:5–6).
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5–6)
THE NAME OF JESUS
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6–11)
THE NAME OF GOD GLORIFIED BY ALL THE NATIONS
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. (Revelation 21:22–26)
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (Revelation 7:9–12)
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. (Revelation 22:1–4)
God glorifies His name among the nations. How does this shape our way of life? How do we take part in it?
How can God glorify His name among the nations through us?
Are we serving for the glory of God’s name, or for its blasphemy?
17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth — 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2:17–24)
14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:14–16)
God glorifies His name among the nations. How does the fulfillment of the Great Commission, and our participation in missions, serve the glory of God’s name among the nations?