O.T. Missionaries?

[Guest]

Did the Israelites perform missionary work? Scripture ref?

[Seth Doty]

Did the Israelites perform missionary work? Scripture ref?

Not a lot, but this NT passage comes to mind.

"Acts 15:19-21 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day."

Then there a few examples like Jonah who was sort of a missionary albeit a very unwilling one, the captured servant girl who convinced her master that Elisha could heal his leprosy leading to his eventual conversion etc.

For the most part it seems like converts in the OT were not actively sought from the gentiles but it certainly occurred. Rahab, Uriah "the Hittite" etc.

[Guest]

Not a lot, but this NT passage comes to mind.

"Acts 15:19-21 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day."

Then there a few examples like Jonah who was sort of a missionary albeit a very unwilling one, the captured servant girl who convinced her master that Elisha could heal his leprosy leading to his eventual conversion etc.

For the most part it seems like converts in the OT were not actively sought from the gentiles but it certainly occurred. Rahab, Uriah "the Hittite" etc.

What do you think of this scripture...

Isaiah 32:20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.

...I don't know that the context supports it for a certainty. It makes me think of...

Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

...especially when read with the preceeding verses (adding a little emphasis)...

Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Isaiah 32:18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;
Isaiah 32:19 When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.
Isaiah 32:20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.

The ox and ass are beasts of burden and we're to have a burden going forth... "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." -Psalms 126:6 and "And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." -Revelation 17:15

Then there is Jonah.

[John81]

Israel was not called to perform missionary work in the sense that Christians are. Israel was to follow God fully and serve as an example that would attract others to the light in Israel. Israel was to share "their God" with those around them and those who sought out the reason for Israels success.

Of course Israel failed in this and for the most part Israelites became prideful, believing they were special and only they deserved the blessings of God...this, even while most of the time they were not following God.

Rahab is an example of how other peoples could look to Israel when she was following God and see that God was with Israel. Unlike the rest of the people in her city, Rahab actually turned to the God of the Israelites while the others were content to hide in fear behind their walls.

Jonah was mentioned previously, and he serves as an example of a special calling from God to go to Gentiles. In this example we see how Jonah didn't want the Gentiles to share in the benefits of obeying God. Jonah wanted the judgement of God to fall upon those Gentiles and didn't want to preach the warning to them God had commanded because he knew God would spare them if they repented.

[Covenanter]

It looks as if the Israelites had very strict instructions not to fraternize with the surrounding nations, nor make any covenant (league) with them.
Jdg 2:1 ¶ And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

However, the league with the Gibeonites, made by trickery, was kept more faithfully by the Gibeonites than the Israelites keeping the covenant the LORD made with them. (Josh. 9)

Any "evangelism" was to be directed to the families: Gen 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Deu 6:23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.

Psa 34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Jonah was sent with a message of coming judgment, with no provision for repentance & stay of execution.

The implied Gospel message in Tim's #3, & the Scriptures used by Paul when he proves God's intention to save the Gentiles & Jews as one people (e.g. Rom. 15) were not acted on as an OT Gospel.

[Guest]

It looks as if the Israelites had very strict instructions not to fraternize with the surrounding nations, nor make any covenant (league) with them.
Jdg 2:1 ¶ And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

However, the league with the Gibeonites, made by trickery, was kept more faithfully by the Gibeonites than the Israelites keeping the covenant the LORD made with them. (Josh. 9)

Any "evangelism" was to be directed to the families: Gen 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Deu 6:23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.

Psa 34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Jonah was sent with a message of coming judgment, with no provision for repentance & stay of execution.

The implied Gospel message in Tim's #3, & the Scriptures used by Paul when he proves God's intention to save the Gentiles & Jews as one people (e.g. Rom. 15) were not acted on as an OT Gospel.

I see nothing which prevented the Israelites from preaching the God of Abraham and God's law by Moses to those around them. I didn't intend to convey the "gospel of Jesus Christ" message was preached to others in the O.T. If that's what you thought you've misunderstood me. I only find similarities between O.T. and text of the N.T. Also, I find scripture in the O.T. concerning other peoples and how the law would pertain to them also. Too much obvious and implied concerning proselytizing (the work of evangelists and missionaries).

Exodus 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Leviticus 18:26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:
Leviticus 19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Numbers 9:14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.

Exodus 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

Strangers and sojourners have to be taught to observe the law for one law to apply to them. The law would have to be read, taught, demonstrated to be observed by the stranger. The stranger would have to hear, see, and receive the law from his Jewish teachers. So, would the Isaelite be proselytizing? What about Issac and Jacob's wives, were they taught to be Jewish?

The implication would be that a neigboring nation's inhabitant would see the grace of God on the Israelite, or observe God's law practised, and desire to have this grace also. The stranger would then sojourn, be taught, be circumcised, be Jewish.

I believe there is a "type" implied in Isaiah 32 of a missionary because of the type of Christ in verses 1-4.