The Gospel for All Mankind: A History of God's Universal Plan of Salvation

The dispensations
• Innocence
• Conscience
• Government
• Promise
• Law
• Grace
• Kingdom

Missions
History of Missions
Dr. Robert Patton
Missionary to Suriname,
South America

The dispensations
 Innocence
 Conscience
 Government
 Promise
 Law
 Grace
 Kingdom

The Gospel was for all
mankind
 Innocence – Adam & Eve
 Conscience – From the fall to the flood
 Government – Noah to the tower of
Babel
 God at this time was dealing with
all mankind

The good news started with
Adam and Eve
 Mankind owed their very existence to
God, and He established the way men
should relate to Him
 He established the consequences of
rebellion – separation from the very
source of life = spiritual and physical
death

Adam and Eve separated from
Eden

God established the way for
restoration
 God showed the cost of sin, but also
supplied a substitute and showed men
how to approach Him for forgiveness
 Mankind abandoned God following the
rebel Satan
 Cain actually murdered his own brother
in the context of religious worship

God sent a warning by Enoch
 Jude[14] And Enoch also, the seventh from
Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold,
the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his
saints,[15] To execute judgment upon all,
and to convince all that are ungodly among
them of all their ungodly deeds which they
have ungodly committed, and of all their
hard speeches which ungodly sinners have
spoken against him.

God sent another warning by
Noah
 He preached 120 years but was ignored and
ridiculed
 Mt. 24:[38] For as in the days that were
before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
until the day that Noe entered into the
ark,[39] And knew not until the flood came,
and took them all away; so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be.

God still was the God of the
nations
 God dispersed the nations after Noah,
and especially by changing languages at
the tower of Babel after idolatry began
 Acts 17:[26] And hath made of one
blood all nations of men for to dwell on
all the face of the earth, and hath
determined the times before appointed,
and the bounds of their habitation;

God still was the God of the
nations
 Acts 17:[27] That they should seek the
Lord, if haply they might feel after him,
and find him, though he be not far from
every one of us:[28] For in him we live,
and move, and have our being; as
certain also of your own poets have
said, For we are also his offspring.

But mankind descended into
idolatry
 [21] Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful;
but became vain in their imaginations, and
their foolish heart was darkened.[22] Pro-
fessing themselves to be wise, they became
fools,[23] And changed the glory of the
uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted
beasts, and creeping things.

But mankind descended into
idolatry
 Rom. 1:[19] Because that which may be
known of God is manifest in them; for God
hath shewed it unto them.
[20] For the invisible things of him from the
creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead; so
that they are without excuse:

Promise
 Abraham was selected – but God’s
plan was to reach all people:
 Genesis 12:3…And I will bless
them that bless the, and curse him
that curseth thee: and in thee shall
all families of the earth be blessed.

Promise
 Abraham was called out of Ur of the
Chaldees to come out of the idolatry
there, but to begin a nation which
would be an example to all nations
 Ultimately God wanted all nations to
come to Him through the example of
Abraham and his descendents –
including the Lord Jesus Christ

The patriarchs
 The promise to Abraham was given also
to Isaac and Jacob who were to be
witnesses to the living God
 Jacob was slow to learn, but he did
bless Pharaoh before his death, and
also prophecied about the blessing of
Judah to all peoples (Gen. 49:10)

The patriarchs
 Joseph ministered to Egypt and the
surrounding countries in addition to
saving his people
 Job, the most righteous man of his day,
was about the time of Abraham. He
was not, of course, a Jew

Moses
 God judged Egypt and her gods. God
said to Pharaoh Ex. 9:[16] And in very
deed for this cause have I raised thee
up, for to shew in thee my power;
and that my name may be declared
throughout all the earth.
 The message was to all people – serve
the living God

The Red Sea returns on the
Egyptians

God spoke to Moses at the
giving of the law
 Exodus 19:[3] And Moses went up unto
God, and the LORD called unto him out
of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt
thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell
the children of Israel;[4] Ye have seen
what I did unto the Egyptians, and how
I bare you on eagles' wings, and
brought you unto myself.

God spoke to Moses at the
giving of the law
 Exodus 19:[5] Now therefore, if ye will
obey my voice indeed, and keep my
covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar
treasure unto me above all people:
for all the earth is mine:[6] And ye
shall be unto me a kingdom of
priests, and an holy nation. These
are the words which thou shalt speak
unto the children of Israel.

Israel failed at Kades-Barnea
 Numbers 14:20] And the LORD said, I have
pardoned according to thy word:
[21] But as truly as I live, all the earth shall
be filled with the glory of the LORD.[22]
Because all those men which have seen my
glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt
and in the wilderness, and have tempted me
now these ten times, and have not
hearkened to my voice;

Israel failed at Kades-Barnea
 Numbers 14:23] Surely they shall not
see the land which I sware unto their
fathers, neither shall any of them that
provoked me see it:

The goal in the dispensation
of Law
 Israel was to be a light to all nations
 Israel was to call all nations come to
the true God
 The law was given to show the desire
and holiness of God
 The law was given to show that we are
all sinners

Israel showed compassion in a
new way
 Not only the widow and the orphan
were protected, but also
 The stranger was protected – and could
be a bearer of the news to other
countries

Gentiles could join Israel and
participate
 In the passover if they met the
conditions
 In making animal sacrifices and praying
in the temple
 Three of the women in the line of the
messiah were gentiles – Tamar, Rahab
and Ruth

Many of the Psalms are
universal in application
 Ps. 22:[27] All the ends of the world
shall remember and turn unto the
LORD: and all the kindreds of the
nations shall worship before thee.
 Ps. 46:[10] Be still, and know that I am
God: I will be exalted among the
heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

175 references in Psalms to
the entire earth…
 Ps. 66:[4] All the earth shall worship
thee, and shall sing unto thee; they
shall sing to thy name. Selah.
 Ps. 67:2] That thy way may be known
upon earth, thy saving health among all
nations.[3] Let the people praise thee,
O God; let all the people praise thee.

Universal psalms
 Ps. 100:1] Make a joyful noise unto the
LORD, all ye lands.[2] Serve the LORD
with gladness: come before his presence
with singing.[3] Know ye that the LORD
he is God: it is he that hath made us, and
not we ourselves; we are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture.

Israel must witness
 Ps. 96:[1] O sing unto the LORD a new
song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
[2] Sing unto the LORD, bless his
name; shew forth his salvation from
day to day.[3] Declare his glory among
the heathen, his wonders among all
people.[4] For the LORD is great, and
greatly to be praised: he is to be feared
above all gods.

Some came to Israel
 The queen of Sheba is an example
during the reign of Solomon. See what
Solomon had prayed earlier:
 I Kings 8:[41] Moreover concerning a
stranger, that is not of thy people
Israel, but cometh out of a far country
for thy name's sake;

Solomon and the Queen of
Sheba

Solomon’s prayer
 [42] (For they shall hear of thy great name,
and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched
out arm;) when he shall come and pray
toward this house;[43] Hear thou in heaven
thy dwelling place, and do according to all that
the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people
of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee,
as do thy people Israel; and that they may
know that this house, which I have builded, is
called by thy name.

There was some outreach
 Jonah was a successful (though
unwilling) missionary to Nineveh with
the greatest revival in the Old
Testament
 Elijah went to the widow of Zarephaph
 Elisha healed Naaman the Syrian
general

Many prophets showed that
God is the God of the nations
 Mal. 1:[11] For from the rising of the
sun even unto the going down of the
same my name shall be great among
the Gentiles; and in every place incense
shall be offered unto my name, and a
pure offering: for my name shall be
great among the heathen, saith the
LORD of hosts.

Prophets show God is the God
of all nations
 Micah 4:[1] But in the last days it shall
come to pass, that the mountain of the
house of the LORD shall be established
in the top of the mountains, and it shall
be exalted above the hills; and people
shall flow unto it.[2] And many nations
shall come, and say, Come, and let us
go up to the mountain of the LORD,
and to the house of the God of Jacob;

of all nations
 and he will teach us of his ways, and we will
walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of
Zion, and the word of the LORD from
Jerusalem.[3] And he shall judge among many
people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall
not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall
they learn war any more.

of all nations
 Isaiah shows both the servant of the
Lord, the messiah, and the servant of
the Lord, Israel – are to reach out to
the nations.

Israel to reach out:
Isaiah
 43:[9] Let all the nations be gathered
together, and let the people be
assembled: who among them can
declare this, and shew us former
things? let them bring forth their
witnesses, that they may be justified: or
let them hear, and say, It is truth.

Israel to reach out:
Isaiah
 43:[[10] Ye are my witnesses, saith the
LORD, and my servant whom I have
chosen: that ye may know and believe
me, and understand that I am he:
before me there was no God formed,
neither shall there be after me.
[11] I, even I, am the LORD; and
beside me there is no saviour

Isaiah to all nations
 44:[8] Fear ye not, neither be afraid:
have not I told thee from that time, and
have declared it? ye are even my
witnesses. Is there a God beside me?
yea, there is no God; I know not any.
 45:[22] Look unto me, and be ye
saved, all the ends of the earth: for I
am God, and there is none else.

The fault of Israel
 Israel became proud of knowing the law
 Israel became proud of having the mark
of a special relationship with God
 Israel failed to keep the Law and fell
into idolatry
 Israel failed to recognize her own
messiah – her Savior

God’s chastisement of Israel
 God allowed Israel to go into captivity.
 The country of Israel was more corrupt,
and first was carried off to Assyria
 Over a century later, the country of
Judah was carried off to Babylon

Israel and Idolatry
 Israel had been enticed to worship the
gods of the nations around her
 God allowed her to go to the very
center of idolatry – Assyria and
Babylon, where she was cured of her
idolatry

Israel witnessed during the
dispersion
 Israel gave godly witness through
Daniel and his companions, as well as
Esther. Other godly Jews were sent
throughout the nations
 The synagogues allowed the worship of
the true god in places throughout the
world

Shadrack, Meshack &
Abednego in fiery furnace

Haman begging mercy from
Esther

Israel and the Word
 The Hebrew Bible was distributed, and
when the Septuagint was translated
into Greek, a form of the Old Testament
was made available to the nations

Israel failed in her task
 Israel failed to show the glory of God to
other nations, but tried to imitate the
other nations – to have a king like
them, and false gods like them
 She became proud of her spiritual
knowledge, but did not apply it to
herself

Israel is a warning
 When Israel failed to fulfill her task to
the nations, God dispersed her
 If the church fails to spread the word
through missions, what can we expect?

Jesus came as Israel’s
messiah
 Jesus came and gave Israel a chance to
fulfill her mission
 Only after her rejection of Him did He
turn to the gentiles
 However, there are hints initially of a
worldwide mission, though He came as
King of the Jews

Jesus came as the promised
messiah
 Jesus fulfilled the Law – He alone
 Galatians 4:4 But when the
fullness of 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.

Jesus showed clearly that He
was the promised messiah
 His ancestry through the line of
Abraham and David
 The location of His birth
 The time of His birth
 His miracles
 His teaching

The entire dispensation of grace
was hidden in the Old Testament
 Jesus presented Himself as king of the
Jews.
 His message – the kingdom of God is at
hand
 The leadership of Israel rejected Him as
king
 He was crucified and rose from the
dead

Marks of a universal outreach
 Simeon’s prophecy: Luke 2:[30] For
mine eyes have seen thy salvation,[31]
Which thou hast prepared before the
face of all people;[32] A light to
lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of
thy people Israel.

Marks of a universal ministry
 John the baptist: Lk 3:[4] As it is written in
the book of the words of Esaias the prophet,
saying, The voice of one crying in the wilder-
ness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make
his paths straight.[5] Every valley shall be
filled, and every mountain and hill shall be
brought low; and the crooked shall be made
straight, and the rough ways shall be made
smooth;[6] And all flesh shall see the
salvation of God.

John the Baptist statement
 John 1:29[29] The next day John seeth
Jesus coming unto him, and saith,
Behold the Lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world.

Jesus’ own ministry
 Outreach to the Samaritan woman in
John 4
 The Syrophonecian woman with a
demon possessed daughter
 Jesus cleansed the temple, stating it is
a house of prayer for all nations.

Jesus cleanses the temple – a
house of prayer for all nations

Jesus teaching after healing
the centurion’s servant
 Mt. 8:[10] When Jesus heard it, he
marvelled, and said to them that followed,
Verily I say unto you, I have not found so
great faith, no, not in Israel.[11] And I say
unto you, That many shall come from
the east and west, and shall sit down
with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,
in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus did miracles in the
decapolis – heathen area
 Healed a deaf man
 Cleansed a demonic
 Fed 4000 man

Jesus teaching had universal
elements
 Nazareth – showed that God did wonders for
2 gentiles – the widow of Zaraphaph and
Naaman the Syrian
 His disciples are the light of the world and
the salt of the earth
 The parable of the tares – the area is the
world
 The good Samaritan – vs. the priest

The transition from Israel to
the world
 Began with the invitation Mt. 11:28-29
 Come unto me, all…
 The parables of Mt. 13 had a universal
flavor
 Beginning in Mt. 16, he began to speak
of His death

More transition
 Jesus as the good shepherd Jn.
10:[16] And other sheep I have,
which are not of this fold: them also
I must bring, and they shall hear my
voice; and there shall be one fold,
and one shepherd.
 Jesus before death: Jn 12:[32] And I, if
I be lifted up from the earth, will draw
all men unto me.

Jesus parables before His
death
 Mt. 21:[42] Jesus saith unto them, Did ye
never read in the scriptures, The stone which
the builders rejected, the same is become the
head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing,
and it is marvellous in our eyes?[43]Therefore
say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall
be taken from you, and given to a nation
bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Jesus prediction on the mount
of Olives
 Mt. 24:[14] And this gospel of the
kingdom shall be preached in all
the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come.

The great commission was
worldwide
 Mk. 16:[15] And he said unto them, Go
ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature.
 Jn. 20:[21] Then said Jesus to them
again, Peace be unto you: as my Father
hath sent me, even so send I you.

The great commission
 Luke 24:[46] And said unto them, Thus
it is written, and thus it behooved Christ
to suffer, and to rise from the dead the
third day:[47] And that repentance and
remission of sins should be preached in
his name among all nations, beginning
at Jerusalem.

The great commission
 Mt. 28:[18] And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth.[19] Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost:[20] Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the
end of the world. Amen.

Jesus promised to build his
church
 While on earth, Jesus promised that He
would build His church (Mt. 16:18)
 However, He was still living in the time
of the Law, and the doctrine of the
church for the age of grace was not yet
come.

Jesus and worldwide salvation
 Jesus showed Himself initially as the
king of the Jews
 As time went on, there were more and
more indications of a worldwide
ministry
 The final commission was to go to all
the world – not just the Jews

His disciples first expected
Him to come now as king
 Acts 1:6 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…

Ceremony of ascension of
Christ

They had trouble
understanding the commission
 Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power,
after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you; and ye shall be witnesses
unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth…
 But how – will Israel again say to the
nations: Come?

The Holy Spirit
 Began the church by baptizing believers
into the church on Pentecost, uniting
Jews and gentiles into one body
 Began to show the universal nature of
the church
 Spirit-filled witnesses boldly proclaimed
Christ and 3000 were saved

Depiction of Pentecost in
wood

The Holy Spirit and
evangelism
 Essential for evangelism and the New
birth – John 3:3-5
 Essential to convict men of sin, of
righteousness and judgment

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