How old is the gospel? (iii)

The nations, both which existed before the flood and those existing after the flood, had the gospel message handed down to them. But, what they did with that message was to corrupt it, to change the meaning of the message, so that the real message was often lost. This is what Paul affirms in Romans chapter one and ten, as we will see. 

In beginning this chapter let us look at one way in which the nations heard the word of God in old testament times. Let us begin with these words of Moses, one who was "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians" as well as in the oracles of Yahweh. (Acts 7: 22)

"Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. “Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’" (Deut. 4: 5-6)

Though people and nations in old testament times did not have the technology to communicate with each other over long distances as we do today, we must not therefore assume that nations did not communicate with one another. The methods of communication may have been slow, and often by word of mouth (though not without written communication), but each nation had knowledge of other nations, as the above words indicate. Moses says that other nations "will hear all these statutes," will hear the word of God. How hear? Well, one was by word of mouth, by traders and travellers. Another was through ambassadors. Israel had her ambassadors to other nations and other nations had their ambassadors sent to Israel. (See II Chron. 32: 31; 35: 21; Isa. 18: 1-3; 30: 4, 33: 7; Eze. 17: 15)

So, we may assume that many nations knew of Israel's scriptures, which theocracy contained the laws and statutes, the scriptures, but also the promises of salvation through the promised Messiah. Said Moses again:

"This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you." (Deut. 2: 25)

If the "nations under the whole heaven" could "hear the report" of Israel's deliverances, so too could they hear of Israel's prophets and prophecies of the promised Messiah. Notice this text also along this line:

"Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake; (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." (I Kings 8: 41-42)

Notice that people who live in far countries were able to "hear of thy great name," and hear "of thy strong hand and stretched out arm." Also, the effect of those heathen peoples in distant lands, upon hearing of Israel and Israel's God, would "come pray toward this house," i.e., in the temple of Solomon. This was certainly true of Rahab the harlot who dwelled in Palestine in the days when Joshua led the chosen people to the land of Canaan. 

"And she (Rahab) said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death." (Josh. 2: 9-13)

Another text dealing with this same time period and which shows how people from afar often heard of Israel and her God is this:

"And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel." (Josh. 5: 1)

Also, in the days of king David, we find David writing:

"God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah." (Psa. 67: 1-4)

"For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing to your name." (Psa. 18: 49)

Such verses show us that the truth of God, which was being given to Israel and her prophets, was not kept hid from the nations, but broadcasted far and wide. Later too we find the prophets after David preaching to the nations of the world. Said the prophet Jeremiah:

"Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare [it] in the isles afar off..." (Jer. 31: 10)

This is the same message that Abel, Seth, Enoch, and Noah proclaimed to the antediluvian peoples. It was also what every old testament prophet said to all the nations. Those nations who did hear the word of the Lord, did receive copies of Israel's sacred scriptures, would have known of the promised Messiah and many would have put their trust in him. So we find Isaiah saying:

“Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." (Isa. 45: 22)

Notice that even in the Old Testament that God sent the message of salvation to "all the ends of the earth." And, no doubt, many from among the heathen nations believed the report, believed in God and accepted his salvation, and trusted in the promised Messiah. This being the case, we see the prophet Zechariah saying:

"Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ” (Zech. 8: 23)

Notice the words "for we have heard that God is with you." How did they hear? Primarily by word of mouth, no doubt. No doubt also is the fact that many who heard of such things sought out the word of the Lord from Israel and obtained copies of her scriptures from her scribes. Notice these words which Isaiah records, and which are quoted by the apostle Paul in Romans chapter ten (which we will look at in the next concluding chapter).

"O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him." (Isa. 40: 9-10)

Even though the gospel message ('good tidings') in this instance was intended primarily for "the cities of Judah" and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, yet were not intended for them alone. Israel and her prophets were given the words of God, and the gospel message, yet they were to proclaim them to the nations. Thus, missionaries and evangelism were not simply new testament works, but was also the work of Israel and her ambassadors, messengers, and prophets. Every believing Hebrew, wherever he traveled, was duty bound to spread the news. Wrote the Psalmist:

"He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them." (Psa. 147: 19-20) 

Paul also wrote of this favored status, saying:

"Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." (Rom. 9: 4-5)

No other nation was given prophets and the oracles of God. Only Israel was entrusted with them. Yet, it was never God's intention for Israel to keep them to themselves. They were duty bound to teach the nations. Though she often failed in this work, nevertheless many in far off lands did hear, did obtain copies of her scriptures. Further, as we will see in the next chapter, many of the nations of the Gentiles rejected Israel's scriptures, and her God, and so those nations lost what gospel revelation they had. For this reason, many died in those nations who never heard the truth about God and his way of salvation. Does this mean it was totally unavailable to them? In some cases yes, and in some cases no. Did those who died without knowing the one true God and his way of salvation go to hell without a chance or opportunity of salvation? Yes and no. The question rather should be this - "did they all have an equal chance?" Definitely not.

In all times, the message of the gospel was available. Even the heathen who did not know anything of the Hebrew scriptures nevertheless would have astronomical charts of the twelve constellations with their various names and if they were star gazers and astronomers, they could have deciphered the gospel message from the Zodiac or Mazzaroth, as no doubt the Magi who came seeking the Christ child did when following the star of Bethlehem. They could also look at the starry heavens and say "who has made all these?"