Archive: A Witness to all Nations

By Lon Woodrum, Contributing Editor
From his book, “Sign From Outer Space” © 1967

Suddenly, against Jesus’ presagement of the future, breaks a far-reaching light of promise: “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations” (Matthew 24: 14).

Clearly we can understand now that Christ is looking far beyond anything that would happen in Palestine 2,000 years ago.

As He speaks of the Gospel’s out-going, it fairly seems we can hear the Word vibrating across the Mediterranean, through Pamphilia, Phrygia, Achaia, Macedonia, Athens, Rome, Spain, Saxony, America, the islands of the sea.

By one prophetic thrust Jesus extends the witness of the Gospel to “all the world.” Long after those first embattled believers are but a misty memory in history their Gospel will go on and on, crossing custom lines, racial borders, and cultural boundaries. Jesus was far too mighty a Prophet not to have understood His evangel would not be contained in the narrow land where He was born.

Recently we heard a missionary who had returned from circling the globe say, “The sun never sets on the Christian flag!” The Word of the long-ago Man from Nazareth has been kept. The Gospel He gave to men has been announced to all the world.

It has not saved the world. Nor did Jesus ever promise that it would!

At this point looms strong error; we imagine because Christ announced His message would sound in all the world that it would redeem the world.

The Gospel has never redeemed but a small fraction of the world. When we were informed by one man that 500 persons daily were being converted to Christ in India—including Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants—we asked how many persons were born daily in India! Another man informed us that 2,500 persons were converted to Christ daily in Africa; but we had read earlier that 25,000 Africans were converted to the Moslem faith every day! And who knows how many Africans embrace Communism every 24 hours?

It is true that nearly all problems today are world problems. Earth is a community now. Most anything we eat, wear, or use may have something of several nations in it. Yet the fact remains that Jesus did not promise that the world would ever become a Christian community.

Christ cannot save the world!

The fault, of course, is not His. It is ours. A doctor’s medicine cannot cure us if we pour it down the drain. The world will not allow Christ to save it; therefore, it cannot be saved by Him.

Jesus knew it would be this way. He knew man’s stubborn urge toward the darkness. He referred to it again and again. Many, He said, would be called, but few chosen. He maintained that the way to life was straight, and few would find it. He saw the seed fall on the ground, and three-fourths of it was lost; so it would be with those who heard the Word. The greater percentage of men will not accept Christ and continue with Him.

Christ is the world’s only Saviour. But all the world will not be saved by Him. No nation, as a whole, has ever accepted Him. Will any nation ever do it? Still, we have His Word for it that the nations must hear of Him. But His Word is a witness to all nations—not a pledge of redemption for all nations. He has kept His Word magnificently. Already the witness has reached the far lands of the planet. “The sun never sets on the Christian flag!” That flag, fluttering over countless countries, shouts that Jesus is not only the Saviour, but the greatest Prophet of all.

The Gospel is a witness. But to what? It is a witness to all His promises, for it is the Gospel of the Kingdom. It proclaims that the world’s Redeemer shall be the world’s Ruler. Was He not suggesting this when He taught His disciples to pray, “Thy Kingdom come”? How can the Kingdom come until the King comes?

With prophetic force He foretold how it would be when He was answering the question, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” He said, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, he shall sit on the throne of his glory” (Matthew 25:31).

What manner of men are we to reject this prophecy of His, and still claim His promise of redemption? One modern writer in the church has said that this pledge of Jesus’ enthronement is magnificent Hebrew poetry, that nothing finer can be found in the New Testament; but it is poetry. Nothing will come of it in any literal sense. Jesus will never actually sit on such a throne.

Jesus was so right about so many things! He predicted the fall of Jerusalem, the spread of wickedness, the thrust of the Gospel to the world’s ends—but He stumbled and lost His way when He spoke of returning in power and taking His glorious throne!

How odd that we can make Him right or wrong, as we choose!

We are forced to admit that many of the things He prophesied came true—because they happened! Yet men look into the future, wax bold, and cry, “He missed it there!” But how do they know He missed it? Well, science says so. Philosophers say so. Theologians say so. Preachers say so!

Yet, standing over against their claims is the fact that He has been so magnificently right about many things in the past, and the present!

The truth is, one may stand in the midst of the Olivet Discourse[1] and see some things that have already happened; some that are now happening; and some that are yet to happen. Right about some, how can Jesus be wrong about the others?

The Kingdom will come, and the King also.

Again and again the New Testament bears witness to Christ’s Word about the coming realm. Few things, if any, are more emphasized than this. Paul spells it out sharply. “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 15:50). Who then shall possess it (the word “inherit” means “possess”)? Subjects of the Kingdom we may well be who are believers, but how shall we possess it? In our present conditions? But are we not yet “flesh and blood”?

Paul tells us how we shall possess it. Living men shall be changed; dead men shall be transformed into an immortal state. And how does this come about? By educational processes, organizational effort, political and social action? We know better!

It will come, says Paul, when Christ comes, at the sound of the trumpet, to claim His own. It is so simple—from  Paul’s viewpoint! But so difficult from the standpoint of modern unbelieving minds.

How fine it is to be so committed to Christ that all He said not only seems possible, but certain, as well as highly desirable!

We talk of “bringing in the Kingdom.” We have tried for centuries to bring it in—and now it almost seems to be going “out”!

Christ will bring in the kingdom. His kingdom it is, bought with the price of his own blood. King was He born, and King shall He be, however long the coronation be delayed.

The Kingdom will come. It will come when the “witness to all nations” is finished. We have His Word on that—”then shall the end come.” The end of this age; the end of the world we have known; the end of man’s rule, the establishment of God’s reign; the end of evil tyranny over human life; the rule of righteousness; the end of wars; the enthronement of the Prince of Peace.

[1] OLIVET DISCOURSE: Jesus’ teachings about “last things”‘ delivered on Mount Olivet and recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.