The Great Commission
By Les Feldick
Suddenly, over the last few weeks, I have been deluged with the same question and that has been ''why, after commanding the 12 in Matthew 10:5 & 6 to go not to Gentiles, does Jesus reverse the command in Mark 16:15 and Matthew 28:19, where he tells them just as plainly to go to the Gentiles? It is a good question and hopefully this will show how the Scripture answers that question.
Remembering that the Bible is a progressive revelation, let us go all the way back to the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12. In verse 2, we have the promise of Israel becoming a nation but in verse 3 God also promises something for the rest of world [the Gentiles]. So obviously some way or another God is going to reach out to the whole non-Jewish world--- someday. We know when Israel was fresh out of Egypt and Moses went up to God on Mount Sinai [Exodus 19:5-6], that Israel was given a prospect--- that someday the Jews would become priests-not just the tribe of Levi, but all the tribes. To be certain that the prospect is not forgotten, Isaiah is led by the Spirit to write in Isaiah 42: 6 that the Jewish people are to be a light of the Gentiles. Again, in chapter 60, Isaiah tells Israel that the gentles ''shall come to thy light.'' And in Isaiah 62, Isaiah writes that the Gentiles ''shall see thy righteousness''. But, in order for Israel to attain this goal, God gave them covenants of promise. After Abraham, they received the covenant of law, [Exodus 19 and 20], the land covenant [Deuteronomy 30:3], the Davidic covenant [II Samuel 7:16] and the new covenant [Jeremiah 31:31-35]. All of this was like a highway to the kingdom but in the kingdom there will not only be the remnant of Israel but remnant of Gentiles. We know that only believers can go into the kingdom so how does God arrange that? He will accomplish that by using 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel [not just the tribe of Levi] which will mean that there are144,000 Jews who will fulfill the great commission of Matthew 28 and Mark 16. And what will they be preaching? The gospel of the kingdom as found in Matthew 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). And who will they reach? All nations, all kindred's, and peoples of all languages. [Revelation 7:9].
That is the purpose of the so-called great commission. So it follows that when the tribulation ends there will be a few survivors from all the nations of the world [Isaiah 24:6] but there will be lost survivors as well as believers so God will bring them all before the King [Matthew 25:31]. The lost will be sent to their doom while the believers will go into the kingdom. We know from Zechariah 13:8 &9 that a third of Israel will go into the kingdom [approximately 5 million] so compared to Israel, other nations will only have a few. Consequently, Israel will enjoy the privilege of ministering to these Gentiles. Everything fits. So how does Christendom end up claiming ownership of the great commission? They do it by twisting the Scriptures [II Peter 5:16].
So, what then is our instruction? We are all, each and every believer, not just the eleven, to be Ambassadors and reconcilers (II Corinthians 5:19-20). And what is an Ambassador? A representative of his home country while serving in a foreign one. And what is our homeland? Heaven! And what is foreign? Earth!
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