The Universal Scope of God's Redemptive Purpose

We can only glory in such a big-hearted Psalm coming from such a small-minded people. The Jews who were, like us, bigoted and narrowly focused on their own small and insignificant tribe, yet God broke into their history and small-mindedness by revealing Himself to them (and to us) as the God of compassion for all nations. YHWH, the covenant God, revealed that His compassion did not merely end with them. He placed before them a vision.. an all encompassing vision, which would eventually see His reign over the world and God's redemptive purpose for all peoples, that they too might delight in Him.

When we speak of the universal scope of God's purpose in redeeming the world to himself, of course, we do not speak of all persons without exception. No, we speak (as the Bible does) of all without distinction. All nations, not merely Jews are encompassed into God's plan of redemption. That is why the twenty-four elders in heaven say of Christ:

"...You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation." (Rev. 5:9)

Christ's blood purchased, not all, but people from out of all nations, tribes and tongues. At this we can only marvel and worship. Psalm 67 is a forward looking vision only which was accomplished when Christ fulfilled the covenant, breaking down the dividing wall (Eph 2:14), bringing not only Jews, but persons from all nations, into his redemption. The church in the New Testament was not a parenthesis or a "Plan B" but the fulfillment of God's eternal purpose in Christ, the ultimate end and climax of the covenant. Here, all nations, Jews and Gentiles, are brought into the house of God. Jesus, the remnant of one, the faithful True Israelite deserves all the glory, honor and praise for bringing this plan, which man would never have fathomed, to fruition. Oh that God might bless us that we might make known the riches of His glory to all nations.