Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Micah 4:2
One day the nations will want to know God’s ways. It’ll be obvious living God’s ways is the best way to live and the world will realise how wonderful it is to live under God’s government.
God chose the nation of Israel to show the world how good it was to live under his Sovereignty. Israel was supposed to be a light to the nations. Through Abraham, it’s clear that God’s intention was for his blessings to flow to all nations (Genesis 12:3). Yet Israel didn’t follow God’s commands and therefore didn’t give God a good name among the nations. God’s complaint against his people was instead of making following God attractive to other nations, they profaned his holy name (Ezekiel 36:16-38).
In the New Testament, we find Paul and Barnabas telling the Jews that they were called to be “a light for the Gentiles” (Acts 13:47, see also Isaiah 42:6).
Today God intends that Christians are light to their communities so that people will see how good it is to live according to God’s ways. The way we live our lives is supposed to be attractive to others. It doesn’t mean our life will be without difficulties but it should be apparent that our lives have meaning and purpose, that we have a source of strength and peace beyond ourselves, and that we have a hope that defies logic.
