And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

(Revelation 5:9-14 ESV)

The preciousness and value of Christ’s blood isn’t just worth some of the nations—it’s worth all of the nations. This text tells us that Jesus’ blood purchased people from “every tribe and language and people and nation.” And what Jesus purchases, He gets. This is the nature of redemption, what Jesus has paid for, He will receive.

Our approach to engaging the nations demonstrates how much we think Jesus’ blood is worth. If we truly believe in this text—if we truly believe that Jesus’ blood is valuable enough to purchase sinners out of sin from every nation—we will engage the nations with the Gospel.

When we neglect the nations we either overestimate the value of our tribe or we underestimate the value of Jesus’ blood. Both of these estimations are unbiblical. Yet, this has happened throughout history. If we actively think too much of ourselves, we are prideful at best and racist at worst. If we think too little of Christ’s blood, we will respond with cowardice or complacence.

How can we neglect the nations? Is Jesus’ blood not worth the Burmese tribes or the Emirates or the Wei people of China? Or are we so valuable that His ownership of us is sufficient for the glorious Christ?

This is the third post in this series on Engaging Other Nations, here are the other posts in this series:

• Why do we Plant Churches Among the Unreached?
• Engaging other nations shows His Power
• Engaging other nations shows His Supremacy

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