blessing of all nations. So important is this goal that Paul called it “the gospel in advance” (Gal. 3:8). It is the amazing good news that in a world characterized by the rebellion, sin, violence, corruption, and arrogance of Genesis 3–11, God still intends to bless all the nations on earth! That was his promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3. So we have to see the whole story of Old Testament Israel as the first stage of that great project of God for world salvation. In the Old Testament history of
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