The Foundation for Missions in Genesis 1-11

In Walter Kaiser's book Mission in the Old Testament: Israel as a Light to the Nations, begins the book with the statement: “Probably the last thing a person is likely to think about in connection with the Old Testament is a missionary message to the Gentiles and the nations of the world. That begins … we are assured … in the New Testament after our Lord gave the Great Commission … But is this correct? It is not! The Bible actually begins with the theme of missions in the Book of Genesis and maintains that driving passion throughout the entire Old Testament and on into the New Testament. If an Old Testament “Great Commission” must be identified, then it will be Genesis 12:3 – “all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you [Abraham].” This is the earliest statement of the fact that it will be God's purpose and plan to see that the message of his grace and blessing comes to every person on planet earth. The message did not begin there. The basis for it, in fact, went all the way back to [the beginning and] Genesis 3:15 … Genesis 1-11 is decidedly universal in its scope and outlook. It covers as much time … as is found in the rest of the Old Testament. Rather than being pro-Jewish or featuring Israel as God's favored or pet nation ( a view that is incorrectly applied to all of the Old Testament), Genesis 1-11 begins with the original human couple, Adam and Eve, and moves on until seventy nations of the world are encompassed in the scope of its message