How to define a great nation

In this post I want to explore the question of how to define a great nation. This is a promise God gives to Abraham in Genesis 12, and it is repeated over His people, Israel, as they flee Egypt.

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

 “I will make you into a great nation,

    and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

    and you will be a blessing.[a]

 I will bless those who bless you,

    and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all peoples on earth

    will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 12: 1-3

This is the initial promise, but what is the hallmark of a great nation? This question matters to us today because, as followers of Jesus, we are part of the fulfilment of this promise, we are part of the nation (think people, not geo-political nation state) that God promised. So how are we to define great?

Size?

When the family of Jacob went to Egypt in Genesis 46 we read that the men counted numbered 70, the total would have been higher, but this is our starting point.  When they leave Egypt we read of two census counts in Numbers, 1: 1-47 and 26: 1-51. On both occasions only men over 20 and able to fight in the army are counted. In both cases the total comes out at over 600, 000. That’s the army. To put that in perspective the UK army size, at the time of writing, is ~75,000, and the US is ~450,000. 

If we scale the number of Israelites out from here to include women, children, and men not able to fight even a conservative estimate is going to be over 1.5million people, probably closer to 2 million.

By this measure this is a great nation, a large people group. We need only look at the reactions of nations and kingdoms around them.

In Numbers we see that they are trying to move through the land and even when they just wish to use a road to pass through a territory they are refused access. We can read of Edom’s reaction in Numbers 21: 14 - 21. Clearly this nation is a threat. Other nations, such as Arad (Numbers 21: 1-3), and Sihon and Og (Numbers 21: 21 - 26) come out with military force. Israel defeats them, because they are a great nation.

As we read on in Numbers we read of Balak and Balaam in chapter 22 - 24. Balak sees that Israel is mighty, he seems to see that military conflict is not the answer. This is why he summons Balaam, to curse the Israelites. Balaam does not curse the Israelites, in fact he is incapable of such a thing. Balaam’s initial conversation with God tells us why he cannot curse the Israelites.

“But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.””

Numbers 22: 12

God does send Balaam to Balak, but he cannot curse the people because they are blessed by God.

So on the one hand it does seem like size is important. But I don’t think that is the measure to use. For one thing God considers wiping this group of people out.

““I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you a great nation.””

Exodus 32: 9 - 10

If size alone is the important measure then God could almost call it good, this is a vast number of people. However, this tells us that God is looking for more, clearly He is not after a “stiff-necked” people. 

This tells us the sort of people we are to be, and the sort of churches we are to build.

Size doesn’t matter

At this point we should be coming to the realisation that while Israel was a large group of people, it was not their size that made them great.

“The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.”

Deuteronomy 7: 7

Moses is reminding the people of all God has done, and part of that is remembering where they came from. God chose them because of the oath He made with their forefathers, not because they were a great, or large nation. 

We need to remember that God loves us because He loves us, not because we have earned it, or persuaded Him that we deserve it.

So, what does it mean to be a great nation? If it is not focussed on size, what is the better definition? 

“What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?”

Deuteronomy 4: 7 - 8

This is a good place to start as we look for a better definition of “great”. Here we see that closeness to God is a key part of what makes the people of Israel great. This is certainly how they defeated those who came against them with military force. 

But what is it that God asks of these people?

 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. But

those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction;

    he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.

Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.”

Deuteronomy 7: 6 - 11

In this passage we see that size is not important, as we have already noted. More importantly we see what does matter - God’s oath, God’s love, and the peoples obedience to God. This obedience is a sign of trust in God.

From this period of Israel’s history there are some characters I’d like to draw upon to show us what God is looking for. 

First I’d like to look at the story of Phinehas in Numbers 25. In this chapter an unnamed Israelite man brings a Midianite woman before Moses and the whole assembly, while they are weeping over the loss of those who have sinned in idolatry and in sexual immorality. This is a pinnacle of bare-faced cheek. Enter Phineas in verse 7. 

The reaction of Phinehas is not what we do today, thankfully. However, the heart of Phinehas is something to consider. He clearly has a heart for God, a passion for following Him, and a desire for the people of God to remain holy, continuing in the right relationship with God.

This is something we should each be cultivating; not just an individual relationship, but a passion for our brothers and sisters in Christ to remain in a good relationship with God. 

When we see a fellow believer heading in a wrong, and possibly dangerous, direction we need to call it out. It says that Phinehas’ action saved the Israelites as it brought to an end the plague that was sent against them. Stepping in with the love of God, and bringing someone back to Christ can have a massive impact.

For our second example I’d like to look at Joshua and Caleb. A little earlier in the story, back in Numbers 13, Moses sends twelve spies into the promised land to see what it is like, and to see what, or who, awaits them there. This was God’s plan, and Moses is obedient in sending twelve men. The interesting part is the report they bring back. All of them agree the land is good, it seems they all agree on the people who live there. Where they disagree is on what to do next. Ten of the twelve think they should not take possession of the land, the people are too big, and they will fail if they try. The rest of the people are persuaded by this and they doubt God. Once more they come to the conclusion that God has led them to their death.

Yet there are two men with a different perspective. They too see the giants in the land, but they also believe this is the land God is giving them. Joshua and Caleb remember all that God has done, and it leads them to trust in all He promises. While the people mis-remember Egypt and are thinking of heading back there, Joshua and Caleb remember God and all He has done and they want to respond with trust and obedience.

The lesson for us is to be people who remember what God has done, and who trust God in all He promises.

The heart that matters

When we consider all this in light of our own churches what should be our takeaway?

Well, the size of our congregation doesn’t matter. What matters is being a people ready to follow God, willing to call each other to greater holiness, and who share the faithfulness of God as a way of fuelling worship, trust, and obedience.