Nationalities
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In the biblical context, nationalities refer to the various ethnic groups, tribes, and nations mentioned throughout the Scriptures. The Bible provides a rich tapestry of national identities, each playing a significant role in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. Understanding these nationalities helps illuminate the historical and theological narratives within the Bible.

Creation and Early Nations

The concept of nationalities begins with the Table of Nations in Genesis 10, which outlines the descendants of Noah's sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—after the Flood. This chapter is foundational for understanding the origins of various peoples and languages. Genesis 10:32 states, "These are the clans of Noah’s sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood."

Israel and Surrounding Nations

The nation of Israel holds a central place in the biblical narrative. God chose Israel as His covenant people, beginning with His call to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 : "Then the LORD said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go 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, so that you will be a blessing.'" Israel's identity as a nation is intricately linked to its covenant relationship with God, its laws, and its land.

Surrounding Israel were various nations, each with its own interactions with God's people. The Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians are among the many nationalities mentioned. These nations often served as instruments of God's judgment or blessing, as seen in the Exodus from Egypt and the Babylonian Exile.

Prophetic Visions of Nations

The prophets frequently addressed the nations, pronouncing judgments and blessings. Isaiah 2:2 envisions a future where "the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it." This prophetic vision underscores the eschatological hope that all nations will ultimately recognize the sovereignty of God.

The New Testament and the Nations

In the New Testament, the concept of nationalities expands with the Great Commission. Jesus commands His disciples in Matthew 28:19 , "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." This mandate reflects the inclusive nature of the Gospel, transcending ethnic and national boundaries.

The early church grappled with the inclusion of Gentiles, as seen in the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). The apostle Paul emphasizes the unity of believers from all nationalities in Christ, stating in Galatians 3:28 , "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Eschatological Fulfillment

The book of Revelation presents a vision of the ultimate gathering of all nationalities in worship before God. Revelation 7:9 describes, "After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb." This imagery highlights the culmination of God's redemptive plan, where diversity among nationalities is celebrated in unity before the throne of God.

Throughout the Bible, nationalities are integral to the narrative of God's interaction with humanity. They serve as both the backdrop and the participants in the divine account, illustrating the breadth of God's sovereignty and the inclusivity of His salvation plan.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(n.) Plural of Nationality.
Library

Persis
... from a Jew, the woman being in Rome and the Jew in Corinth, and the message being
written in Greek, brings before us a whole group of nationalities all fused ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/persis.htm

Divided Worship
... At last the king of Assyria resolved to people the country; and for this purpose
he sent a mixed multitude from the different nationalities of his empire to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/divided worship.htm

Phoebe
... Said is the wickedest place on the face of the earth; and in Phoebe's home there
would be a like drift of disreputables of both sexes and of all nationalities. ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/phoebe.htm

Attitude of Men of the Present Day to War.
... "6. The congress believes that the warlike prejudices and traditions which are still
fostered in the various nationalities, and the misrepresentations by ...
/.../tolstoy/the kingdom of god is within you/chapter vi attitude of men.htm

Prefatory Note.
... Tabernacle, while others were addressed to the little companies of Christians,"of
different denominations, and of various nationalities,"who gathered ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/prefatory note.htm

Christ, the Great Teacher
... 3:16). The Right Relation of Man to Man."There are many causes which divide
men into classes, castes and nationalities. Once divided ...
/.../sell/studies in the life of the christian/study i christ the great.htm

Period iii. The Dissolution of the Imperial State Church and the ...
... by the completely changed political organization of what had been the Roman Empire
of the West, but was now parcelled out among new Germanic nationalities. ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iii the dissolution of.htm

Hymns of Suffering and Trust.
... A gentle and sympathetic melody entitled "Alsace" well represents the temper of
the words"and in name links the nationalities of writer and composer. ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/chapter v hymns of suffering.htm

The Wonderful Unity of the Bible Attests Its Divine Authorship
... Imagine forty persons of different nationalities, possessing various degrees of
musical culture visiting the organ of some cathedral and at long intervals of ...
/.../pink/the divine inspiration of the bible/chapter seven the wonderful unity.htm

Quotations from the Lxx. In the New Testament.
... IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. 1. THE writings of the New Testament were the work of
some nine authors, of different nationalities and antecedents. ...
/.../chapter ii quotations from the.htm

Thesaurus
Nationalities (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Plural of Nationality. Multi-Version Concordance
Nationalities (2 Occurrences). Esther 8:17 In every ...
/n/nationalities.htm - 7k

Lud (10 Occurrences)
... lud, lu'-dim, lood'-im (ludh, ludhim, ludhiyum, "Ludites"; Loud, Loudieim; Targum
Onk: ludha'e): 1. Two Different Nationalities: In Genesis 10:13 Ludim appears ...
/l/lud.htm - 13k

Ludim (3 Occurrences)
... lud, lu'-dim, lood'-im (ludh, ludhim, ludhiyum, "Ludites"; Loud, Loudieim; Targum
Onk: ludha'e): 1. Two Different Nationalities: In Genesis 10:13 Ludim appears ...
/l/ludim.htm - 11k

Nationality (5 Occurrences)

/n/nationality.htm - 8k

Ham (16 Occurrences)
... 4. The Nations Descending from Ham: Of the nationalities regarded as
descending from Ham, none can be described as really black. ...
/h/ham.htm - 17k

National (1 Occurrence)

/n/national.htm - 7k

Longevity
... Indeed, we can prove that before 4000 BC there were settled nationalities both in
the valley of the Nile and that of the Euphrates, and that among these the ...
/l/longevity.htm - 9k

Girgashite (7 Occurrences)
... A son of (the land of) Canaan (Genesis 10:16), and accordingly enumerated along
with the Canaanite' in the list of tribes or nationalities inhabiting that ...
/g/girgashite.htm - 11k

Simeon (48 Occurrences)
... Note the number of nationalities represented in the church at Antioch. (5.) James
(Acts 15:14) thus designates the apostle Peter (qv). Simeon, The tribe of. ...
/s/simeon.htm - 35k

Sabaeans
... the 4th son of Cush; (2) the 10th son of Joktan, son of Eber; (3) the 1st son of
Jokshan, 2nd son of Abraham and Keturah, at least two nationalities of this ...
/s/sabaeans.htm - 9k

Resources
What does the Bible say about prejudice? | GotQuestions.org

Who are the seed of Abraham? | GotQuestions.org

Is Christianity a white man's religion? | GotQuestions.org

Nationalities: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Nationalities (2 Occurrences)

Esther 8:17
In every province, and in every city, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast, and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen on them.
(See NIV)

Esther 9:2
the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, to lay hands on those who wanted to harm them. No one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen on all the people.
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Nationalities

Related Terms

Tarsus (5 Occurrences)

Ham (16 Occurrences)

Keturah (4 Occurrences)

Neighbor (123 Occurrences)

Nationalities (2 Occurrences)

Jew (34 Occurrences)

Lud (10 Occurrences)

Ludim (3 Occurrences)

Lydia (5 Occurrences)

Faithful (136 Occurrences)

Flag (30 Occurrences)

Register (14 Occurrences)

Ensign (21 Occurrences)

Empire (8 Occurrences)

Eriaku

Eri-aku

Peter (181 Occurrences)

Put (13688 Occurrences)

Call

Abdon (8 Occurrences)

Sayings (134 Occurrences)

Nabathaeans

Nabataeans

Sojourner (81 Occurrences)

Sardis (3 Occurrences)

Stranger (152 Occurrences)

Mystery (31 Occurrences)

Army (401 Occurrences)

Chaldeans (82 Occurrences)

Jerusalem (782 Occurrences)

History (57 Occurrences)

Nations (683 Occurrences)

Chaldea (8 Occurrences)

Lutheran

Israel (27466 Occurrences)

Doctrine (52 Occurrences)

Ethiopia (26 Occurrences)

Judah (802 Occurrences)

Philippians (2 Occurrences)

Septuagint

Tobit

Table (125 Occurrences)

Anaharath (1 Occurrence)

Philistines (224 Occurrences)

Kingdom (409 Occurrences)

Authority (326 Occurrences)

Captivity (141 Occurrences)

Religion (23 Occurrences)

Babylonia (17 Occurrences)

Baptism (76 Occurrences)

Joseph (248 Occurrences)

Regeneration (2 Occurrences)

Monthly (11 Occurrences)

Discomfiture (6 Occurrences)

Sodomite (1 Occurrence)

Nationalism
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