God's Vision for the World's 206 Sovereign Nations

There are approximately 206 sovereign nations in the world; the number is somewhat difficult to ascertain because certain nations do not recognize some and those nations that are not recognized by others don't recognize some others that are recognized by others.  Curiously, every sovereign nation, including those that others don't consider legitimate, consider themselves legitimate.

The Book of Revelation has typically been read to mean that God's plan is to destroy the "bad" nations (which never include the reader's own nation whatever it is) and to redeem the "good" nations.  This reading is inconsistent with John's vision.  First, we are told that all the nations of the world (yes, all 206 of them) have been deceived by the dragon that is present in the world.  However, we are told that the gates to the New Jerusalem are always open to everyone, and the kings of the world (and therefore their subjects) will enter their gates once they see God's light.  God's vision is for all the nations of the world, and all the citizens of the nations of the world to be redeemed.  It is both a realistic vision (recognizing that the nations of the world have been deceived) and optimistic (all the nations of the world need to be redeemed is to see God's light).

The Church exists in and for the world to bring about the world's salvation.  The Church; the faithful remnant who have been reborn into the vision that God was revealed in the one who gave his life for all humankind; is called to reveal God's light, which will cause the nations to see that they have been deceived and be drawn to the light.  The gates to the New Jerusalem are always open and the center of the city is the lamb, the very symbol of sacrificial love.  God does not seek to draw us out of the insanity of the world, but to empower us through the Spirit that we might shine God's light in the world's darkness for the redemption and salvation of the nations.  Yes, all 206 of them.