Characteristic of human and animal populations (Gen 10; Acts 17:26-27). Out of His richness God created an unfathomable number of creatures to fill the earth (Gen 1:11-12, 20-22,24-25) and respond to Him in praise (Ps 148).

Although God chose the family of Abraham from among the nations to be His special possession, an ethnically diverse element has always been present in His people (Exod 12:38; cp. Luke 4:25-27). At times Israel responded negatively to diverse populations within their midst, such as when Nehemiah criticized the Jews of Jerusalem for marrying foreign women (Neh 13:23-30). The issue of diversity became critical during the initial spread of the church to the Gentile world (Acts 10:1-48; 15:1-21) and was resolved on the side of unity in Christ (Gal 3:28). John saw that the population of heaven will contain persons “from every nation, tribe, people, and language” (Rev 7:9 HCSB).

God provides a variety of spiritual gifts to equip and empower His church for service in a diverse world (1 Cor 12:4-31; Eph 4:11-13).