Obey My Voice and Keep My Covenant
Exodus 19:5-6 We are God’s people, and must think and act differently that the world at large.
Israelites passing through the Wilderness, preceded by the Pillar of Light is a painting by William West (1801 - 1861)
“Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.””
Exodus 19:5-6 NASB1995
And just like that, God transported us from the New Testament (2 Thessalonians as well as Barb’s continuing look at 1 John) all the way back to near the beginning of the Old Testament. Exodus is the history of the Israelites leaving their slavery in Egypt thanks to God’s miracles, aided by Moses following God’s leadership. God (also known as Yahweh) chose these people as His people.
At this point in Exodus (Chapter 19), there’s a sudden shift. Prior to this point, the people have been rescued from Egypt and journeyed to Sinai. In these verses, God is making a promise to His people — if they obey Him and keep His covenant, they will be His chosen people. It is in Chapter 19 that God first appears to the people of Israel.
In Chapter 20, the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments written by God are brought down from Mount Sinai by Moses, and of course all of us who have read the Bible a number of times know what happens at that point… (remember the golden calf?) But at this point in Chapter 19, the people have agreed to keep the covenant law (ritual and civil laws as spoken by God and transcribed by Moses) and receive the fertile land of Canaan as their reward (see image below).
The Death of Moses, Deuteronomy 34:1-12 (adapted), Bible card published 1907 by the Providence Lithograph Company. Wikimedia
Let’s look at these two verses a bit closer. God still hasn’t made His formal covenant with Israel, so He is revealing to the people what He wants them to do in being obedient. Before the people are called to keep His law, He commands them to “keep My covenant.” That covenant is much greater in its power than the law, with the covenant including the law, sacrifice, and the people making the choice to obey God and be blessed, or disobey and be cursed.
God says that they will be “My own possession.” He wanted to set Israel up as His chosen people, basically using the nation to reach the rest of the earth. Despite their repeated unfaithfulness and tendency to love sin, God has blessed both the Jewish people (approximately 15.2 million adherents) and their Christian offshoot (2.4 billion believers).
God also tells the people that they will be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” As a kingdom of priests, every believer could come before God themselves and as a nation they would represent God to the rest of the world. In light of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (the Jewish Messiah), every Christian believer does have (although some denominations feel otherwise) a personal relationship with God.
Christians throughout the world do represent God to the rest of the world, and are to evangelize (“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20)
Like the Israelites of the Exodus, we are God’s people, and must think and act differently than the world at large.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Today’s prayer comes from Knowing Jesus:
Heavenly Father, as I read through Your Word, I see the wonderful plan of salvation which You purposed to carry out through Your chosen people, Israel. Despite them disobeying the conditions of Your covenant, You never gave up on Your people and used them to be Your witnesses through whom was born the Messiah Who became the sin-offering for the world. Thank You that today, for a season, You are carrying out Your plans and purposes through the Body of Christ, which is the Church. I am so grateful that Israel will always be Your chosen people and that the day is coming when You will ratify Your New Covenant with the house of Judah and the house of Israel. I am looking forward to that blessed day when Christ will return to set up His kingdom on earth, as King of kings and Lord of lords. In Jesus' name, AMEN.