YEHOVAH’S PROPOSAL TO ISRAEL

Exodus: 19:3-6: And Moses went up unto God, and Yehovah called unto him out of the mountain, saying, thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; you have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and [how] I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if you will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant then:

You shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all People: for all the earth [is] Mine: And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.

The word for “possession” is a very special Hebrew word, “segullah”. It refers to a king’s most highly prized and treasured possession. Israel was being offered the opportunity to be Yehovah’s crown jewel. The final clause calls attention to the fact that although every nation and people belongs to Yehovah, His intention was to set Israel aside as a special people, uniquely above any other. 

A holy nation of Priests 

Notice Exodus 19:6: … “you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” which elaborates the specific nature of the proposal He was making to Israel. So we see that joined with Israel’s calling to be Yehovah’s treasured possession was to be a kingdom of priests. As priests they were to SERVE as Yehovah’s mediator’s, representatives, and ambassador’s to the rest of the world. The call was both corporate and individual.

The invitation to become a kingdom was to fulfill the promised made to Abraham and Judah. Yehovah had promised that His seed – Jesus would process the promised land. In order to possess the land he would have to rule over it. Thus, Abrahams “seed” (Jesus) would by necessity be a king. [Galatians 3:16: Now to Abraham and his “seed” were the promises made. He doesn’t say, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to your “seed”, which is the Messiah] All kings of course, need a kingdom. Further, Yehovah clearly promised Judah that a king would come from his line to rule over all of Israel [Genesis 49:8-10]. Thus, if Israel accepted Yehovah’s proposal given at Mount Sinai, Yehovah’s promised kingdom program would be initiated. Yehovah’s plan to fix everything, to restore the Garden of Eden, to heal the cosmos, was no longer a mere concept. At Sinai, Yehovah’s promise to undo the damage done in the Garden when Adam rebelled against Him, began to take form. 

YEHOVAH SO LOVED THE WORLD

THAT HE CHOSE ISRAEL 

Yehovah invited Israel to become a special kingdom, distinct from all the nations of the world. Does that mean that Gentiles are less valuable in the eyes of Yehovah that Israel? Absolutely not! As the apostle Peter says: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right” (Acts 34-35). The reason Yehovah chose Israel was to have them serve as “a kingdom of priests and be a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). A priest acts as a mediator between God and man. Israel was being called to function as a people uniquely devoted to Yehovah, who would introduce Him to nations of the world.

Note: They were not to be a people unto themselves, enjoying their special relationship to Yehovah and paying no attention to the nations of the world. Rather, they were to represent Yehovah to the nations of the world and attempt to bring them to Him.

This calling was a clear reiteration of what Yehovah stated previously to Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” [Genesis 12:2-3]. Yehovah’s purpose from the very beginning was to bless, “every tribe and tongue and people and nation” [Revelation 5:9]. The reason Yehovah called Israel and made them a special nation is because He loves every nation!

Yehovah so loved the world that He chose Israel. They were called to SERVE as a priestly nation, as Yehovah’s special ambassador’s and representatives. When you read the New Testament you will notice that this call to be a “kingdom of priests,” is a phrase used by the apostle John to refer to all believers, both Jew and Gentile. In the book of Revelation, we are told that Jesus, “has made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father.

Note: Peter 2:5: You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus the Messiah.

Verse 9: … you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him – Yehovah, who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:

Yehovah first called Israel to be a unique people who would function in a priestly role for Him. Today, this calling remains for all who have been grafted into the true “Israel of God” [Romans 11:11-20; Galatians 6:15-16] If you are a disciple of Jesus the Messiah, then, like Israel, you have been called as Yehovah’s representative, His witness, and His ambassador’s of blessing to the world.