Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. Exodus 19:5
What a glorious opportunity God offered to the children of Israel! All they had to do was obey and serve the Lord as He commanded, and they would be the paramount nation in the world. At times, they tried, and at those times, God blessed them. But it was a hit-and-miss experience throughout the Old Testament times, ending with their greatest miss by rejecting their King at Gabbatha. Israel is still very precious to God, but the nation has forfeited – for now – its role as His peculiar treasure. Israel’s return to that role is coming soon. But until then, a spiritual nation is occupying that role.
Listen to Peter’s description of the role occupied by Christians today: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light – 1 Peter 2:9. In contrast to the material and earthly blessings that were promised to Israel, God’s people today are promised spiritual blessings that are actually far greater and more eternal than what Israel enjoyed – or could have enjoyed.
The prophet Hosea described Israel’s behaviour as a backsliding heifer (Hosea 4:16). That people’s track record was sadly pathetic, and they missed out on so much that the Lord was willing to give them. But are we any better? Many of the exceeding rich and precious promises for us are conditional. They require us to separate ourselves from the world and its vile ways. They require us to acknowledge the lordship of Christ in our family and individual lives. They require us to trust the Lord to meet our needs and to guide our footsteps.
Be honest in how you rate yourself in meeting these requirements. Can you see why we might not be obvious as the Lord’s peculiar people? -Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the video of this message: https://youtu.be/_WfAnYlTvsg