God Creates a Community

MEMORY VERSE: “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” —I Peter 2:9

EXODUS 19:1-8

GOD’S love and his almighty power were abundantly manifested toward the people of Israel in delivering them from bondage in Egypt. And now, through Moses, he wanted to assure this people of the important role they would play in connection with the outworking of his divine plan for the ultimate deliverance of all mankind from sin and death, so he instructed Moses to tell them about this. We quote:

“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me: … for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”

This is a marvelous promise, and implied that Israel, under God, would be the most highly favored nation on earth; indeed, a nation through which divine blessings would flow out to all the other people of earth. However, this precious promise had a condition attached to it. That condition was obedience to God and to his Law: “If ye will obey my voice indeed” There was a minority in each generation who, as individuals, did endeavor as best they could to obey the Law of God. They were not used during their lives as the holy nation of promise, but these heroes of faith will be raised from the dead in what Paul speaks of as a “better resurrection” and, as representatives of the divine Christ, will be wonderfully used as channels of blessing to the world of mankind during the messianic kingdom.

There were short periods of time during which Israel as a nation under the leadership of faithful kings did prove more faithful than at other times, but for the most part the Bible’s history concerning them indicates a rather constant attitude of indifference to God and to his Law, and a worshiping of others than the true God; and they were guilty of sins along many lines.

The final test came upon the nation at Jesus’ first advent when he presented himself to them as their King and Messiah. They rejected him even as they had rejected God’s prophets which were before him. Because of this the special position among the nations which had been conditionally promised to them came to an end. Jesus referred to this in no uncertain terms. He said to them, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”—Matt. 23:38

This did not mean that the people of Israel had lost all opportunity to gain the blessings of life under the rulership of the messianic kingdom. It simply meant that as a “house” or nation the special promise which God had made to them had become void because they had failed to live up to its conditions. In Matthew 21:43 Jesus is quoted as saying to the Israelites of his day, “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof”—the fruits, that is, of love for God and obedience to him.

To use scriptural language, the Israelites stumbled over Jesus, their Messiah, and rejected him. Peter speaks of it as “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word”—I Pet. 2:8

Jesus said this “kingdom” would be given to a nation “bringing forth the fruits thereof,” and Peter identifies this new nation as the faithful followers of Jesus. He wrote, “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God.”—I Pet. 2:9,16

This new nation will, in the first resurrection, be highly exalted to the divine nature, and will live and reign with Christ a thousand years. (Rev. 20:4,10) In that kingdom of blessing the spiritual blindness which afflicted Israel and led to their downfall as a kingdom of priests will be removed, and then “all Israel shall be saved.”—Rom. 11:26

QUESTIONS

Explain the difference between conditional and unconditional promises of God.

What conditions are attached to the promises of joint-heirship with Christ in his kingdom?

When will all Israel be saved?

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