The Israelites reached Mount Sinai in Exodus 19:1 and remained there until the events described in Numbers 10. While the first five books of the Old Testament span 2,706 years, according to one scholar, only 11 months of this nearly 3,000-year history are dedicated to their time at Sinai.
Interestingly, these 11 months account for one-third of the content within those five books.
As God established His covenant with the Israelites, we move from cause to effect, from divine love to human responsibility, and from the effects to the results.
(1) Cause: Divine Love
Then Moses went up to God; the Lord called to him from the mountain, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the Israelites:
‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself” (Exodus 19:3-4).
(2) Effects: Human Responsiblity
Now, therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine (Exodus 19:5).
(3) Results:
“But you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites” (Exodus 19:6).
God’s interaction with Moses can also be understood as a declaration of privilege for the Hebrews. They were cared for and freed from slavery by the mighty hand of God.
God’s favor on them came with responsibility. They were obligated to obey the covenant with the One who had set them free.
They also were called to embody a specific character. Their purpose was to be a holy nation and serve as God’s priests to the rest of the world.
The Continuing Story
N.T. Wright is accurate when he says that we make a mistake of picking single verses from Scripture and attaching timeless truths to those verses. Instead, he says we need to see God’s whole story.
In this instance, these verses are connected to God’s complete activity beginning with Abraham and will continue through Jesus and the church today.
Abraham’s call began with God’s promise: “I will make you a great nation and bless you.” However, this promise also entailed a responsibility for Abraham: he was to be a blessing to all the families of the earth.
“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3).
The covenant established with Israel at Sinai continues God’s ongoing work through His people. They are designated to be priests and a holy nation.
A “kingdom of priests” implies a people who both intercede with God on behalf of the world and reach out to humanity, inviting them to come and know God as only He can be known.
When John praised the risen Lord, he highlighted God’s grace as the transformative power that forms followers of Jesus into a holy kingdom of priests dedicated to God.
To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen (Revelation 1:5-6).
Detours Along the Way
When we reduce scripture to timeless truths that solely address our personal needs, we risk missing the whole story.
The full story reveals that God is actively working in the world, acting for our benefit. However, He has also called us to align ourselves with Him, to be set apart for His service to the rest of the world.
The ancient Hebrews forgot this crucial lesson, and the prophets had to remind them. The same holds true for Christianity today.
We must remember that God has called us not merely to secure a place in heaven, but also to live a life of service on His behalf to the rest of the world.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 