Christ belongs to all people! He belongs to the whole world![1]
A Priestly Kingdom and a Holy Nation
Exodus 19:1-9 NRSV
On the third new moon after the Israelites had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day, they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up to God; the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “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. 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, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.”
So, Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. The people all answered as one: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so trust you ever after.”
Desmond Alexander
If Israel, in the light of her divine deliverance from Egypt, would obey ‘the Lord’, then she would be his treasured possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The expression a kingdom of priests can also be translated ‘priestly kings’, suggesting that the Israelites were to enjoy the privilege of being both priests and kings in relation to other peoples. This indicates the important role which Israel was to play in God’s future plans. However, their special status was conditional upon their obedience to God. [2]
Moses came and called for the elders of the people—The message was conveyed to the mighty multitude through their elders, who, doubtless, instructed them in the conditions required. Their unanimous acceptance was conveyed through the same channel to Moses, and by him reported to the Lord. Ah! How much self-confidence did their language betray! How little did they know what spirit they were of! [3]
Psalm 33:12-22 NRSV
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage. The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind. From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth—he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.
A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save. Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield. Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Matthew Henry
All the motions and operations of the souls of men, which no mortals know but themselves, God knows better than they do. Their hearts, as well as their times, are all in his hand; he formed the spirit of each man within him. All the powers of the creature depend upon him, and are of no account, of no avail at all, without him. If we make God’s favor sure towards us, then we need not fear whatever is against us. We are to give to him the glory of his special grace. All human devices for the salvation of our souls are vain; but the Lord’s watchful eye is over those whose conscientious fear of his name proceeds from a believing hope in his mercy. In difficulties they shall be helped; in dangers they shall not receive any real damage. Those that fear God and his wrath, must hope in God and his mercy; for there is no flying from him, but by flying to him. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us; let us always have the comfort and benefit, not according to our merits, but according to the promise which thou hast in thy word given to us, and according to the faith thou hast by thy Spirit and grace wrought in us. [4]
O God,we are in a political, societal, communal Dark Age where we are journeying through uncharted territory. We have been hijacked by indifference to tolerance and tolerance of historic intolerables. Our society is “out of order,” our innocence has been stolen (or forfeited), and we are without passion, prayer, and action. Our governments, and sadly many of our churches, are, through their actions and inactions, assuring us of a culture of death. Our conversations are shallow, our society is without a rudder, and we are hemorrhaging.
O God, we do not seek to turn the clock back, but we do desire a progressing, transforming change because we have forfeited our Moral Compass, and His name is Jesus. You owe this generation nothing, for we are but a race of sinners, but we need You. We prayerfully wade in the brine of our tears, trusting that the object of our tears will not perish. We pray in the name of Jesus for the coming of the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ – that He will reign forever and ever. Amen.[5]
My Soul Will Wait
Lead us, O God, to conform this world to your kingdom of love, justice, and peace. Help us to live as the Lord requires: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you, our God. Keep us faithful in your service until Christ comes in final victory and we shall feast with all your saints in the joy of your eternal realm. Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, almighty God, now and forever. Amen.[6]
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Corinthians 4.15).
[1] Billy Graham, —JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADE, 1973
[2] T. Desmond Alexander, “Exodus,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 106.
[3] Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 61.
[4] Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), Ps 33:12.
[5] deTreville F. Bowers, Jr, America Upon His Shoulders, 2012, www.beingtransformed.org
[6] The Worship Sourcebook, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, p. 683.
