Scripture Daily

Context No. 1605 of 4322 · Exodus

Context · Reflection

Exodus 19:1-6: in context

1In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. 3Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. 5Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; 6and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Three months out of Egypt, Israel camps at the foot of Mount Sinai, and God calls to Moses from the mountain with words for the people. You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, God says, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

Two things in God's words to Israel are worth holding. The first is the purpose of the rescue: I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. God had not merely freed them from Egypt; he had brought them to himself. The goal of the whole deliverance was not simply liberty, escape from slavery, a land of their own, but relationship, being brought to God. This is the heart of what redemption is for. God does not save us merely to free us from something; he saves us to bring us to himself, to relationship with him. The eagles' wings that carried Israel out of Egypt carried them, finally, not just to Sinai but to God. And the image is tender: as an eagle bears its young, God bore his people, carrying them with strength and care to himself. The second thing is the dignity of the calling: you shall be my treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. Out of all the peoples of the earth, which are all his, God chose Israel to be his own treasured possession, and gave them a high calling, to be a kingdom of priests, mediating his presence to the world, a holy nation set apart for him. That calling passes, the New Testament says, to all who are Christ's, who are called a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own possession. Both truths are cause for wonder. God's rescue is for the sake of relationship, to bring us to himself; and those he brings he treasures, calling them his own possession and giving them the dignity of a royal priesthood. We are not merely saved from; we are brought to God, and made his treasured possession.

Do I understand God's rescue of me as being for the sake of relationship, that he saved me not merely to free me from something but to bring me to himself, and do I grasp the dignity of the calling, to be his treasured possession and part of a royal priesthood?

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