{"id":816,"date":"2023-02-09T00:54:03","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T00:54:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deadmannotwalking.org\/?p=816"},"modified":"2023-02-09T00:54:11","modified_gmt":"2023-02-09T00:54:11","slug":"gods-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deadmannotwalking.org\/?p=816","title":{"rendered":"God’s People"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, \u201cThus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: \u2018You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how<\/em> I bore you on eagles\u2019 wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.\u2019 These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.\u201d  (Exodus 19:3-6, NASB)  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Mount Sinai (aka Mount Horeb, aka the Mountain of God),  in the third month since Israel left Egypt, Moses received a word from God.  In the passage above, God reminds the people of the miracles He performed to get them out of Egypt.  There were plagues, killings, and weather phenomenon.  The firstborn of the Egyptians were slain, of both man and beast, and the Israelites were exempt.  Finally, when leaving Egypt, God parted the Red Sea.  The Israelites went through as if on dry land, and the pursuing Egyptian army were swallowed and drowned.  God here is reminding them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, God implores the people to “obey My voice and keep My covenant.”  God uses an if . . . then statement here.  The result of the Israelites’ obedience?  ” . . . then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  I think this is the first warning from God to Israel that they should obey His laws and precepts.  They were warned time and again by God’s prophets over the years.  But Israel and eventually the kingdom of Judah, didn’t listen, and they were utterly defeated and driven into exile.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No
Exodus 19:5-6 image.\u00a0 Found at Spirit TV on Facebook,\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/spiritvuganda\/photos\/a.2405745873017360\/2884382721820337\/?type=3<\/a>.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’re called to be the same thing: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God\u2019s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”\u00a0 (1 Peter 2:9)\u00a0 In both Old and New Testaments, God’s people are called to be priests, and a nation set apart from all others.\u00a0 The reason, as Peter says, is to praise God, to shine our lights, and to call the unsaved out from their darkness.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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