Êxodo 19

Êxodo 19

Wuest puts it plainly "Christians are the private possession of God." These truths beg the question - Do my thoughts, words and deeds over the last 24 hours support Wuest's description of "Who I am" and "Whose I am" (or "To Whom I belong?")? This has always been God's desire from the beginning that His chosen people be a Holy People, His very own peculiar and special possession. Possession (05459)(segullah) is related to an Akkadian cognate, sikiltu, means "private possessions." Segullah refers to a treasured possession, that which is valued personal property, that which is owned by someone and in which the owner has special affection or holds special value (Ex 19:5; Dt 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Ps 135:4; Mal 3:17). Segullah most frequently occurs in reference to something God chooses, here referring to Israel, who God choose from all the nations of the world (Ex 19:5, Dt 7:6, 14:2). Segullah speaks of personal wealth in 1Chr 29:3, Eccl 2:8. The Septuagint translates possession with the noun periousios which describes the property one owned as a rich and distinctive possession, a possession which is of very special status. Periousios also means possessed over and above, that is, specially selected for one’s own; exempt from ordinary laws of distribution. Hence correctly represented by peculiar, derived from peculium, a private purse, a special acquisition of a member of a family distinct from the property administered for the good of the whole family. Segullah - 8x in 8v - possession(5), treasure(2), treasured possession(1). Exodus 19:5 ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession (Lxx = periousios) among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; Deuteronomy 7:6 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession (Lxx = periousios) out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 14:2 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His own possession (Lxx = periousios) out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 26:18 "The LORD has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession (Lxx = periousios), as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments; 1 Chronicles 29:3 “Moreover, in my delight in the house of my God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have already provided for the holy temple, Psalm 135:4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession. Ecclesiastes 2:8 Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men–many concubines. Malachi 3:17+ (A FUTURE PROPHECY) “They will be Mine,” (LANGUAGE OF COVENANT - Jer 31:31-34+) says the LORD of hosts, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare (chamal) them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Comment - My own possession - Remember that in context God is speaking to Israel not the church, so it is Israel who will be His "own possession" or His own jewels (or "peculiar treasure" in the KJV), on that day when He spares them (In the Time of Jacob's Trouble; Read Zechariah 12:10-14+, Zechariah 13:1+, Zechariah 13:8-9+). Israel deserved annihilation, but because of His mercy (not giving them what they deserved) and grace (giving them what they did not observe), he will spare a righteous remnant of Israel (read "all Israel will be saved." = Ro 11:25-29+) For all the earth is Mine - As Moses writes in Dt 10:14 “Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it." All the nations of the earth belong to the Lord, because He’s their maker and their sustainer (Ex 9:29+; Ps 24:1; Ps 50:12; Acts 14:15–17+; Acts 17:24–28+). But what is Yahweh explaining? He owns everything. But His special possession was to be Israel! Jehovah has chosen Israel to be His own special, peculiar, treasured possession not because of Israel’s merits, because they had none (Dt. 26:5–11), but because of God’s love and sovereign grace (Dt 7:6–8), the same reason He has chosen you dear believer in Christ! Like Israel we have nothing to boast about, but let him who boasts, boast in the LORD (1 Cor 1:31). Israel’s assignment from God involved intermediation. They were not to be a people unto themselves, enjoying their special relationship with God and paying no attention to the rest of the world. Rather, they were to represent him to the rest of the world and attempt to bring the rest of the world to him. Stuart comments - Several important theological implications reside within the sanctions promises. First, although God is Creator and Father of all people and people groups, he announced here his intention to create for himself a particular people, a “treasured possession.” This represents the separation of his chosen people from the general world population, or, stated in terms of the overall biblical plan of redemption, the beginning of the outworking of his intention to bring close to himself a people that will join him for all eternity as adopted members of his family. Second, full monotheism is expressed in the words “although the whole earth is mine.” This is one of the clearest early statements of monotheism in the Bible and certainly must have represented a sudden education for many of those present to hear Moses first relay these words to the people, since so many of them had grown up polytheists. (NAC-Ex) A peculiar Treasure unto Me. - F B Meyer Our Savior told of a man who, in plowing his field, heard his plough-share chink against buried treasure, and hastened to sell all that he had in order to buy it. In speaking thus, He pictured Himself as well as us. He found us before we found Him. The treasure is his people, In purchase whom He gave up all that He had, even to his throne (Matthew 13:44). “Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, R.V.). Where his treasure is, there is a man’s heart. If it is in ships on the treacherous sea, he tosses restlessly on his bed, solicitous for its safety. If it is in fabrics, he guards against moth; if in metal, against rust and thieves. And is Christ less careful for his own? Does He not guard with equal care against all that would deteriorate our value in his esteem? Need we fear the thief? Will not the Only-begotten keep us, so that the evil one shall not touch us (Matthew 6:19–20)? God’s treasure is his for ever. “They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in the day that I do make, even a peculiar treasure.” He will hold his own, as men cling to their treasure, binding it about their loins, in a storm at sea (Malachi 3:17, R.V.). Let us mind the conditions: to obey his voice, and keep his covenant; then on eagles’ wings He will bring us to Himself. Compliance with these is blessed in its results. God regards us with the ecstasy of a love that rejoices over us with singing; and counts on us as a mother on her child, a miser on his gold. God’s Special Treasure But you are . . . God’s special possession. 1 Peter 2:9 Today's Scripture & Insight: 1 Peter 2:4–10 Imagine a vast throne room. Seated on the throne is a great king. He’s surrounded by all manner of attendants, each on their best behavior. Now imagine a box that sits at the king’s feet. From time to time the king reaches down and runs his hands through the contents. And what’s in the box? Jewels, gold, and gemstones particular to the king’s tastes. This box holds the king’s treasures, a collection that brings him great joy. Can you see that image in your mind’s eye? The Hebrew word for this treasure is segulah, and it means “special possession.” That word is found in such Old Testament Scriptures as Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 7:6, and Psalm 135:4, where it refers to the nation of Israel. But that same word picture shows up in the New Testament by way of the pen of Peter the apostle. He’s describing the “people of God,” those who “have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:10), a collection now beyond the nation of Israel. In other words, he’s talking about those who believe in Jesus, both Jew and gentile. And he writes “But you are . . . God’s special possession” (v. 9). Imagine that! The great and powerful King of heaven considers you among His special treasures. He has rescued you from the grip of sin and death. He claims you as His own. The King’s voice says, “This one I love. This one is mine.” By: John Blase Can you recall a time when someone genuinely called you “special”? What effect did it have on you? What does it mean for you to know that you’re precious to God? Exodus 19:6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel." a kingdom - De 33:2-4 Isa 61:6 Ro 12:1 1Pe 2:5,9 Rev 1:6 5:10 20:6 and a holy nation - Lev 11:44,45 19:2 20:24,26 21:7,8,23 De 7:6 26:19 28:9 Isa 62:12 1Co 3:17 1Th 5:27 1Pe 1:15,16 Exodus 19 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JEHOVAH'S TWO PURPOSES FOR ISRAEL And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests - This means a kingdom that is composed of priests. This describes those who belong to Yahweh's kingdom as all having a priestly function, all mediating between the men of the other unholy nations and the Holy God. All Yahweh's priests were (are) to manifest His truth and share His blessings with the lost world, that they might come to know Him as Redeemer and King. God chose Israel for this purpose that He might clearly demonstrate to the idolatrous, pagan, godless world of Gentiles that there is but ONE truth and living God and His Name is Jehovah. As we see even in Exodus, Israel failed miserably to fulfill God's purpose for her as priests who would point to Him, for instead they repeatedly were ensnared and enslaved by idolatry of the surrounding Gentile nations. Their idolatry in fact was the main reason Jehovah was forced to bring disciplining judgment on the nation, allowing the fierce Babylonians to destroy the Holy Temple, the Holy City Jerusalem and capture the people that they might experience 70 years of exile in Babylon. Although many modern writers foolishly and falsely believe that Jehovah is through with His treasured possession, Israel, they too will witness God's outpouring of mercy, grace and love on the nation of Israel in the last 3.5 years of this present evil age (Gal 1:4+), when the nation (1/3 of the nation Zech 13:8-9+) will confess Yeshua as their Messiah and Redeemer (Zech 12:10-14+, Zech 13:1+, Ro 11:26-27+ , et al). In that glorious future day Isaiah says that the truth of Exodus 19:6 will finally, fully, be fulfilled (Hallelujah!) "But you (ISRAEL) will be called the priests of the LORD; You will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast." (Isaiah 61:6) Stuart - Israel’s assignment from God involved intermediation. They were not to be a people unto themselves, enjoying their special relationship with God and paying no attention to the rest of the world. Rather, they were to represent him to the rest of the world and attempt to bring the rest of the world to him. In other words, the challenge to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” represented the responsibility inherent in the original promise to Abraham in Gen 12:2–3. Priests stand between God and humans to help bring the humans closer to God and to help dispense God’s truth, justice, favor, discipline, and holiness to humans. Israel was called to such a function. (NAC-Ex) NET Note - W. C. Kaiser (“Exodus,” EBC 2:417) offers four possible renderings of the expression: 1) apposition, viz., “kings, that is, priests; 2) as a construct with a genitive of specification, “royal priesthood”; 3) as a construct with the genitive being the attribute, “priestly kingdom”; and 4) reading with an unexpressed “and”—“kings and priests.” He takes the latter view that they were to be kings and priests. However, due to the parallelism of the next description which uses an adjective, this is probably a construct relationship. This kingdom of God will be composed of a priestly people. All the Israelites would be living wholly in God’s service and enjoying the right of access to him. And, as priests, they would have the duty of representing God to the nations, following what they perceived to be the duties of priests—proclaiming God’s word, interceding for people, and making provision for people to find God through atonement (see Deut 33:9, 10).. (Notes) Walter Kaiser elaborates on position #4 above - The emphasis here is not on the individual but on the whole nation (Ex 19:3, 6); and the expression is more a compound noun than it is construct.... Israel was to be kings and priests to God on behalf of the nations; they were to be mediators of the gospel as missionaries to the nations (“in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed,” Gen 12:3b,cp Gal 3:16), and they were to be partakers in the present aspects and coming reality of the “kingdom of God.”The whole nation was to act as mediators of God’s grace to the nations of the earth. (See context in The Expositor's Bible Commentary) Alan