Up to this Point…
This series began with a description of a massive and glorious canvas whose goal is to communicate the biblical story through myriad paintings. The biblical storyline moves from left to right in chronological order, and begins with an elucidating and colorful picture of a man and a woman in a splendid and wonderful garden. They are happy, and the scene is set to bright and vibrant colors. There are animals running around, and there is joy captured in each portrayal of their life. They spend their time in the garden working the ground with no effort, and their produce is always sufficient. They are in paradise, and they are content. God is there, and He walks with them in fellowship. There is trust, and there is blessing. Everything is perfect. Until…
The pinnacle of God’s creation–man and woman–rebelled. Color turned from deep and penetrating hues to black and white on the canvas of biblical history. They defined good from evil, and they ate the fruit from the forbidden tree. The consequence? Swift and violent judgment. They shall surely die–and die they did. They were removed from the garden…but more than that, their glorious fellowship–vertical relationship–with God was severed. No longer could they walk with the Creator. No longer could they live in perfect contentment. No, no, the ramifications of taking their own life into their own hands was death–an irreversible evil and wicked death. And so, from that moment on, an enmity was placed between every horizontal–earthly–relationship, as was seen in the first murder of their second born son by their oldest son. But, death and sin and evil would not have the final word. No. God made a promise. A glorious promise…
A mysterious pronouncement came from the mouth of God, “…and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” God will deal with sin, with evil, and will do so through the Seed of a woman. O, glorious Seed. The storyline will unveil Who this is, but in the meantime God’s promise is for redemption, and the making right what the first humans made wrong. It’s God’s redemptive plan for humanity, and it begins in Genesis 3:15. From that moment on, sin ran wild, God made a promise to a man, part of the promise came to pass and God’s people grew in great number, and then their journey from slavery was underway when God unveiled one glorious detail about His plan of redemption. A new way…
The New Way to Fellowship with God…
God’s hand had been guiding His people at every step. His presence was among them, but their sin continued. They needed a way to continue in fellowship with their God, and God was about to provide a Way. But, they first needed to understand their role–their purpose–as the nation that God chose to reveal this Way among all the other nations. They needed to commit themselves to this purpose before the Way would be revealed, and they needed to grasp the importance of their call as the people of God. At this point, it’s important to remember that these Israelite people did not deserve the call of God or the election of God among all the nations. Their sin has been evident from their first father up until now. No, God did not choose the Israelites because they deserved it. Rather, He chose them because He chose them. Thus, their being chosen was not based upon their character, but God’s character. Amazing. This aspect of God, incidentally, will be seen throughout the entire biblical narrative. And so, their purpose…
A Kingdom of Priests–A Holy Nation…
God’s plan of redemption began in Genesis 3:15, and now the details of how God will temporarily redeem His humanity will soon be unveiled, but first… The people of God must understand their purpose as God’s people. The nation of Israel was not chiefly to be the only people through which God would reveal Himself. No, no, instead they were the only nation to whom all nations would come in order to experience, know, and be in fellowship with the God who made them. The Israelites didn’t have a secret society. No, every nation, every tribe, every person could have come to them, and accepted the only way to be made right with God. They were–in essence–to stand as mediators between God and humanity; they were to be a kingdom of priests–a holy nation.
“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.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
Exodus 19:5-6
How does this apply to us today?
Consider that from that moment in Israel’s history and continuing for approximately 1,600 years–until Christ, the Jewish people lived by what God is about to reveal to them in the next chapters Exodus (and next two books of the Bible–Numbers and Deuteronomy). Their life, civically, religiously, politically, economically, militarily, etc. will be governed by this Way of life. Their whole world–their existence–will be wrapped up in every detail of God’s requirements soon to be revealed. But, there is going to be a problem. Will they be able to keep God’s standards of holiness–in order to stay in fellowship with Him? We shall see, but suffice it to say that this will be yet another reason why Christ had to die.
In light of the purpose of the Israelite people and what Peter will later say in his first letter, consider Christ–consider His life, His walk, His death, His resurrection, His role now, and what He calls the Christian to as it pertains to their purpose. Consider.
— February 16, 2017