A Holy Nation

by G. Prasher, Maidstone | Category: From Egypt To Canaan | May 1969

A holy nation among the nations of the earth had long been in the mind of God. This we can glean from God's dealing with men after the Flood. It is sad to find men in such departure from God so early after that world-wide overthrow. Those who came out of the ark had seen the goodness and severity of God; towards themselves, goodness; towards them that perished, severity. Yet in the fourth generation from Noah, God had again to come in with judgement at the tower of Babel (Genesis 11), and scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. This happened in the days of Peleg, whose name signifies division. This scattering was actually a dividing of the nations, and God, even at that early period, was working out His purpose to have a select race, which He terms "a peculiar treasure unto Me from among all the peoples; for all the earth is Mine" (Exodus 19.5). So we read:

"When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32.8).

Some five generations from Peleg God called Abram, "Get thee out of thy country", said He, "and from thy kindred, and from thy father's' house, unto the land that I will shew thee" (Genesis 12.1). God made a covenant with Abraham, which was given to Isaac with an oath, and confirmed unto Jacob for a statute, to Israel for an everlasting covenant (Psalm 105.9,10). Jacob and his family went down to Egypt, where they were brought under bondage by the Egyptians. Their sufferings were great, and the Spirit of God refers to them as being in a furnace of iron. In Jehovah's own time, however, He redeemed them from Egypt, and by His power brought them safely through the Red Sea. Having been redeemed by blood, and baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, they were separated unto God in the wilderness.

Their experiences up to this time had all been the result of God's work. "Ye have seen"' said God, "what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me from among all peoples: for all the earth is Mine" (Exodus 19.4,5). This peculiar treasure was the holy nation as the next verse shows : "Ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation".

The covenant made in Horeb was additional, and was a covenant of obedience. If they were to become a peculiar treasure from among all peoples, and be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation they must undertake to obey God's voice as given in the law of Moses, and keep His covenant. This arrangement is the subject of Exodus 24. The people heard God speak the terms of the covenant, and they also heard Moses read the terms from the book, and twice they responded saying, "All that LORD hath spoken will we do, and be obedient". In Hebrews 9.19,20 we read, "When every commandment had been spoken by Moses unto all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded to you-ward".

God's law had two sides, one ordering behaviour towards God, and the other conduct towards man. Great were the blessings which the LORD promised if His people would hearken diligently unto His voice, to observe to do His commandments. "The LORD shall make thee plenteous for good, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground ... The LORD shall open unto thee His good treasure the heaven to give the rain of thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail: and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath" (Deuteronomy 28.11-13).

This happy condition was attained in the reigns of king David and king Solomon. In Solomon's day the zenith was reached, and Israel was high above all nations in name and praise and honour. "All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom" (2 Chronicles 9.22,23). Alas! that the bright sun of Solomon's day had a gloomy sunset. Israel declined to the lowest depths in the reign of Zedekiah when the Chaldeans carried Judah into captivity.

The solemn position of the holy nation is stressed in the words of Moses, "Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God ... for the LORD thy God is a devouring fire, a jealous God" (Deuteronomy 4.23,24). Also through Amos God said, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities" (3.2). Thus not only blessing was promised, but visitations on account of sin. It was thus that about three thousand men were slain when they made and worshipped the golden calf in Horeb. When in the time of the Judges "they forsook the LORD ... and followed other gods... the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of spoilers" (Judges 2.12-15).

When nearing the land of Canaan Moses rehearsed the conditions of the covenant into which the people had entered. "This day", said he "the LORD thy God commandeth thee to do these statute's and judgements: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and that thou shouldest walk in His ways, and keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgements, and hearken unto His voice: and the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be a peculiar people unto Himself" (Deuteronomy 26.16-18). It is evident that the conditions of the covenant were kept well before the minds of the people; but it is regrettable that they so quickly forgot the law, and departed from the LORD, with all the distressing circumstances that followed.

Israel's exaltation to be a holy nation has lessons for the children of God today. When the apostle Peter wrote his first letter to the saints in the five provinces he viewed them as sprinkled by blood unto obedience (1.2). They had purified their souls in their obedience to the truth (1.22). He saw them coming to the living Stone, to be builded up a spiritual house (2.4,5): he saw them a holy nation, a people for God's own possession (verse 9). This is what the Lord desires for all His children: but it is sad that very few come to the knowledge of the truth, and reach this divine position. Still, however, the call to separation is clear: "Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to Me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 6.14-7.1).

Those together as a holy nation will do well to remember the need for meekness and lowliness of mind. Fleshly glorying in position is ever displeasing to God. The words addressed to the saints in Rome, who as Gentiles had been grafted into the vine, are apposite here; "Be not highminded, but fear:

for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will He spare thee" (Romans 11.20,21). Further God says, "A man that hath set at nought Moses' law dieth without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know Him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10.28-30).

Under the Old Covenant, as we have seen, there were wonderful blessings for those who rendered obedience to the will of God; but in the New Covenant earthly blessings are not emphasised. Rather what is held up before the disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ is expressed in the words of Paul to Timothy, "Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3.12). But who can measure the greatness of the blessing promised in the Lord's words in Matthew 5.10-12 for those that are persecuted for righteousness sake? "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven". Peter writes, "If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you ... If a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name" (1 Peter 4.14-16).

It should appeal to the heart of each redeemed soul that one purpose of the Redeemer's death is that there should be a holy nation for God. Writing to Titus, Paul says,

"Our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ ... gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works" (Titus 2.14).

G. Prasher, Maidstone | May 1969
From Egypt To Canaan