GOD’S PECULIAR TREASURE – PART 2
UK
Reading: Exodus 19: 1-6 Text: Exodus 19:5 – “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.”
The title of my message this morning is God’s Peculiar Treasure and it is a continuation of the message I began in November last year, which I will now complete. The text is from Exodus 19:5 of my reading… {quote). Let me first summarise some of the things I mentioned to help you catch up with my line of thought. Exodus 19 contains the marriage ceremony between God and the nation Israel.
God laid down the conditions in chapter 19 and 20; and all Israel agreed to the terms as we find in verse 8, as follows:
“And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.”
The word peculiar in the sense of the title, means ‘one’s own property’, as in, as we might say, ‘peculiar too.’ Therefore, Israel through marriage became God’s own property and special to him. In the passage as part of the marriage arrangement and the promise of God, Israel would be “a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” This was confirmed in Isaiah 61:6.
The question I was then addressing was that of the Priesthood of all Believers, which I had established up to Isaiah 61 applied exclusively to Israel. Now I am to follow on from where I left off, in an attempt to answer the following question: Is this promise regarding Kings and Priests and the Priesthood of all believers exclusively to Israel, as I had shown up to now it is? Alternatively, does it at this present time apply to all believers regardless of nationality? It might be said, why does it matter either way? Well, it matters because we need to be accurate and precise in our interpretation of God’s word; and it is our duty to be “rightly dividing the word of truth” as 2 Timothy 2:15 says we should. There is no place for assumption, or fanciful ideas.
Up to now Israel has not been spiritualised out of existence, but now we meet a change in perspective and into the spiritual. 1 Peter 2:5 introduces a new dimension in our thinking on the subject, from the natural to spiritual. Who is Peter speaking to in this letter? We might say from his introduction, that it is Israelites who are in the focus of his attention. He mentions in verse 1 of chapter 1, “strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” Now, let me make a comparison from Acts 2, the chapter where there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Here we are told in verse 5
”And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.”
 God’s Peculiar Treasure
Some of the nations mentioned by Peter, are also mentioned in the list of nations mentioned here in Acts 2. Then in verse 9 it refers to “strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes.” So, from this alone we could not assume the strangers that Peter talked about in 1 Peter are all Jews or Israelites.. However, in 1 Peter 1:2, Peter is addressing the “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God…” Who then were the elect? Surely, none other than the Children of Israel. Therefore, we may conclude that this chapter is directed primarily to Israelites; and that should be born in mind while reading the book; even though Christians of other nations may be included, and I think in many respects they are. It is interesting in chapter 2 that the Lord is referred to as “a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious.” How inclusive of other believers this passage is is difficult to assess; and I feel it requires some tolerance on our part in our interpretation. However, there is much that can be said to reveal its exclusive Israel identity. With this in mind, a main verse to support this case is verse 9:
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into marvellous light.”
This verse applies to one people only, that is, God’s ‘peculiar’ people Israel; a people God has reserved specially for himself; and the verse is a repetition of what I have quoted from previous passages. Verse 4 and 5 reveals the spiritual nature of this passage, where Christ is referred to as a “living stone”; and believers to “lively stones” and are “built up a spiritual house” and “an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” In a spiritual sense, could not all Christians regardless of race be included to offer up spiritual sacrifices of praise, worship and thanksgiving unto God?
Having formed an opinion up to this point, I was quite shocked to have to rethink my own point of view on reading passages from the book of Revelation. I had read these passages on many previous occasions, but obviously all I had read had not fully sunk in. I begin with Revelation 1:6 which says, ‘And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father…”
So, who is this verse referring to? John was speaking to the “seven churches which are in Asia.” Are we to assume they were all Israelites? and on what basis do we make that assumption? It was mainly this next verse from Revelation chapter 5 and verse 10 that effected me most “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Who is it that is referred to in this case? The answer is given in verse 9, which is, “for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” In this case, those who were to be made kings and priests and reign on the earth were all believers from “every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”
 The final verse is taken from Revelation 20 and verse 6
“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
This verse has widened the scope even further to include all that take part in the first resurrection; which means all believers. However, I notice a difference in this verse, for all those that take part in the first resurrection will be ‘priests’, but there is no mention of them being ‘kings’, other than the fact that they, as it says “shall reign with him”, suggesting that they could also be kings.So now I conclude that all believers are, or shall be, priests and kings and thus confirming ‘The Priesthood of all Believers.’ How this works out in practice when the Lord comes, we shall just have to wait and see . However, as regards Israel there seems a difference; for they would not only be kings and priests, but also, all else that is found in the verse of first mention from Exodus 19:5,6
“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”
This distinction between Israel and other nations, or between Israelites and Christians from other nations, seems to me emphasised in the passage concerning the new Jerusalem that we find in Revelation 21. Here John observed this new Jerusalem descending from heaven “as a bride adorned for her husband.” Surely, this city is symbolic of the nation and kingdom of Israel and the future bride of Christ.
It is descending from heaven to earth, symbolising the destination of the kingdom, not in heaven , but on the earth. Notice , we are told it has twelve gates and each gate bears the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Does this not tell you who this city belongs to? It belongs specifically to the children of Israel.Then we are told that the gates will not be shut at all by day; and that there will be no night, which means the gates will be open continuously; and they will be open to the “nations of them which are saved.”
 Listen to what we are told in verse 24:
“And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.”
 Does this verse not tell us that Israel the bride of Christ, is quite separate from the nations that are saved? The doors are open to them; and their kings “bring their glory and honour into it.” Though this city belongs to Israel, the kings and nations of the earth because they are saved and washed in the blood of the Lamb, are welcome and share in the benefits of heritage of knowing Christ as Lord and Saviour. Nothing that “defileth”, we are told in verse 27, shall enter the city, but only “they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Now to Isaiah 62, which even talks about the land, the Promised Land, being married and called Beulah, which means married; and is mentioned at the end of verse 4 “and thy land shall be married.” Again, at the beginning of the chapter it mentions Jerusalem; the obvious focal point for the land that is mentioned. The chapter undoubtedly concerns Israel and no other nation; and the land part of the marriage package and marital home. What a transformation has taken place in this Israel nation, as we read in verse 1 “for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness.” Then in verse 2 ”And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory.” Then continuing on to verse 3 “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.” Verse 4: “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate.” In verse 5 is the mention of the marriage relationship , saying, “as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.”
Now to the end of the chapter and to verse 11: “Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh.”
 Finally, verse 12: ”And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeeded of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.”
That is the final end of Israel and the destiny of this great people; they are not to be cast off and forsaken, but re-established as the holy people and redeemed of the Lord. Speaking of Israel in Exodus 19:5 and quoting from the words of my text: the Lord says “ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.”
In Matthew’s gospel chapter 13 are several parables that Jesus spoke to the multitudes: and in verse 34 it tells us that “without a parable spake he not unto them.” Then in the following verse in fulfilment of a prophecy from Psalm 78:2, he quotes the prophet saying, “I
will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
 One of these parables in verse 44 we might say, its meaning remains secret today and even amongst most Christians. It is the parable of the “treasure hid in a field.” How can Christians hope to understand this parable without an understanding of the kingdom message: and what a privileged people we are, those that understand this truth. “The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field;”, says Jesus . He continues, “the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” That’s it, that’s the parable; short and no explanation given. In this and other gospels it might have said in place of the ‘kingdom of heaven’, the ‘kingdom of God’, but in our understanding it is the ‘kingdom of Israel’ – synonymous terms . Jesus tells his disciples in verse 38 as regards the parable of the “tares of the field”, that “The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom.” We might apply this interpretation to our parable of the treasure hid in the field. The treasure is undoubtedly the kingdom of Israel, the peculiar treasure that is hidden in the world and from the world. It is precious : so much so that the man, who is Jesus, sells all that he has to buy that field. In effect he paid with his own life and the shedding of his own precious blood to gain possession of the world, that his own beloved people Israel might be redeemed from the hand of the enemy, Satan; and be restored to himself and to their former place and relationship as the bride of God. So, as the angel in Revelation 11:15 says, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever.”
 In conclusion and with the title of my message in mind “God’s peculiar treasure”, I want to look briefly at the passage from Ezekiel 37 from verse 20, which I will read before making comment. It is a passage that was read by the minister of the evangelical church I attended on the Sunday prior to me beginning this message. No comment was made about it; and for me it just came alive. It is regarding the symbolic use of two sticks representing the northern and southern houses of Israel, and the uniting of both kingdoms into one. Read Ezekiel 37:20-28 Many Christians look to today’s Jews as the fulfilment of this passage, but these Jews only claim to come from the southern house; and there is great doubt even to that. Are they not in the main, usurpers and have no claim to the land, nor to the covenant? This passage makes claim that the whole house of Israel is to return and reside in the land that was promised to our forefathers. David is to reign over them we are told. Though we know from other passages eg Luke 1:33 it is King Jesus that will reign, who is of the line of David. God will set his sanctuary and tabernacle in the midst and is to dwell with his people . “I will be their God, and they shall be my people” he says in verse 27. The passage concludes with these assuring words from verse 28: ”And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.”
“God’s peculiar treasure”: Hath God cast away his people? God forbid!
Amen
