By initiating the covenant, Yahweh is able to outline what he expects from the Israelites and what they can expect from Him. By making this promise, God is ensuring their continuation on their path to holiness (Glenny 1992). He is additionally making it possible for His relationship with the Israelites to grow from simple followers to "a kingdom of priests," in which they will play a crucial role in leading other people to the truth of God (Ex. 19:6).
There are a number of individual sections within Exodus 19:5-6. The first is the opening, where Yahweh asks the Israelites to enter the covenant. In the second section, Yahweh establishes the Israelites as his possession. Third, Yahweh declares that the entire earth belongs to Him. The next section, which opens verse 6, explains the Israelites' future as a kingdom of priest and a holy nation. Finally, Yahweh instructs Moses to share these words with the sons of Israel. Each of these passages must be discussed in turn.
The passage begins: "Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep my covenant" (Ex. 19:5). Again, this section's importance lies in the choice posed to the Israelites by Yahweh. The use of the wording "if" implies that the Israelites must enter willingly. The word "indeed" implies that a preexisting relationship exists between Yahweh and the Israelites, since it seems that He expects an affirmation. We, of course, know that He has developed a relationship with the Israelites through Moses, who he sent to deliver them. Knowing this allows up to easily associate this passage with a continuation of a relationship rather than the creation of a new relationship. In fact, Glenny (1992) suggests that this passage is relevant to the overall book of Exodus specifically because it is part of a larger collection -- a remembrance -- of the covenants that Yahweh made with the forefathers of the Israelites in Exodus 2:24 and 6:2-8.
In the second section Yahweh has already established that he wishes to enter into a covenant with the Israelites. He then follows with the statement: "then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples" (Ex. 19:5). Here, Yahweh is establishing his election of the Israelites, elevating them to a holy status by claiming them as his own. Glenny (1992) reports that this is one of a number of passages that establish Israelites as "people of God." He is offering them a unique and amazing gift in return for simply following the moral guidelines that he establishes in the commandments. This section of the passage allows for the offer to be made in that God has now told them that they will be elevated to be His chosen people out of all others should the accept.
This passage additionally raised the question, "Why did God choose the Israelites out of all of the earth's peoples?" Again, Glenny (1992) suggests that he is rewarding them as a nation for the past covenants made with their fathers. Additionally, the struggles and hardship endured by the Israelites may imply that they have earned a place in His grace through trial and endurance. Alternatively, God may recognize that the Israelites are strong enough to carry the burden of holiness, knowing that they have and will have additional hardship. To this end, Bruggemann (2005) offers that Yahweh's choice to endow this gift on the Israelites may be due to His willing that the world should be brought to blessing, even through the roots of Israel's suffering. Despite their being chosen as a priestly nation, possessed by God, Ellison (2006) is quick to point out that God's choice does not reject others. In choosing the Israelites, Yahweh has established a nation of men who will champion our Lord and teach others how to live through Him. Rather than rejecting any individual or nation, God has instead created a special place for the Israelites while keeping the door open to all others who seek Him.
Having claimed the Israelites as his possession, God moves on to say: "All the earth is mine" (Ex. 19:5). The simplest explanation of this section is that Yahweh, having established that he is the owner of Israel, wishes to remind Moses that He is also the owner of all (Newsome 1998). As creator, Yahweh has no need to bestow gifts like the covenant on men. Yet, men need Yahweh and depend on him for all creation, including their lives. This knowledge shows the great wisdom of God, as well as his mercy in...
Bible esoteric and dated. Fee and Stuart in How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, however, show the applicability of the Bible and provide readers with the tools of applying the Bible to their contemporary lives. For them there is no "then and there" to the text, rather than "then and there" of the text can equitably be applied to the "here and now" of contemporaneous living.
Baptism Debate: An Examination of the Purpose and Merits of Baptism There is no trick involved in entering the Kingdom of Heaven, but many theologians argue that there are some important steps that must be taken to help pave the way, including being baptized. Issues such as whether complete immersion is required or simply a token sprinkling, who is authorized to perform baptisms and even the fundamental purpose and merits of
For a pastor preparing a sermon, this work might be inspiring, despite of its occasional linguistic difficulty, in addressing the idea of fulfillment of promise and prophesy, as well as the many roles played by Christ throughout history, in body and in spirit -- king, leader, star, prophet, amongst others. A lay reader with a specific interest in Christ's role as a prophet might enjoy reading this book, as might
systematic approach to bible study promoted in the book. The reader is then led through a discussion of the meaning of the term and the way it relates to the bible and those who follow and study the bible. BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS For more than 2000 years people have studied the bible and tried grasp it's meaning. There are schools of literary interpretation as well as schools of theoretical thought when
7). Still, it seems safe from the seat of scholarship to condemn such exclusive and condemnatory practices as decidedly un-Christian; the oft-quoted (or at least oft-referenced) Biblical passage from John seems to be one of the more direct and unequivocal statements regarding who will be saved: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
Therefore, we may conclude that the speaker has some cognitive function from the structure of the speech, even if it is based on a very basic set of language rules (Samarin 1972 120). Three major linguistic traits emerged from other research into the subjec. Regardless of the geographic area, educational level, or age of the individual, glossolalia consists of: Verbal behavior that has a certain number of consanants and vowels. There seem
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now