August 12, 2026
Wednesday, August 12
Many modern people—including some Christians—think that God’s commands are a barrier to our happiness. They think the message of Scripture is, “Sure you’ll miss out on most of the fun down here, but you’ll get to Heaven when you die.” That’s a lie from the pit of Hell itself. In Exodus 19:4-5, we see that before God gave the Law to His people, He told them its purpose. In those two verses, He gives them three new identities that show us what His commands are all about.
My treasured possession. He’s not saying, “Obey this Law, and then I will love you.” He already loved them, and that’s why He had saved them. Instead, He was saying, “If you want to love me back, here’s how you do it.” When I first got married, I had some misconceptions about what it took to make a woman happy. In movies and novels, women love to be extravagantly praised. But that wasn’t at the top of my young bride’s wish list. In fact, she found too much of the “mushy stuff” embarrassing. It took me years to learn that if I really want to make her feel loved, I’ll contribute to the upkeep of our home. I’ll spend time with our kids. I’ll put down my phone and listen when she wants to talk. I’ll be patient and gentle. I’m good with words, and I have plenty of things I could loudly praise her for. But I am still learning how to truly love her. It’s worth the effort. In the case of God, He’s telling us right from the outset: Here’s how you show love for me: Through obedience. That implies God actually wants a love relationship with us. That’s amazing. No other people had a god who wanted that. But the one true God did...and does.
A Kingdom of priests. We hear the term “priest,” and think of the leader of a Catholic or Episcopal church. But priests of Israel didn’t lead a congregation. Their job was twofold: First, they represented God before the people. The priest wore an ephod—like an apron—made of the same material as the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle, the place where God’s presence dwelt. Everywhere he went, the priest was a visible symbol of the presence of God among the people. Second, they represented the people before God. On the ephod was a breastplate emblazoned with twelve stones that symbolized the twelve tribes of Israel. He was the only one who was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies. He was the only one who could make sacrifices to the Lord. In other words, if the people were straying from God, He would bring them back. And if the people wanted to get right before the Lord, they had to come to the priest to cover their sins.
But God tells Moses the Law is meant to make Israel an entire Kingdom of priests. In other words, they will function among the nations the way a priest functions among people, drawing them to God, and facilitating their atonement from sin. Which raises a question: How would they draw nations in?
A holy nation. The word holy means “set apart, not like the rest.” God’s plan was that as Israel lived out the Law, they would stand out from every other nation. They would be the only place on earth where it was against the law for men to cheat on their wives, where strength was displayed by taking care of the powerless, where the people only believed in one God, and that God was a God of love and righteousness. Other nations would see how radically different Israel was, and how blessed they were as a result, and they would come, saying, “Tell us about your God.”
Does that mission sound familiar? It should.
“Lord, you have sent us out to be your ambassadors in a world that does not know you. Help me to take that more seriously than any other calling in my life, and help me to influence my church to do the same. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
