How did God in His sovereignty give Israel intrinsic value?
In His sovereignty, God made Israel intrinsically valuable to Himself because the whole world belongs to Him. He declared them His treasure above all people and promised that, if obedient, they would be a kingdom of priests—go-betweens to the pagan world.
Les teaches that God intended this little nation to be a particular people of value that He could use to reach all those pagans. In Exodus 19 God says, “you are a treasure unto Me above all people.” The reason God could do that is because all the earth is His; He is Sovereign. Les emphasizes that God created this world and can do with it whatever He wants, and man can shake their fist in His face but never diminish His sovereignty. So in sovereignty God told Israel, “I have made you of an intrinsic value to Me, because the world is Mine.” Then came the promise: if they would be obedient, they would be unto Him a kingdom of priests. Since a priest is a go-between, every Jew was to be prepared to be a go-between between the pagan world around them and Israel’s God.