Israel was called to be a whole nation of priests—a people set apart as go-betweens between God and the pagan world—a calling conditioned on obedience.
God promised Israel that if they obeyed His voice and kept His covenant, they would become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Les Feldick teaches that a priest is a go-between, so Israel's role was to stand between the Gentiles and Israel's God. This was not limited to the Levites; every Jew was intended to be a priest.
Exodus 19:5 — God sets the condition for Israel's special priestly calling: obedience and covenant-keeping.
Exodus 19:6 — This is the direct statement that Israel would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
In Exodus 19:5–6, God spoke these words to Israel after He had brought them out of Egypt and gathered them at Mount Sinai: "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." The Bible presents this as a conditional promise. The phrase "if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant" directly ties Israel's priestly role to their faithfulness. The whole nation—not just the Levites—was addressed: "ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation."
Les Feldick teaches that "a priest is a go-between" and that Israel was to be "a kingdom of go-betweens." Israel already had its own priesthood for tabernacle worship, so the kingdom-of-priests promise was not about serving as priests to themselves, but about being "a go-between between the Gentiles and God" (Clip 1). He repeatedly explains that every Jew was intended to become a priest of God to bring pagan Gentiles to a knowledge of Israel's God (Clips 1, 4–6). Les also clarifies the meaning of "holy nation" as "a set-apart nation" (Clips 2, 5). He says God called this one little nation out of the mainstream of humanity and prepared them for this priestly role by putting them under the Law, giving them temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament (Clip 7). The promise was conditional: "if they would be obedient... you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests" (Clip 4).
The promise in Exodus 19 came after Israel had left Egypt, passed through the Red Sea, and gathered around Mount Sinai—just before God gave the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. This was the moment God was beginning to deal with Israel as a nation.
Les defines a priest simply as "a go-between between man and God." Since Israel already had an internal priesthood for tabernacle worship, the kingdom-of-priests promise meant Israel was to serve as the go-between between Gentiles and God. Every Jew was intended to be a priest—not just Levites—so the whole nation could bring pagan Gentiles to the knowledge of Israel's God.
Yes. The biblical text attaches the promise to obedience: "if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then..." Les likewise emphasizes that the promise was "if they would be obedient" and that God said, "you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests" under that condition. Israel's becoming a nation of priests was the prospect held out to them as God began to deal with them as a nation.
Les teaches that God called Israel out of the mainstream of humanity and prepared them to become a kingdom of priests. He put them under the Law—"a whole preparation process"—and gave them temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament. In the meantime, the Gentiles were outside the covenant promises and were not citizens of the nation of Israel.
The Setting at Sinai
This clip establishes where the promise was given: Israel was out of Egypt, had passed through the Red Sea, and was gathered around Mount Sinai just before the Ten Commandments.
Israel as Go-Betweens Between Gentiles and God
Les defines a priest as a go-between and explains that Israel's promised priestly role was not for themselves, but between the Gentiles and God.
The Purpose of Israel: A Kingdom of Go-Betweens
Les says most people fail to understand that Israel's purpose was to become a kingdom of go-betweens—a set-apart nation.
A Nation of Priests If Obedient
Les repeats that a priest is a go-between between man and God, and that Israel was to become a nation of priests if they were obedient.
Intrinsic Value and Obedience
Les explains that God made Israel of intrinsic value because the world is His, and then promised that if they were obedient they would be a kingdom of priests—every Jew a prepared go-between.
Every Jew a Priest
Les clarifies that this promise meant every Jew, not just Levites, was to become a priest of God for reaching out to Gentiles—not merely for tabernacle worship.
Priesting the Pagan Gentiles
Les says every Jew was intended to become a priest of God to bring pagan Gentiles to a knowledge of their God, and that these prophecies run continuously through Scripture.
Preparing Israel for Priesthood
Les says God called Israel out of humanity and prepared them to be a kingdom of priests by placing them under the Law, giving them temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament.
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:
This verse gives the conditional promise that Israel will be a peculiar treasure, introducing the kingdom-of-priests blessing.
Exodus 19:6: 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 is the direct statement that the nation of Israel would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
No. Les Feldick teaches that every Jew, not just Levites, was intended to become a priest of God. The Levitical priesthood was for tabernacle worship, but the kingdom-of-priests promise was about reaching out to Gentiles.
Les teaches that a priest is a go-between between man and God. Israel's priestly calling was to stand between the pagan Gentile world and Israel's God.
Yes. God's promise in Exodus 19:5-6 was conditional on Israel obeying His voice and keeping His covenant. Les also emphasizes that the promise was "if they would be obedient."
Watch the Teaching: The True Meaning of Israel as a "Peculiar People"