Israel's role in God's kingdom is to be a kingdom of priests—a holy, separated nation of go-betweens linking the Gentile world to God.
Scripture calls Israel "a kingdom of priests" and "an holy nation" (Exodus 19:6), and Les Feldick explains that a priest is a go-between. Israel was not promised this role merely for its own benefit; it was to become the nation through which the pagan world could be related to Israel's God. That is why Israel stands at the center of God's dealings with the nations.
Exodus 19:6 — This is the foundational verse where God tells Israel they shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Deuteronomy 32:8 — Shows Israel's central place in God's plan, since the boundaries of all nations were set according to the number of Israel.
In Exodus 19:6, God speaks to the nation of Israel: "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 calling is given to the nation as a whole, not just to a special tribe or office. Deuteronomy 32:8 places Israel in the center of world history: "When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel." These verses establish both Israel's identity as a priestly, separated nation and God's framing of the nations around Israel.
Les shows from the Exodus 19 passage that Israel's calling was to be "a kingdom of priests," and he defines a priest as a go-between between God and man. Israel was not to be a go-between for themselves—they already had their own priesthood—but rather every Jew was being prepared to be a go-between between the Gentile world and Israel's God. He also points to Deuteronomy 32:8 and says this whole world revolves around God and His chosen people Israel. Even though Israel is presently in blindness and dispersion, they remain at the very vortex of all God's dealing with the nations. The priesthood was conditional: if Israel was obedient to God's commands and covenants, they would become a kingdom of priests and a holy, separated nation. God prepared them for that role through the Law, the temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament Scriptures. Les also takes listeners to Zechariah 8 to show that the same promise—Israel as a kingdom of priests—was still in view in the later Old Testament.
Les Feldick defines a priest as a go-between between God and man. Israel's calling as a kingdom of priests means the whole nation was to function in that priestly go-between role, not only a special priesthood within Israel. In fact, Les makes the point that Israel already had its own priesthood, so the nation's role as a kingdom of priests was to be the go-between between the Gentiles and God. Every Jew was to be a prepared person to be a go-between, some day down the road, between the pagan world around them and Israel's God.
Les draws attention to Deuteronomy 32:8, where the Most High divided the nations their inheritance and set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. He says you cannot make too much of the nation of Israel, because this whole world revolves around God and His chosen people. Even though they are presently in blindness and dispersion, they are still in the news constantly because they are at the very vortex of all God's dealings with the nations.
Les emphasizes that the promise was tied to obedience. God said that if they would be obedient to the commands and covenants of God, they would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation—the word holy meaning separated, not perfect. He points out that the same concept continued through the Old Testament, including a reference to Zechariah 8, where Israel was still being promised that if they obeyed they could be a kingdom of priests.
Les explains that out of the mainstream of humanity God called this one little nation, the nation of Israel, and made these promises that they would become a kingdom of priests. To prepare them for that role, God put them under the Law, gave them the temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament. In the meantime, the Gentiles were allowed to go outside the covenant promises and were not citizens of the nation of Israel.
Israel at the Vortex of God's Dealings
Les shows from Deuteronomy 32:8 that God fixed the boundaries of all nations by the number of Israel, so Israel remains the center of world affairs and cannot be ignored.
Priest as Go-Between
Les defines a priest as a go-between between God and man, and applies this to Israel's calling.
Israel's Calling Is Conditional
Les explains that if Israel obeyed God's commands and covenants, they would become a kingdom of priests and a holy, separated nation.
Israel's Purpose as Go-Betweens
Les teaches that every Jew was to be a prepared person to be a go-between for the pagan world and Israel's God.
Not Between Israel and God, but Between Gentiles and God
Les clarifies that Israel's priesthood was not for themselves; they were to relate the Gentiles to God.
Why God Chose Abraham: Israel's Purpose Finally Explained
"...and you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, or a set -apart nation. These are the words which you must speak to the children of Israel." Now most people can't understand that this is the purpose of Israel, that they were to be a kingdom of go-betweens. Thank you for watching Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a weekly Bible study.
God's Preparation Through the Law and Temple
Les explains that God set Israel apart and trained them under the law, temple worship, and the Old Testament to become a kingdom of priests.
Israel's Priesthood Promised in Zechariah
Les points to Zechariah to show that the same concept of Israel becoming a kingdom of priests was still in view later in the Old Testament.
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 verse is the heart of Israel's calling as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Deuteronomy 32:8: When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
This verse places Israel at the center of God's dealings with the nations.
A priest is a go-between between God and man. Les applies this to Israel: the nation was promised that if obedient, it would become a kingdom of priests, meaning God's go-between nation.
No. Les stresses that God promised Israel that if they would be obedient to His commands and covenants, they would be a kingdom of priests and a holy, separated nation.
Not to themselves. Les says Israel already had their own priesthood, so the nation's role as a kingdom of priests was to be the go-between between the Gentiles and God.
Les points out Israel is still at the center of world attention even in blindness and dispersion, because God set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
Watch the Teaching: The Abomination of Desolation: Why Israel Must Flee (Matthew 24)