God's covenant intended Israel to become a kingdom of priests—a holy, set-apart nation called to be the go-between bringing the Gentile world to a knowledge of Him.
Exodus 19:6 tells Israel, "Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation." Les Feldick explains that a priest is a go-between, and Israel's role was to stand between the Gentiles and God. The law, temple worship, and priesthood were given to prepare Israel for this calling.
Exodus 19:6 — This is the key covenant promise that names Israel as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Exodus 19:5 — It frames the priestly promise with the condition of obedience to God's voice and covenant.
In Exodus 19:5-6, God lays out the covenant terms for Israel: "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." God's stated design was for a holy, set-apart nation that would serve Him as priests. Zechariah 8:23 pictures the result: people of all languages taking hold of a Jew's garment and saying, "We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you." Scripture thus presents Israel's role as making God known among the nations.
Les Feldick teaches that the covenant promise of Exodus 19:6 was not about Israel having a privileged status for themselves. He explains that a priest is a go-between, and Israel's calling was to be the go-between between the Gentiles and God. God put Israel under the Law, gave them temple worship, a priesthood, and the Old Testament as preparation. When the time was right, every Jew would have been a priest of God, bringing Gentiles to a knowledge of the true God. The Old Testament repeatedly holds out this prospect—Israel being a light to the Gentiles and a nation of priests. In Zechariah 8:23, Les says we see the role God was preparing the nation for: Gentiles take hold of a Jew's garment because they have heard that God is with him. This role was conditioned on obedience to God's commands and covenants. The whole Old Testament format was that God would reach the Gentiles through Israel.
For Les, priest means go-between. Exodus 19:6 says Israel would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Les says Israel already had its own priesthood for tabernacle worship, so the nation's larger priestly role was to stand between the Gentile world and God.
Les says God called this one little nation out of humanity and made promises to them. He put them under the Law, gave them temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament as a preparation process. Meanwhile, the Gentiles were outside the covenant promises and were not citizens of Israel.
The priestly role was directed toward the Gentiles. Les describes the Old Testament format as this: Israel was to be the way God would reach the Gentile world. Zechariah 8:23 pictures the Gentiles coming to a Jew and saying, "We have heard that God is with you."
Les notes the promise was given on condition of obedience—"if they would be obedient to the commands and the covenants of God." The nation of priests role was tied to their faithfulness.
Daniel's 70 Weeks Explained — The 490-Year Prophecy Unpacked
rest. But what did they do? Well, they kept right on farming it. And after 490 years of neglecting that sabbatical year, God says, I'm going to get my 70 years of sabbaticals. And so they were sent into the captivity out in Babylon for 70 years, and the land laid rest. Now, of course, it wasn't just because of their neglecting the sabbatical.
Conditional Kingdom of Priests
Les shows that Israel's promised role as a kingdom of priests, go-betweens, and a holy nation was conditional on obedience to God's commands and covenants.
Old Testament Prospect
Les points to the Old Testament pattern that Israel was to be the light to the Gentiles and a nation of priests who could bring the knowledge of God to the Gentile world.
Preparation Under the Law
Les explains that God set Israel apart from the nations and used the law, temple worship, priesthood, and the Old Testament to prepare them to become a kingdom of priests.
Kingdom of Priests Defined
Les examines Exodus 19:6 and defines a priest as a go-between, clarifying that Israel's priestly role was between the Gentiles and God, not merely between Israel and God.
Priest as Go-Between
Les reinforces that the Bible's role of a priest is a go-between between God and man, and that Israel was called to be a kingdom of priests.
Zechariah's Picture of the Role
Les uses Zechariah 8:23 to show that when the time came, every Jew was to be a priest bringing the Gentiles to a knowledge of God—the role God was preparing the nation for.
Every Jew Called to Be a Priest
Les emphasizes that in God's Old Testament economy, every Jew was to have become a priest—not in tabernacle service, but as a go-between reaching out to the Gentile world.
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 supplies the condition of obedience that frames Israel's calling to be a kingdom of priests.
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 covenant promise that identifies Israel's intended role as priests and a holy nation.
Zechariah 8:23: Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
This pictures the goal of Israel's covenant role: Gentiles drawn to the God of Israel through the Jewish people.
No. Les clarifies that so far as tabernacle worship was concerned, the priesthood was for the Levites. But in terms of reaching out to the Gentiles, every Jew was to have become a priest of God.
In Les's teaching, 'holy' means separated, not perfect. Israel was to be a set-apart nation, distinct from the surrounding peoples and set apart for God's purpose.
God's purpose was to reach the Gentile world through Israel. The Gentiles were to take hold of a Jew and say, 'We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'
Watch the Teaching: Daniel's 70 Weeks Explained — The 490-Year Prophecy Unpacked