Israel's role was to be a kingdom of priests—a nation of go-betweens standing between the Gentile world and God.
Les Feldick defines a priest as a go-between between God and man. He teaches that Israel's calling in Exodus 19:6 was not about the Levitical priesthood but about every Jew leading Gentiles to a knowledge of Israel's God.
Exodus 19:5 — God attaches the promise of Israel's special position to their obedience to His voice and covenant.
Exodus 19:6 — This is the direct statement that Israel was to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
In Exodus 19:5-6, after bringing Israel out of Egypt, God told the nation: '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 passage places Israel in a special position before God, but it is conditioned on obedience to His voice and covenant. God calls the nation a 'kingdom of priests' and a 'holy nation.'
Les Feldick explains that a priest is a go-between between God and man. He teaches that Israel was to become a kingdom of priests, meaning a whole nation of go-betweens. This calling was conditional on Israel's obedience to God's commands and covenants. Les clarifies that although Israel already had a Levitical priesthood for tabernacle worship, the 'kingdom of priests' in Exodus 19:6 was not about worship in the tabernacle—it was about reaching out to Gentiles. Every Jew in God's Old Testament economy was to have become a priest of God, bringing pagan Gentiles to a knowledge of Israel's God. God prepared Israel for this role through the law, temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament Scriptures.
Les Feldick defines a priest as a go-between between God and man. He says Israel was promised to become a kingdom of priests, a whole nation of go-betweens, if they obeyed God. This is the plain meaning of Exodus 19:6, as Les reads it.
Yes, according to Les. He anticipates the objection that only Levites served as priests. He clarifies that so far as tabernacle worship was concerned, the priesthood was Levitical, but the 'kingdom of priests' in Exodus 19 is about reaching out to Gentiles—every Jew in God's Old Testament economy was to have become a priest of God.
God's promise was tied to obedience. As Les puts it, if Israel would be obedient to the commands and covenants of God, they would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The condition is also in the text of Exodus 19:5.
Les says God prepared Israel to become a kingdom of priests by putting them under the law. This was a preparation process that included temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament Scriptures. Meanwhile, Gentiles remained outside the covenant promises.
Why Peter Preached to "Ye Men of Israel" (Acts 2 & 3 Explained)
in television, we just hope that you can take your Bibles and notes and follow us along. And as we just mentioned in our prayer here in the studio, that we can just get people to understand what the book really says, not what we think it says, not when someone else says it says, but to be able to search the Scriptures and see if these things are so.
Defining Priest as Go-Between
Les defines the term priest as a go-between between God and man, which becomes the foundation for understanding Israel's calling as a kingdom of priests.
Israel as a Kingdom of Go-Betweens
Les quotes Exodus 19:6 and states that Israel's purpose was to be a kingdom of go-betweens.
Conditional Promise and Holy Nation
Les says Israel would become a nation of go-betweens if they were obedient to God's commands and covenants, and he explains that 'holy' means separated.
Every Jew to Bring Gentiles to God
Les teaches that every Jew was intended to become a priest of God and bring pagan Gentiles to knowledge of Israel's God, under the condition of obedience.
God's Preparation of Israel
Les explains that God prepared Israel for this priestly role by putting them under the law, with temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament.
Every Jew as a Priest, Not Just Levites
Les distinguishes the nation's priestly calling from the Levitical tabernacle ministry, showing that every Jew was meant to reach out to Gentiles.
Kingdom of Priests Reinforced
Les reinforces that Israel's role according to Exodus 19 is to be a kingdom of priests—go-betweens between man and God—and connects it to the kingdom concept.
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:
The conditional preface to the promise: Israel's elevation as God's peculiar treasure depended on obedience and covenant-keeping.
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.
The direct statement that Israel was to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Les says a priest is a go-between between God and man. He uses this definition to explain that Israel was to become a kingdom of priests—a nation of go-betweens.
Yes. Les says every Jew in the Old Testament economy was to have become a priest of God. He clarifies this was not about the Levitical tabernacle ministry but about reaching out to Gentiles.
Yes. Les teaches the promise depended on Israel's obedience to God's commands and covenants, as reflected in Exodus 19:5.
Israel was to stand between the Gentiles and God, leading pagan Gentiles to a knowledge of Israel's God. Every Jew was intended to be a priest in this sense.
Watch the Teaching: Why Peter Preached to "Ye Men of Israel" (Acts 2 & 3 Explained)