Exodus 19:6 “‘You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

This verse is famously referenced by Peter in his first letter. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) Peter expresses the reason for God’s choice of Israel: declaring the praises of God. Put another way, that means telling other people about God, that is, evangelism. The Jews had a lot of trouble getting that through their heads. They thought God had chosen them because they were so wonderful, when that was hardly the case, as they proved repeatedly over the succeeding days, years, and centuries. The idea of salvation by grace and not works was not at all something they grasped easily. God expressed it here by saying, “a kingdom of priests.” The function of a priest is to be an intermediary between God and man. It’s a little amusing that in verse 8 it says that Moses reported the words of the people to God, because God knows everything everyone says or does, but Moses was functioning as a priest. That God called them “a kingdom of priests” is pretty shocking, because such a thing had never been thought of before. This brings to mind something the Lord said to Jeremiah many years later: “No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.” (Jeremiah 31:34) Until that blessed day, everyone who does know God, who is included in His family by faith, is to be telling their neighbors about Him, so that they too may repent and believe for their salvation.

As I was sharing with the believers here yesterday in a class on Motivational Gifts, I am not by personality or inclination evangelistic, but particularly in recent years the Lord has been giving me joy in telling others about Him. That’s a good thing, because if I want the believers to be evangelistic, I’d better set the example! I do especially delight in teaching those who are already believers, and I don’t feel particularly gifted in sharing Christ with total novices, but my gifting is never to be an excuse not to do what God has clearly told all His children to do. After all, just before His ascension, Jesus famously said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:18-20) That doesn’t leave anyone out. I too am to make disciples, which starts with letting people know they have a heavenly Father who loved them so much He sent His Son to die for their sins.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the class yesterday, and for the response of those who participated. Those who chose not to participate sadden me, but I yield them to You. May we all grow to be better disciples, which certainly includes making more disciples, functioning as a kingdom of priests indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!