DAILY TEXT Sunday, June 23 I am proceeding to go down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.—Ex. 3:8. God’s purpose in delivering the Israelites was to raise them up as his people. (Gen. 22:17)I shall surely bless you and I shall surely multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens and like the grains of sand that are on the seashore; and your seed will take possession of the gate* of his enemies. God gave them a code of laws that would enable them to enjoy a peaceful relationship with him. (Isa. 48:17, 18)This is what Jehovah has said, your Repurchaser, the Holy One of Israel: “I, Jehovah, am your God, the One teaching you to benefit [yourself], the One causing you to tread in the way in which you should walk. 18 O if only you would actually pay attention to my commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. He told the Israelites: “If you will strictly obey my voice and will indeed keep my covenant [as outlined in the Law code], then you will certainly become my special property out of all other peoples.” (Ex. 19:5, 6)And now if YOU will strictly obey* my voice and will indeed keep my covenant, then YOU will certainly become* my special property out of all [other] peoples, because the whole earth belongs to me. 6 And YOU yourselves will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the sons of Israel.” Thus, the Israelites’ enjoying a privileged relationship with God was contingent on their obeying his voice. Just think what life would have been like if the Israelites had only obeyed God’s voice! Jehovah would have blessed their fields, their vineyards, their flocks, and their herds. Also, their enemies would have had no permanent hold on them, providing concrete proof that obedience to the true God brings spiritual and material blessings. wol.jw.org/en/wol/dt/r1/lp-e/2013/6/23
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 04:25:18 +0000
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