Then Moses went up to God and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob, and to tell the children of Israel". "You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to Myself (Exodus 19: 3- 4)
The above scripture was the very words of the Lord God of Hosts spoken to the people of Israel and recorded by Moses, as they came to Mount Sinai, when they were delivered from their slavery in Egypt. And one can not read this words without pausing to reflect the brevity, the honesty and the assurance of the words. In its actuality and focus, God redeemed Israel to bring them out of Egypt and the dominion of Pharaoh in order to bring them to Himself. Hallelujah.
But I thought, (and so also were the people of Israel and many of us too) that God delivered Israel in order to bring them to the promised land, right? Was the promise land the goal? So what was the goal or the purpose of the promised land, the law and the covenant?
The words from the mouth of the Lord, spoken to Moses to be given to the nation of Israel was that He redeemed them by His outstretched hand and bore or carried them on the wings of Eagle to bring them to Himself.
In other words, the primary purpose of God saving people, redeeming people, even healing people and reviving people is to bring such people to a relationship and fellowship with Himself. All the other added things are just a means to achieve and ensure God's ultimate purpose, a deep, meaningful and enriching relationship with Him.
So God gave Israel a covenant, a law and a parcel of land, called the promise land and all these were to enrich and ensure that meaningful and fulfilling relationship and fellowship with His redeemed people.
The covenant and the redemption were the basis of their relationship. The law which was the terms of the covenant and the promise land which was His inheritance to them were to enable them enjoy their relationship and fellowship with Him.
The law consisted of the Commandments which was the terms of the covenant, the Statutes or Precepts which specifies their conducts and how they carry their lives with their countrymen, and the Ordinances which define their social and religious worship.
This principle of God's dealing with Israel applies also to the Christians. God saves us not that we would go to church or hold Bibles in our hands or call ourselves born again people or identify ourselves with some sects or denomination. But, He saves us to bring us to Himself. All the other things such as church, Bibles, baptism, denomination, pastors, prophets, apostles, elders, deacons, hymn books, etc, all are means to help us have that deep, meaningful relationship and fellowship with God, who has saved us in Christ. He wants us individually to have that relationship with Him. He wants you and I to know Him personally and individually. This is a humbling thought, that the Creator, the Lord of Hosts, by whose breath we live, and move and have our being yearns for your personal and individual relationship and communion with Him like a man and his wife, like a father and his son, like a mother and her daughter.
Question: Do you know the Lord meaningfully and deeply as a Christian? Do you have an intimate, meaningful communion or fellowship with Him? Or are you just hiding behind church, denomination and position labels?
I counsel you today to understand the heart of God. His primary purpose for redemption is to bring those who have received salvation to Himself. And other thing is to help you come to that place.
May you consider this issue today and seek to come to the place of deep, meaningful relationship and fellowship with God.
May the Lord help you and bless you and fill you with that desire in Jesus's name. Amen
Shalom, life and grace to you
Moving people onto God's purpose
