A People for His Own:

The account of the Old Testament and for the entirety of the Bible is about God gathering together a people for His own pleasure and purpose. God sends Moses to rescue the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt. He desire to bring them to a mountain where they would worship Him. During this journey that turned into 40 long years, God relays to Moses the commandments, laws, ceremonies, and sacrificial system they are to adhere by.

The book of Leviticus is a handbook for how Israel is to behave and sacrifice. In chapter 26 the book of Leviticus is coming to a close and God gives Israel words of blessing and words of warning. The blessing comes by obeying all that God has revealed to them. The warning of punishment will come if they choose to neglect that which God has revealed.

Verses 11-13 gives us insight into the heart of God, that he desired from the people of Israel. "I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect." God tells them that He has rescued them to be their God and for them to be His people. The Holy God of the Universe will live among weak and sinful people and not abhor them. He showed them grace and mercy! He has set them free. Israel has freedom and will have an identity in a land that will be protected by the Lord Himself. Again, all that He ask is for them to be His people. To follow Him, obey Him, love Him, worship Him, and praise Him.

The same is true today. We are not the new Israel, we are grafted in through the New Covenant that the Lord Jesus Christ established with His death, burial, and resurrection. That is why Paul will tell us in Galatians 3, "Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham...so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith."

We need to remind ourselves everyday that we are not our own. We were bought with a price. Our lives were rescued the the bondage of sin and death. God has rescued us in order to be our God and we, His people. He desires that we love Him, worship Him, obey Him, follow Him, glorify Him, praise Him, and share Him with the nations. My prayer for my own life is that I would do that! God could have left us to our own and allowed us to rot and die in our sin and that would have been fair. But, He chose not to! He chose to rescue us! For us to enjoy Him and Him enjoy His creation worshipping Him. We are a People for His Own Possession!