On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."
Exodus 19:1-6
It is worth pausing for another day at these verses to consider particularly 4-6. The picture in 4 is especially graphic, and the nature of the metaphor underlines not only the fierce tenderness of the divine love - with what gentleness does the eagle care for its young, and with what devastating swiftness would it retaliate against any interference with them! - but also the purpose God had for them, for the eagle teaches its young to soar to the heights. In view of all the testings and disciplines Israel had passed through, and were to, following this, it may well be that there is a suggestion here, in using such an illustration, that these were, and were to be, used by the Lord in teaching His people how to rise above circumstances in the strength He could give them. In the light of Israel’s subsequent history, 5 is all the more moving and sad, for they fell so far short of what they were meant to be, and could have been, had they obeyed the voice of God. They were to have been a people unto Himself, His peculiar treasure, and in such a blessed relationship of filial obedience, to have been a kingdom of priests which, amongst other things was to have meant a gospel ministry among the nations of the world, becoming a light to lighten the Gentiles. When they failed in this - and they summed up all their long history of failure and rebellion in crucifying the Son of God - the New Testament Church displaced them in the purposes of God. And herein lies a lesson for the Church today; for it is only a holy people, set apart unto God, that can fulfil the function of a kingdom of priests. There is no other way to be a light to the Gentiles.