1 Peter 2:9-10
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.Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
In the Old Covenant, the people of Israel were the chosen people and (for) God’s special possession (for God’s own possession, Amplified Version) (Deuteronomy 14:2). The act of God’s choosing a special group of people in delivering the truth to all people is made clear in the call of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). The blessing of God bestowed upon Abraham was never for a specific ethnic group of people. The blessing was for all (“and all people on earth will be blessed through you (Genesis 12:3b).” This blessing was pointing to the Messiah who would ultimately save Adam’s race. The work of salvation, then, culminated in the sacrificial suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Israel was chosen as a nation to be a light for the Gentiles. They were chosen as God’s priest in ushering people to the one true God. Now in Christ Jesus, we are a chosen people (community of God) called to declare what we have seen and tasted. As we have received mercy, so we are called to proclaim that message of mercy to all who are still in darkness. The task of God’s chosen people is to declare his praises (the excellencies, the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections, Amplified). It is therefore important to look at God’s holy character and love for us in the person of Christ Jesus. We give God the praise and adoration for His great plan of salvation for Adam’s race.
Prayer: God, I thank you for your sovereign plan of salvation that you have given to us in your Son, Jesus Christ. May your name be made known in all the ethnic groups of the world, amen.
