God’s purposes in human history
God is carrying out His purposes in human history. He decreed to elect a people for Himself and through Abraham to bless all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:1-3). He called Israel a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6). But He had much more in mind than just the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He had the Church, the body of Christ, in view as Peter calls the Church a chosen race, a holy nation. Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, is gathering in to Himself His own from every tribe, nation, and tongue (Hebrews 13:20-21; Revelation 7:9-10). Rejoice! His redeeming work encompasses the whole earth and all of history, including you and me living in the here and now.
Today’s reading:
My selection:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10
For more reflections on this passage, see the corresponding reading in my book Cover to Cover: Through the Bible in 365 days.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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