One Holy Nation
When we use the word “nation,” we usually are referring to a country like Sweden, China, the UK or the United States. When Peter writes of a holy nation, (1 Peter 2:7) he is referring to a people transformed into God’s chosen people. Peter calls them a royal priesthood.
Do Peter’s words pertain only to those of Jewish ethnicity? You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” Exodus 19:6 Whereas, John would speak of the Christian church as a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Revelation 1:6 The four living creatures in Revelation, chapter nine, sang a new song, “with your blood [with the blood of Christ] you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. Revelation 5:9-10
The peculiarity of this nation is that they have been made righteous, not of their own doing. For even in their best selves, no human can purchase this righteousness of which the Word of God speaks. It is a righteousness God has chosen to give to this nation. As Paul writes, It is a mystery too great for any human to understand. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:7-10
Even in the present evil age in which we now live, God has the power to instill in them a will and a work in obedience to Him. This He has accomplished through the mystery of the power of the Holy Spirit that He sent to dwell in this nation—a nation of untouchables. No harm will come to you. No sickness will come near your house. He will put his angels in charge of you to protect you in all your ways. They will carry you in their hands that you never hit your foot against a rock. Psalm 91:10-12.
We realize that king David wrote many of the psalms that foretell of the suffering messiah to come who will not allow any harm to come to His people—this nation who lives under the proverbial protection of God. Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 90:1
Our imaginations run away with the same misconceptions of a messiah as in the days of Jesus–one who rules by absolute power. In our times he/she would do something hard and puritanical about the moral relativism that has made a mess of the cities, the schools, and prime-time television.
Our souls much prefer the song of the righteous to the roaring rage of unbelievers which Paul rejects in the following manner. But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. Romans 2:5
Rather, we are called to look to the cloud of witnesses that well up before us. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1
The writer of Hebrews is actually calling us into becoming a nation of heroes. At the same time as they persevered in their faith, they suffered the arrows of sin. We may not have to suffer as others have for their faith. This does not make our living less hurtful. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Hebrews 12:4
Yet, as God’s people, we fall short of God’s expectations of us. When this happens we will suffer His disciplines as a father corrects a wayward child. This is not a sign of hate but of a love far greater than one’s own.
And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, Hebrews 12:5
Truly the writer of Hebrews is not referring to a hypothetical cloud but an actual people who have come under the discipline of the mighty hand of God. Those heroes of Old Testament faith were saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It was their obedience to God, as also in the case of Abraham, by which they were granted the righteousness of Christ.
This path to salvation is not unique to anyone. It is the song the redeemed sing from every tribe, people and nation sing together on their way to heaven.
And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
Revelation 5:9
