Daily text, Sunday, September 4. 2016

[Queen Esther]

This is the blood of the covenant that Jehovah has made with you.—Ex. 24:8.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/dt/r1/lp-e/2016/9/4

By means of the Law covenant, the ancient nation of Israel was set apart as God’s chosen nation. Jehovah now became ‘their Judge, their Lawgiver, and their King.’ (Isa. 33:22) The history of Israel provides a record of what happens when God’s righteous standards are either observed or ignored. Since the Law forbade intermarrying with pagans and participation in false worship, it was designed to prevent Abraham’s line of descent from being contaminated. (Ex. 20:4-6; 34:12-16) Through that covenant, Israel had a unique opportunity and privilege to become “a kingdom of priests,” provided they met the stipulation to obey Jehovah’s laws. (Ex. 19:5, 6) Israel, however, failed to meet this requirement. Instead of esteeming the arrival of the Messiah, the primary part of Abraham’s offspring, the nation rejected him. Consequently, God rejected that nation. w14 10/15 2:3-5