Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2: Who am I to do this task? I am a
Speaker 2: rogue Egyptian and a former prince. They won't follow me.
Speaker 3: There, Ah, and look.
Speaker 2: Good for this, You're the wrong man.
Speaker 4: Once I have delivered my people and set them free,
Speaker 4: you will bring them back to this mountain. I shall
Speaker 4: reveal myself to them and confirm my favor upon you.
Speaker 2: The Lord has seen your misery.
Speaker 5: He's heard your groaning, and he remembers his covenant with Abraham,
Speaker 5: with Isaac and with Jacob.
Speaker 6: Years from now, when your children ask why we did this,
Speaker 6: you shall tell them what you've witnessed here. You shall
Speaker 6: tell them of the mighty hand of the Lord and
Speaker 6: how he delivered us from the change of Egypt.
Speaker 4: White boy, you are timed.
Speaker 7: I can see it in your eyes and hear it
Speaker 7: in your voice, and the people will notice. Reflect on
Speaker 7: the state of your soul. Who should not be overseeing
Speaker 7: these trivial matters. You must be the one to represent
Speaker 7: the people before God, just as you've been doing. Bring
Speaker 7: their cases to him, argue for them, cry out for them. Yes,
Speaker 7: that much must stay. It is your job. You're calling
Speaker 7: you know you your thing and teach them Moses teach
Speaker 7: them the laws, the statutes, the ways to live, and
Speaker 7: the things they must do.
Speaker 3: The mountain quaked, and the sound of the shouffar grew louder.
Speaker 3: Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. Sello, my friends,
Speaker 3: from here in the holy land of Israel Exstein, with
Speaker 3: the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Welcome to the
Speaker 3: Chosen People. Picture this a people weary from wandering, hearts
Speaker 3: heavy with the weight of their journey, and they're standing
Speaker 3: at the foot of a mountain. They have seen miracles,
Speaker 3: they have crossed seas, they have tasted freedom, but they
Speaker 3: still don't quite understand what it truly means to be free.
Speaker 3: And now they stand before Sinai. Are they ready? Are
Speaker 3: we ever ready? For an encounter with the Almighty? For
Speaker 3: our lives to change forever.
Speaker 1: Moses paused to catch his breath and leaned against a
Speaker 1: bold of protruding from the side of Mount Sinai. The
Speaker 1: air grew thinner as he climbed. Moses found that he
Speaker 1: needed to stop and rest more frequently. Lately he was
Speaker 1: feeling his age, and his bones and his lungs, and
Speaker 1: in his mind, yet one thing remained curiosity, Moses eagerly
Speaker 1: sought the place where the Lord first spoke to him
Speaker 1: through the burning bush. Over a year had passed since
Speaker 1: he first laid eyes on that glorious light. Oh, how
Speaker 1: his life had changed since that fateful day. Curiosity had
Speaker 1: drawn Moses to go seek that spot out again. He
Speaker 1: led his people's south into the Sinai Peninsula along the
Speaker 1: Red Sea. The roundabout was a far safer route than
Speaker 1: cling to the heavily trafficked roads along the Mediterranean Sea.
Speaker 1: Even though this route was the safer and more pragmatic choice,
Speaker 1: Mount Sinai compelled Moses to lead them there. He wanted
Speaker 1: the people to see it and behold it as he
Speaker 1: once had. He also wondered when else he would see
Speaker 1: this part of the world where he had spent so
Speaker 1: much of his life tending to Jethro's flocks. Ah simpler times,
Speaker 1: Moses often day dreamed about life before all this, before
Speaker 1: the call of God radically changed his life, before the
Speaker 1: burden of leadership, before the constant white noise of complaints
Speaker 1: and infighting. After searching for a while, he found the
Speaker 1: approximate place of the Holy Fire, but it was hard
Speaker 1: to say where it actually burned. But, as he had
Speaker 1: felt countless time since that initial encounter, an urgent prompting
Speaker 1: urged him on the presence he always felt tucked away
Speaker 1: in the back of his mind seemed to compel him
Speaker 1: forward upward to the mountain's peak, Mount Sinai. Moses climbed
Speaker 1: to the summit. The world stilled around him, the wind
Speaker 1: tugging on his robe and beard grew still, and he
Speaker 1: could no longer hear the distant sounds of people below.
Speaker 1: Moses recognized this place. He recognized the pulsating ground beneath him,
Speaker 1: and the magnetic force surrounding him. Moses removed the sandals
Speaker 1: from his feet and lowered himself before the presence of
Speaker 1: the Lord.
Speaker 4: Moses, my servant.
Speaker 2: It, yes, Lord, I am here.
Speaker 4: Do you remember this place, the place where I first
Speaker 4: met you.
Speaker 1: I've dreamed about it every night.
Speaker 4: I have a message to give you, a command to
Speaker 4: the House of Jacob, and an explanation to the Israelites.
Speaker 1: Moses raised his eyebrows at the distinction of using both
Speaker 1: names of his people, the House of Jacob and the Israelites.
Speaker 1: The Lord was making it clear that this message was
Speaker 1: for every one to hear, not only his elders and
Speaker 1: appointed leaders, but all the men, the women, and the children.
Speaker 4: Tell them that you have seen what I did to
Speaker 4: the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagle's wings
Speaker 4: and brought you to myself.
Speaker 1: The image that sprang into moses mind was that of
Speaker 1: a mother eagle, soaring, strong and sure, wings outstretched under
Speaker 1: her young taking flight. For the first time, it was
Speaker 1: abundantly clear that his God was the protector of his people.
Speaker 4: Also, tell them this now, if you will carefully listen
Speaker 4: to me and keep my covenant, you will be my
Speaker 4: own possession out of all the people's, all throughout the
Speaker 4: whole earth. You will be my kingdom of priests and
Speaker 4: my holy nation. These are the words that you are
Speaker 4: to say to the children of Israel.
Speaker 1: Again, vivid images sprang into Moses' mind, images of the
Speaker 1: covenant made long ago with Abraham. Moses saw visions of
Speaker 1: the Father of nations sleeping in the wild. He beheld
Speaker 1: the smoking firepot and the flaming torch, dancing in the
Speaker 1: space between bleeding animal carcasses. All of it was brutal
Speaker 1: and barbaric, yet binding intimate. Moses was reminded that he
Speaker 1: and the children of Israel were threads in a much
Speaker 1: grander tapestry. Then the vision shifted without warning, a staircase
Speaker 1: hewn of polished, gleaming stone, glowing with ethereal light, ascending
Speaker 1: into the heavens. And then it shifted again. A staggering
Speaker 1: view of the night sky flashed before him. Stars uncountable
Speaker 1: and swirling all around him. He was overwhelmed by the
Speaker 1: wondrous heavens. Spinning and sprawling. Flashes of Abraham, Isaac, and
Speaker 1: Jacob flew before him. He heard whispers of their prayers
Speaker 1: and the vibrating voice of the Lord, making them unbreak promises.
Speaker 1: Moses desperately tried to steady himself under the swirling expanse.
Speaker 1: He fell forward to catch himself on a stone, But
Speaker 1: instead of the rock beneath his feet, he found he
Speaker 1: could see the entire earth spread below. It was still
Speaker 1: and firm, but somehow he could behold all of it.
Speaker 1: He glimpsed to rain. He didn't understand blue swathes without
Speaker 1: end ice, tangled forests, sweeping grasslands, rolling hills, and towering mountains.
Speaker 1: He saw people at war, He saw builders, he saw kings,
Speaker 1: he saw shepherds, all kinds of people. His mind's eye
Speaker 1: was then fixed on a secret garden, more beautiful than
Speaker 1: anything he had ever seen, lush greenery and fresh water.
Speaker 1: He could feel the coolness of the garden and the
Speaker 1: moist mist kissing his cheeks. He could taste the sweet
Speaker 1: water and smell the fruit growing in each tree. He
Speaker 1: had never seen anything like it, but yet somehow it
Speaker 1: felt familiar. It felt like home, the home he had
Speaker 1: never known. His heart panned with sadness and joy. Tears
Speaker 1: brimmed in his eyes, emotions he could not put into words.
Speaker 1: All thought course through his body. It seemed so very
Speaker 1: far away, farther than he could ever travel in a lifetime, unattainable,
Speaker 1: but so very profoundly beautiful. Movement outside the garden beckoned
Speaker 1: his gaze to shift. Outside the garden, he saw his people.
Speaker 1: But they were not his people. They were something more.
Speaker 1: They wore priestly garments. They were rebuilding ancient ruins. They
Speaker 1: were restoring former devastations. They were renewing ruined cities. They
Speaker 1: stood apart from the other peoples of the earth as
Speaker 1: they ministered in the name of their god. They knew
Speaker 1: no shame. They walked in abundance and rejoiced. Their joy
Speaker 1: was so remarkable. Somehow, Moses knew in his bones that
Speaker 1: he was catching a glimpse of the future, an eternal
Speaker 1: future written by God himself. It was unshakable. This was
Speaker 1: the holy nation of their God. They had only to
Speaker 1: keep the covenant. The Lord was outlining a contract, a
Speaker 1: vassal treaty with them. Moses's heart leaped in anticipation. He
Speaker 1: was desperate to see this vision come to fruition. He
Speaker 1: steeled his heart to lead his people and in shure
Speaker 1: they upheld the law of their God. If only they
Speaker 1: could see the vision that still danced in his mind's eye,
Speaker 1: I who come.
Speaker 4: To you in a dense cloud, so that people will
Speaker 4: were when I speak to you and always believe you.
Speaker 4: Now go and report the words that I have spoken
Speaker 4: to you to the people so that they can agree
Speaker 4: to keep this contract.
Speaker 1: Moses felt the presence in the back of his mind
Speaker 1: lift slightly, and the sounds and sights of the mountain
Speaker 1: returned to him as they had before. He hurried down
Speaker 1: the mountain to do as his God had asked. Moses
Speaker 1: summoned the elders and conveyed the words of their God.
Speaker 1: He then sent them out to disperse the news to
Speaker 1: the people, just as his father in law had taught him.
Speaker 1: He then had them and their representatives gather before him
Speaker 1: the next day to give their answers. Would they uphold
Speaker 1: the contract of their God and commit to obeying his commands.
Speaker 1: The answer that came thundering back to Moses was a
Speaker 1: resounding yes. Moses again climbed the mountain and reported to
Speaker 1: the people's words to his God. The clouds surrounded him
Speaker 1: and the wind tugged at his rope. He shouted over
Speaker 1: the howling storm, arms outstretched.
Speaker 2: Lord Mostai, the people have an answer.
Speaker 7: They have chosen to follow you.
Speaker 2: They have chosen to worship you, and you alone.
Speaker 4: Good. Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow.
Speaker 4: They must wash their clothes and be prepared by the
Speaker 4: third day, for on the third day I will come
Speaker 4: down on this mountain in the sight of all the people.
Speaker 4: Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain, and
Speaker 4: say be careful that they don't go up on the
Speaker 4: mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain
Speaker 4: must be put to death. No hand may touch the offender. Instead,
Speaker 4: he will be stolen or shot with arrows, they may
Speaker 4: go upon the mountain. When the sofar sounds a long
Speaker 4: blast for.
Speaker 1: The second time in twenty four hours, Moses hurried down
Speaker 1: the mountain to convey the words of his God. He
Speaker 1: could not believe it. They were to see their God
Speaker 1: descend upon the very mountain he was climbing down. They
Speaker 1: were to purify themselves to prepare for his arrival. He
Speaker 1: wondered at the severity of the punishment for encroaching on
Speaker 1: the holiness of the ground their God would touch. He
Speaker 1: would need to be very clear with his people. He
Speaker 1: did not want them to be confused or ignorant of
Speaker 1: their God's instructions. He would not have anything terrible before
Speaker 1: them on his watch. Mere hours later, he again stood
Speaker 1: before the people and their representatives and told them what
Speaker 1: would unfold in three days time.
Speaker 2: You are to consecrate yourselves to prepare for our God's arrival.
Speaker 2: I will go out with my elders now and mark
Speaker 2: the boundaries at the foot of the mountain. Remember it
Speaker 2: is critical that you prepare yourselves and obey these guidelines.
Speaker 2: The penalty for disobedience is death. Hold fast, for in
Speaker 2: three days we will behold our God.
Speaker 1: The crowd let up a mighty cheer at Moses' words.
Speaker 1: His heart swelled with pride. Since Jethro's departure, leading the
Speaker 1: people had become more manageable, and now they were entering
Speaker 1: into a formal treaty with their God. They were inching
Speaker 1: closer and closer to possessing the land they had been promised.
Speaker 1: They were being formed into the prophesied nation. Moses set
Speaker 1: off to mark the boundaries by the mountain with Aaron
Speaker 1: and his sons Nadab and abayi Whu, who they were
Speaker 1: training up to be elders. On the way out of camp,
Speaker 1: Miriam sent her son where to join them, for favoritism
Speaker 1: being shown to Aaron's sons could not stand in her eyes.
Speaker 1: Moses also saw Ho sheer as they departed, and had
Speaker 1: him join them as well. He wanted the younger men
Speaker 1: to be trained up and to learn from the elders
Speaker 1: as their nation was getting more established. A crack of
Speaker 1: lightning splattered across the sky far above MOSE's tent, illuminating
Speaker 1: his sleeping quarters for an instant before returning it to
Speaker 1: the gray of early morning. A clap of thunder sounded
Speaker 1: right on its heels, Moses's eyes shot open.
Speaker 4: He frowned.
Speaker 1: The sky had been perfectly clear the day before. He
Speaker 1: rubbed the sleep from his eyes and suddenly remembered that
Speaker 1: it was the morning of the third day. He sprang
Speaker 1: to his feet and peered out of his tent. Sure enough,
Speaker 1: a thick cloud gathered above the mountain. It was as
Speaker 1: if every cloud that would have been in the sky
Speaker 1: had been pulled into the mountain. The skies in all
Speaker 1: directions were empty. It was as if the mount was
Speaker 1: determined to be the focal point of all their natural
Speaker 1: wonders in the surrounding wilderness. It was not raining, but
Speaker 1: the electricity from the lightning building within the clouds could
Speaker 1: not be contained. The crackling light illuminated the clouds over
Speaker 1: and over again, as a deep rumble of thunder reverberated
Speaker 1: down the steep slopes of the mountain. Moses hurriedly dressed himself,
Speaker 1: donning his cloak, and snatched up his staff. As he
Speaker 1: strode out of his tent and through the camp, he
Speaker 1: saw people beginning to stir and gather outside their tents,
Speaker 1: eyes fixed on the clouds above. Miriam stared up at
Speaker 1: the clouds, perched on the mount above. As she jogged
Speaker 1: through camp searching for Moses, she felt humbled by what
Speaker 1: stood before them. Aaron trotted alongside her, uncharacteristically silent, but
Speaker 1: equally awe his mouth hung open as they hurried along.
Speaker 1: Whenever she thought their God could no longer surprise her,
Speaker 1: she was surprised again. Even when she knew what was coming.
Speaker 1: The very laws of nature were bent and twisted before
Speaker 1: God's will. They stopped before Moses, who was already stationed
Speaker 1: at the edge of camp, waited for what would come
Speaker 1: next without looking at them, eyes fixed high above, who
Speaker 1: spoke to his older siblings.
Speaker 2: Are all our elders in place to monitor the boundaries
Speaker 2: when we are called.
Speaker 7: Out, Yes, we are as prepared as possible.
Speaker 1: Aaron spoke at last, and had managed to sneak a
Speaker 1: smile onto his broad face. The drawer of his easy
Speaker 1: charisma drew the other siblings gazed towards him. They grinned
Speaker 1: at one another for a moment before turning their gaze
Speaker 1: back to the mountain. Just then, the unmistakable sound of
Speaker 1: Ram's horns rang out from the heights of the mountain
Speaker 1: to every corner of their camp. Miriam could not fathom
Speaker 1: where the sound came from, but this was their sign
Speaker 1: that they were moving out. Moses turned to the two
Speaker 1: of them and nodded. Miriam and Aaron nodded back in unison,
Speaker 1: and the three of them led the Israelites out to
Speaker 1: meet their God. The ringing of the shofars resounded through
Speaker 1: the camp, and Hoshia could feel the echoes pulsate in
Speaker 1: his skar. The sound enveloped him and the others as
Speaker 1: Moses marched them out of camp toward the mountain. Hoshia
Speaker 1: still couldn't believe Moses appointed him to lead his tribe
Speaker 1: to their designated boundary to wait for their God. His
Speaker 1: tribe leader still led them, but Hoshia insured no one
Speaker 1: stepped over the line or got into danger. Moses had
Speaker 1: made it clear that no mercy would be shown to
Speaker 1: anyone who disobeyed, and Hoshia could not imagine failing Moses
Speaker 1: or violating the instructions of their God. He threw back
Speaker 1: his shoulders and straightened his spine as he walked alongside
Speaker 1: his tribal leader at the head of their column toward
Speaker 1: the mountain, the trumpets still ringing in his ears. The
Speaker 1: people in Hoshia's column shuddered at the noise, in either
Speaker 1: anticipation or fear, perhaps both. Hoshier offered them a confident
Speaker 1: smile and an encouraging nod as he gestured for them
Speaker 1: to follow him toward the foot of the mountain. Nadab
Speaker 1: and Abye who Aaron's sons stood at the boundary they
Speaker 1: had set days before, tasked with keeping the people back
Speaker 1: until whatever was going to happen happened. Hoor Miriam's son
Speaker 1: led his column with a dutiful, obedient stance. Nad Ab
Speaker 1: smirked and pointed it out to a bay who who
Speaker 1: let out a chortal subtle yet sharp enough for her
Speaker 1: to catch, who frowned, murmured to his neighbor and made
Speaker 1: his way over to confront his cousins.
Speaker 7: What is it, cousin?
Speaker 2: You heard Moses's commands left your post.
Speaker 5: Of you only to make sure you two are staying
Speaker 5: in line.
Speaker 7: Well, now that you're here, inspect away anything amiss?
Speaker 4: Are we not following orders to the letter?
Speaker 7: You are, but as always you seem to lack the
Speaker 7: gravity of your responsibilities.
Speaker 4: Then back to your boundary, cousin, or I might throw
Speaker 4: the same accusation at you.
Speaker 1: Nadab sneered at his cousin's back as he retreated back
Speaker 1: to the head of his column, and Aby, who snickered.
Speaker 1: His laugh was cut short as the ringing of the
Speaker 1: trumpets intensified, drowning out all other noise. The clouds above
Speaker 1: the mountain suddenly turned to an inky, black smoke. Nai
Speaker 1: Dab glimpsed pure and unrelenting flames descending on the mountain,
Speaker 1: the clouds from the heavens. The heat of the fire
Speaker 1: caused thick plumes of smoke to billow out and consume
Speaker 1: the clouds. The fire poured downward toward the top of
Speaker 1: the mountain, and when it finally met stone and rock,
Speaker 1: the mountain shook violently. So great was the impact that
Speaker 1: Nadab stumbled forward toes, almost grazing the boundary line before him.
Speaker 1: In horror, he yanked his feet back and slipped into
Speaker 1: his brother. The people around him didn't fare much better.
Speaker 1: The ground beneath their feet rolled in aftershock waves in
Speaker 1: response to the rumbling mountain. Nadab hadn't experienced anything quite
Speaker 1: like this. It was terrible and wondrous to behold. Smoke
Speaker 1: stung his eyes and coated his throat. He blinked and
Speaker 1: looked around, seeing soot and ash falling like snow on
Speaker 1: the Israelites. He then looked up and gasped. The sky
Speaker 1: was blotted out in darkness. Moses had been thrown to
Speaker 1: the ground like everyone else had, and his knees stung
Speaker 1: from the impact. Aaron was up faster than he was
Speaker 1: and haled him to his feet. A deep roll of
Speaker 1: thunder boomed from the column of smoke, and the mountain
Speaker 1: shuddered again.
Speaker 4: It screws.
Speaker 1: A look of unverbalized concern danced across Ann's face as
Speaker 1: they struggled to regain footing, but Moses took a step
Speaker 1: forward toward the foot of the mountain. His feet were
Speaker 1: still within the boundaries, but he stood on the edge,
Speaker 1: staff in hand, ready for what would come next. The
Speaker 1: shofars were roaring so loud that the sound was still climbing.
Speaker 1: He could barely hear himself think that. He could feel
Speaker 1: his heart pounding in his chest. It was thumping against
Speaker 1: his rim cage as adrenaline course through his body. Moses
Speaker 1: coughed and tried to lodge the soot from his throat
Speaker 1: so he could speak.
Speaker 2: My God, you are the god of our.
Speaker 5: Fathers of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the one who has
Speaker 5: brought us from our misery. Your servants and your people
Speaker 5: stand before you.
Speaker 4: Moses, my servant, come to me on the mountain.
Speaker 1: And so Moses took one step, another and another across
Speaker 1: the boundary line into the darkness that was gathered on
Speaker 1: the mountain, and stretching into the sky above, he began
Speaker 1: his climb.
Speaker 3: Wow. Hearing the thunder and feeling the earth tremble as
Speaker 3: the voice of God descended upon Mount Sinai, I'm left speechless.
Speaker 3: How can someone even describe the fear and the wonder
Speaker 3: of standing at the foot of the mountain knowing that
Speaker 3: God himself is about to speak. It's more than a
Speaker 3: story counter with the divine that transcends time, and it
Speaker 3: makes me reflect on our own readiness to hear God's
Speaker 3: voice today? Are we prepared to tremble in awe and humility?
Speaker 3: As the Israelites stood before the mountain, they faced the
Speaker 3: reality of a holy, powerful, loving God. Their experience is
Speaker 3: a reminder to all of us of the sacred covenant
Speaker 3: that we are part of and the divine words that
Speaker 3: guide our lives as the Chosen people. One of the
Speaker 3: Fellowship's main ministries, and one we have been doing for
Speaker 3: many decades is our Alia program. Alia is the Hebrew
Speaker 3: word that we use for immigrating to Israel. The in
Speaker 3: gathering of the Jewish people from all four corners of
Speaker 3: the earth is called Alia. So when a Jewish person
Speaker 3: moves to their biblical homeland of Israel, they are making Alia.
Speaker 3: When my father Abbe riol Ekstin of Blessed Memory began
Speaker 3: the Fellowship's the app program, he gave it a biblical name.
Speaker 3: He called it on Eagle's Wings. But this beautiful name
Speaker 3: is more than just a poetic imagery. It's a testament
Speaker 3: to the way God brings Jews home to Israel. One
Speaker 3: of the most incredible privileges that I've had while working
Speaker 3: at the Fellowship is welcoming Alia flights from Ethiopia. These
Speaker 3: Jewish Ethiopian immigrants are part of the once lost tribe
Speaker 3: of Dan. Could you imagine that for two thousand years
Speaker 3: they were lost and exiled and now they're found in Ethiopia,
Speaker 3: and it's Christians who are helping them make Aliah to
Speaker 3: move back to Israel, to their biblical homeland. Seeing them
Speaker 3: arrive in Israel, tears streaming down their faces. Is nothing
Speaker 3: short of miraculous that as I departed the plane with
Speaker 3: them in Israel, God's promise from Isaiah to bring his
Speaker 3: people back from all four corners of the earth was
Speaker 3: unfolding right before my eyes. I looked up to the heavens,
Speaker 3: and I said, Lord, this is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
Speaker 3: And in the passage that inspired today's episode, the Bible
Speaker 3: tells us quote, I carried you on eagle's wings and
Speaker 3: brought you to myself. Isn't that beautiful? But the Jewish
Speaker 3: ages teach us something profound about this verse two. Most
Speaker 3: birds carry their young in their claws. They fear the
Speaker 3: predators above, so they carry their babies under their stomach.
Speaker 3: But the eagle, it flies higher than any other bird.
Speaker 3: It places its young on its wings. It shields them
Speaker 3: from all harm. Just like an eagle. God protects us,
Speaker 3: the Chosen People, from danger, and no one flies higher
Speaker 3: than God. We are safe in His embrace. The new
Speaker 3: immigrants ole in Hebrew inspire me. These people escaped poverty
Speaker 3: and anti Semitism and are now living freely in their
Speaker 3: Jewish homeland. These people called to become part of the
Speaker 3: nation of Israel are the same people that we read
Speaker 3: about in the Bible every day. This same chapter of
Speaker 3: Exodus is something else for the people of Israel to learn,
Speaker 3: for all of us, as the Chosen People, to learn.
Speaker 3: Just two verses later, God tells Israel, quote, you will
Speaker 3: be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Speaker 3: This isn't just a title, my friends, this is a mission.
Speaker 3: We are called to be a kingdom of priests. Our
Speaker 3: role is to help the world draw closer to God.
Speaker 3: We guide, we teach, we exemplify. We are the Chosen People,
Speaker 3: carrying the light of God's word, the Torah, to all
Speaker 3: corners of the earth. We've spent this episode discussing the
Speaker 3: Chosen People, but I'd like to close by looking at
Speaker 3: their leader, at Moses. As Moses assembled the people, the
Speaker 3: Bible tells us then Moses led the people out of
Speaker 3: the camp to meet with God, and they stood at
Speaker 3: the foot of the mountain. The great Jewish commentator Rashi
Speaker 3: has a beautiful teaching about this verse verse seventeen. Rashi says,
Speaker 3: unlike the common practice in which the monarch comes after
Speaker 3: the people have gathered to greet him, here we see
Speaker 3: that God came to Mount Sinai and waited for Israel,
Speaker 3: such as his love for his treasured nation. I think
Speaker 3: about that and I say, wow, what a humbling statement.
Speaker 3: It's when I think about almost every day that God
Speaker 3: loves us so much that he waited for us to
Speaker 3: come to his mountain to give us the Torah. So
Speaker 3: isn't it our duty then to fulfill his mission for
Speaker 3: us as the Chosen People? Thinking about this renews my
Speaker 3: energy as I lead the fellowship, and it inspires me
Speaker 3: to feed more hungry people, to visit more lonely elderly,
Speaker 3: to bring greater security to Israel, and to bring even
Speaker 3: more people on eagle's wings home to the Holy Land.
Speaker 3: And all of this goes back to Mount Sinai, when
Speaker 3: God gave the Chosen People our mission, which is a
Speaker 3: mission we all still carry out today.
Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle Eckstein
Speaker 1: add free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot
Speaker 1: Com app today. This Prey dot Com production is only
Speaker 1: made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabager and Ben Gammon are the executive
Speaker 1: producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Speaker 1: so l Via Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced
Speaker 1: by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by
Speaker 1: Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier,
Speaker 1: Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team
Speaker 1: at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear
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Speaker 1: If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please
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