kingdom - an inheritance you can't deny [Scripture Mastery Times: Exodus 19:5-6]

This is a new Scripture Mastery scripture. Not saying I'd spent a lot of time thinking about the old ones, but I had to spend a little more time with this one, trying to decide why we chose to add this one to the collection:

5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 19:5–6)

Luckily I don't have to figure everything out by myself. I checked out the Basic Doctrines page and it helped me know that the basic doctrine we learn about in these verses is Covenants.

Covenants are great. I'm sure I am not the only one that has noticed the major emphasis on keeping our covenants lately? Well, perhaps only women will notice because the true push has been in the Women's Meetings. (Not that men shouldn't get great benefit from watching and reading messages toward the women. And on that note...)

In 1971, Joseph Fielding Smith addressed the Priesthood Session at General Conference and said the following:

When we join the Church and receive the priesthood, we are expected to forsake many of the ways of the world and live as becometh saints. We are no longer to dress or speak or act or even think as others too often do. Many in the world use tea, coffee, tobacco, and liquor, and are involved in the use of drugs. Many profane and are vulgar and indecent, immoral and unclean in their lives, but all these things should be foreign to us. We are the saints of the Most High. We hold the holy priesthood. 

To ancient Israel, by the mouth of Moses, the Lord said: “… if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:“And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” (Ex. 19:5–6.)

This promise is ours also. If we will walk in paths of virtue and holiness, the Lord will pour out his blessings upon us to a degree we have never supposed possible. We shall be in very deed, as Peter expressed it, “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.” (1 Pet. 2:9.) And we will be peculiar because we will not be like other people who do not live up to these standards. ("Our Responsibilities as Priesthood Holders," General Conference April 1971)

(I would like to thank scriptures.byu.edu for having my back on finding quotations based on scripture references.)

I really like the imagery of a peculiar treasure of a people, a holy nation, a kingdom of priests that worthily bless the lives of others. It makes me think of a small, shining bright spot in a world surrounded by gloom. When we live virtuous lives and keep the commandments, we stand out in an excellent way.

(And in return, we receive all the blessings of being the Lord's covenant people, which are pretty awesome.)