The selection of Israel.
"Peculiar treasure" is a special covenant-name for Israel (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6). As used in the Scripture, "election" is not a theological term. It is not what it has been made, a doctrinal term, on which a sectarian system can be based. It stands for a fact or method of Divine dealing. It does not apply exclusively to any one thing, or any one people. God is always working in this way, electing, or selecting, the best agencies for carrying out his various purposes, now of wisdom and mercy, now of judgment and destruction. It is a poetic setting, and a comfortable self-glorifying, for the psalmist to speak of Jehovah as having "chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure." The sober fact is that this particular nation was selected to carry out a particular Divine mission in the world; and it would have done better if it had thought more of its responsibility, and less of its privilege. Dr. T. Arnold wrote of Rome, Athens, and Jerusalem as representing the three people of God's election—two for things temporal, and one for things eternal. Since his time we have learned to extend his thought, and to see in every nation a distinct Divine election to some ministry for the blessing of the whole of humanity. To us the election of Israel is no more than a representative and suggestive election.
I. IF WE TAKE THE TERM "ELECTION," WE THINK OF A PRIVILEGE. The old Jews did this, regarding themselves as a petted nation, standing in the favor of God in an altogether unique manner. Consequently, they presumed on their privilege, and let it encourage self-pleasing. Those do it in modern times who make the sovereignty of their election the foundation of their religious hope. Antinomian presumptions always attend on the conception of God's election as privilege. Frail man easily turns privilege into favoritism.
II. IF WE TAKE THE TERM "SELECTION," WE THINK OF DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY. And this is in every way healthier for us. God wants co-workers, agents in the sense-spheres, the human spheres; and he is always looking for such, always selecting such, always separating such. It is indeed an honor unspeakable to be selected; but if we think of ourselves as such, we almost forget the honor and the privilege, because we are so fully urged to noble endeavor by the burden of our responsibility.—R.T.