God's Treasure

Malachai wrote:

Then those fearing Jehovah spoke together, each man to his neighbor. And Jehovah listened and heard. And a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared Jehovah, and for those esteeming His name. And they shall be Mine, says Jehovah of Hosts, for the day that I will make up My treasure. And I will pity them as a man has pity on his son who serves him. Then you shall again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God, and him who does not serve Him.

For behold, the day is coming, burning like a fire pot; and all the proud, and every doer of wickedness, shall be chaff. And the coming day will set them ablaze, says Jehovah of Hosts, which will not leave root or branches to them. But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise, and healing will be on His wings. And you shall go out and frisk like calves of the stall. And you shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day which I am preparing, says Jehovah of Hosts. Remember the Law of Moses My servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, the statutes and judgments. Behold, I am sending you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Jehovah. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to their fathers, that I not come and strike the earth with utter destruction.

This passage is seldom realized as a rapture reference, but it is. It is important to see God's plan for this age - how things culminate.

H5459

segu^lla^h

seg-ool-law'

Feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to shut up; wealth (as closely shut up): - jewel, peculiar (treasure), proper good, special.

The word above, segullah, is the Hebrew word from which we obtain the phrase "My treasure", or "jewels", or best yet "peculiar treasure".

The beauty of E-sword is that you can take a Strong's number - H5459 - and do a search on it in the KJV+ translation. This reveals every instance this word is used in the Hebrew. Let's examine some of these instances:

Exo 19:5 MKJV

(5) And now if you will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure to Me above all the nations; for all the earth is Mine.

Deu 7:6 MKJV

(6) For you are a holy people to Jehovah your God. Jehovah your God has chosen you to be a special people to Himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Deu 14:2 MKJV

(2) For you are a holy people to Jehovah your God, and Jehovah has chosen you to be a peculiar people to Himself, above all the nations that are on the earth.

Deu 26:18 MKJV

(18) And Jehovah has taken you today to be His peculiar people, as He has promised you, and to keep all His commandments,

Psa 135:4 MKJV

(4) For Jehovah has chosen Jacob to Himself, and Israel for His peculiar treasure.

Okay, now lets shift to the Greek of the New Testament.

G4047

περιποίησις

peripoiēsis

per-ee-poy'-ay-sis

From G4046; acquisition (the act or the thing); by extension preservation: - obtain (-ing), peculiar, purchased, possession, saving.

The word is 'periousios', and the meaning is the same.

Tit 2:14 MKJV

(14) who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to Himself a special people, zealous of good works.

1Pe 2:9 KJV

(9) But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

To summarize what I take away from this passage:

God always intended to have a people all to Himself – a people He chose. It started out being Adam and Eve. One might think they failed Him and He went to plan B, but from the beginning plan B was the only plan. God desired to tabernacle with Adam and Eve and their family, but they created an atmosphere He couldn’t live in (nor could they). God expanded His plan. Exodus has Him tabernacling with a new people – yet another chosen people – Israel. Again, this was a people, not unlike us, who didn’t know exactly how to live with Him in their midst. So God expanded His plan again. Titus and Peter write of this same peculiar nation – a nation with God’s heart. Yet these are those who allow Him to tabernacle within them. These are a purchased people – a praising people – a people of light. All who call upon the name of the Lord can be a citizen of this nation. They make up His ‘treasure’.

Notice the redemptive intent of our Creator. Even though we continually ruined the environment of communion, He never disqualified anyone from again coming to Him. He expanded the invitation each time. Yes the road is narrow, but open to all.

A nation who possesses the heart of God… will be gathered up (asah) before a time that burns like a firepot. This holy nation will be spared as a father spares his son in order to show the world the difference between the righteous and the wicked. We know that during this time, Elijah will be sent to again foster a love in people – a love of restoration and redemption.