Deuteronomy 26:19
And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken. And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.
God promised to lift Israel high above every other nation He had made in praise and reputation and honor, and to set them apart as a holy people belonging to Himself as He had spoken. That exaltation rested on a mutual covenant in which they would own Him as their God by walking in His ways and keeping all His commandments and obeying His voice, and He would own them as His special treasured people. The standing was conditional on faithful obedience, for obedience would bring blessing and prosperity while disobedience would bring a curse, and keeping His law was to be their very life. He surrounded them with every privilege and advantage to form godly character, so that by health and strength and vigor and national prosperity they would glorify His wisdom and power and make His name known in a world of idolatry and be a blessing to surrounding nations. They forfeited that offered greatness by setting their hope on worldly power and turning to heathen ways despite warnings and chastisement, yet the same terms remain the conditions of all true prosperity for all of God's institutions and people.
Covenant Promise and Condition
God's purpose was to set Israel high above every other nation He had made, in praise and in renown and in honor, and to make them a holy people belonging to Himself, as He had spoken. Their commandment-keeping would exalt Him and make His name a praise, and He accepts those who work for His name's glory. This exalted standing was joined to Israel's commitment to acknowledge the Lord as their God.
The exaltation rested on a mutual covenant in which Israel avouched the Lord to be their God, to walk in His ways and keep His commandments and statutes and judgments and to hearken to His voice. On His part the Lord avouched them to be His peculiar and special people, a people who keep all His commandments. Those who serve Him faithfully and obey Him become His special people, displaying truth in their lives.
The promised standing was conditional on obedience and faithfulness. If Israel would walk in the ways of obedience in Canaan and keep the covenant, God would set them high above all nations in praise and in name and in honor. Obedience to God's commandments marks Israel as His holy people and sets them high among the nations He made, bringing them praise and renown and honor, for the law's principles are the people's life. To those who obey Him He gives special help and blessing.
The chapter sets forth the principles of God's kingdom, that obedience to His commandments brings prosperity and blessing, while disobedience brings a curse. The verse stands among the stated blessings of obedience, presenting the honor and distinction obedience brings and making Israel a holy people belonging to the Lord. It expresses God's continuing claim on those He has blessed.
Israel forfeited the offered exaltation by fixing its hopes on worldly greatness, departing from God's commandments for heathen ways, and falling into deeper apostasy. This persisted despite prophetic warnings and chastisement by oppression. God's purpose therefore could be worked out only through continued adversity and humiliation rather than through their honor and exaltation.
Purpose to Glorify God
God surrounded Israel with every facility and privilege needed to form godly character, so that they would become an honor to His name and a blessing to the nations around them. If they would walk in obedience in Canaan, He would set them high above all the nations in praise and in name and in honor. He gave them spiritual advantages and everything required to represent Him as a holy people honored among the nations. Obedience to His laws would display His wisdom and power, bring prosperity and vigor, preserve them from the diseases afflicting other nations, and make them a kingdom of priests and princes.
God accepted His covenant people and set them apart as holy to Himself in order that they might glorify His wisdom and majesty in a world of apostasy and idolatry. He raises obedient commandment-keepers above other nations in praise, renown, and honor, and their commandment keeping exalts Him and makes His name a praise. He is glorified when His commandment-keeping people make His name known, and He accepts those who work for His name's glory. Those who serve Him faithfully and keep His covenant and commandments become His special people, displaying truth in their lives.
Obedience would have made Israel marvels of prosperity before the nations, revealing His glory and majesty and power in all their prosperity. It would have preserved them from disease and blessed them with vigor of intellect, health, strength, intellectual vigor, prosperity, and national greatness. By following His instruction, including its principles for physical and moral health, they would have become a public example of health and prosperity. That exaltation as a holy people to Himself rested on a mutual covenant in which they acknowledged Him as their God to walk in His ways and keep His statutes, commandments, and judgments, and He acknowledged them as His peculiar people who keep all His commandments.
God intended to elevate and ennoble Israel and fit them for an honorable place among the nations and for important, sacred responsibilities. The hardships of the wilderness were part of that preparation, not a reason to forget the deliverance and goodness by which He was making them a great nation.
Application to God's People
Deuteronomy 26:19 sets forth the conditions of all true prosperity, conditions that every institution of God must comply with in order to fulfill the purpose of its establishment. The exaltation promised — to be made high above all nations made by God, in praise and in name and in honor, as a holy people unto Himself — was conditional upon a mutual covenant in which His people take Him to be their God to walk in His ways and keep His statutes and commandments and judgments, and He takes them to be His peculiar people who keep all His commandments. Obedience to the laws of God would make them marvels of prosperity before the nations, preserving them from disease, blessing them with vigor of intellect, and revealing His glory and majesty and power in all their prosperity. His covenant purpose remains to set His people above all nations in praise and renown and honor and to make them a holy people belonging to Him, giving special help and blessing to those who obey Him.
The chapter expresses the principles of His kingdom, that obedience to His commandments brings prosperity and blessing while disobedience brings a curse. When He specially favors His people, they are to acknowledge Him publicly, glorifying His name and testifying that His word is true. He has worked to place the Seventh-day Adventist people in this exalted position as a holy people belonging to Him and set above other nations. Therefore physicians are not to regard their talents or influence as reasons to separate from that people and pursue independent plans.
The honored standing of a people worthy of praise above those who transgress His law, made a holy people devoted to Him, is linked to guarding one another's interests. It is linked also to using entrusted resources and advantages to serve one another and to carrying out His work on earth. Their shared faithfulness and service bring praise to Him and open the way for Him to bless them with further temporal and spiritual advantages.