Starting with Gen. 12: we have the inception of the special nation, separated and

called to a higher glory than any other nation on the earth. When this people was

redeemed from Egypt the Lord said to them, "Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice

indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure (s'gullah) 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" (Exod. 19: 5, 6). No other nation has ever had such a calling or such

a title. Deut. 14: 2 reads, "the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar (s'gullah) people

unto Himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth." Again, in Deut. 26: 18 we

read, "The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be His peculiar (s'gullah) people. . . . to

make thee high above all nations. . . ." In Psa. 135: 4 we read, "The Lord hath

chosen. . . . Israel for His peculiar treasure (s'gullah)." In Mal. 3: 17 we read, "And

they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels"

(s'gullah). The "jewels," or peculiar treasure, represent the whole nation of Israel,

secured in their position of final blessing by the unchanging love of God (Mal. 3: 10).

But in the day of Israel's blessing one jewel brighter than the rest will be seen--the

remnant of faithful ones during the days of Israel's sin and apostasy. This will be

considered under the parable of the One Pearl. Psa. 83: 3, 4 supplies another name

for Israel, "Thy hidden ones," which should be considered in this connection.

The next item to notice is the statement, "Which a man finding, hid." The hidden

treasure is hidden again until the day when the treasure is claimed. When the Lord Jesus

came to this world He limited His ministry to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; He

came to seek and to save that which was lost. Israel could never qualify under law to be

the treasure; they must be redeemed. They will never be a kingdom of priests by virtue

of their own deeds, but solely upon the basis of redemption (cf. Rev. 1:).  Up till

Matt. 16: the Lord had not spoken of His death, but in verses 20 & 21 He hides the

treasure, and declares the great price which He is about to pay for its redemption. That

death on the cross secured the treasure and the field. There the Lord Jesus gave His all.

In Luke 19: 11-27 we have further light upon this hiding of the treasure. Lest any

should think by His words that the kingdom was to be set up at once, the Lord said, "A

certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return."

Thus the second hiding of the treasure is symbolical of the abeyance of the kingdom.

The day of manifestation is coming when the words will resound, "The kingdoms of this

world are become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign unto the

ages of the ages" (Rev. 11: 15). This parable declares that in spite of all opposition God's

purpose for Israel and the kingdom will be fulfilled. This would comfort the hearts of the

disciples. They would see how irresistible is the purpose of Him, Who worketh all things

after the counsel of His own will.

Thus has God declared His answer to the evil one. He had hidden his leaven, but the

Lord had hidden His treasure. Soon the day will come when the Lord will remove the

stain of sin and the corruption of the enemy: soon He will come to make up His jewels,

and then shall Israel be a glorious diadem in the hand of their God.