Why did God select the Israelites as His “chosen”?

The Chosen People/The Select

God stated to Israel, “The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands” (Deuteronomy 7:7-9).

God’s Covenant With Abraham

The Bible teaches that the Israelites were descendants of Abraham. In his time, Abraham was a rare and faithful follower of the One true God. Because of Abraham’s love and obedience to God, he and his descendants were chosen as God’s special people (Genesis 12:1, 2). They were later called the Israelites and were to carry His truth and knowledge to the whole world (v. 3). Their message of the true God was even to reach the heathen (1 Chronicles 16:13-26). God’s purpose was for Israel to be a distinct people, a nation that pointed others towards God and His promised provision of the Redeemer and Savior (Exodus 19:6, Deuteronomy 14:2, Isaiah 9:6, 8).

Although Abraham was promised to be the father of this great nation, he and his wife, Sarah, were without children until she was well past her childbearing years (Genesis 18:11). God came to Abraham and promised him a child through his wife Sarah when he was a hundred and Sarah was 90 years old (Genesis 17:15-17, 19). Despite the seemingly impossible circumstances, God miraculously gave them a son named Isaac, thus beginning the seed of Abraham.

Abraham’s Seed

While God promised Abraham a great nation through his seed, He also warned of trials to come. After promising Abraham a child in his old age, God informed him that his lineage would suffer under bondage in a foreign land (Genesis 15:13). This prophecy was fulfilled generations later when his son Isaac begat Jacob and Esau. Jacob’s name was later changed to Israel, which is where the name of Israel originated. Jacob, or Israel, had 12 sons, one of whom was Joseph.

Although Joseph was despised by his brothers and sold as a slave, he later became a ruler in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:39-40). Joseph forgave his brothers, and his entire family moved to Egypt (Genesis 45:4-15, 46:1-7). In time, Israel’s descendants became so numerous that the Egyptians feared they would take over (Exodus 1:8-11).

Thus, it was in Egypt that the prophecy was fulfilled, as Abraham’s lineage, known as Israel, was held in bondage for hundreds of years. “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them” (Exodus 2:24-25).

The Lord miraculously delivered His people out of Egypt and set them free from bondage (Exodus 6:6). He led them to the Promised Land of Canaan (Joshua 21:43), where He established them as a great nation (2 Samuel 7:16).

Israel’s Rebellion

Over time, the nation of Israel fell into deep apostasy and rebellion against God. Much of the Old Testament consists of warnings to Israel’s kings to turn away from sin and idolatry. Moses had cautioned the nation of Israel at its inception that there would be serious consequences for rebellion (Leviticus 26).

God desired His people to serve Him from their hearts, promising them blessings. “O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29). Sadly, almost as quickly as they became a nation, Israel began its rebellion.

The book of Judges recounts much of Israel’s early history, illustrating how their rebellion led to God’s judgment upon them. Whenever Israel cried out for help, God would deliver them. This cycle of rebellion and deliverance became a pattern for the nation, with their sins worsening over time.

Israel eventually appointed kings, which led them into even greater sin. They became so rebellious and idolatrous that many followed the practices of Molech and Baal, false gods that required child sacrifices (Jeremiah 32:35). This idolatry resulted in God’s judgment, leading to the first destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity.

After Exile

The nation of Israel was taken captive into Babylon for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11). During this time, only a few faithful from Israel continued to serve God in this foreign land. One notable figure was Daniel, who served God in the courts of Babylon and shared the truth of the God of heaven with the king. Through Daniel’s prayers for forgiveness for Israel, God revealed the future of Israel to him (Daniel 9).

After the 70 years, a group of Jews was allowed to return to Jerusalem by the decree of the Persian King Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:7). From that time, Israel was called to rebuild the temple and the city of Jerusalem. The nation was then prepared for the coming Messiah, transitioning from extreme apostasy to superficial religious zeal.

Shortly before the coming of Christ, the nation of Israel became occupied by the Romans. As they awaited the Messiah, they sought a conquering king to free them from Roman oppression, but they overlooked the need for deliverance from sin.

From Literal to Spiritual Israel

When the nation of Israel crucified the Son of God and rejected Him as the Messiah, this marked the end of their physical lineage from Abraham. The promises and covenant of God to literal Israel were then transferred to spiritual Israel, which includes all believers in Jesus Christ. The Son of God told the leaders of Israel, “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (Matthew 21:43). After Christ’s death, Abraham’s seed became all who accept the Lord Jesus Christ, regardless of being Jews or Gentiles. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).

To the New Testament believers or spiritual Israel, the Lord declares, you are a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).

The apostle Peter emphasizes that the Lord has now entrusted the promises and responsibilities of the Jewish nation to the Christian Church, not as a national group, but as a people called from every country into one spiritual family (Galatians 3:28). The previous unique status of literal Israel has been transformed.