THIS PRECIOUS ISRAEL (1)

“They are God’s people; he made them his children and revealed his glory to them. He made his covenants with them and gave them the Law. They have the true worship; they have received God’s promises. They are descended from the famous Hebrew ancestors; and Christ, as a human being, belongs to their race. May God, who rules over all, be praised forever! Amen.” Romans 9:4–5

Whenever I hear or read about Israel, many questions and challenging thoughts run through my mind. Over the years, I have raised some of these questions with pastors and lovers of Israel concerning God’s special dealings with this people.

Why did God choose Israel?

Why is the history of the world, especially the story of mankind’s salvation, so closely connected to Israel?

Why has Israel survived through so many conflicts and threats from nations throughout history?

Will God eventually save all Israelites?

Why did God allow Israel to suffer at the hands of powerful and often sinful nations, yet repeatedly deliver them and judge those who oppressed them?

How can we begin to understand or measure the depth of God’s love and covenant relationship with Israel?

I will attempt to address some of these questions in our subsequent discussions. Some may remain unanswered, and others may require careful theological consideration. I am not attempting here to present a comprehensive theological proposition. Rather, I want to use Scripture, reflection, and practical reasoning to explore what we, as believers, can learn from this remarkable people and from God’s dealings with them.

Let us begin here:

“Do this because you belong to the LORD your God. From all the peoples on earth he chose you to be his own special people. The LORD did not love you and choose you because you outnumbered other peoples; you were the smallest nation on earth. But the LORD loved you and wanted to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors. That is why he saved you by his great might and set you free from slavery to the king of Egypt.”

Deuteronomy 7:6–8

Israel’s election was not because they were the strongest, largest, or most impressive nation. Scripture points us to God’s love and His faithfulness to His covenant.

God’s relationship with Israel did not begin with the generation that came out of Egypt. It reaches back to Abraham, and through Isaac and Jacob, God continued to establish His covenant purposes.

The first lesson, therefore, is the supremacy of God’s grace and covenant faithfulness.

But this raises another question: What did God see in Abraham?

Why did God call him, enter into covenant with him, and make him a significant instrument in His redemptive plan?

Certainly, God’s love is rooted in His own character and grace. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Yet Scripture also shows that genuine relationship with God produces a response of faith and obedience.

Abraham’s response to God’s call was remarkable. Again and again, when God spoke, Abraham responded.

God called him to leave his country, relatives, and father’s household—and he went.

God tested him concerning Isaac—and Abraham obeyed.

Even when he did not understand everything God was doing, he continued to trust the God who had spoken.

Abraham had questions, but his questions did not become excuses for disobedience. He did not understand everything, but he trusted the One who understood everything.

Think about the waiting.

Abraham waited many years for the fulfilment of God’s promise concerning Isaac. The waiting was long enough to test his faith, patience, and confidence in God's word. There was even a moment when human pressure and impatience produced Ishmael.

Yet the story reminds us that God’s promise does not become invalid because its fulfilment takes longer than we expected.

Abraham’s life teaches us something important: faith is not merely believing God can do something; it is continuing to trust Him when He has not yet done it.

Can you wait that long without murmuring?

Can you continue believing when circumstances seem to contradict the promise?

Can you obey when you do not have all the answers?

Can you remain faithful when God's timing is different from yours?

Perhaps this is one of the lessons we should carefully consider as we study Israel. Before we focus only on the privileges of God's chosen people, we should examine the faith, obedience, covenant, discipline, failures, restoration, and purposes of God revealed through their history.

Israel’s story is not merely a story about a nation. It is also a story about God—His faithfulness, His holiness, His mercy, His patience, His promises, and His sovereign purposes.

As we continue exploring why God chose Israel and what we can learn from His dealings with them, perhaps we will discover that the greater question is not simply, “Why did God choose Israel?”

It may also be:

“What kind of people does God desire to form through His love, covenant, discipline, and grace?”

And perhaps an even more personal question awaits each of us:

If God has shown me such mercy and called me to Himself, how faithfully am I responding to Him?

Remember, brethren:

“If we continue to endure, we shall also rule with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. If we are not faithful, he remains faithful, because he cannot be false to himself.”

2 Timothy 2:12–13

God’s faithfulness should never become an excuse for our unfaithfulness. His grace calls us to respond, His promises call us to trust, and His love calls us to obedience.

The story of Israel should therefore not only make us ask what God has done for them. It should make us look inward and ask:

What am I doing with what God has entrusted to me?

Am I responding promptly to His voice, trusting Him in the waiting, and remaining faithful when obedience becomes costly?

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Peter Abdul-Razaq, OLAYINKA 

A Serving Missionary — Living Grace Christian Missions, Ilara

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