Why did God choose Israel?

Before we delve into the Bible texts, let’s clarify one concept. At times, when we discuss "the chosen", I fear we convey a sense of discrimination, where one is offered privileges and another isn’t. In the Bible, it is not exactly as in our human, sin-tainted world. In the Bible, God calls everyone to salvation. Unfortunately, not everybody answers the call. However, God still loves them all. That is when He chooses someone specifically. What for? Believe it or not, it is not for material privileges, or special protection or blessing, but for a mission: to share God’s calling with those who rejected or dismissed it first! Of course, keeping in line with God’s plan will bring blessing, protection, and a better life. But, on the other hand, rejecting God after you’ve been called as a messenger comes with even harder repercussions on the one "chosen." Please keep in mind that

God’s calling to one is not at another’s loss or disadvantage. It is a call to be a light, a blessing, a model, to make your neighbour's life better.

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses reflected on God’s interventions and calling made to Israel:

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. 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 ancestors 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.” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

Being a blessing

You may remember that God’s calling to Abraham included two things. First, it was a promise that Abraham and his descendants would be a blessing. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. . . . and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3). Once again, it is not a private blessing to some only, but a blessing to be overflowing to others as well.

Second, God knew He could count on Abraham when He said: “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” (Genesis 18:18-19)

Abraham’s descendants were given a mission: to share the good news with the world, to become a blessing for all. How was this to unfold? Imagine pagan nations learning about Israel’s welfare, then coming closer to understand God’s ways and replicate them in their territories. Moses prophesied it, and the Queen of Sheba fulfilled it. Moses reflected on it:

“See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” (Deuteronomy 4:5-7)

A testimony from the Queen of Sheba

Such a blessed testimony was the one given by the Queen of Sheba:

“When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan — with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones — she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

She said to the king, ‘The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness’.” (1 Kings 10:1-9)

God made the promise, and He fulfilled it time and time again as we can see in the stories of Joseph, Ezra and Nehemiah, Esther, Mordecai, Daniel and his friends, all interacting with people from different nations, non-Jews.

Salvation is from the Jews

Jesus Himself confirmed to a Samaritan woman that “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22). Evidently, it was about Him, as He was the salvation promised.

Apostle Paul details that it is again not something intrinsic in one nation, but rather something given to them to be shared with others as long as they kept the faith and followed God. Talking about “the people of Israel,” he said:

“Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!” (Romans 9:4-5).

What if the "chosen" ones reject their own calling?

When the leaders and the multitudes of Jews rejected Christ, their situation was illustrated by Jesus in different symbols: the metaphor of the cursed fig tree (Matthew 21:18-19), the parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14), and even the metaphor of a desolate house (Matthew 23:37-38). Those faithful kept following God amidst all the persecution (the first generation of believers). And yet, having in mind a world wide approach, what will God do when His own remnant people don’t want to carry on the mission of their calling? He calls others, even former pagans. A beautiful example is the story of redemption taking place in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10). Reflecting on that, the apostle Peter confirms:

“God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them [non-Jews] by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us [Jews]. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:8-9)

In the same chapter, the other apostle, James, talks about “how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles” (verse 14). And he continues affirming that such a plan is not an afterthought but rather God’s plan all the way through:

“The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ — things known from long ago.” (Acts 15:14-18)

Chosen to bear fruit

In closing, when one thinks of God’s calling — that is, to be "chosen" — it is for a purpose, with a goal in mind, as part of a blessed mission to share to others the good news of God's salvation. As Jesus said to His own apostles:

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last” (John 15:16).

Do you have any questions?
Feel free to get in touch and we'll come back to you with an answer.