This verse serves as a summary statement for the entire section. 17:21). the purpose of proclaiming the gospel through publishing God chose the ancient Israelites because He had promised Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation and occupy the land of Canaan ( Genesis 12:3, 7; 17:4, 7-8; 22:17 ). For I am the Lord your God,The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;I have given Egypt as your ransom,Cush and Seba in your place. ONE FOR ISRAEL is an initiative of native-born Israelis on the forefront of high-tech media evangelism, proclaiming salvation to Israel, raising up spiritual leaders through ONE FOR ISRAELs Bible College and equipping them with the tools they need to transform our communities. . who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. God is described not only as Father but also as the one who has blessed believers. After his resurrection, Jesus has a conversation with Peter about his future. Both Jew and Gentile alike have been known to puzzle at this apparent favouritism. OK. Because of all this, because God has chosen Israel to do these things, He gave Israel every advantage; physically when they came out of Egypt, they were strong-bodied slave people. Why are the Jews God's Chosen People? FIRM Israel Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? The name YHWH, consisting of the sequence of consonants Yod, Heh, Waw, and Heh, is known as the tetragrammaton. Rom. Again, the result of Gods favor on his people that includes sealing with the Holy Spirit should lead to praise: to the praise of his glory (cf. 86 God's Purpose in Choosing Israel. 3:2, 9; Col. 1:25; 1 Tim. The answer: because it was His sovereign purpose to do so. In verse 6 Paul spoke of Gods glorious grace, and now he picks up the topic of grace once more, this time referring to the wealth or abundance of Gods grace (cf. GOD'S WORD Translation. It is only in Christ that believers enjoy the blessings described in this section. Through humanity itself. Learn more or donate today at, ESV Expository Commentary: EphesiansPhilemon (Volume 11). The Lord did not . 1. The main thrust of verses 1314 is, You were sealed with the Holy Spirit. Paul again reminds his readers to bless God because of the gift of the Holy Spirit, who not only indwells his people but also is the means by which they are sealed so as to guarantee that they will receive their promised inheritance. But as for you, O Jacob My servant, do not fear,Nor be dismayed, O Israel!For, see, I am going to save you from afar,And your descendants from the land of their captivity;And Jacob will return and be undisturbedAnd secure, with no one making him tremble. For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob,And He who formed you, O Israel,Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name; you are Mine! The result of hearing and believing was that the Ephesian Christians were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. When they heard the gospel and believed it, they were immediately sealed with the Holy Spirit. Mystery in Pauls writings refers to something once hidden but now disclosed, especially as it relates to Gods plan to unite all things (including Jews and Gentiles) into the one body of Christ (Rom. This verb highlights the abundant kindness of God in freely granting salvation to those who did not deserve it. . Shabbat shalom ! For less than $5/mo. He refers to Israel as his special treasure () and the apple of his eye ( ) among other tender and affectionate designations. The fact that we can be different but equally precious is a truth that the enemy is trying to hide. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. God wanted us all to have access to the scriptures the oracles of God as Paul calls them the precious words of God to the world. The existence of Israel today is exhibit A in the lineup of convincing evidences that the Bibles prophecies concerning the future ahead of us will be fulfilled. Deuteronomy 10:22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude. For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Israel is our concrete proof of this truth, and will continue to testify to the certainty of Gods word by being a living example of it. But now in MessiahYeshua, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.. I will make them walk by streams of waters. Compared to . It requires that we refuse to believe the lie that we are rejected or second best or that Gods grace and favour must be merited. . All those who have come to love the God of Israel and have been forgiven by Yeshua the Messiah have been brought into the commonwealth of Israel to share in Gods riches, and have been grafted into the chosen people. Israel was set apart to be an example to other nations . The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. A personal delivery. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org, and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the. But we need not worry; the right to the Promised Land has already been determined by the only One who has the authority to determine it. Why Did God Choose Israel? - ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry Col. 1:22). Why Did God Choose Israel Out Of All The Other Nations? The ceremony of circumcision for young boys is usually referred to as, Many psalms are labeled A Psalm of David, but one of the, Eid al-Adha literally means The Feast of the Sacrifice in Arabic. The fact that God is a covenant-keeping God is good news for everyone. It reveals the reality of GodHis overwhelming power, the authenticity of His promises, the certainty of His existence, the urgency of His call to us, and His claim on our very being. God chose the ancient Israelites because he had promised Abraham that their descendants would become a great nation and occupy the land of Canaan (Genesis 12: 3, 7; 17: 4, 7-8; 22:17). The redemption believers receive is then equated with the forgiveness of our trespasses. Forgiveness implies an offense requiring just punishment. Why God Chose the Jewish People | International Fellowship of Malachi 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Bless Jewish people with the essentials they need to survive. To abandon the land would be to repudiate the Bible. How should we live our lives in light of our identity in Christ? Another rabbi, Abraham Joshua Heschel, attributes the Jews strong connection with their land to the power of Gods covenant with Abraham to hold the Jewish people together throughout the ages with a common, bonding love for the land: The love of this land was due to an imperative, not an instinct, not to a sentiment. Our identity in the flesh does not give us preferential treatment or diminish our status before God. Jesus had to come from some nation of people, and God chose Israel. The realization of this intimate relationship is possible only through Jesus Christ (1:5); he alone provides access to the Father, because of his finished work on the cross. Although a corporate element is present, it would be inaccurate to claim that individuals are not in view. For behold, in those days and at that time. The reason is not merited by themselves, but God's reason is to bless all the nations on the earth. . You had the fewest of all people! Why is Israel special? | Verse By Verse Ministry International Yahweh | YHWH, Adonai, Elohim, Meaning, & Facts | Britannica 1:14; cf. New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. But God did not choose Israel as His special people because of favoritism to them. It was not because Israel was more righteous than other nations. (Revelation 13). Whether part of the natural Olive tree, or grafted in, we have been chosen to manifest God in the world, and live for His glory! This article is adapted from the ESV Expository Commentary: EphesiansPhilemon (Volume 11) edited by Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar. You are the smallest nation of all. While it is indeed a great privilege and honor, it is also a great responsibility to belong to the King and to be His ambassadors. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. (I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, declared Peter in Acts 10:34). What Does the Bible Say About I Have Chosen Israel? - OpenBible.info The Jewish people are trustees, guardians and messengers of these gifts to the world. The private property of King David is described by the same word (1Chronicles 29:3), "mine own proper good." We read of Gods choice of the Jews in Deuteronomy 7:6, where He declared the people of Israel holy, chosen to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. When I [Dr. David Jeremiah] first began studying prophecy, I remember reading an offbeat little rhyme about Israel by British journalist William Norman Ewer: How odd of God to choose the Jews. And when you think about it, this poetic quip expresses a valid observation. Why did God choose Israel? - King James Version Bible Copyright 2011-2023 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. The theme of believers receiving an inheritance is mentioned also in verses 5, 14, and 18. It has become more than just a Biblical reference. Edom, Moab, and Ammon all preceded Israel in the conquest of territory. . Peter immediately looks over at John, When Peter saw him, he asked, Lord, what about him? 3. How God Saves His People, Part 1 (Exodus 3:1-22) | Bible.org They were unmingled. 3:14) and is the means (with) by which God seals his people. So often when you think of Israel you think in terms of a nation of people, which is what they are now, but that is not what they always. This verse is structurally parallel to verses 11 and 13, as each begins with In him. The redemption believers have is in him, that is, in the Beloved (v. 6). May it never be! However, a cursory glance backwards through history shows how time and time again, while the people of Israel may be the object of Gods undying affection, they are also targeted for special hatred the unquenchable, Satanic drive to annihilate them continues throughout the generations. Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. What Does It Mean That Women Should Remain Quiet in Church? for the nature of God in his mercy and justice. Gods perfect plan was to unite all things through his Son. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Law: Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a holy people (Deut. This phrase is a summary of everything Christians receive through Gods work in his Son, including election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, and the gift of the Spirit. He permitted no man to oppress them,And He reproved kings for their sakes: Do not touch My anointed ones,And do My prophets no harm.. Its a beautiful thing to forego a demanding attitude that insists on exactly the same treatment for all, and is ready instead to draw alongside our Father God to join him and and share his heart for his people. The Scripture is throughout consistent in representing their development as due to the special providence of God. To this very day, the issue of who controls the Promised Land is the most volatile in international politics. He will not give up on Israel, he will not renege on his promises (despite Israels unfaithfulness), and if he says he will do something, he will do it. God calls Israel to a higher standard, precisely because of his unique revelation and choice of them. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,Nor will the flame burn you. Behind Gods work of redemption is his grace (according to the riches of his grace; Eph. Those who were once sons of disobedience (Eph. and for the assuredness of victory which God will give over them. With contributions from a team of pastors and scholars, this commentary through 9 of Pauls letters helps students of the Bible to understand how each epistle fits in with the storyline of Scripture and applies today. And they wandered about from nation to nation,From one kingdom to another people. Although a corporate element is present, it would be inaccurate to claim that individuals are not in view. ancient promises to Israel coming to pass, Davids son is Davids Lord?! If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. I see these things and remember clearly the biblical truth. And yet, the benefits Christ secured are available to his children here and now (though not fully). This is not the will, nor is it the purpose or the desire of God. 4:5). Before him most likely means before Jesus, specifically referring to the day of our Lord Jesus when we will appear before him in judgment. . That salvation is Gods initiative is nothing but good news. It was not because she was more numerous than other people in the world; she was the least (Deuteronomy 7:7). Now why does God exercise his freedom in choosing one and not another? It is a commitment we must not betray . For you are an holy people to the LORD your God: the LORD your God has chosen you to be a special people to himself, above all people that are on the face of the earth. New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. He also wanted to bring his Messiah into the world through a people group. For He would have accepted any nation on the same conditions that He accepted them (Acts 10:34, 35; 17:26, 27; Romans 10:12, 13). 1:22). Israel is our concrete proof of this truth, and will continue to testify to the certainty of Gods word by being a living example of it. Then I will enter into judgment with them there. Rom. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all . There are two basic reasons: God was fulfilling a promise to Abraham. Benjamin L. Merkle (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the Dr. M. O. Owens Jr. In verse 12, we see the divine purpose for why believers are predestined to receive an inheritance: that they might praise Gods glory (cf. Indeed, contrary to Gods revealed heart forevery nation, and his declared lack of favouritism? EHV It was a carefully considered plan carried out by his sovereign control of the universe. New International Version (NIV). God is to be blessed or praised because of his great grace that provides believers in Jesus Christ a plethora of spiritual blessings (cf. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. This, perhaps, is the most important blessing we can receive from the astounding history of the Jews. 5 It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it . In verses 1112, Paul provides the third of four reasons believers should praise God: because he has given us an imperishable inheritance. It all began with Abraham, whose relationship with God has traditionally been interpreted in two ways: either God chose Abraham to spread the concept of monotheism, or Abraham chose God from . On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel. This final expression of praise concludes not only the fourth and final section but also the entire eulogy as a whole (vv. This phrase describes the content of the mystery hidden in the past but now revealed in the gospel. Hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire family which He brought up from the land of Egypt: You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth;Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities..
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