Friends, I’ve been studying great stuff and I want to pick up where we left off yesterday! We learned that Israel is God’s vehicle of world redemption.  God’s promises to us today are cemented in His covenant promises with Israel…particularly the Abrahamic covenant.  His redemptive plan began before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) but was delivered to the world through the vehicle of Israel, through the covenant with Abraham.

Israel is the vehicle of eternal salvation, so to oppose Israel is to resist God’s plan for world redemption!  The world must understand that we are all accountable to God for how we relate to Israel.  Thus, God’s warning to us all in Genesis 12:3: Those who bless Israel will be blessed; those who curse Israel will be cursed.  Be reminded that the verse ends with the promise that all families on earth will be blessed through God’s chosen people!

But what about this “chosen people” business?  Well, the Jewish people have a unique position before God that no other people group on earth shares.  Because of their special position and the unique role God has given them, He guarantees their survival.  If Israel fails, God’s plan of world redemption fails!

It is erroneous to think that God loves Israel more than any other nation or people group.  It is also erroneous to believe that God’s “choice” of Israel is somehow greater than God’s choice of those who call Jesus their Lord.  (Read Ephesians 1:3-14 in yesterday’s post!)

The truth is that Israel has a peculiar role because God has called her to the unique role as custodian of the Word of God and the plan of eternal salvation.  God has called Israel to bless all families of the earth!  (Genesis 12:3)  Israel also exists to give us the Messiah!  (Now THAT is a blessing to all families of the earth who will accept it!)

So, when we talk about God’s chosen land and God’s chosen people, it is not because God loves them more!  It is because of their unique role.  Just as a pregnant woman is given favor because of her role at that time, so favor is given to Israel because of the role God has given her.  Just as a parent shows favor by allowing a 15-year-old to do things a 6-year-old cannot, so God shows favor for the Jewish people in ways He doesn’t show to Christians or non-believers.  It doesn’t mean He loves us less, simply that our roles are different!

Aren’t you glad that God is the perfect parent!  He loves the whole world enough to sacrifice His only Son so that we might have eternal salvation. (John 3:16) and our sins would be forgiven (2 Corinthians 5:21)!   That eternal salvation is God’s plan, delivered through Israel…the vehicle of world redemption!