If we don’t understand Israel and how it relates to the world, we cannot understand Biblical Prophecy. This small nation of Israel is so important to what is happening in our world. When Jesus returns, Israel will be the center of the world and all end time events will take place in Israel. God chose the Israelites for a special purpose. He offered them an opportunity to become the model nation of His way of life for all nations, so that all people could have His blessings. He blessed Israel because of the faith and obedience of Abraham, but He made it clear it wasn’t because they were great or righteous. “The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today.” (Deuteronomy 7:7-11)
Unfortunately, they failed to be the model nation God desired; and because of their national sins, they incurred God’s punishment. God loves all people and He is now working spiritually with individuals from all nations. “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.” (Galatians 3:28-29) But He still has a special purpose for the descendants of Israel in the future.
There are three basic reasons that God chose Israel. God was fulfilling a promise to Abraham, God wanted Israel to serve as a model nation and God is sovereign. God chose them because He is in control of the world and He can do whatever He pleases. As I pondered this question of why Israel, I remember a question that I have asked God many times over the years. Why did God call me to the ministry? I truly cannot answer that question. All the answer that I can get is that it is in God’s plan. Why Israel is the same answer, it was in God’s plan, God’s wonderful plan to bring Jesus Christ into the world to save us from our sins. I give God the glory for all that He does.