Why the Jews?

In Sunday School class this week we stumbled onto a question that often occurs when considering the Old Testament covenants and the New Testament. “Why did God choose the Jews and reject the Gentiles?” That is a good question. Let’s take a look at it.

Before we start, a definition is in order. By “rejecting” the Gentiles, God did not abandon nor condemn them. He merely did not choose them. When you choose a certain brand of car or computer or any other item, you are not condemning or even demeaning the competitors. You are merely choosing one and not picking the other.

We are considering the fact that the Jews were “God’s chosen people.” That should not evoke envy or pride on the part of anyone. This is not an envious position, as we will discover as we go forward nor is it a source of pride, for some of the same reasons. Follow this.

Deuteronomy 7 is Moses repeating the law to his charges, the Children of Israel, after the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Listen to his recapitulation. V. 6
For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
That is their role in history. We will find out more about that later. But just to keep them humble, Moses continued. V. 7
7 “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 

They had “nothing” going for them to elicit the choice, except the fact that they were a small, almost helpless people. It was not like choosing a TV with a better picture or features. In fact, this might have been the worst one on the shelf and damaged to boot. Some recommendation on a resume, huh? So there is no pride producing rationale for God’s choice. He just chose them. We will discuss why in a minute, but, just for the record, let’s follow the “remuneration” that the Lord promised through Moses. V. 9 ff
Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His loving-kindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; 10 but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. 11 Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them.

This is a two edged sword. It is a warning to the Israelites to obey and keep the “commandment and the statutes and the judgments.” But it is also a warning to anyone who would harm or threaten this people that He has chosen. For those who “love and keep commandments,” lovingkindness is extended for a thousand generations. (Aside. I am not sure that one thousand generations have passed since then, so His favor is still “in effect” for His faithful followers.)

But to those who “hate” Him, and by extension, His people, He will destroy. One of our pastors often comments that he wants to stand close to those whom God is blessing, and stay away from those who are resisting Him. Me too.

So God chose them. Why? To quote one of my sisters, as she was learning to talk, “What’s the i-big-dea?” (Don’t fret, I won’t tell on you, Pam.) God’s original intention was for Israel to be witnesses to two things: First, that He is a loving God and offered forgiveness and redemption. Second, they were to highlight God’s absolute holiness. (This is discussed in more detail at: https://www.gotquestions.org/why-God-choose-Israel.html) We will begin with the second purpose.

Are they still in God’s plan, today? In-duub-it-ub-bly! Do you remember the TV show, “Little Rascals?” Some iterations of the program were called “Our Gang,” but our one TV channel out in southwestern Nebraska ran Little Rascals at about 3:00 every weekday afternoon. We went to Aunt Ila’s house as often as we were able to watch. (She was the only one of our family with a TV set. We watched with Gary and Dennis, our cousins.) That has little to do with our story but it sets up the point.

One of the characters on the program, when asked a question requiring an affirmative answer, responded with a hearty, “In-duub-it-ub-bly!” stretching out the syllables for effect. The Jews are definitely in God’s plan. Recall the 1000 generation thing. That has not yet expired, and probably has been incremented by later faithful generations.

So why the Jews? The message of forgiveness and redemption is meaningless without a justification as to why we would need forgiveness and redemption. Israel had the dubious distinction of illustrating God’s holiness in all aspects of life. God is infinitely, absolutely, and eternally holy. Nothing that is unholy can approach Him and is the object of His judgment. So we need to know whether we are “holy enough” to please God.

Read through the book of Leviticus and you will be struck with the extreme detail that was taken with every aspect of life. The key phrase of differentiation was “clean and unclean.” Nothing unclean was to be associated with the people.

The concept of clean was extended to foods; clothes; housing; cooking utensils; relationships with family, neighbors, and even enemies; and of course, their worship. It was as if God knew some cults or offshoots would isolate on one thing, like food, or certain days, or even names, and claim that by avoiding all defilement regarding that aspect of life they would please God. They don’t.

God was so meticulous in defining the clean and unclean that it took the entire book. Reading it as a description of God’s holiness makes it much less tedious. Just for comparison, would you invite an honored guest into your life or home that was defiled with the “unclean” items or attitudes described here? That makes the strictures about mold and mildew, of all things, more understandable. We are inviting the Holy God of the Universe into our lives. They had better be without “mold;” clean.

And the nation of Israel was chosen to be the picture book of cleanliness. The Ten Commandments began with relationships. The relationship with God: No other God, No Images, No Taking His Name in Vain, and Honor the Sabbath, was first. Family relationships come next. They could include the Sabbath rest for the family and of course Honor Father and Mother. Next are the interpersonal relationships of Do Not Murder, Do Not Commit Adultery (both family and others are affected here), Do Not Steal, Do Not Lie, and Do Not Covet. How do you measure up?

Then Exodus and Leviticus continue with a detailed proscription of things that displease God, mixed with aspects of life that will honor Him. This extends to the construction of the Tabernacle and later the Temple for worship. And, measuring progress, how did the Jews  do? How do we do?

The answer to the question is, “No, neither they, nor we are holy or good enough to please God.” So we need forgiveness and redemption. We need a Redeemer, the Messiah. And that is the second role of the Jewish nation. Check Romans 3:1, 2
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.

The “oracles” include the rules and regulations, but they also include the promise of the Messiah. He was the Sacrifice, promised in Genesis 3:15 and defined in the Law as what was required to please God. Did any of the sacrifices offered throughout the history of the Tabernacle or the Temple satisfy or propitiate God? No. Hebrews 10:4
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

So why did they go through all of that rigamarole? The sacrifices were a picture of the Sinless One Who would be the perfect, efficacious sacrifice that would take away sin. The Old Testament believers had faith in the promise of the Sacrifice to come. And we, the New Testament believers, have faith in the Sacrifice that we see when we look back. Both groups look to the Cross and see the Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world. John 1:29 (John the Baptist speaking)
The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

The Apostle John further expands and explains Him  in Revelation 13:8 as...
... the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Both Johns got it! And so do we. The picture God gave to and through the Jews of His absolute holiness was satisfied IN US, when we accept the sacrifice of His Son. (Don’t that make you wanna shout? It does me.)

So the Jews’ failure to show God’s perfection was not a justification for rejecting or ejecting them. It is an opportunity for us to participate, with them, in the reception of the Perfect Lamb that was also mirrored in their Law. We are condemned by the Law and the One projected in the Law redeems and forgives us.

The Jews were, if you please, the giant video screen on which the failures of all men were projected, leading to the revelation of the Savior Who can both forgive and cleanse this fallen race. They are honored by God’s choice and they are debased by their failure to perfectly portray Him. The secret we all must bear, is that we, like them, would have been failures also. Their humiliation is the path to their, and our exaltation with Jesus when He comes.

Even so, come Lord Jesus. Aren’t you glad He chose the Jews?