Why? Do you ever wonder why God chose Israel? He knew when He chose Abraham what his descendants would be. He knew when He renewed the covenant with Isaac, what his descendants would do. He knew when He chose Jacob over Esau, when He made the covenant with Jacob also, when He sent them down into Egypt, what would happen after He brought them out again. He knew before Moses died how they would act. Why Israel?
Is Israel any different than any other group of people? Were the Israelites any better or any worse than all the other people who have walked this earth? Or are they really a microcosm of the entire world. Would any other people group have fared any better? Look at us: some make much of the United States as a Christian nation, or that it should be. But are we really? Are we good Christians? Can we expect people who do not believe in Christ to act like Christians? We were ever called to be a special nation, did we ever make a covenant with God? No, in fact, we didn't. God and the nations is such an interesting concept. He really ever only chose one nation to represent Him. But He has used many over the course of history to carry out His plan: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Rome. Just to name a few. I'm sure God has plans for many modern day nations to continue to carry out His plan; just do we have the foresight to be a part of it or to be swept up by it?
Bringing it to the personal level: I can learn from Israel. I can learn to recognize stiff-necked, stubborn behavior in myself. I can learn to recognize pride, and to stay away from it. To be humble and obedient before my God. To learn to not to stray. I have no course to condemn Israel, but I do have reason to learn from them and improve on their example. I would not want someone to walk away from me, saying, "I know you're just going to go off and mess up as soon as I leave." Instead, I would want the Lord to look at me and say, "This one was faithful." I may, though, have to learn to count the cost.
Next Reading: Deuteronomy 31:30-32:47
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