Why YHWH Chose Israel

Why Israel? Is it strange to think that God has chosen a nation among so many?

1. Would a God really prefer a nation among many?

2. Why would YHWH choose a nation?

3. Is this in line with God being just and fair?

4. Can we benefit from His choice?

The Chosen Nation

Will a God, considered by many as impartial and just, choose a nation among the many?

When I was younger, the thought of God choosing a religion over so many, seems odd and unacceptable to me. Because I thought that surely, God in His immense wisdom will not be so narrow in His decision towards man's so many faiths and beliefs. I thought that God is so forgiving, that the error of being in a religion should not be a cause of His condemnation.

This way of my thinking carries over to my view about races and nations. I also thought that for God, it will not matter if you were born in a nation. Well, it turned out that my thoughts are just partly true.

Why? Because slowly, as my knowledge of His word grew, I found out that indeed God chose a nation, in fact, He favors a person over another, a tribe over other tribes and so on. God clearly shows His preference.

Is choosing one nation irreconcilable with God's justice? Many religious teachers really think so. (Creating a paradox that they would prefer not to be mentioned, because it will be impossible to explain.) So is it? No, in fact, God's display of preference magnifies His justice and wisdom.

How?

The answer lies in understanding what transpired thousands of years ago in a place called Eden, a garden made by God. The first woman was seduced by another intelligent creature of God. By a beautiful angel. Most probably, this angel is Eden's guardian.

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. - Ezekiel 28:13-16

What did this guardian cherub do with Eve?

1 Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the Lord God had made. The snake asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?" 2 "We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden," the woman answered, 3 "except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die." 4 The snake replied, "That's not true; you will not die. 5 God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad." 6 The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it. 7 As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves." - Genesis 3:1-8

First, we have to make sure that the Eden's guardian angel is indeed the same "serpent" that said these lies to Eve.

7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, who fought back with his angels; 8 but the dragon was defeated, and he and his angels were not allowed to stay in heaven any longer. 9 The huge dragon was thrown out - that ancient serpent, named the Devil, or Satan, that deceived the whole world. He was thrown down to earth, and all his angels with him. - Revelation 12:7-9

We can see the proof from the verses above, written in Revelations 12 that Satan is the ancient serpent, the guardian cherub that was "blameless... from the day ....created till wickedness was found" -(Ezekiel 28:15 paraphrased) in him. One of that wickedness is the telling of lies to Eve.

But is the lie the only harm done to Eve in Eden? Apparently no. See how things turn out:

7 As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves. Genesis 3:7

Why would the first couple suddenly realize their nakedness? They suddenly got malice towards their body after a long period of time(some years) living that way-totally nude. The reason is that, something has been done using those naked bodies, for the first time. Bringing new awareness that was never there before.

What was that? What has the serpent done to bring such new awareness and sensitivity towards their naked body? God's pronouncements against these three, shed some light as to what happened:

15 I will make you and the woman hate each other; her offspring and yours will always be enemies. Her offspring will crush your head, and you will bite her offspring's heel."- Genesis 3:15

If you believe that God's judgement is just. You will understand that God will not include into this important judgement, those who have nothing to do with what happened. For example, even human judges will not condemn a man in a felony to which he has nothing to do with. Much more so with God!

So why did God include the offspring?!! Because they clearly have something to do with what happened.

The serpent's offspring is being judged for destruction, right there in that moment! While the other offspring is being prophesied to triumph against the serpent's offspring.

Why does the "eating of the forbidden fruit" led to all of these? What did really happen, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit?

Let us examine this case a little closer:

1 Then Adam had intercourse with his wife, and she became pregnant. She bore a son and said, "By the Lord's help I have gotten a son." So she named him Cain. 2 Later she gave birth to another son, Abel. Abel became a shepherd, but Cain was a farmer. - Genesis 4:1-2

Did you notice that?!! "Then Adam had intercourse with his wife" How many times did Adam had sex with Eve? Once. Only once. Yet, take notice now of how many times Eve gave birth. She became pregnant. She bore a son-1st birth and said, "By the Lord's help I have gotten a son." So she named him Cain. 2 Later she gave birth to another son, Abel." 2nd birth!

Eve gave birth to 2 men, Cain and Abel! This verses are so short that many of us fail to notice what is really being said. It is telling us that while Adam had made love to his wife Eve, only once, Eve gave birth to two persons!

Does that mean that one of them is not Adam's?? Considering there are only three persons involved in this case, will give us no other choice but to attribute the other birth to Satan! It means that the seduction of Eve, to make her eat the forbidden fruit involved more than a literal fruit!

Further, it is also pronounced: ..."I will increase your trouble in pregnancy and your pain in giving birth. " - Genesis 3:16

The judgement given to Eve is about her reproductive system. Giving us further proof that the sin has something to do with it. If the sin that was done was confined in the "eating of a fruit" God would have condemned the parts of the body that has something to do with eating, the mouth and the stomach and other related organs.

It thus mean, that the offspring of Satan with Eve, were judged ever since that day. They are condemned to destruction. And God intended Eve's offspring with Adam, to destroy Satan's offspring. Genesis 3:15

Why Israel was Chosen?

We now come to the realization of the reason why God chose a nation. Because many nations will result from Satan's offspring with Eve. Choosing a nation will help in making the distinction of who are in Eve's offspring's line and who are not.

Although as shown by Biblical history, not all that were born in Eve's offspring line is chosen but it is from this line that God chose. For example, this distinction is slowly narrowed down from the line of Abel to Israel.

Among Abel's line, Noah was chosen, Among 3 sons of Noah, the chosen nation came from Shem. Every patriarch have multiple sons yet from only one of them does the chosen nation finally came out. From the twin son of Isaac, Esau and Jacob, Jacob's line was chosen.

And finally the nation of Israel was chosen.

Why does the act of choosing Israel magnifies the justice and wisdom of God?

The reason is, because this act ensured that while the majority of the human race may fall victim to the wicked ploy of the devil and his cohorts by adulterating human bloodline with their forbidden angelic gene. The chosen nation is kept pure.

Keeping a bloodline pure from being diluted with cursed fallen angel's offspring has given the human race the chance of redemption. It allowed the arrival of the Christ who proved that humans can successfully fend off, all evil, if only a man has the conviction of obeying God. Christ's perfection allowed him to give the man a second chance of approaching God's holy person, and regain the lost close relationship between him and his Creator.

Choosing Israel also magnified God's sense of justice. It showed that He does not forget to execute His pronounced judgement against the devil and it's offspring. Although for us humans, it could seem to have taken such a very long time, for God it is in fact, took only a "day". "A thousand years to you are like one day; they are like yesterday, already gone, like a short hour in the night." - Psalms 90:4

By intermarriage, the bloodline tainted with the devil's gene may get mixed into the people who are originally from Eve's offspring. Thus, we are not sure anymore who are those people who have a clean bloodline and who are not.

God has provided us with an outward sign. Obedience. Those who can love Him will be obedient to Him. Those who have the bloodline of evil, can only come to a point of faking obedience to God and nothing more. They cannot do what is against their nature. Christ aptly described those that are offspring of the devil, "You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father's desires...." - John 8:44

They can only do what their genes tell them to do, that is to keep on doing evil. They are the sons of their father, the devil, anyway.

While those who have pure blood lines and have no idea about it because of the length of time that have passed, those people who can be saved, and are willing to be obedient to God, what can they do? They can join Israel. In fact, they will become literal Jews by deciding to obey God's commands. As He clearly outlined on the laws about Nisan 14.

48but no uncircumcised man may eat it. If a foreigner has settled among you and wants to celebrate Passover to honor the Lord, you must first circumcise all the males of his household. He is then to be treated like a native-born Israelite and may join in the festival.

49The same regulations apply to native-born Israelites and to foreigners who settle among you.” - Exodus 12:48,49

Therefore, while choosing Israel may be viewed as an "unfair" doctrine about God, it is not really so when you have come to understand the underlying reasons that lead to that decision. It is not easy to understand, but it is doable if a person has the resolve to arrive at the truth of the matter.

Till our next subject, thank you for reading.