Why did God choose Israel?

from the old testament

• Ultimately, God chose Israel to be the people from which the Savior would come—Jesus Christ. He first promised the Savior (Messiah) to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden after they chose not to trust Him and then acted on that choice (Genesis 3).
• Later, God once again promised to bring salvation through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (the fathers of the nation of Israel) in Genesis 12:1–3. The Bible is clear that God had a plan all along to deliver a Messiah through His chosen people—the Jews.
• Why Israel? Deuteronomy 7:7–9 says, "It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations." God chose Israel not because of their greatness or numbers, but because of His love for them and His love for the world to know Him through them.
• Isaiah 49:6 tells us that Israel was chosen to be a light to the nations, just as God promised Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3.

from the new testament

• Jesus is the central reason God chose Israel—for their own salvation and the salvation of all who would call on His Name (John 3:16).
• The New Testament emphasizes that God chose Israel as part of His divine plan to bring salvation to the world through Jesus Christ. While Israel was chosen to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6), the New Testament reveals that God’s ultimate purpose was to bring about the fulfillment of His promise to bless all nations through the Messiah (Matthew 1:1-17; Romans 9:4-5).
• Israel's election highlights God's grace and faithfulness, but the blessing is extended to all who believe in Christ, regardless of heritage (Romans 10:12-13; Galatians 3:28-29).

implications for today

God’s choice of Israel reflects His faithfulness to fulfill His promises and to show His love to the world through the coming of Jesus Christ. God works through imperfect people and situations to bring about His greater purposes. The same is true for us. God's plans and purposes for us are not based on our greatness but on His love and grace working in and through us. Just as Israel was chosen to be a light to the nations, we, as believers, are also called to live in a way that reflects God’s love and truth to others. This could be seen in small acts of kindness to neighbors, being a voice of truth in conversations, or sharing the hope of Jesus with those around us. Our lives, just like Israel’s, can serve as a testimony of God's faithfulness and a means of drawing others to Him.

God is not done with Israel. He still has a plan for them. The Bible promises that God will fulfill His covenant with Israel and that they will play a significant role in His redemptive plan. Romans 11:26 states, "And in this way all Israel will be saved." Though Israel has rejected Jesus as the Messiah, God remains faithful to His promises, and in the future, Israel will come to recognize Jesus as the Savior. God's timing is perfect, even when the full picture has not yet unfolded. But God’s grand redemptive story will continue and come to fruition. As we await this day, we can rest assured that God's plan for salvation is not limited to any one group but includes a final call for Israel’s eventual restoration for all Jews who will believe.