The Concept that Israel was United by God for a Special Destiny
Meaning
With God’s destiny pronounced to Abraham and His covenant underway, Israel was united into a people group by specific historical and geographical experiences. This came as a result of God working with His people Israel. These historical, social and geographical circumstances included, the right of circumcision, geographic separation, family and ethnic separation, as well as oppression under Pharoah, which led to God delivering His people from Egypt. This was followed by God’s law which the Lord gave to them at Mount Sinai. Approximately four hundred years prior to the Exodus, God had brought Jacob and his family down into Egypt with approximately seventy people as his son Joseph was second in command to the Pharoah king of Egypt.
God had uniquely prepared Joseph to save a nation and thereby save Jacob and his family in order to fulfill God’s destiny for the future nation of Israel. God used that geographic separation in the land of Goshen, to allow Israel to grow into a nation of up to two million people at the time of the Exodus. All of Israel’s social, geographic and ethnic circumstances developed into the common hopes and dreams of a people who were God’s chosen possession. God also gave Israel the Tabernacle, which became a constant reminder of God’s presence with His people Israel. Moreover, it was God’s direct interventions which moved a united Israel closer to their realization to be a blessing, through the coming of God’s Messiah, who is Jesus Christ our Lord.
“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 7:6)
“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:2)
“And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are-northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.” (Genesis 13:14-16)
“I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:6-8)