GOD AND THE JEWS

I. The Significance of the Selection

A. God is no respecter of persons (Rom. 2:11; Acts 10:34, 35).

B. God did not select Israel because of their existing power or

might. In fact God selected Israel because they were not

very mighty (Deut. 7:6).

C. The selection of Israel was to demonstrate God’s power and

might (Deut. 14:2).

D. Romans 9:24-29 shows that God’s selection of physical

Israel then and spiritual Israel now is to prove that He is a

saving God.

II. Physical Israel verses Spiritual Israel

A. The Jews always had a misunderstanding of God’s use of

them (Matt. 3:9).

1. Many still misunderstand God’s use of the Jews.

2. Passages like Genesis 12:3 are misused as proof that

God still favors the Jews.

3. Some U.S. foreign policy has even been shaped by this

mistaken concept.

4. The physical Jews had to be cautioned against boastful

pride (Rom. 11:1, 2, 17-22).

B. Bible writers made it clear that physical Israel gave way to

spiritual Israel.

1. Read Romans 2:28, 29.

2. Paul and James address the church as spiritual Israel

(Gal. 1:2; 6:16; Jam. 1:1, 2).

C. God kept His promises to physical Israel (Josh. 21:45).

April 13, 2003 (p.m.)