For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure. – Deuteronomy 7:6
Ephesians 1:4-5
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
The CHOSEN is a television drama based on the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Season one was the highest crowd-funded TV series or film project ever. Season one, E8, opens with Jacob’s 12 sons digging a well in Canaan. A Canaanite neighbor named Yassib comes by for a friendly chat. Jacob tells Yassib that he and his 12 sons are sojourners looking for the land God promised to give to his grandfather Abraham.
Yassib comments with a rhetorical question, “Have you ever noticed how the gods are always promising us things, but we never really see them happen.” Jacob answers, “Sometimes it takes generations.”
Yassib asks, “What is this God of yours called”? Jacob responds, “El Shaddai.” Yassib responds, “Never heard of Him.” Jacob answers, “Not many people have. But I think someday they will.”
Being sojourners, Yassib wants to know where Jacob and his sons worship their God. Do they carry Him with them wherever they go? Jacob answers, “There are no carved idols of Him.” Yassib retorts, “So He’s invisible?” Jacob responds, “Yes, well usually. There was one time He broke my hip.”
Yassib chuckles and quips, “Of all the gods you could possibly choose from, you pick an invisible God, Whose promises take generations to come true, Who makes you sojourn in strange places, and Who broke your hip? That is a strange choice.”
Jacob responds, “We didn’t choose Him.”
Before the foundation of the world, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit existed in eternity past. Then and there, they made decisions and choices regarding what was to be. They chose to create all that is in the heavens and on earth. They sovereignly chose the children of Israel. They decided that the Son would become the Messiah and come to Earth to redeem the human race. They chose all those who would become children of the King.
How can we be sure? Because they were all alone. There was no one else around to make any choices. Yet, after the creation, in the outworking of human history, people are perfectly free to make their own decisions. This is an antinomy. It is beyond human comprehension, yet in the mind of God, it all works. The Scriptures reveal that both the Father and each individual had to make decisions. Nothing is left to chance.
Matthew 12:18 Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
The Father sent the Son to be the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of the world.
REFLECT & PRAY
Romans 8:31 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Father thank You that You have CHOSEN – even me.
INSIGHT
The Father chose to create the nation of Israel, the Chosen People, via Abraham, a gentile. The Jewish people are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through the 12 tribes.
Deuteronomy 10:15 The LORD chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all other nations, as is evident today.
Jeremiah 31:3 Long ago, the LORD said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love, I have drawn you to myself.”
Will the Father ever disown His people and abrogate His covenant with the nation of Israel? In the Old Testament, they managed to rack up quite a bit of rebellion and defiance. Did their disobedience separate them from the Father? Has He backed away because of what they have done? The answer is absolutely not!
Jeremiah 31:36-37
36 “I am as likely to reject my people Israel as I am to abolish the laws of nature!”
37 This is what the LORD says: “Just as the heavens cannot be measured and the foundations of the earth cannot be explored, so I will not consider casting them away for the evil they have done. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Why is this important for the children of the King? Because the unconditional covenant that the Father made with the nation of Israel is very similar to the New Covenant, which we enjoy as inheritors of the promises. Those of us who are Jewish were near, the heirs (Romans 11:24), and those of us that are Gentiles were far off, the fellow heirs (Ephesians 3:6).
Ephesians 2:13-14
13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
Are the children of the King secure in the Father’s love forever? The answer is absolutely!
Nothing can separate us from His love and commitment to us no matter how we behave. Exhibit A is the nation of Israel. Exhibit B is the apostle Peter.
Romans 8:31-39
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
34 Who then will condemn us? No one – for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?
37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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© Dr. H 2023
Dr H Reflections 