Who are the Israelites? Why are they special?
Here's the answer:
The Israelites are the nation God chose as His special people.
God wanted to use the Israelites (also called Jews) to show the world how much He loves everyone. God also wanted a special people who would honor and obey him for the entire world to see.
Can you imagine seeing a crowd that is so big you can’t count them? Almost like going to the beach and trying to count each grain of sand or looking up to the sky on a very clear night and trying to count all the stars. This is what God promised to Abraham: “I will make your children after you as many as the stars in the sky. I will make them as many as the grains of sand on the seashore” (Genesis 22:17b).
Abraham was faithful and obeyed and trusted God. One day, God told him he would be the father of a mighty nation. “The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country and your people. Leave your father’s family. Go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you. I will make your name great. You will be a blessing to others’” (Genesis 12:1–2).
The Jewish people we know today—who generally live in the country of Israel and surrounding areas—are all descendants of Abraham and God’s chosen people. Jesus Himself was an Israelite. We should pray for the Israelites, because they are special to God!
Bible Truth
"You (the Israelites) are a holy nation. The LORD your God has set you apart for himself. He has chosen you to be his special treasure. He chose you out of all of the nations on the face of the earth to be his people" (Deuteronomy 7:6).
"The LORD has chosen the people of Jacob to be his own. He has chosen Israel to be his special treasure" (Psalm 135:4).
