A study of God's view, given in his word the Bible, concerning the Jewish people

1. The Jews – Why they are
God’s chosen people
Seminar
Laindon 3rd January 2016

2. The Jews are marked out…
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3. Our seminar series
The Jews:
• Why they are God’s chosen people
• God’s true witnesses today
• Their destiny in God’s purpose
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4. Why they are God’s chosen people
Four key questions:
• Are they God’s chosen people?
• Why did God choose them?
• Are they still His chosen people?
• Why does it matter to us?
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5. Are they God’s chosen people?
• How do we answer this question?
• Leviticus 20:26, Deuteronomy 7:6 & 14:2
• What do we think might be the consequences of this?
• Exodus 19:5-6, Deuteronomy 28:9 & Amos 3:2
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Conclusion: God has said they are His chosen
people and with that comes responsibility

6. Why did God choose them?
• God gives His key reason – Deuteronomy 7:6-9:
“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath
chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are
upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose
you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest
of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the
oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out
with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from
the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he
is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that
love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations”
• See also Deuteronomy 29:13
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7. God’s promise to Abraham
“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and
from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will
shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless
thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I
will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and
in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3
• See also Genesis 22:16-18
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Conclusion: The Jews are God’s chosen people
because of His promise to Abraham

8. Is it just about a promise to Abraham?
• No: “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
• It is fundamental to God’s purpose eg Deuteronomy 4:6-8:
“Keep therefore and do them [God’s laws]; for this is your wisdom
and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear
all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and
understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath
God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call
upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes
and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this
day?”
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9. Are they still God’s people?
• They caused Jesus, the Son of God to be murdered
• They have been repeatedly punished by God for their disobedience
eg the holocaust
• 42% of Jews in Israel are secular, only 25% have strong religious
convictions*
• Jeremiah 30:10-11
• Romans 11:1-5 (see also Romans 3:1-4)
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Conclusion: The Jews are still God’s chosen
people despite their disobedience
*Survey by Israeli Central Bureau
of Statistics 2010

10. Why does it matter to us?
• Are we Jews by descent?
• “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
• What the apostle Paul has to say: “Is he the God of the Jews only? is
he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also” Romans 3:29
• Who will ultimately be His chosen people then?
• Romans 2:28-29
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Conclusion: Everyone has the potential to be
amongst God’s chosen people

11. God’s purpose with His chosen people
• Deuteronomy 26:18-19:
“And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he
hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;
And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and
in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the
Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.”
• Malachi 3:16-18 – “my jewels”
• Titus 2:11-15 –“a peculiar people”
• 1 Peter 2:9 – “a peculiar people”
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12. Conclusions
• God has said they are His chosen people and with that comes
responsibility
• The Jews are God’s chosen people because of His promise to
Abraham
• The Jews are still God’s chosen people despite their disobedience
• Everyone has the potential to be amongst God’s chosen people
• “That he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself
a peculiar people” Titus 2:14
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13. Yet to come (God willing)
The Jews:
• Why they are God’s chosen people
• God’s true witnesses today
• Their destiny in God’s purpose
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