It is often God's way to take the smallest, the out cast of the world, those who are downtrodden, those whom the world deems as worthless, the people who have little to offer, to work his wondrous miracles!

      Of course God does not need the riches, talents, or strengths of nations, or people to bring into fruition his redemptive nation. He very often utilizes best the one who is most humble and willing to follow him. This is precisely the attitude that Abraham displayed when he simply followed after the Lord!

      God has chosen all people, even from the beginning of Creation, to be a people unto his name, but each person much choose back.

      God proclaimed to Israel.

      Deuteronomy 7:6 For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God; the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all the people that are upon all the face of the earth.

      God proclaims to his called out church:

      John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but "I have Chosen you" out of the world, therefore the world hateth you!

      For those who would question the reason why God chose Israel, they must also ponder the question as to why God would choose them out of the world.

      The Church has been called out from being a part of the world; and to be separated from the world in like manner as Israel was set aside as a Holy People unto God's name.

      Israel has served as the forerunner of the Church.

      The long running drama of Israel's journey among the nations, and the promises God made to gather it from all nations of the world portray an object lesson to that group of people that are today receiving the call to come out of the world. As he chastised Israel and yet preserved her, the Church can draw strength from that exhibition because it demonstrates that God is faithful to his word!

      The Church is an alien people in this world, and God is demonstrating through his Chosen Nation the clear idea that he will gather the Church as he also has gathered Israel from all the nations to which she has been scattered.

      I am awestruck by the fact that God has attached his name to the tiniest nation in the world, and set a sign upon them, with which all the great nations past and present find intolerable, and yet Israel still remains unassimilated into other nations and presents a perplexing dilemma for the larger superpowers of the world's system.

      In fact the Church presents the very same dilemma to the world. We the people chosen out of the world to follow God to another land, likewise represent to this world a system of righteousness which the world despises.

      God chose Abraham to separate himself from the pagan world and become the father of a new nation which would be founded upon the fact that there is a single Creator God. Israel became the embodiment of that nation. For Abraham's obedience, God vowed that he would preserve that nation, and through that nation send the manifest deliverance from sins bond, which would be availed to all nations. By choosing to establish his seed among men, God chose all of mankind.

      Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles Isaiah 43:9-11 Let all nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring forth their witnesses; that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is Truth.

      Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe in me, and to understand that I am he; before me there was no God formed neither shall there be any after me.

      I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no Saviour!

      The world has chosen to follow after another god, yet the Lord God chose a people unto himself to be a Light unto the world. May the world take notice!

      Every person has been chosen by God!

      In the great choosing up question, it is really just this simple. God chooses You; on the other hand, the devil chooses against You! That makes a tied choice! You have the final vote and can decide the choice:

      THANKS BE TO THE GOD OF ISRAEL FOR CHOOSING ME!