• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

What made the Israelites so special as a people...?

Shaul

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
"What made the Israelites so special as a people...?"

It was the Jews who declared themselves special, wasn't it?
Of course the Jews don’t say they are special. The Jews say they were chosen. That’s very different.
 

whirlingmerc

Well-Known Member

God made them special, they were few and stubborn and that's how God decided to begin to display His glory

"“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt." Deut 7:6-8

"“Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people." Debt 9:6

The emphasis in on God, God's mercy and God's sovereign choice
 
Last edited:

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
"Zionist cause is very close to my heart…. I am very confident of the happy development of the Jewish colony and am glad that there should be a tiny speck on this earth in which the members of our tribe should not be aliens…." - Albert Einstein's letter to physicist Paul Epstein , October 1919
 

Faithofchristian

Well-Known Member
God made them special, they were few and stubborn and that's how God decided to begin to display His glory

"“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt." Deut 7:6-8

"“Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people." Debt 9:6

The emphasis in on God, God's mercy and God's sovereign choice

That all depends on which Jews of Israel your referring to.
 

Faithofchristian

Well-Known Member
God made them special, they were few and stubborn and that's how God decided to begin to display His glory

"“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt." Deut 7:6-8

"“Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people." Debt 9:6

The emphasis in on God, God's mercy and God's sovereign choice

That all depends on which Jews of Israel your referring to.
 

whirlingmerc

Well-Known Member
That all depends on which Jews of Israel your referring to.

The Israel of God can refer to the church in the New Testament
And God opens some peoples hearts... so... true...

My experience with Jewish people has been very positive. They seem very family oriented and also have a high view of justice and fairness. But all people are fallen.. some nearer and some farther from God and all in need of salvation. They are it's fair to say 'special'

We have examples of worshippers of God like Lydia or Cornelias in the new testament (not Jewish) but close to God and in some manner commended by God but still falling short and needing redemption
 

Etritonakin

Well-Known Member
Generally speaking... They may have been more suited to be first for some reason (as various peoples have various traits and tendencies), but that is what they were chosen to be -first among all (not above all).

As it says, all things first to the Jew, then the gentile -both negative and positive. If everyone on a bus is going to the same place, it really doesn't matter who gets on first or where they sit.

God intends to purify all -after which they may have access to the entire creation. As that purification includes making those who have the highest positions the greatest servants -rather than the way things are now in regard to corruption, tyranny, etc. -there will be joy and contentment in any situation -and personal situations will be changing forever, anyway -so who os first or last -greater or lesser really won't mean the same.

As for Israelites/Jews, they (as per biblical scripture) will be employed to bless all others on Earth. However, many of ALL NATIONS -as "spiritual" Jews -will be made immortal and be part of the government (kings and priests) under God and Christ which will begin on Earth but increase forever throughout the entire creation.

So -while scripture does indicate that human Israelites will have certain stations and places on Earth in and around Jerusalem (an idea which causes many tensions), many miss the fact that many of all nations will already have been made immortal and be ruling with God and Christ.

As of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end, it is likely the human government on Earth will be serving those humans of all nations who continue to reproduce and eventually become immortal.

God is equal.
 

Faithofchristian

Well-Known Member
The Israel of God can refer to the church in the New Testament
And God opens some peoples hearts... so... true...

My experience with Jewish people has been very positive. They seem very family oriented and also have a high view of justice and fairness. But all people are fallen.. some nearer and some farther from God and all in need of salvation. They are it's fair to say 'special'

We have examples of worshippers of God like Lydia or Cornelias in the new testament (not Jewish) but close to God and in some manner commended by God but still falling short and needing redemption


There are two Jews of Israel, One True and one False.
The false Jew's of Israel, are the ones who had Christ Jesus crucified.These are those Jews,who Christ Jesus came in contact with many times and condemned.
This why it's written in Romans 9:6---"Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel"

The true Jew's of Israel, are the ones who stood by Christ Jesus. Such as the disciples and many people.

You know there are 12 tribes of Israel, But there are only 2 tribes left in Israel, which are the tribe of Judah and Benjamin.
The other 10 tribes are scattered throughout the world.
 

dianaiad

Well-Known Member
From a strictly non-religious pov:

Jews (Israelites) are special because they are stubborn in their culture and beliefs and because everybody else MADE them special. After all, nothing cements a belief more than opposition to it, and...

If one is going to have a scapegoat (see what I did there?) one has to make certain that it survives to serve its purpose. So non-Jews had as much to do with making Jews 'special' as Jews did.

they are special because they have SURVIVED. I'd admire them just for that. I hope my own beliefs and culture do as well.

From my own religious standpoint: they are special because God chose them. They are STILL 'the chosen people,' and all the rest of us can do is hope to be, sort of, adopted into the line.

Either way, they are 'special as a people,' and....er....their cultural practices and sacrifices were not 'so similar to the Egyptians." At least, according to the story, those who 'went Egyptian' got into a great deal of trouble. ;)
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
Nothing made them "so special," except in the revisionist histories of those who adopted their religious beliefs as the seed for their own.

I am wondering which revisionist histories.
History shows me that only the ancient nation of ancient Israel had the Constitution of the Mosaic Law contract.
That Law was based on God's promise to father Abraham as per Galatians 3:8; Genesis 18:18.
So, through an offspring (descendent) of Abraham would come the promised ' seed ' or Messiah.
It was that promised ' seed ' (offspring) that was "so special" because through Jesus as Messiah ALL families of Earth will be blessed, and ALL nations of Earth will be blessed. Blessed with the special benefit of 'healing' coming for earth's nations as written at Revelation 22:2.
 

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
I am wondering which revisionist histories.
History shows me that only the ancient nation of ancient Israel had the Constitution of the Mosaic Law contract.
That Law was based on God's promise to father Abraham as per Galatians 3:8; Genesis 18:18.
So, through an offspring (descendent) of Abraham would come the promised ' seed ' or Messiah.
It was that promised ' seed ' (offspring) that was "so special" because through Jesus as Messiah ALL families of Earth will be blessed, and ALL nations of Earth will be blessed. Blessed with the special benefit of 'healing' coming for earth's nations as written at Revelation 22:2.
Yes, but you see, that is religious belief, not history.
 
Top