Who are the chosen people of God
Who are the chosen people of God
According to the Bible, the chosen people of God refer primarily to the nation of Israel. God chose the Israelites to be His special people and enter into a unique covenant relationship with them.
God’s initial promise to Abraham
God’s choosing of Israel began with His calling of Abraham (originally named Abram). In Genesis 12:1-3, God makes a promise to Abraham:
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and **you will be a blessing**. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and **all peoples on earth will be blessed through you**.”
God promises to bless Abraham and make him into a great nation. This nation refers to the later nation of Israel. Importantly, God also states that all peoples on earth will be blessed through Abraham. This indicates that although Israel is the chosen nation with a special relationship with God, they have a purpose to be a blessing to other nations as well.
The covenant established with Moses
Several generations after Abraham, his descendants the Israelites wind up enslaved in Egypt. God raises up Moses to deliver them out of slavery and establish a special covenant relationship between God and Israel.
In Exodus 19:5-6, God tells Moses to relay this message to the Israelites:
“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
Here God again refers to Israel as His “treasured possession” out of all other nations on earth. However, there is a condition – Israel must obey God and keep His covenant. God will bless them, but they must faithfully follow God as well.
The rest of the Old Testament describes how Israel enjoys God’s blessings when they follow Him, but suffers the consequences when they turn away. There are periods of renewal and obedience, but also seasons of idolatry and abandoning God’s ways. Yet God continually pursues them and calls them back because of His unconditional commitment to the covenant.
A chosen nation with an inclusive purpose
Although Israel held a unique status as God’s chosen nation, the Bible is clear that they were not chosen instead of other nations, but rather to be a light and blessing to other nations. Through Israel, God revealed Himself to the world and later brought salvation to all peoples through Jesus Christ.
Passages like Isaiah 49:6 indicate this inclusive purpose for Israel’s choosing:
“I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
And in Genesis 12:3 when God first promises to make Abraham into a great nation, He also says “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
So while Israel uniquely experienced God’s covenant blessings and possession, they had a responsibility to shine God’s light and truth to other peoples.
Israel’s priority status remains
Although the New Testament makes salvation available to all nations through Christ, it does not revoke or nullify God’s special relationship with Israel. Romans 11 tackles this topic directly, using an olive tree metaphor:
If the root is holy, so are the branches . . . But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches . . . they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. (Romans 11:16-20)
Paul argues that Gentiles are like branches grafted into the olive tree of God’s people. But the tree itself – rooted in the patriarchs like Abraham and the covenant nation of Israel – remains intact.
He warns Gentiles not to become “arrogant” (vs 20) against the branches that were broken off. Just as the Israelites can be grafted back in if they leave unbelief (vs 23), so Gentiles can be broken off from the tree as well.
So in the New Testament age, all nations have access to God’s salvation through Christ by faith. But God still has promises and plans for national Israel as well. Their unique chosen status continues, albeit with the responsibility to bless all nations.
Chosen for responsibility, not favoritism
In summary, the “chosen people of God” refers primarily to ethnic Israel descending from Abraham. God selected them for a special covenant relationship and to uniquely experience His guidance and blessings.
However, their “chosen” status came with greater expectations and responsibilities. God did not choose them because they were more worthy or holy, but rather to be a “light to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6) and channel of blessing to the world.
Israel had to learn that being chosen is more about duty than privilege. As God’s special people, they were to faithfully follow His commands and shine as a witness of His goodness to other nations.
For believers in Jesus today, this election of Israel holds many lessons too. As people embracing God’s New Covenant, we experience incredible mercy and blessing not based on ethnic, social or personal merit, but on grace alone through Christ. Our calling too is not favoritism, but the responsibility to proclaim God’s mercy and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).
Chosen and elect in Christ
While national Israel maintains a special standing with God, the New Testament uses “chosen” and “elect” language for those in Christ as well:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)
This verse applies terms used for Israel like “chosen people” and “holy nation” to believers in Jesus. So in one sense, the church now relates to God in similar ways national Israel did.
The key difference of course is that the door is open more widely through Jesus to people of any ethnicity. But believers hold a chosen standing – not ultimately based on ethnic identity – but purely by God’s gracious choice and election (Ephesians 1:4-5).
So all in Christ share in that chosen status equally. What once distinguished Israel materially or externally, now distinguishes the true church – those belonging to Jesus – spiritually.
This underlines how God’s choosing is about unmerited grace. As Deuteronomy 7:7-8 made plain to Israel: “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you…” God chooses because He loves.
So in Jesus Christ, believers from all nations experience a chosen standing from God based solely on His love and redemption. It carries the same call to bless others with His light and truth. The distinction moves from ethnic Israel to spiritual Israel – all who trust in Jesus by faith.