So I ask, “Has God rejected his people Israel?” That’s unthinkable! Consider this. I’m an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he knew long ago.
Don’t you know what Elijah says in the Scripture passage when he complains to God about Israel? He says,
“Lord, they’ve killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to take my life.” But what was God’s reply? God said, “I’ve kept 7,000 people for myself who have not knelt to worship Baal.”
So, as there were then, there are now a few left that God has chosen by his kindness. If they were chosen by God’s kindness, they weren’t chosen because of anything they did. Otherwise, God’s kindness wouldn’t be kindness.
So what does all this mean? It means that Israel has never achieved what it has been striving for. However, those whom God has chosen have achieved it. The minds of the rest of Israel were closed, as Scripture says,
“To this day God has given them a spirit of deep sleep. Their eyes don’t see, and their ears don’t hear!” And David says, “Let the table set for them become a trap and a net, a snare and a punishment for them. Let their vision become clouded so that they cannot see. Let them carry back-breaking burdens forever.”
So I ask, “Has Israel stumbled so badly that it can’t get up again?” That’s unthinkable! By Israel’s failure, salvation has come to people who are not Jewish to make the Jewish people jealous.
The fall of the Jewish people made the world spiritually rich. Their failure made people who are not Jewish spiritually rich. So the inclusion of Jewish people will make the world even richer. (Romans 11:1-12 (GW)
The concept of being chosen is often misunderstood, mostly because of our human, earthbound worldview. This is understandable in America, since we fixate on beauty and performance, as with celebrities, pop-stars, athletes, and politicians.
But those who are chosen by God's kindness—His grace—are only special because He's chosen them, not anything else. This choosing is for His purposes and according to His timing, which is true for a nation or a person.
But we don't see the whole picture. We don't see things from God's point of view. We see that Elijah was chosen by God, but he was not the only one. God had 7,000 other people reserved for His purposes.
Israel was chosen by God for His purposes, but they did not remain faithful to Him. His plan for redeeming humanity included other peoples (nations), not just the Jews. So, Israel was set aside for a purpose, so that others could be included in God's kingdom.
Be careful of seeing God's choosing as anything else than His kindness shown for His purposes. ©Word-Strong_2016