WHY GOD GAVE ISRAEL AN EMPIRE

In the days of Moses, when Israel came into existence as a nation, God explained His purpose for making the Israelites a people of influence and power. He told them:

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to me above all people; for all the earth is mine. And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation…” (Exodus 19:5-6).

God intended to use them as a model nation. He had Moses tell them: “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of Yehovah your God which I command you… Be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people’” (Deuteronomy 4:2, 6).

God wanted Israel to set an example that would teach other nations the benefits that come from obeying Him; faithfully keeping His laws. When He established Israel as a great nation He gave Solomon wisdom that exceeded the understanding of the other rulers in the region. Solomon became internationally famous for his wisdom (1 Kings 4:29-34), and his subjects apparently were at peace within their lands.

God intended that the wisdom of His way of life and His laws be made available to other nations. He gave Israel a magnificent opportunity to spiritually enrich and bless “all the families of the earth,” as He had promised Abraham.

But neither Solomon nor the people he led kept their eyes on that objective. The physical benefits of prosperity, wealth and fame became their chief focus. They lost sight of the reason for their existence as a nation.

The problem was human nature. Solomon increasingly yielded to his own weaknesses until, at the end of his life, he had abandoned the great God who had given him an empire.

God’s desire for Israel to be a model nation carried with it grave responsibilities. God had no intention of allowing Israel; the nation He created to be the world’s model of righteousness to escape the consequences of abandoning His ways and sinking to the level of the surrounding nations

God then conditionally promised to Solomon to establish the throne of his dynasty over the people of Israel living in their Promised Land forever.

In case Solomon were to fail to follow God with integrity, God explained the consequences. “If you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples” 1 Kings 9:6-7, NIV).

God had warned them: “Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known; wood and stone. And among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul. Your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life” (Deuteronomy 28:64-66).

All of these proclamations of God have been fulfilled up to the present day. However: God looks out for the long-term good of those with whom He is working (Hebrews 12:5-12). His ultimate goal, of course, is to bring everyone to repentance (2 Timothy 2:24-26; 2 Peter 3:9), to acknowledge Him and willingly choose to live according to His laws.

Since physical Israel failed to carry out God’s intended purpose for them to be a model nation to be a witness and testimony to the nations of the world they have been for the time being set aside.

However, when Jesus came on the scene of world history according to God's plan of salvation and lived a life as the only perfect man who lived according to every word His God and His Father gave him to do including willingly going to his death on the stake to become a sin offering sacrifice for humanity. Then God was able to graft into Israel all those who became disciples of the lord Messiah Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles. All those who completely committed themselves to walking in faith-obedience obeying all the words his God and Father gave to him to give to us.

Now as the true Israel those who are the disciples of the lord Messiah Jesus have the same commission that Israel of old had. To be a witness and testimony as a holy nation of priests carrying the message that God gave to His uniquely begotten son to give to us to proclaim the coming Kingdom of God and the name of the lord Jesus.

However, Christendom has utterly failed in carrying out this message to the world and like Israel of old have been led astray to worship a false triune god and a false Messiah they claim to be a god/man.

All is not lost however because by God’s amazing grace there is a faithful remnant that are members of the true Israel and are also members of the household of God and members of the body of the Messiah Jesus, the called=out Assembly. These are Individual temples of Yehovah and collectively members of the temple of Yehovah. This remnant is carrying out the commission given by the lord Jesus to preach the coming Kingdom of God to the nations. May that day soon come!