In the Old and New Testaments, who was Israel? That question can be answered correctly in many ways. "They were the nation of descendants God promised Abraham" (Genesis 12:2). "They were the descendants of Jacob's twelve sons." "They were the people whom God rescued from Egyptian slavery." "They were the people through whom God worked [by His grace] to bring to all people Jesus the Messiah [the Christ].
Regardless of what correct answer the question receives, one truth must be the foundation of each answer. Through God's promise and grace, in the Bible Israelites are God's people. Israel's relationship with God is emphasized powerfully in many ways.
Consider one of those ways. Israel existed because of two acts of God. First, God promised Abraham that his descendants would become a nation. Israel existed to fulfill that promise (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). Second, God rescued Israel from Egyptian slavery to become that promised nation. God often stressed His unique relationship with Israel by declaring, "I am the God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Deuteronomy 6:12).
God frequently reminded Israel that they were totally dependent on Him. God did not want one generation to forget or ignore that dependence. They were to tithe. Ten percent of their agricultural produce was to be given to God [remember they were an agricultural society] (Leviticus 27:30-33). In addition, every first born male [animal and human] belonged to God (Exodus 13:2-16). In addition, the first gatherings of each new crop were to be given to God (Deuteronomy 26:1-3). In addition, a part of each harvest was to be left for the poor as a perpetual reminder of Israel's past slavery (Leviticus 19:9,10; Deuteronomy 24:19-22). In addition to these acts of generosity were the laws of the seventh year (consider Exodus 23:10-12 and Deuteronomy 15:1-3), the sacrificial system, and the major festival days that required all the men to attend.
Our reaction could be, "Wow! It was expensive to be a citizen among God's people! Surely, deliverance from slavery was wonderful. But, that is a high price to pay generation after generation!"
God delivered them from physical slavery to make them a physical nation who received physical blessings. God delivered us from Satan's spiritual slavery (Romans 6:17,18) to grant us citizenship in his spiritual nation (Ephesians 2:19-22) and receive eternal blessings (1 John 3:1,2).
Which required the greater effort and personal cost to God: God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery or our deliverance from the consequences of sin? Which required the greater effort and personal cost to God: God giving Israel a physical country with physical blessings, or God giving us spiritual life in His spiritual kingdom with eternal blessings?
What was the basic point?
Focus your thinking on God's unique relationship with Israel. Specifically concentrate on God's desire to make Israel aware of (1) Israel's dependence on God and (2) God's sufficiency for Israel. State what you think was the primary point of the following events in Israel's early history.
To Israel: what was the basic point that they were to grasp?
To Israel: what was the basic point that they were to grasp?
To Israel: what was the basic point they were to grasp?
To Israel: what was the basic point that they were to grasp?
To Israel: what was the basic point that they were to grasp?
To Israel: what was the basic point that they were to grasp?
To Israel: what was the basic point they should have grasped?
What is the basic point to us?
Questions and thoughts to pursue Christian perspective
Obviously God wanted Israel to be aware of two facts: (1) God could take care of them regardless of their need or circumstance; (2) their total dependence on God was good. As a Christian, does God want each of us to be aware of the same two things?
Obviously, with Israel, God used the vehicle of generosity to develop their confidence in God's ability to care for them. Should we use generosity to express that same confidence in God?
Are we generous toward God because we think God is our dependent? Or, are we generous toward God because we understand that we are His dependent? How do Christians express their gratitude and appreciation for God's care?
When a person returns something you loaned him or her, who should be grateful?
Link to Teacher's Guide Quarter 4, Lesson 1