World-Week 2

God with Israel - what was his ‘big picture’ with israel, what did he do for them, etc

God was seeking after people ‘after his own heart’ to serve Him

With Abraham, the purpose of God’s choice was to raise up people to keep his ways and follow him

Genesis 18:19 NIV

For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

For whatever reasons God picked abraham instead of somebody else - we know what God wanted to accomplish.

He was here to show people how to serve Him

In genesis, there’s

Adam and Eve (God creates the world to be in relationship with him, with him as the ultimate guidance (no tree of the knowledge), but they drop the ball),

then Noah (the earth is so bad, we need a hard reset). But then the next major character is Abraham.

And in the story of Abraham, we see God steering things back to this garden of eden idea - that humanity exists to depend on God.

Fast forward, now we’re looking at the establishment of Israel.

Exodus 19:5–6 NIV

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.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

So this is right after the 10 plagues in egypt. God has brought out his people in might and power. Then he reminds them - they need to listen to him, follow him, and obey him.

In fact, everything about the history of israel is contingent on this dynamic. They honor God, serve him, follow him, things go well. They stray, things stop going well.

The many cycles that Israel experiences - oppression, deliverance. Exile, return. They were all because of this idea of obedience.

God’s purpose was to bless the world

Genesis 12:1–3 NIV

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.”

In Abraham - God says, all the nations are going to be blessed because you obeyed me.

Not, blessed because Abraham is awesome. Blessed because abraham is obedient.

Even fast forward, and when God is talking to Jacob, he gives this promise:

Genesis 28:13–14 NIV

There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

So god is explicit with them - I will establish you into a nation, and that nation is supposed to bless all people on earth

And most of the OT is history explaining how badly Israel dropped that ball. But the principle exists - God did it to bless everybody.

In fact, the primary 2 charges that God brings against Israel through it’s history is ‘You didn’t obey me’ and ‘You didn’t bring justice’.

What can we learn about us today?

God works through the obedience of his people to bless others

This was God’s plan from the beginning. Even in the Garden of Eden - God creates everything, then man, then puts man to task to take care of stuff.

The world HAD GOD, but God said, ok, I’m making you man too.

With Israel, God says - every person, every nation is mine. But if you obey me, I’ll make you into a kingdom of priests.

God doesn’t say to them BUILD BEST RESORT

God doesn’t say to them I’LL LOVE ONLY YOU AND NOT THEM

God’s promise was - if you follow me, I’ll work through you to bless the whole world.

Next week we’ll talk about how God continued this plan - and how God changed up the playbook a bit - when it comes to the church.

But this is still as essential a foundation now as it was then. God will work through you to bless others.