Even before the nation of Israel existed, God had already given His promise that salvation would come to all nations. God called Abram to leave his country and relatives and gave him the promise that: “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing… In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). In these verses we see two promises rolled into one: God’s promise to Abram that he would become the forefather of a great nation, and that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed – which means that the Savior would be Abram’s offspring who would bring salvation to all nations.
God’s special care for Israel
Throughout the Old Testament we see God’s special care for the nation of Israel, the offspring of Abraham. They are in a covenant relationship with God. He has told them how to worship and serve Him by giving them regulations and commandments (Exodus 20). He has sent His prophets to warn them when they wander off the path and also to point them to the Saviour who was going to come. However, although the focus is primarily on Israel, it is not exclusively on Israel. “Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!” sings Psalm 117. And when the temple of Solomon is finished, king Solomon prays to God to hear the prayers of foreigners visiting the temple to worship God – “in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you” (1 Kings 8:43).
Bless the whole world through Israel
God chose Israel so that, rather than excluding other countries, Israel would be a blessing to the entire world. Reading the New Testament makes this very evident. According to Luke 3:34, Jesus was descended from Abraham and was born in Israel. He was the one who would save us. Furthermore, He removed the “dividing wall of hostility” that separated the Israelites and the Gentiles via His death on the cross (Ephesians 2:11-22). According to Galatians 3:27–28, all distinctions based on gender, race, or social standing have been eliminated in Christ and everyone has become one. According to Galatians 3:29, every believer in Christ is now a member of Abraham’s family.
Salvation to the whole world
God “so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,” Jesus Himself explained to a Jewish man (John 3:16). He came to deliver salvation to everyone on the planet, not only Israel. And He gave His followers a directive, or a purpose, shortly before He departed to return to His Father: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19. God brought His Son into the world to provide redemption to all peoples, just as He created the earth and all of its inhabitants. Glory to the Lord, all peoples!
