Why did God choose Israel and make them His covenant people?

Les explains that the whole Old Testament program was that God would go to the pagan, heathen Gentiles through Israel. That was the purpose of calling them out, setting them apart, and making them His covenant people, so that one day they could go back into those pagan Gentiles and give them the knowledge of their Jehovah God. He notes that when Israel rejected everything, God did something kept secret: He would turn to the Gentile without Israel. But the original intent was for Israel to be the channel. Les then takes us to Isaiah 42, where God's servant, the Messiah of Israel, is described as bringing forth judgment or rule through the Gentiles. This confirms that the Gentile outreach was always part of God's plan, with Israel as the chosen instrument.