Why are the Jews called God's earthly people?

Les teaches that as soon as Abraham was called out of Ur of the Chaldees, God separated him from the mainstream of humanity and promised that out of that one man would come a distinctive race and nation—the nation of Israel. From the onset of the promise to Abraham until Israel was dispersed after rejecting their king, God constantly drummed into their mindset that they were a special, called-out, separated, covenant people, and all their promises were earthly. That is why they are called God's earthly people. Les clarifies that when he said there is nothing in the Old Testament about a Jew dying and going to heaven, he meant their eternal abode in resurrection: an Old Testament saint went to paradise, and today a Jew goes to his place of reward, paradise if a believer. But in their resurrected state, believing Jews will not be a heavenly people; they will be an earthly people. Even in their life in the flesh, all of Israel's promises were earthly, which is why many had tremendous wealth, as Abraham was a wealthy man.