What was Israel's identity when they came on the scene?
When Israel came on the scene, they were God's separated, different covenant people—the only people on earth with knowledge of the one true God. Every other human being in the populated world was steeped in paganism and polytheism, worshiping many gods, while Israel alone stood as that little nation.
Les teaches that when Israel comes on the scene, they are God's separated, different covenant people, the only people on earth. He notes that ever since the Tower of Babel, the whole human race until Abraham was saturated in paganism and polytheism—the worship of many gods. At that time, the populated earth was around the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and maybe out to China, but every human being except those coming from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were pagan worshipers. Israel alone was that little group, that little nation, with a knowledge of the one true God.