Why were there exceptions to God’s Old Testament dealings being mainly with Israel?
God’s Old Testament dealings were predominantly with Israel, but exceptions occurred because God is sovereign and can make His own exceptions. While His program focused on the nation of Israel from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He was not bound to that pattern. His sovereignty allowed Him to deal with others outside Israel whenever He chose.
Les explains that from Abraham onward God’s Old Testament economy was predominantly Jew only. God had called Abraham and promised that from him would come the nation of Israel through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, later called the Jews. Yet Les says this was “with exceptions” because God is sovereign and can make His exceptions. Apart from those exceptions, God was dealing with Israel according to the Old Testament program: Messiah would come, Israel would crucify Him, tribulation—Daniel’s seventieth week—would follow, and Christ would return to set up His Kingdom. Israel, however, rejected that opportunity. So the exceptions do not overturn the main flow; they show God’s sovereign freedom within a program focused on Israel.