With what event did the nation of Israel begin?
The nation of Israel began when God called Abraham out of an idolatrous civilization. According to Joshua 24:2, the forefathers served other gods, and from that background God took one man, Abraham, to start the nation, later commonly called the Jew.
Les teaches that the nation of Israel began when God called Abraham out of an idolatrous civilization. In Joshua 24:2, Joshua told the people of Israel that their forefathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham, dwelt on the other side of the river and served other gods. They were idolaters. Out of that idolatrous civilization, God took one man, Abraham, and that was the beginning of the nation of Israel, commonly called the Jew. Les also answers what makes a Jew a Jew: it is both religion and blood, but first and foremost blood through the promised covenant line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, out of the twelve tribes.
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.