Yes — Israel is central to God's plan because God sovereignly chose it as His covenant people and made it the core around which all His dealings with the human race revolve.
God set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:8), placing Israel at the center of His order for all peoples. The Messiah came through Israel, and Israel was to be the vehicle through which God would bring all nations to a knowledge of Israel's God.
Deuteronomy 32:8 — God set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the children of Israel, placing Israel at the center of His arrangements for all peoples.
Genesis 12:2-3 — The Abrahamic covenant made Israel the channel through which all the families of the earth would be blessed.
Exodus 19:5-6 — God set Israel apart as a peculiar treasure above all people — a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
In Deuteronomy 32:8, Moses records that when the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance and separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. Israel is thus directly connected in Scripture to how God ordered the families of the earth. In the Abrahamic covenant, God promised to make Abraham a great nation and declared, "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:2-3). In Exodus 19:5-6, God told Israel they would be "a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine," and "a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation." And Isaiah 42:1 reveals God's servant bringing forth judgment to the Gentiles — showing that God's purpose for Israel always had the nations of the world in view.
Les Feldick teaches that Israel is central to God's plan because God sovereignly chose this little nation and made it the pivot point of everything He is doing with the human race. God set Israel above all the other nations as His chosen people, His covenant nation, for a unique role in His overall program for the whole human race (Clip 1). Israel has never been large — never more than 15 or 16 million — but this is the people God separated unto Himself with His covenant (Clip 4). That covenant status is the reason Israel has survived the millennia against all odds (Clip 6). Les points to Deuteronomy 32:8 to show that when God divided the nations and set their boundaries, He did it according to the number of the children of Israel. From that he draws the conclusion that everything God has done with the human race on this planet revolves around Israel (Clip 2). Even today, despite the nation's rejection of her Messiah, Les insists that Israel is still God's covenant people, in every way connected to the Bible (Clip 3). Israel's purpose was never exclusive. God told Abraham that he would be a blessing to the rest of the world, and Israel's special role was to bring all the nations to a knowledge of Israel's God (Clips 1, 5). The Messiah came through Israel — Israel was the vehicle all along (Clip 0). And the ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise, "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed," came through the crucifixion of Israel's Messiah, who became the object of faith for the whole world (Clip 7).
Les explains that God sovereignly designated the little nation of Israel for a unique role in His overall program for the whole human race (Clip 1). He notes that the nation of Israel has never numbered more than 15 or 16 million total, and in ancient times only 5 to 10 million, yet God set them apart unto Himself and gave them His covenant (Clip 4). The reason the little nation has survived the millennia against all odds — in spite of every attempt to obliterate them — is that they are God's covenant people (Clip 6).
No. Les repeatedly emphasizes that God never forgot the Gentiles. Israel was set apart for the express purpose of bringing all the other nations of the world to a knowledge of Israel's God (Clip 1). The Abrahamic covenant itself promised Abraham that he would be a blessing to all the rest of the world, and the final statement of that covenant was "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Clips 5, 7). Les goes to Isaiah 42:1 to demonstrate this same truth — that as God dealt with Israel, He still had the Gentile nations in view (Clip 0).
The ultimate purpose was that the Messiah would come through Israel and become the object of faith for the whole world. Les asks, "But through what nation did the Messiah come? Israel. And Israel was to be the vehicle all the way along" (Clip 0). He says the other primary reason God called Israel out, revealed in the last statement of the Abrahamic covenant, was that all the families of the earth would be blessed — and that would come about by their Messiah being crucified (Clip 7).
Israel as God's Vehicle
Les teaches that the Messiah came through the nation of Israel, making Israel the vehicle God used all along — and he points to Isaiah 42:1 to show that God never forgot the Gentiles as He dealt with Israel.
God's Sovereign Choice of Israel
Les explains that God sovereignly set Israel above all other nations as His chosen, covenant people, preparing them for the express purpose of bringing all the other nations of the world to a knowledge of Israel's God.
Deuteronomy 32:8 and Israel at the Core
Les cites Deuteronomy 32:8 to show that God set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the children of Israel — and concludes that everything God has done with the human race revolves around Israel.
Israel Still God's Covenant People
Les insists that the little nation of Israel is still God's covenant people and is in every way connected to this Book, even though God has temporarily set them aside.
A Small Nation, Covenant Chosen
Les reminds his audience that Israel has never been more than 15 or 16 million people, and yet God separated this small nation unto Himself and gave them His covenant.
Gentiles Kept in View
Les shows that even in the promises to Abraham, God always kept the rest of the world in view — and that by grace the Gentile system has been grafted into the place Israel enjoyed.
Survival Because of the Covenant
Les teaches that Israel's survival against all odds, despite every attempt to destroy them, is proof that they are God's covenant people.
The Abrahamic Blessing to All Nations
Les shows that the ultimate purpose of Israel's calling was the Abrahamic promise that all the families of the earth would be blessed through Israel's crucified Messiah, who became the object of faith for the whole world.
Deuteronomy 32:8: When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
Les cites this verse to show that God ordered the nations around Israel, making Israel the center of His program.
Genesis 12:2-3: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
The Abrahamic covenant promised that through Abraham all nations of the earth would be blessed.
Exodus 19:5-6: Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
God set Israel apart above all nations as His covenant people and a holy nation.
Isaiah 42:1: Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Les points to this verse to show that God never forgot the Gentiles even while He was dealing with Israel.
God sovereignly designated the little nation of Israel and gave them His covenant (Clips 1, 4). Les describes them as the chosen people and the favored nation, set apart above all the other nations of the world for a unique role in God's overall program for the whole human race.
No. Les emphasizes that God has not forgotten the Gentiles (Clip 0). Israel was set apart for the express purpose of bringing all the other nations of the world to a knowledge of Israel's God (Clip 1), and God told Abraham that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed (Clip 7).
Yes. Les teaches that although God has temporarily set Israel aside, the nation is still God's covenant people and is in every way connected to the Bible (Clip 3). And what God set in motion around Israel shows that at the core of everything He has done with the human race is this little nation (Clip 2).
Watch the Teaching: Why Peter Said "Whom You Crucified" — Acts 3 & 4 Explained