Yes — Israel is great because God chose it as His covenant people and made it the channel of His blessing to all nations, not because it is large.
While Israel has never had a large population, its greatness rests on God’s sovereign covenant with Abram. The promise of a 'great nation' carried with it the coming Redeemer, through whom all families of the earth would be blessed. Les Feldick points to Israel’s remarkable survival and worldwide attention as evidence of this divine purpose.
Genesis 12:2 — This is the foundational promise that makes Israel great: a divine covenant rather than a large population.
Genesis 12:3 — It explains the purpose of Israel's greatness: all families of the earth would be blessed through this nation.
Deuteronomy 32:8 — It shows Israel at the center of God's arrangement of the nations, which Les explicitly connects to Israel's unique greatness.
The Bible records God's promise to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3: 'I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.' The same passage promises that 'in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.' In Deuteronomy 32:8, Scripture says that when the Most High divided the nations and separated the sons of Adam, 'he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.' These verses define Israel's greatness in terms of covenant and divine purpose, not by the size of its population.
Les consistently describes Israel as a 'little nation' and a 'small' people. He says, "over the years of time, the nation of Israel has never been more than 15 or 16 million total, and that's about what they are today" (Clip 1). In antiquity they were 'only about 5 to 10 million,' and even at their largest in that region they were about 5 or 6 million (Clips 1, 2). His point is that Israel's greatness was never about numbers. Instead, Les roots Israel's greatness in God's sovereign covenant. God put His finger on one man — Abram — out of an idolatrous, pagan world and promised to make him a great nation (Clip 0). Les says "this was God's promise, that I will make of thee a great nation... Which of course is the promise of the coming of the Redeemer" (Clip 2). Israel is 'God's covenant people' whom God has 'separated unto Himself' (Clips 1, 3). Les also explains why this matters now. He calls Israel's survival over four thousand years 'one of the greatest miracles of the whole human race' (Clip 5). He reads Deuteronomy 32:8 as placing Israel 'at the very core of the whole human experience' (Clip 7). And he points out that a nation of only three or four million people, in a 'geographical area smaller I guess than Rhode Island,' is in world news daily — 'they're God's people, and He's getting them ready for His soon return' (Clip 4).
In Genesis 12, God does not promise Abram millions of descendants. He promises, 'I will make of thee a great nation... and thou shalt be a blessing.' Les explains that this was also 'the promise of the coming of the Redeemer,' so Israel's greatness is covenantal and redemptive. Deuteronomy 32:8 shows that when God divided the nations, He set their bounds according to the number of Israel, which Les calls placing Israel at the core of the human experience.
Les repeatedly says Israel is a 'little nation.' He says over the years it has never been more than 15 or 16 million people total. In antiquity, it was only about 5 to 10 million, and even when it was the largest nation in its area, that meant only 5 or 6 million.
God called Abram out of an idolatrous family and separated Israel unto Himself. Les says God sovereignly designated this 'favored nation' for a unique role in His overall program for the human race — bringing all the other nations to a knowledge of Israel's God.
Les calls it miraculous that a nation of three or four million people, smaller than Rhode Island, is in world news daily. He says they are God's people and God is getting them ready for His soon return. He also points to Israel's survival through more than four thousand years of attempts to destroy it as one of the greatest miracles of human history.
God Calls Abram from Idolatry
Les shows that God sovereignly called Abram out of an idolatrous family, establishing that Israel's greatness is the result of God's choice rather than Israel's size.
A Nation That Never Exceeded 15–16 Million
Les explains that Israel has always been tiny — never more than 15 or 16 million — so its greatness must be explained by God's covenant, not population.
Promise of a Great Nation and the Redeemer
Les connects God's promise to make Abram a great nation with the coming Redeemer and the blessing of all families of the earth.
Survival Because They Are God's Covenant People
Les points out that Israel has survived the millennia only because it is God's covenant people — despite repeated attempts to obliterate it.
A Tiny Nation in World News Every Day
Les calls it miraculous that a nation of only three or four million people, smaller than Rhode Island, is in world news daily, showing God is preparing Israel for His soon return.
A Miracle of Human History
Les describes Israel's survival through over four thousand years as one of the greatest miracles of the human race.
Set Above All the Nations
Les teaches that God set Israel aside and above all other nations for the purpose of bringing the nations to a knowledge of Israel's God.
At the Core of the Whole Human Experience
Les uses Deuteronomy 32:8 to show that Israel is at the very core of the human race, which explains why the world is concerned with Israel.
Genesis 12:2: 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:
This is the foundational promise defining Israel's greatness as covenant blessing rather than numbers.
Genesis 12:3: 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.
It shows the purpose of Israel's greatness: blessing all the families of the earth, which Les ties to the Redeemer.
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 uses this verse to show Israel at the core of God's division of the nations.
Les teaches that Israel has never numbered more than 15 or 16 million total people. In antiquity it was about 5 to 10 million, and at one point it was the largest nation in its region at 5 to 6 million, which is still very small by world standards.
God promised Abram, 'I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.' Les shows this promise included the coming Redeemer through whom all families of the earth would be blessed.
Les calls it miraculous that a nation of only three or four million people, smaller than Rhode Island, is in world news daily. He says it is because they are God's people, and God is getting them ready for His soon return.
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