Why Israel Is Special—And Why It Still Matters Today

Israel has been in the news a lot recently, but hardly for the first time. This tiny country has been continually attracting the world’s attention ever since its recreation in 1948. Why? What makes Israel distinctive? Does God love them more because they’re his “special people?”

God equally loves everyone, but he created Israel for a specific purpose, which he revealed when he promised Abraham that his descendants would bless all the nations of the world. ⁽¹⁾ In other words, the Savior—the One who would reconcile people to God—was to come through Israel.

Imagine if God had appeared in human form out of nowhere and called people to believe in him. I don’t think he would have found many takers. Knowing this, God took his time to prepare the world for his coming. He had to choose a people group to do this, and he picked Abraham’s descendants—not because they were better or worse than anyone else, but because of Abraham’s faith.

For about two thousand years, God gradually revealed the truth about his plan of salvation and the reasons behind it, making sure his message was written down. By the time Jesus was born, the Jews were eagerly expecting the Messiah, and the multiple prophecies that had been foretold over hundreds of years unequivocally pointed to Jesus being the One.

When Jesus called his disciples to follow him, they were well-steeped in the prophecies concerning the Messiah and were ready to recognize Jesus for who he was. Despite many misunderstandings along the way, they believed and were God’s instruments to share the Gospel with a world ready to hear it.

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, Israel was wiped from the map for almost two thousand years … until 1948. What does this mean? It means that God is again preparing the world for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus will return someday, not as a humble teacher but as a King who will rule the earth, with Jerusalem as his capital city.

No one knows when this will happen, of course. Considering how long it took God the first time, I can’t say with certainty that the time is near. However, I’m inclined to think it’s sooner rather than later, given that our world so closely resembles the one described in Revelation. Regardless of when it will happen, one thing is sure—Jesus is coming.

So, what’s so special about Israel? The Messiah, Jesus. God worked through Abraham’s descendants to bring salvation—forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with our Creator—to those who believe in Christ, both Jews and Gentiles. Many weren’t ready when Jesus came the first time. Are you prepared for when he will return?

⁽¹⁾ Genesis 12:3, 22:18, Gal 3:16