What is the Purpose of the Jewish People?
Mordecai and I had agreed to meet in order to “exchange our points of view.” But both of us knew what we really meant by that phrase: each of us was intent on changing the other one’s mind. I wanted to tell him about my faith in Yeshua, and Mordecai wanted to tell me about the joys of living an Orthodox Jewish life.
“Avi, Avi, Avi,” Mordecai moaned. “I look at you, and I see such a tragedy. You’re like a man who went searching for treasure. But instead of looking in your own backyard, you decided to dig in the gentiles’ yards. Whatever you think you’ve found, it can’t compare with the beauty of what you’ve left behind.” He drew in a mournful breath, then let out a sigh. “Come back, Avi. You’re one of God’s chosen. Come back.”
“Mordecai,” I began without trying to match his gravity. “You’re right. We’re chosen. But why are we chosen?”
It seemed like Mordecai’s profound sorrow suddenly evaporated into indifference, tinged perhaps with a little bit of annoyance at what I’d asked. “Who knows why we’re chosen,” he shrugged. “That’s Ha-Shem’s business. It’s enough to know we’re chosen. So come back.”
I leaned a bit closer. “Mordecai,” I said, grinning like a conspirator, “I know why we’re chosen …”
Chosen in the Hebrew Scriptures
When God in the Hebrew Scriptures refers to us Jews as chosen, he’s saying that he selected us to serve a specific purpose and to carry out a particular task. Our track record for fulfilling that task has been less than stellar. But because of God’s grace and mercy, he has neither rejected the people he chose, nor has he reassigned the national task to somebody else. We’re still chosen, and God is still waiting for us to do what he called us to do. But what’s the task?
Let’s go back to the moment when God revealed in a single phrase our entire reason for existing as a people. Let me take you back to Sinai.
The divine mandate to be different
God had brought us out of our bondage to Pharaoh with “a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.” He had poured out his plagues upon Egypt. He then brought us through the Red Sea on dry ground while burying our pursuers in the waves. A few weeks later, we camped before Mount Sinai while Moses ascended the mountain to receive further instructions from the Lord. It was there that God told Moses …
“Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’ ” (Exodus 19:3-6).
A kingdom of priests? Who were the priests and what did they do? In the ancient world, they instructed people about God and interceded for people before God. Now, if the entire nation of Israel was called to be a kingdom of priests, then what other people were we supposed to instruct and intercede for? Well, who’s left? The rest of the nations of the earth. At Sinai, we received more than the Law of Moses; we received a mandate, rooted in God’s desire to see his revelation go out to all the families of the earth.
This mandate to be a community of witnesses runs through our entire history.
God planned to establish a kingdom of priests so that the rest of the nations might learn who he is and come to worship him. This mandate to be a community of witnesses runs through our entire history, beginning as far back as the call of Abram.
Hey Abraham!
The Lord called Abram with the following words:
“Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).
Gentile friends have told me that thanks to the Jewish people, the world has been blessed with artistic achievement, intellectual accomplishment and scientific advance. But as much as I admire the work of Chagall, Spinoza, and Salk, these and other “Jewish blessings” are really secondary compared to what God had in mind.
Primarily, God selected our people to bless the world with his revelation of himself. Through the Jewish people, God gave the world the Scriptures, and then the Messiah of whom the Scriptures speak.
Let my people go
Every year we celebrate Pesach and remember our miraculous deliverance from Egypt. But when God brought us out of bondage, he was not acting on our behalf alone. According to the Scriptural account, the events surrounding our redemption from Egypt were intertwined with God’s desire to reveal to the Egyptians—and in fact, to all the world—that he alone is Almighty God. Through Moses, God spoke to a proud and unyielding Pharaoh:
” … for this time I will send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth … indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth” (Exodus 9:14,16).
Even today, the people of the nations where the Bible is found know and read the story of God’s judgment on the false gods of Egypt.
And as we departed from Egypt, the Bible recounts that we were accompanied by a “mixed multitude” (Exodus 12:38) of Egyptians who chose to abandon their pagan beliefs and follow the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The Torah was given to us for various reasons, including ensuring our physical well-being, bringing blessings in the Land, setting us apart from other nations, revealing God’s character, convicting us of sin, and leading us to faith in the Messiah. Additionally, the Law was meant to be a testimony to the nations surrounding us, showcasing our wisdom and understanding in the eyes of others.
Despite these intentions, our history is marked by disobedience and ingratitude towards God. Our failure to live according to the covenant not only showed a lack of gratitude but also tarnished God’s reputation among the nations he sought to reach. Instead of being a light to the world, our actions gave them reason to mock and blaspheme God’s name.
Even in our exile and punishment, God used our circumstances to serve as a warning to the surrounding nations. Our expulsion from the Land was meant to show the consequences of forsaking God’s ways, while our eventual restoration would demonstrate God’s faithfulness to those who bear his name.
After centuries of wandering, many of our people have returned to the Land. However, the question remains whether we are truly fulfilling our destiny as a chosen people.
The world is broken, and our attempts to fix it have always fallen short. The root of this brokenness, according to our Bible, is sin. God, in his mercy, promised a Messiah to redeem us from this sin and chose us to bring this message to the world.
Despite the challenges and tragedies we have faced, we must remember that our chosen status has a purpose. Understanding this calling can help us make sense of our history and the challenges we continue to face in fulfilling it.
Divine Protection and Purpose
If our existence had been cut short before the Common Era (CE), the Messiah’s sacrifice for our sins would never have occurred. The prophet Isaiah foretold this event: “He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due” (Isaiah 53:8). Similarly, if we had perished in the past two thousand years, the return of the Messiah would not be possible. The words of Zechariah emphasize our role in recognizing the Messiah: “They [our Jewish people] will look on Me [the Messiah] whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him” (Zechariah 12:10).
God’s Protection Throughout History
God has safeguarded us from annihilation, allowing us to fulfill our purpose. Despite facing calamities, some of which served as warnings while others were judgments for straying from God, we have always been preserved. This protection signifies God’s love for us and His plan for our existence.
Understanding the reason behind our selection sheds light on God’s actions throughout history. While it may seem like a puzzle or a cruel joke without this insight, the truth is that God has a plan for each of us. Through acknowledging Yeshua’s sacrifice for our sins and embracing a restored relationship with God, we can experience abundant life.
“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Choosing to follow God’s plan leads to fulfillment and meaning in our lives. Just as Moses urged the Israelites to choose life, we are faced with a similar decision today. Will you heed the call and embrace your chosen purpose?
This content was adapted from an earlier Jews for Jesus article.