My Torah studies have brought me to Deuteronomy 7:8 which reads thusly (by the way, I attached verse 7 to verse 8 to ensure a complete thought and complete sentence):
CJB Deuteronomy 7:7 ADONAI didn’t set his heart [His love-chashaq] on you or choose you because you numbered more than any other people- on the contrary, you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 Rather, it was because ADONAI loved you, and because he wanted to keep the oath which he had sworn to your ancestors, that ADONAI brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from a life of slavery under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deu 7:7 CJB)
Israel’s “chosen” status was not according to the understanding and ways of natural men who would select on the basis of prowess, prestige, beauty or population. Instead, Yehovah’s selection process was unique in that He “fell in love” with a fellow from Ur of the Chaldees. It was that love story that focused on one individual, of all the humans inhabiting the world at that time, that led to a nation being founded and chosen by the Creator. It would be that nation, born out of love and an oath, through which mankind would ultimately reconnect with the Father. Any believer who would mitigate or dismiss the origins of our Faith out of some crazed anti-Hebrew/anti-Jewish sentiment is sadly ruled and led by the enemy. Over and over again, throughout the Biblical record, the Father reminded the nation that their selection and consequently their favor with the Almighty was by virtue of His love and the oath He established with Avraham, which translated to the love he would have for Isaac and Jacob. As it stands with us today, our selection and chosen status is not the result of anything that we have or could ever do (although the Father will use any of us to do His will), but because of the oath He made and the love He had for Avraham. This love transcended anything known to mankind up to this juncture in human history. Obviously, the love the Father had for Avraham was clearly reciprocated although it is not clear beyond Avraham’s obedience and faith how Avraham’s love for Yehovah was reciprocated. One thing we know, Yehovah fell in love to the point that Avraham became the Creator’s best Friend:
7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? (2Ch 20:7 KJV)
8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. (Isa 41:8 KJV)
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. (Jam 2:23 KJV)
Oh how I long to be looked at by the Father as His friend. Like Avraham, I am not satisfied to simply be as one of the countless millions of souls living upon the earth, paying homage to a God by attending a church service a few times a year, financially supporting a ministry, or doing charitable things out in public. Obviously, we can’t compare the relationship the Father had with the Son to the relationship the Father had with Avraham, but for starters, I will take being seen by the Father as His friend.
The concept of the Creator of the Universe adopting one of His creation as a friend, when you really think about it, is something that is hard to cognitively grab hold to. After Adam sinned, the Creator’s relationship with mankind was severely wrecked. After this tragedy in the Garden, mankind would no longer have anything in common with the Creator of the universe. The Father’s interactions with man precipitously dropped to just a few isolated occasions, the most notable occasion was the flood story. Unlike Avraham, the Father found “grace” or “chen” in the eyes of Yehovah (Genesis 6:8). The Biblical record does note that “Noah walked with Yehovah” (vs. 9).
Let’s pick this up in part 2. Until then, be most blessed fellow Saint. Shalome.