God’s election of individual persons or a nation is according to His eternal purpose. Scripture uses several terms for God’s eternal decree—counsel (Ps. 33:11; Eph. 1:11), purpose (Is. 46:11; Rom. 8:28), pleasure (Is. 46:10; Phil. 2:13), and will (Gen. 17:5-8; Eph. 1:5, 9, 11). Therefore, God’s purpose is an internal manifestation and exercise of His attributes that indicates what shall be done. However, this is not the same as its external execution.

The decree to create is not creation created. God’s purpose to create the heavens and the earth is one thing, but His saying “Let there be” is another. The first is internal. The second is external. Observe the number of times in the first chapter of Genesis where the statement “Then God said” occurs and conclude the observation with “THUS the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts” (Gen. 2:1 NASB). God’s decree (purpose) includes both the fulfilled purpose and the means that produced the fulfillment. God is independent because He is not derived.

God’s choice in Christ of individual persons to be saved includes the conclusion and the means to the conclusion: “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (II Thess. 2:13, 14 NASB). God executes His decree by means. The means used are not the cause of His purpose. They are evidences of God’s pleasure. The following are examples to prove that God executes His purpose by means: (1) God chose some for salvation (Eph. 1:4). (2) He chose to redeem by Christ’s death the ones chosen to salvation (Eph. 1:7). (3) He chose to be regenerated by the Spirit the ones chosen to be redeemed (John 3:8). (4) He appointed the ones to believe that He chose to regenerate (Acts 13:48; I John 5:1). (5) He chose to be progressively sanctified those He chose to believe (Heb. 12:14). (6) He chose the ones to persevere that He chose to be sanctified (Heb. 10:39). (7) He chose to glorify the ones He chose to persevere (Rom. 8:29, 30).

The order of the elect’s salvation must not be referred to chronologically—order of events from earliest to latest—because God’s purpose is eternally settled. Therefore, the question of order, like the order in the Godhead, is that of logic. For example, the earthly mission of Christ was seen in one conception, although an interval of 33 years came between His birth and His death: “For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you” (I Pet. 1:20 NASB). The ability to form an idea of a thing as a whole before it is executed in the order its intention requires is not beyond the range of finite minds. “…God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist” (Rom. 4:17 NASB).

The chosen nation of Israel must be viewed both nationally and selectively by grace of some individuals within the nation: “…For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED. That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants” (Rom. 9:6-8 NASB).

God’s choice of Israel began with a single person —Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; Is. 51:1, 2), progressed to a single family—Jacob (Ex. 2:24), and then to a single nation—Israel (Deut. 7:1-11). God’s plan for the earth centers about a single nation with which He made a covenant. The covenant was made with Jews and not with Gentiles. Salvation was first given to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. As they are incorporated, the elect Gentiles will inherit with the elect descendants of Abraham.

The Jewish nation was chosen with a view to the kingdom: “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. These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel” (Ex. 19:5, 6 NASB). The first 18 chapters of Exodus reveal that God was for Israel. Other chapters show what Israel should be for God as the fruit of His grace. Exodus 19:6 is the first reference to the kingdom as it is related to God. God in His sovereignty and mercy raised up this nation. God’s election embraced a nationality, the natural descendants of Abraham in their associated capacity (Rom. 9:4; 11:28). The kingdom included only Israel until it was enlarged. The enlargement included others as the seed of Abraham by way of adoption. His seed must be viewed three ways: (1) natural seed (John 8:33, 37; Rom. 9:7), (2) spiritual seed (Rom. 9:7, 8; I Pet. 1:1, 2), and (3) spiritual seed that are not natural—Gentiles (Gal. 3:29; Rom. 4).

Israel’s election was unconditional according to God’s eternal purpose: “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right Come you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:31-34 NASB). There are two perfect passive participles in verse 34—eulogemenoi, have been blessed, and etoimasmenen, has been prepared from the foundation of the world. The perfect tense looks at the beginning and conclusion of the action. It represents a present condition or state as the result of past-completed action. The sheep had been blessed and the kingdom prepared simultaneously. The kingdom is permanently prepared, and the sheep are permanently blessed.

The God of the Bible never creates anything He cannot control: “…Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it” (Is. 46:11 NASB). God is Divinely sovereign and exercises His sovereignty (I Chron. 29:11). He has a Divine purpose and will perform it (Is. 14:26, 27). He has a foreordained kingdom that will be accomplished (Matt. 25:34). He has oath-bound designs that will be realized (Gen. 17; II Sam. 7). He has a goal that will result according to His will (Rom. 9:9-21). Therefore, God is personally interested in the kingdom and will overrule all opposition to bring forth at His appointed time a glorious consummation of His work.

The unbelief and sinfulness of the nation of Israel, as in the lives of individual Christians, removes God’s present favor. However, His disfavor does not affect His choice of either (Is. 6:12, 13; Rom. 8; 9; 11). The restoration of the nation is inwardly connected with the establishment of the kingdom. The same chosen nation, chastened and scourged, will be recalled and exalted (Ezek. 16).

The history of Israel as a chosen nation proves how remarkable God’s statement in Genesis 12:1-3 has become: “NOW the LORD said to Abram, 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 shall be blessed” (NASB). Connect these verses with the burning bush, which represents Israel, that was not consumed: “…the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, I must turn aside now, and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up” (Ex. 3:2, 3 NASB).

God’s plan for the earth centered about a single nation with which He made a covenant. This covenant made with Abraham was unconditional. The covenant made later with Moses at Sinai had conditional attachments. These attachments not only separated the sheep from the goats, but the sheep also learned how weak the flesh is in converted sheep. Like Noah, the sheep of Israel found grace (favor) in the eyes of the Lord (the covenant God).

Israel’s sin resulted in the nation of Israel being scattered, but this had no effect upon the eventual fulfillment of the unconditional covenant God made with Abraham. His seed will be the blessing of all nations: “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, And to seeds, as referring to many, but rather to one, And to your seed, that is, Christ. What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise” (Gal. 3:16-18 NASB).

Now is the time to look for the significance of Moses’ statement in Exodus 3:3—“…I must turn aside now, and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.” From the beginning of her history no better figure can describe Israel’s career than that of passing through the fire. Israel’s history has been one of tribulation and sorrow (Deut. 18:15-22; Ezek. 15:1-8; Mal. 4:1-3). She is now the “barren fig tree.” Therefore, she is crushed (Matt. 21:18-20). The oil of hate is now being poured on the burning bush as never before. However, all who persecute Israel will get burned (Gen. 12:3; I Sam. 17; II Kings 19).

The bush not being consumed reveals the miracle of Israel’s preservation throughout the ages. Because of their indestructibility, the Jews have never lost their identity (Num. 23:8, 9; Dan. 3:1-25; Amos 9:8-12). So sure will the kingdom be given to the seed of Abraham by virtue of covenant and oath that when the Jews—national Israel—rejected the prerequisites of the kingdom, the Lord gave assurance that His covenant will not fail. God does not cast away either His people or His nation whom He foreknew (John 17; Rom. 11). Those who enjoy the kingdom blessings will in some way be regarded as the descendants or the children of Abraham.

The times of the Gentiles—“…Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24 NASB)—must not be confused with the fullness of the Gentiles—“…a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in” (Rom. 11:25 NASB). The “times of the Gentiles” refers to the period of time from Nebuchadnezzar to the establishment of the kingdom at Christ’s second advent. The fullness of the Gentiles speaks of Christ visiting the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name (Acts 15:13-17). Both the times and the fullness of the Gentiles are drawing to a close. The fullness will be completed when Christ comes for His own. The times will be terminated when Christ comes to establish His kingdom. After the completion of the fullness of the Gentiles, the last form of Gentile rule on earth will begin. This rule of the Gentiles will terminate with the coming of Christ in power and great glory.

Copyright ã   2001

This sermon has been written, preached and copyrighted by W. E. Best. While the author retains his copyright to this material, you are invited to copy the sermons or portions of them for your use. But you are specifically forbidden from changing any of the material and from selling it for any financial recompense.  We do not charge for getting out God's Word and we will not support others who do so.