Chapter II

God's Chosen People, Israel, Set Apart For His Glory.

Genesis 17:1-9, 21 Deuteronomy 7:7; 10:12;

Jeremiah 2:20 Deuteronomy 26:17-19; 28:1-14

1. God Chooses Israel to be His Chosen Nation

God's rationale for choosing Israel to be His nation.

God's requirements for His chosen nation:

2. God Promised Great Blessings To Israel If She Would Live In Obedience To His Commandments. (Deuteronomy 28:1-14)

God promised blessings in every area of a nation's life:

3. God Had Already Validated His Existence and Sovereignty.

4. God always warns men repeatedly what His standards are, and what the consequences will be for disobedience.

5. God's Indictment Of Israel's Sins, For Which He Promised Judgment.

6. God Reverses ALL of His promised blessings because of Israel's continual sins. (Deuteronomy 28:15-68)

Israel's Specific Sins

1. ISRAEL HAD FORSAKEN GOD, CREATING FALSE GODS

Jeremiah 2:5, 12-13; Israel had not only forsaken the One, True, Living God which would have been horrible and damning enough; but they had then also created false gods (idols) and had started praying to, and worshipping them.

Proverbs 29:1, "He, who being OFTEN reproved, hardens his neck, shall SUDDENLY be destroyed, and WITHOUT remedy."

Remember this verse, for it will have great significance in our later study.

2.ISRAEL'S HARD HEARTS CAUSED THE PEOPLE TO DIS-BELIEVE GOD'S WARNINGS OF IMPENDING JUDGMENT

3. ISRAEL'S SINS--GREED, COVETING, STEALING

Jeremiah 6:13--

"For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness--to greed for unjust gain..."

4. ISRAEL'S FALSE TEACHERS SINGLED OUT FOR PRIORITY JUDGMENT

Israel's spiritual leaders refused to repent and to turn back to God's true ways.

God's Priority with which He was going to judge.

Ezekial 9--Entire chapter. (Note that God ensures protection

from His judgment of those people who are obedient to Him)

We have another principle of God's judgment--He always begins with His sanctuary/church.

5. ISRAEL'S SIN--VIOLENCE AND BLOODSHED FILLED THE LAND

Ezekial 7:23--"Prepare the chain (of imprisonment); for the land is full of bloodguiltiness, and the city is full of violence."

6. ISRAEL'S SIN--ADULTERY

As the Israelites drew back further and further from God, they began to commit the sin of adultery in ever-increasing numbers and in every way possible. For example:

* Jeremiah 5:8--Leviticus 18:6-29--God forbids these practices:Heterosexual Adultery, Incest, Homosexuality, Bestiality.

KEY QUESTION OF THE HOUR

When individuals comprising a nation are guilty of repeated sexual offenses, and no one in power is willing or able to carry out God's decrees, God must carry out the death sentence upon the entire nation.

God does set an appointed day, a specific day, upon which He will deliver His judgment.

Another principle in Ezekiel 14:13-14: A nation does cross a line with God where only individual salvation is possible, but the nation is doomed to suffer His judgment.

Israel's doom was sealed. Personal repentance to God was still possible (Ezekial 14:16, 18, 20), but the nation was beyond help or deliverance.

6. GOD'S TOOLS OF PUNISHMENT IN DELIVERING HIS JUDGMENT

Jeremiah 14:12b, 21:10 "...but I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence." Note that God always specifically includes "fire" as part of His sword punishment. Then, God added one more weapon which He used to bring judgment upon wicked Israel--wild beasts (Ezekiel 14:21).

God utilizes natural beings as His agents when He brings His judgment to bear.

Nations do not know that they are being used by God as His instrument. Jer 50:25. The leaders of these nations have absolutely no idea that they are being controlled and used by God.

7. GOD DESTROYS THE NATION WHOM HE HAS JUST USED AGAINST ISRAEL

* Jeremiah 50:25-31, 35-39. * Isaiah 13:19-22.

* Jeremiah 51:1-14, 20-25.

8. CONCLUSION TO OUR STUDY OF ISRAEL'S SINS

Let us turn our attention to the study of America today. Such a study is relevant for several reasons.

1.God's nature is unchanging; He is `the same yesterday, today, and forever'.

2. God warned, in Jeremiah 12:17, "If ANY nation will not hear and obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation."

3. God clearly teaches that a person/nation will be judged according to the `spiritual knowledge' which it has been given. Those who have been given greater spiritual knowledge will face a higher standard from God. Certainly, Israel and America have been given greater spiritual light than any other nation on earth. We will demonstrate that, perhaps, America will be considered to have received greater light, and in greater measure, than even Israel. Therefore, America will be held to a greater standard, and her judgments will be MORE SEVERE.