God promised the Israelites a reaffirmation of the things He promised their forefather Abraham. Speaking to Abraham's son, Isaac, God offered the same promises to him... not because of Isaac's righteousness... but because of his father's:
"I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars, and I will give them all these lands [national power, wealth and prosperity]. And through your descendants [the Israelites; specifically, through the tribe of Judah, the Jews, through whom Christ's lineage is traced] all the nations of the earth will be blessed [global Salvation through the Messiah]. I WILL DO THIS BECAUSE Abraham LISTENED TO ME and OBEYED ALL MY REQUIREMENTS, COMMANDMENTS, REGULATIONS, and LAWS." (Gen.26:4-5 NLT New Living Translation)
And the promise God made to the Israelites, when He liberated them from Egyptian bondage, was for them to do nothing more or less than their father Abraham had done:
"IF YOU FULLY OBEY THE LORD YOUR GOD BY KEEPING ALL THE COMMANDMENTS I AM GIVING YOU TODAY, the LORD your God will exalt you above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings IF YOU OBEY THE LORD YOUR GOD:
"You will be blessed in your towns and in the country. You will be blessed with many children and productive fields. You will be blessed with fertile herds and flocks. You will be blessed with baskets overflowing with fruit, and with kneading bowls filled with bread. You will be blessed wherever you go, both in coming and going.
"The LORD will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!
"The LORD will bless everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The LORD your God will bless you in the land He is giving to you. IF YOU OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD and WALK IN HIS WAYS, the LORD will ESTABLISH YOU AS HIS HOLY PEOPLE as HE SOLEMNLY PROMISED TO DO. Then ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD will see that YOU ARE A PEOPLE CLAIMED BY THE LORD, and they will stand in awe of you." (Deut.28:1-10 NLT)
These are all God's "material promises" to Abraham's descendants through Isaac relating to "national greatness, wealth, prosperity and power!" The very things that ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD DESIRE!
But they have always been contingent upon THE OBEDIENCE OF THE PEOPLE TO GOD'S COMMANDMENTS - HIS LAWS!
That was the "covenant" offer God made with the newly-liberated children of Abraham -- a continuation of the same promises that He made to their father, anciently, that were interrupted by their 400 years of slavery in Egypt. It was an offer that THEY AGREED TO... but never fulfilled.
"Now IF YOU WILL OBEY ME and keep My covenant, you will be My own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth... and you will be to Me a Kingdom of Priests, My Holy Nation. Give this message to the Israelites." (Ex.19:5-6 NLT)
"They all responded together, 'WE WILL CERTAINLY DO EVERYTHING THE LORD ASKS OF US'..." (verse 8)
The vast majority of the Israelites, the House or Kingdom of Israel, were scattered and never returned to the land God gave them. Only the Jews [the descendants of Judah], the tribe of Benjamin, the Levites, and small remnants of the tribes remained visible to the world; thought of collectively by the world from that time on as the "Jews."
[ the king of Israel sent the priestly tribe of Levi packing back to Jerusalem, out of Israel, so that the tribes of Israel wouldn't be coerced back to the House of David, the Jews: '...the king made two gold calves. He said to the people, 'It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt... Jeroboam {the king of Israel} built shrines at the pagan high places and ordained priests from the rank and file of the people - those who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi...' - I Kings 12:28-31]
God made no promise to the Israelites other than the same ones He promised to Faithful Abraham. And those promises are, and always have been, contingent upon OBEDIENCE TO HIS COMMANDMENTS!
And what are His Commandments? They are His LAWS OF LOVE AND RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER! He expects and commands any people anywhere who would worship Him to do the same:
"When you OBEY ME, you remain in My Love, just as I OBEY MY FATHER and remain in His Love... I COMMAND YOU TO LOVE EACH OTHER IN THE SAME WAY THAT I LOVE YOU. And here is how to measure it - the Greatest Love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends. YOU ARE MY FRIENDS IF YOU OBEY ME." (John 15:10-14 NLT)
That's all that God promises to His Children: that "things may go well with you" if you Obey Him.
"If you Obey all the Laws and Commandments that I will give you today, ALL WILL BE WELL WITH YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN. Then you will enjoy a long life in the land the LORD your God is giving you for all time." (Deut.4:40 NLT)
Isn't that what everyone in the world wants? But I guess Loving and Respecting one another is too much to ask... or demand of us.
