Why do we still say “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” even after God has changed Jacob’s name to Israel. If we look at the “big picture,” Jewish survival is perhaps the greatest miracle of all Jewish history. Because Jacob’s children are still an ongoing Jewish existent. It defies clear historical patterns. Whenever people move to different countries, they gradually integrate, following the beliefs and ideals of the local population. Jews were different.

First, Jews were prophesied to be “a light unto the nations,” helping to spread the moral principles taught by God… and that light will always burn. Second, those who have oppressed Jews; Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Spanish, German Nazis and Russian Communists, all of them are gone, while Jews are still an ongoing, long lasting community. Jews were prophesied to be “a light unto the nations,” helping to spread the moral principles taught by God and that light will always burn.

The Hebrew Scriptures state that the people of Israel would never cease to be a nation before YHVH (Jeremiah 31:36; Isaiah 66:22). “For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to save you; though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, and will not let you go altogether unpunished.” (Jeremiah 30:11)

The story of the survival of the Jewish people is a painful one, filled with suffering and great sorrow, but it culminates in the greatest event of all human history: one day the Lord will appear in glory in Zion, and peacefully rule all nations from there (Psalm 102:15–16). Jerusalem will be a praise in all the earth (Isaiah 62:7), all wars will cease (Isaiah 2:2–4), and the nations will come up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord of lords—the God of Israel. (Zechariah 14:16).

A major misunderstanding of the Biblical concept of God choosing a people or a prophet is caused by the use of the word ‘the’ chosen when a better translation would be ‘a’ chosen prophet or people. Relationships are always unique and exclusive, but just as a parent can and should have a loving relationship with several different children; God can and does have unique and exclusive relationships with many different prophets and many different religious communities.

As a well known Hadith says:”Prophets are paternal brothers (sons of one father by co-wives). Their mothers (mother tongue, motherland etc.) are different but their religion (from the one and only God) is one.” (Bukhari Vol. 4: Book 55 #651 and Muslim Book 30: #5834-6). According to the Bible the relationship between God and Israel is similar to a marital partnership, as can be seen from the following Biblical verses:

1. God proposes a marriage covenant at Sinai:

God said to Moses “Speak thus to the house of Jacob, and tell this to the children of Israel… Now if you listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the peoples, for the whole earth is mine. You will be my........

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