The prophetic portions of God’s word give the nation of Israel a lot of attention. Is He playing favorites? Is He ignoring all the other nations and people on earth?3,500 years back people believed gods were local. Such gods had jurisdiction only over a particular territory or a particular race. When you went to a different place you had better make an effort to appease the god of that section of country to gain their favor. A mindset that even Israel struggled with.The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (the God of scripture) is the Creator/Ruler/Father of ALL nations… not just Israel. He is the God of all the earth, not just a patch of land in the middle east. The prophecies He has caused to be recorded affect all nations and peoples of the earth. Genesis 12:3 Israel’s mission was to be a blessing to ALL the nations of the earth.Exodus 22:21 Deuteronomy 10:17-19Deuteronomy 27:19 Ezekiel 47:22These scriptures give us the mind of God on the matter. He loves those of other nations and wants the people He has chosen to think and act the same way. God judges each person by how they respond to His instructions. Some have received a lot and some have received very little.Romans 9:4 Israel received a lot. In return God expects a lot from them. The same equation is at work in the church, the spiritual nation, the Israel of God. “to whom much is given, much is expected in return”. Therefor this principel is at work for you and me also.In the days of the Old Covenant God used Israel as a sort of middle-man. He delivered His word directly to them… they were to take it to the rest of the world, living it, speaking of it in their streets and homes. The same equation is at work in the church, the spiritual nation, the Israel of God… to speak, to teach, and to reach.It may be that Israel’s shortcomings kept their neighbors from seeing the light of God’s commands. It may be that the shortcomings of the church keep others from seeing the light of God’s truth. [woe unto us if that be the case].Israel is First in LineThe physical descendants of Abraham may have been the first to received the good things of God. They are also first in line to receive His discipline and punishment. Luke 21:20-24 when the Day of The Lord comes Christ will deal out punishment and discipline to all the nations of the earth… Israel is also to be punished and disciplined. But their punishment and discipline comes even before the Christ’s return.Before Christ’s return there is a time of great tribulation. God will punish Israel for their rebellion and rejection by allowing the nations to have their way with Israel. The results won’t be pretty. God completely removes all protection from Israel, they are viciously attacked by al the other nations with Satan goading them on. The descendants of Abraham are killed in huge number and the rest are taken as slaves. It is “the time of Jacob’s trouble’Jeremiah 30:6-10.Note: Jesus uses same terminology [pain of childbirth, no time like it in history] in His long prophecy in Matthew 24: 6-8 [painof childbirth], 21 [no time like it]. Very likely one of the prophetic writings He was referring to was the time of Jacob’s trouble.So… the time of Jacob’s trouble comes right before the return of Christ when He will forcefully discipline all nations, all cultures, and people… but the process of punishment will have already begun with Israel.God starts with Israel: He revealed Himself first to Israel, Israel is punished and disciplined first, and Israel is the first nation and people to be restored when the Kingdom of God and the 1,000 year rule of Christ begin.God Does Not Forget Rest of HumanityIsaiah 66:18-23Acts 10:34-35 The church began with a remnant of believers drawn out of Israel, Peter, John, the 120 disciples, the 5,000 baptized on Pentecost, Paul… and on that base God is drawing to Himself people from all nations. The situation in this verse is referring specifically to the church. But is also a template for how Christ will opera