In question time at this year's Tasmanian MYC, my colleague Sam Green gave a great answer to a question about Israel.
Often we ask 'Why did God choose one nation among many? Why did he choose only one nation?" and so on.
It is true that God speaks of Israel as 'a chosen nation'. And there are many answers to this question of why he chose this nation and only this nation. The LORD clearly says it's not becasue they were great or wise, but simply because he chose to show his favour to them.
But Sam pointed out that in the first place, God didn't choose a nation at random among many existing nations. Rather, he CREATED a new nation out of his promise to the one man (and him nearly dead): Abraham.
So it's not that God chose a nation, God made a new nation of his very own. He created something new.
And in this way his election of Israel is much closer to the New Testament doctrine of new birth. And in this way, as Romans 4 points out, the creating of Israel actually gives hope to all other nations.
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