Israel is the covenant nation descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, chosen by God to receive His covenants, preserve His revelation, and bring the Messiah into the world.
God established Israel as His covenant people, giving them His law, His promises, and the land He had sworn to their fathers. Through Israel came the Scriptures, the prophets, and ultimately Jesus Christ according to the flesh. Although many in Israel rejected their Messiah, God has not cast away His people, and His covenant promises remain certain because they rest upon His faithfulness rather than man's. While Jew and Gentile alike are saved only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, Scripture continues to distinguish Israel from the church and anticipates the future fulfillment of God's promises to the nation.
See in Scripture: Genesis 12:1–3; Genesis 32:28; Exodus 19:5–6; Deuteronomy 7:6–8; Romans 9:4–5; Romans 11:1–2, 25–29