Ezekiel 20:32-34 NIV ‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen. As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.” https://bible.com/bible/111/ezk.20.32-34.NIV
God chose Israel to be His people, His children, His own possession. They were to honor Him as their God, represent His good ways to the word, and lead others to Him as the only and true God for humanity to worship. Israel rebelled. They chose to be like the nations worshipping false gods instead of staying loyal and true to the One God Who had proved Himself to them by rescuing them from slavery. Therefore, God gave them over to the desire of their hearts, allowing them to wallow in their rebellion, which killed them and caused their suffering, for the false gods are no gods who enslave them with their evil ways. God always kept a remnant because He was planning to come to us as one of us through His chosen people to create a new people from all people for worshipping and serving Him, loving and enjoying Him forever. Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, in the lineage of David, but was born of a virgin so that His body was not corrupted by the rebellious nature all the rest of humanity enters into the world possessing. This Jesus, all God, and all man died as Savior for the sins of all man but was raised from the dead, proving to all man that He can forgive us our rebellion and give us eternal life to live with Him forever. God is committed to humanity. He created us for Himself and loves us sacrificially and eternally, as demonstrated by coming to earth in Jesus the Savior. Our responsibility is to respond to His love with repentance, obedience, love, and worship. Those who refuse will suffer forever the consequence of their choice by suffering forever with all those who never would acknowledge the One True God or walk in His ways.
