of the most lofty truths of religion among mankind, forms
the basis and the chief condition of revelation. Before God proclaimed the
Ten Words of the Covenant on Sinai, He addressed the people through His
chosen messenger, Moses, saying: "Ye have seen what I did unto the
Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto
Myself. Now therefore, if ye will hearken unto My voice, indeed, and keep
My covenant, then ye shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples,
for all the earth is Mine; and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests,
and a holy nation."(1021)

2. The fact of Israel's election by God as His peculiar nation is repeated
in Deuteronomy, with the special declaration that God had found delight in
them as the smallest of the peoples, on account of the love and the faith
He had sworn to the Patriarchs.(1022) It is accentuated in the Synagogal
liturgy, especially in the prayer for holy days which begins with the
words: "Thou hast chosen us from all peoples; Thou hast loved us and found
pleasure in us and hast exalted us above all tongues; Thou hast sanctified
us by Thy commandments and brought us near unto Thy service, O King, and
hast called us by Thy great and holy name."(1023) Inasmuch as the election
of Israel is connected with the deliverance of the people from Egypt, the
whole relation of the Jewish nation to its God assumes from the outset an
essentially different character from that of other nations to their
deities. The God of Israel is not inseparably connected with His people by
mere natural bonds, as is the case with every other ancient divinity. He
is not a national God in the ordinary sense. He has chosen Israel freely
of His own accord. "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and out of
Egypt I called My son," says God through Hosea,(1024) and thus prefers to
call Himself "thy God from the land of Egypt." This election from love is
echoed also in Jeremiah, who said, "Israel is the Lord's hallowed portion,
His first-fruits of the increase."(1025) The moral relation between God
and Israel is most clearly characterized, however, by Amos, in the words:
"You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will
visit upon you all your iniquities."(1026) Here is stated in explicit
terms that the God of history selected Israel as an instrument for His
plan of salvation, in the expectation that he would remain faithful to His
will.

3. The real purpose of the electi