Jehovah had chosen Israel as His special people, to reveal Himself to them, so that through His relationship with them they could serve as a witness to the nations around them (Isa. 49:6). To them were entrusted the oracles of God (Rom. 3:2), but not for their benefit only, but so that they would proclaim to those around them the greatness of Jehovah their God.

As individuals, the people of Israel were no different than us; it was sovereign grace that chose them and set them apart (Dt. 7:7–8). They were given a unique relationship with God, and with this a distinct responsibility of living out God’s standard.

Their testimony to those around them had its highlights, but as the kingdom split after Solomon’s reign, the northern tribes fell into wicked idolatrous practices. Israel not only became conformed to the nations, but soon surpassed them in their evil (Ezek. 16:47).

The seriousness of Israel’s disobedience is not only that they served idols—the nations did this as well—but it is that they rejected the true God who had revealed Himself to them and delivered them on countless occasions: “Has a nation changed its gods, which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory for what does not profit” (Jer. 2:11).

We are also called to be witnesses for God, and whether we like it or not, our testimony is being examined by those around us. May we heed the lesson from Israel’s failures, and lean on God’s grace to be “blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15).