The Most High Chooses

“King David rose to his feet and said: ‘Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. But God said to me, “You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.” Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah he chose my family, and from my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel. Of all my sons -- and the LORD has given me many -- he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel’” (1 Chronicles 28:2-5, NIV).

Unlike King Nebuchadnezzar who claimed he ascended to his throne by his own “mighty power” (Dan. 4:30), David acknowledged that “the LORD, the God of Israel, chose…” him to be king.

We also read in Psalm 78:70-71, “He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.”

It was only after a very painful lesson that Nebuchadnezzar realized that “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses" (Dan. 4:32, NKJV).

But David knew that God is the Most High who chooses.

He chose not only David as king of Israel. He chose also “the tribe of Judah to lead Israel.” And from Judah, God chose the family of David. From among the many sons of David, Solomon was chosen “to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel” and to build God’s house (1 Chron. 28:6).

As the Most High, He chose not only to whom a particular kingdom be given, but also chose a city where to put His name – where to build His physical temple. We read in 2 Chronicles 6:5-6, “`Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be the leader over my people Israel. But now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel’” (also 1 Kings 14:21).

In the Old Testament, He chose a group of people for Himself. Moses told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 7:6-9:

“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands” (also Deut. 10:14-15; 14:2).

And among the Israelites, “the LORD chose… (the Levites) to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever” (1 Chron. 15:2).

He had chosen also the inheritance for His people, as we read in Psalm 47:4, “He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.”

We also read in Ezekiel 20:5-6, “…`This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore with uplifted hand to the descendants of the house of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, "I am the LORD your God." On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.’”

Indeed God is portrayed in many instances in His Word as the Sovereign One who chose.

Before, He revealed Himself to His chosen people in Egypt and, now, He has also chosen a people whom He is revealing Himself to them.

Isaiah prophesied it in Isaiah 43:10-13, “’You are my witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘and my servant WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed -- I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?’"