Why did God choose to put His name on a specific piece of real estate called the land Israel? We learned one reason today during our visit to the ancient city Megiddo. Megiddo was one of three cities that controlled the world’s trade routes that ran through Israel. An example of this is seen in the story of Joseph (Gen. 37) when his brothers sold him to a group of Midianite traders who eventually sold him in Egypt.
At that time in history, Israel was the only monotheistic nation on the planet. So when traders on their way home from around the globe would pass through Israel, they would hear about the one true God. God picked this spot to spread the word about Himself. When the Israelites were asked why they worshipped only one God or didn’t eat certain foods, they weren’t supposed to say, “Because we’re Jewish.” They were supposed to say, “We love and trust our God for all that He has done for and in us.” They were a nation of slaves. Their God freed them from slavery by destroying Egypt, the world superpower at the time.
This was why Israel’s idolatry was so devastating. When they worshipped idols, they not only hurt themselves, but they also gave the world the wrong image of God. As merchants would travel through Israel, they could feel right at home. They could worship their gods and keep right on going without ever coming into contact with the One True God. He was just one of an entire smorgasbord of gods.
As children of God, we don’t do what we do because it is the Christian thing to do. We do what we do because we love and trust Jesus, the One who set us free from slavery. We pick up our biblical tools through His power to stay free our idols (i.e. drugs of choice). As we love and trust Jesus in all that we think, say and do throughout our day people will not see their god in us, but Jesus. Who would rather have people see?