Dividing, Selecting, and Electing

 

Tom Bradford speaks of God’s pattern of dividing, selecting, and electing in Scripture.  He runs a wonderful website called Torah Class, which offers free lessons on the first five books of the Bible.  It provides bible studies and Scripture research for Christians, Messianic Jews, and all seekers of truth. 

This spurred me to find examples in Scripture where God divides, selects, and elects:

• Enoch is credited for walking faithfully with God and God removes him from the earth prior to the flood, which is a type of the rapture of the saints before the tribulation.
• God tells Noah to build an ark and enter it and thus only eight souls are saved from the flood (1 Peter 3:20, KJV), which is a type of the 144,000 who will be sealed and preserved through the tribulation.
• Abraham is told to separate from his people and his country to go to the land of Canaan. But Abraham never actually occupies the land flowing of milk and honey, which is promised to his descendents.
• God leads Lot and his two daughters out of Sodom and Gomorrah before its total destruction, which is an example of the danger of being yoked with unbelievers.
• Moses is told to lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 12:37 tells us they eventually numbered 600,000), yet only Joshua and Caleb are allowed to enter the promised land.

I know that many have been led to believe that when Christ Jesus returns all believers will be rewarded equally in His Kingdom. But I believe that God’s pattern of dividing, selecting, and electing in Scripture tells us otherwise.