Deuteronomy 7:7

Moses told Israel that the Lord did not choose them for their numbers — they were the fewest of all peoples — but only because He loved them (Deut. 7:7-8). He could give no reason except what God is in Himself. This is a great comfort, for it puts the love of God on a basis that can never break down.

What is the motive of such love as He has made known to us? There can be only one answer—love! It found its motive in itself. He loved because He loved... Not only was there no merit or worthiness in us to call out His love, but we were lost sinners. Yet He loved us because He loved us.

As Israelites they were familiar with the notion of election. They were used to being God's chosen people (Deut. 7:6). And they would have understood that election was not based on merit but on God's sovereign choice (7:7-8). Now, as Christians, they had been chosen in a far higher sense: before the foundation of the world, for the possession of every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3,4) and for a heavenly inheritance. God had foreknown them, and in sovereign love had chosen them.

His love for them was sovereign. Natural things did not sway it. Pure divine wisdom moved it — the same wisdom that had chosen their fathers and promised them marvellous blessing that could come to their descendants. This love had already won their amazing rescue from Egypt, so they had proof of it beyond doubt (v.8).

Israel had to be taught to remember their origin, and their true condition — "slaves in Egypt" — "fewest of all peoples" — no room for pride or boasting. They were in no way better than the nations around them. So if anyone asked them to account for their high position and moral greatness, they had only one answer: it all traced back to the free love of God, and to His faithfulness to His oath.

This truth was God's own cure for self-satisfaction and self-confidence. At the same time it formed the solid basis of their happiness and their moral security. Everything rested on the eternal stability of the grace of God, so no one could boast.

God reveals His love when and as He will. In the Old Testament He spoke of it, but only in connection with Israel. He never even mentioned it in any divine message that has come down to us until the last days of Moses, the great lawgiver. Then in the book of Deuteronomy (Deut. 4:37; 7:7; 10:15; 23:5) it is first disclosed... God speaks of His love to act, if possible, on those to whom He reveals it. Moses then made it known, to keep Israel true to Him in later years.

There is nothing our hearts are so slow to believe as the wonderful place we have in the love of the Father... It is all so unaccountable too if we look at ourselves. But then it is just as He said to Israel of old: He set His love on them because He loved them. That was the only reason for it; the only account He could give of such love. If it was like this with His love for Israel, is it not infinitely more so with the love He has for us?