What one nation in the earth Is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee forever: and thou, Lord, art become their God. 2 Samuel 7:23-2423And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God. (2 Samuel 7:23‑24)
SA 7:23-24{One thought containing three thoughts seems to pervade this epitome of the history of God's people. The one thought is "Unto Thee." The three thoughts contained in it are: Redeemed, Separated, Confirmed unto Thee. (1) God went to redeem His people. It was no easy sitting still, no costless fiat: "Thou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people, even for salvation with Thine Anointed." These "goings forth have been from... the days of eternity," and we have seen by faith these "goings of my God, my King." He did it because He would do for you great things and terrible—great things in mercy, terrible things in righteousness—bringing all His sublimely balanced attributes to bear on His great work for you. "Before His people," that we might see and know and believe and praise. (2) This redemption to Himself necessarily involved separation from Egypt, from the nations and their gods. We cannot have the "to" without the "from" any more than we could go to the Equator and not come away from the Arctic regions. And the test and proof of the "to Thee" lies in the "from Egypt." (3) How magnificently God seals all His transactions! So He has not only redeemed and separated us unto Himself but "Thou hast confirmed to Thyself Thy people Israel." He, not we. His hands laid the foundation and His hands shall also finish it. He stablisheth us in Christ and He "hath also sealed us." He shall also "confirm you unto the end.”
O Thou chosen church of Jesus, glorious, blessed and secure,
Founded on the one foundation, which forever shall endure;
Not thy holiness or beauty can thy strength and safety be,
But the everlasting love wherewith Jehovah loveth thee.