Some claim that the passage in Zechariah 2:8,  where God says, "For thus says the Lord of hosts, 'After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye,"'  is scriptural proof that Jews are a special people of God.

However the paragraph in Zechariah, where this is taken from, begins at verse 6 and continues to verse 13. Therefore, to solely quote Zechariah 2:8, without the accompanying scripture, is to miss-quote God's word, and distort scriptural truth by taking it out of context.  When the paragraph is read in its entirety, and especially verse 11 where it says; "Many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you,"  it is clear that God is referring to a future time; the time many call Spiritual Israel. In Zechariah 2:8, God is speaking worldly inclusive, whereas Israel and Jews were (and again currently are) a very exclusionary, separatist, nation and people.

Therefore, the interpretation that Zechariah 2:8 is referring to those who were Jews then, or especially the Jews of today, does not fit when the paragraph is read in its entirety. (However, it does apply to the future people identified as Messianic Jews since they were, and currently are, Christians, aka, Children of God or Sons of God, just like any other Christian.)