Are Jews the apple of God’s eye

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.)

Moreover, Zachariah 2:12 states that God "will again choose Jerusalem." This is a further indication of the spiritual content of these verses, because God's word clearly shows that earthly Jerusalem represents slavery, whereas God's heavenly Jerusalem represents life. This is explained in more detail on page 14 of this site.

Although Zechariah never uses the word "race" in referring to God's people, the apostle Peter does in 1 Peter 2:9-10. There God clearly spells out that the "Chosen Race" refers to the followers of Christ.

1 Peter 2:9-10: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

Therefore those who scripture calls the "Apple of God's Eye" are the followers of Jesus, not those who are called Jews (unless they are Messianic Jews) or any other group of people who reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior and were, or are, working against God's Kingdom on Earth and in Heaven.

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NOTE: Links to Bible references are from the web site, https://classic.biblegateway.com/passage/ It is an excellent reference to God's Word and available to anyone with access to a computer. They have no connection to our site nor do they endorse us in any manner.