Psalm 22:17-20

"The LORD rescued me from enemies who were stronger than I am and set me in the open."

This hymn of praise ascribed to King David a little before 1000 BCE says that the LORD delivered David because the LORD "delighted" in David. At this point in the story God does not "love" the covenant people, but at least God fancies them. We might say that the LORD rescues David so that the covenant story, which is a good and exciting story, does not end.

When the people of Israel continue to be unfaithful, God comes close to killing them off. But that would end God's story as well as Israel, as God is creating this story through what happens to Israel. If the story of God's chosen people ends, the story of God will also be over.

Similarly, we might understand the New Testament as a new chapter in the story, and in this sense the church is the newly chosen people of God. Now, however, the image of God is Christ, who is God for us, but also a man for all seasons.

Grace and peace...Bob