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Developing A Biblical World View
The entire nation descended from one man named Abraham. You can read about Abraham, God's promises to him, and their fulfillment in Genesis 11:27 - 25:34. Abraham was chosen to be the "father" [leader] of the nation of Israel. God chose him for a special purpose:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:2-3)
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:18) (See also Genesis 26:4 and 28:14)
From Abraham would come the nation of Israel. Through Israel the nations of the world would be blessed by coming to know the true God. The "families" of the earth also would be blessed. The word "families" refers to the many different tribes and people groups that compose a nation.
The nation of Israel was not chosen for special privileges or because they were better than any other nation. They were chosen for a special purpose. The nation was a minority called to serve the majority. God chose Israel as the nation through which He could reveal Himself to the world. Israel was the nation from which the Savior, Jesus Christ, would come (Matthew 2:2; John 4:22). This was the nation through which God spoke His written Word to the world (Psalms 147:19; Romans 3:1,2; 9:4).
Israel was also to be God's witness to the nations:
Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, it is truth.
Ye [Israel] are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am He; before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
I even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no Savior.
I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange God among you; therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. (Isaiah 43:9-12)