One of the five biblical occurrences of adoption explicitly describes the national adoption of Israel (Rom. 9:4). Paul in listing the great privileges which the physical nation of Israel had enjoyed speaks first of ‘the adoption’. The presence of the article manifests that this adoption was a definite, well-known fact. Israel is frequently described as God’s son in the Old Testament (Exod. 4:22; Deut. 32:5-6, 18-20; Isa. 45:9-11; Jer. 31:9; Mal. 2:10). Special reference is, however, made to passages which speak of the redemption of Israel from bondage along with Israel’s sonship (Exod. 19:5; Deut. 7:6-8; Ezek. 16:1-15; Jer. 3:1-22).
