The Bible leaves no doubt that Israel was, is and always will be God’s chosen nation and serves as an example for all other nations.
“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6
God promised to make Israel a great nation and further promised them specific land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates River.
“To your (Abraham’s) descendants (Isaac and Jacob) I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates…” Genesis 15:18b
God initially went on before the Israelites to dispossess the inhabitants of Canaan.
“When the LORD your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you…you shall conquer them…” Deuteronomy 7:1-2
In addition, God gave the Israelites instructions as to how to remain pure and maintain their greatness. The key was to look to God for guidance and to reject any other influence.
“You shall make no covenant with them…They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.” Exodus 23:30-33
The word ‘snare’ means entrapment.
Just prior to the Israelites crossing the Jordan to possess the land of Canaan after the 40 years wandering in the wilderness, the LORD gave Moses more specific details about dispossessing the people who were occupying the land. The Israelites were to completely rid the land of anyone or anything that could negatively influence them in their new home or cause the Israelites to take their eyes off their God.
“Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their high places; you shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell in it for I have given you the land…” Numbers 33:50-53
And then God warned Israel of the consequences of not obeying His instructions to completely rid the land of any religion, culture or ideology contrary to His prescribed instructions.
“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them.” Numbers 33:55-56
Well Israel disobeyed God’s specific instructions. They did not completely purge the land of all ‘anti-God’ influence. Judgment was inevitable.
“…and I said… ‘You shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars’…but you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? Therefore I also said… ‘Their gods shall be a snare to you.’” Judges 2:1-3
Israel has, and still is, paying the price. Their multicultural challenge is far from over inasmuch as the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob encompasses much more than the geographical area described as Canaan. The land to be possessed by Israel at the appointed time in the future includes portions of present day Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
The Bible presents multiculturalism as a deterrent to Israel’s purity i.e., a compromising, diluting influence. Israel has and is learning that compromising God’s instructions is not a viable option. Not only has multiculturalism not worked in Israel it is currently having a profound negative effect in Europe. Perhaps all nations that wish to preserve their national heritage and identity should review Biblical teachings as well as history and reevaluate the issue of multiculturalism. Recall God uses Israel’s history as an example for this present age.