Israel Adopted as a Child of God

Dr. Couch, there is no passage in the OT that says Israel is adopted as a child of God, though there are verses that speak of the church saints being adopted unto the Lord. What about this issue? ANSWER:  There is one passage that speaks of Israel being adopted and that is Romans 9:4: "Who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises." Gill and other old great scholars point out that this is "national" adoption for Israel and is not a personal adoption, but is a corporate adoption. It is true that here the Jews are seen as "sons" yet they are also seen as a group, "God's son."    Israel is seen as a youth, loved of God and "called out of Egypt as God's son" (singular) (Hosea 11:1). It is more common for the church saints to be seen as individual sons of God who have received "a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'" (Rom. 8:14-15). While we are now adopted spiritually speaking as sons, we still wait for the final adoption when we leave this life (8:23). We receive this adoption (Gal. 4:5) and we are predestinated to this adoption as sons (Eph. 1:5).     The word "adoption" is two Greek words put together: "son-placement." We are placed as sons in God's family. We are then considered truly sons with all the rights and privileges of sons!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch