(Moses speaking to the Israelites) “The Lord did not set His heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for your were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and He was keeping His oath He had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps His covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes His unfailing love on those who love Him and obey His commands. But He does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject Him. Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today.” (Deuteronomy 7: vv. 7-11, NLT)