The nation of Israel is unique -- always has been, always will
be. In the ninth chapter of Romans Paul enumerates some of the
distinctives which set this nation apart from the other nations
of earth. One of them is the giving of the Law. Only Israel had
a Law, given by God through Moses. Others are the worship, the
priesthood, the covenants, the promises, the son ship (i.e., the
special election of Israel by God) -- all of these are unique to
Israel. And finally, Messiah himself came through the Jews. But
in that list of distinctives Paul also lists another which is
often overlooked. He says that to Israel is "the glory." He is
not referring there to the fact that Israel has special honor,
although that is true. It is specifically "the glory," something
specific which Paul had in mind. The glory he is referring to is
the Shekinah glory, the pillar of cloud by day, and of fire by
night, which rested over the nation of Israel the symbol of
God's presence among them, the visible representation of God's
dwelling