A chosen and persecuted people

I have recently heard someone ask, "why are the Jews considered the chosen people?" In the course of this discussion another question was raised, "why have Jews been persecuted so much?"

My take on these questions is the same. There is a spiritual reality behind them. What were the Jews chosen for? To be the line into which the promised saviour would be brought to the world and to proclaim the message of salvation in the end times. As the final events in prophecy take place descendants of Israel will be the instruments God uses to proclaim the message that saves much of the world: Man has broken God's law, will be held accountable for this crime, can have forgiveness if he repents and trusts in the saviour to pay his penalty. Frustrating this plan has always been the primary intention of the enemy of God. For this reason the Jews have always been persecuted. First to stop the saviour from entering the world; then, to stop the message that there is salvation in the saviour.