Why God Chooses the Persecuted Bull, Sheep, and Goat

"And God seeks the pursued" (Ecclesiastes 3:15). Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yose: In the future the Holy One, blessed be He, will demand the blood of the pursued from the hand of their pursuers. When a righteous man pursues a righteous man, "God seeks the pursued." When a wicked man pursues a wicked man, "God seeks the pursued." [When a wicked man pursues a righteous man, "And God seeks the pursued." Even if you go back and say that a righteous man pursues a wicked man, in any case, "And God seeks the pursued."] Know that it is so, for behold, Abel was pursued by Cain; therefore it is said, "And the Lord turned to Abel and to his offering" (Genesis 4:4). Noah was pursued by his generation, "but Noah found favor" (Genesis 6:8), while of his generation it says, "And He blotted out all existence" (Genesis 7:23). Abraham was pursued by Nimrod, "You are the Lord, the God who chose Abram" (Nehemiah 9:7). Isaac was pursued by the Philistines, "And they said, We have surely seen" (Genesis 26:28). Jacob was pursued by Esau, "For the Lord chose Jacob for Himself" (Psalms 135:4). Joseph was pursued by his brothers, "And the Lord was with Joseph" (Genesis 39:2). Moses was pursued by Pharaoh, "And He said He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen one" (Psalms 106:23). Israel is pursued by the nations of the world, "The Lord your God chose you" (Deuteronomy 7:6). Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon said in the name of Rabbi [Yose bar] Nehorai: Here too the ox is pursued by the lion, the lamb by the wolf, the goat by the leopard. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Do not bring before Me an offering from the pursuers, but rather from the pursued, as it is said, "An ox or a lamb or a goat" (Leviticus 22:27).