Your question:”Did Paul picked to be an apostle? Samuel? Samson? Moses? David? etc. The list goes on. Did Israel choose to become God’s nation? Did any other? “
Yes God did choose and gave each graces, but each had the ability to accept or not accept.
Adam and Eve were chosen by God, but they rejected God and thus we had original sin. Satan and the other angels also chose to reject God.
Some chose to accept with faith the teachings of Jesus, and others chose selectively what teachings they accept and believe.
I don't recall in scripture where God gave Samuel a choice to follow Him. Same with John the Baptist who was chosen before he was born. David stated that he was chosen before he was born (Psalms 71:6) as well as Paul (Gal 1:15). Do you see a pattern? These are "special" people singled out by God. Rather they are just like every other believer, chosen by the grace of God:
Joh 1:13 who were born, not of blood (not a Jew) nor of the will of the flesh (can't make a choice) nor of the will of man (can't do good works), but of God.
There is nowhere in scripture where a person called by God refused to go. The closes one can come to is Jonah and we know how well that worked out for him.
... and others chose selectively what teachings they accept and believe.
Joh 10:25-29 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
Amen.
Oh?
Just WHO were the others that were NOT chosen??
A&E were CREATED by GOD.
Besides; they did NOT 'reject' GOD; but did not BELIEVE God.