Do not grievethe HolySpiritof God,by whomyou were sealedfor the dayof redemption.
Then the LORDsaid,"My Spiritshall not strivewith manforever,becausehe alsois flesh;nevertheless his daysshall be one hundredand twentyyears."
The LORDwas sorrythat He had mademanon the earth,and He was grievedin His heart.
Howoftenthey rebelledagainst Him in the wildernessAnd grievedHim in the desert!
"For fortyyearsI loathed[that] generation,And saidthey are a peoplewho errin their heart,And they do not knowMy ways.
"You have boughtMe not sweetcanewith money,Norhave you filledMe with the fatof your sacrifices;Ratheryou have burdenedMe with your sins,You have weariedMe with your iniquities.
But they rebelledAnd grievedHis HolySpirit;Therefore He turnedHimself to become their enemy,He foughtagainst them.
Then he said,"Listennow,O houseof David!Is it tooslighta thingfor you to trythe patienceof men,that you will trythe patienceof my Godas well?
"Becauseyou have not rememberedthe daysof your youthbut have enragedMe by allthesethings,behold,I in turnwill bringyour conductdownon your own head,"declaresthe LordGOD,"so that you will not committhis lewdnesson topof allyour [other] abominations.
Shall I ransomthem from the powerof Sheol?Shall I redeemthem from death?O Death,whereare your thorns?O Sheol,whereis your sting?Compassionwill be hiddenfrom My sight.
After looking aroundat them with anger,grievedat their hardnessof heart,He saidto the man,"Stretchout your hand."And he stretchedit out, and his handwas restored.
"But when these thingsbeginto take place,straightenup and liftup your heads,becauseyour redemptionis drawing near."
"He who has receivedHis testimonyhas set his sealto [this], that Godis true.
"You men who are stiff-neckedand uncircumcisedin heartand earsare alwaysresistingthe HolySpirit;you are doing justas your fathersdid.
But ifthe Spiritof Him who raisedJesusfrom the deaddwellsin you, He who raisedChristJesusfrom the deadwill alsogive lifeto your mortalbodiesthroughHis Spiritwho dwellsin you.
And not onlythis, but alsowe ourselves,havingthe first fruitsof the Spirit,evenwe ourselvesgroanwithinourselves,waiting eagerlyfor [our] adoption as sons,the redemptionof our body.
But by His doing you are in ChristJesus,whobecameto us wisdomfrom God,and righteousnessand sanctification,and redemption,
But whenthisperishablewill have puton the imperishable,and thismortalwill have puton immortality,thenwill comeabout the sayingthat is written,"DEATHIS SWALLOWEDUP in victory.
Do not quenchthe Spirit;
How muchsevererpunishmentdo you thinkhe will deservewho has trampled under footthe Sonof God,and has regardedas uncleanthe bloodof the covenantby whichhe was sanctified,and has insultedthe Spiritof grace?
"THEREFOREI WAS ANGRYWITH THISGENERATION,AND SAID,'THEY ALWAYSGO ASTRAYIN THEIR HEART,AND THEY DID NOT KNOWMY WAYS';
And with whomwas He angryfor fortyyears?Was it not with thosewhosinned,whosebodiesfellin the wilderness?
So they putawaythe foreigngodsfrom amongthem and servedthe LORD;and He couldbearthe miseryof Israelnolonger.
