Godhas not rejectedHis peoplewhomHe foreknew.Ordo you not knowwhatthe Scripturesaysin [the passage about] Elijah,howhe pleadswith GodagainstIsrael?
Josephsaidto them, "Whatis thisdeedthat you have done?Do you not knowthat sucha manas I can indeedpracticedivination?"
"However, You borewith them for manyyears,And admonishedthem by Your SpiritthroughYour prophets,Yet they would not giveear.Therefore You gavethem into the handof the peoplesof the lands.
For the LORDwill not abandonHis people,Norwill He forsakeHis inheritance.
Now when the peoplesawthat Mosesdelayedto comedownfrom the mountain,the peopleassembledaboutAaronand saidto him, "Come,makeus a godwhowill gobeforeus; as for thisMoses,the manwhobroughtus up from the landof Egypt,we do not knowwhathas becomeof him."
Thussaysthe LORD,"Ifthe heavensabovecan be measuredAnd the foundationsof the earthsearchedout below,Then I will alsocastoffallthe offspringof IsraelFor allthat they have done,"declaresthe LORD.
Then Mosesbecameveryangryand saidto the LORD,"Do not regardtheir offering!I have not takena singledonkeyfrom them, norhave I doneharmto anyof them."
"But regardingthe factthat the deadrise again,have you not readin the bookof Moses,in the [passage] about[the burning] bush,howGodspoke to him, saying,I AM THE GODOF ABRAHAM,AND THE GODOF ISAAC,and the Godof Jacob'?
Jesus,fullof the HolySpirit,returnedfrom the Jordanand was ledaround by the Spiritin the wilderness
She saidto Him, "Sir,You havenothingto drawwith and the wellis deep;wherethendo You getthat livingwater?
When the Gentilesheardthis, they [began] rejoicingand glorifyingthe wordof the Lord;and as manyas had beenappointedto eternallifebelieved.
SAYSTHE LORD,WHO MAKESTHESE THINGSKNOWNFROM LONG AGO.
"And now,brethren,I knowthat you actedin ignorance,justas your rulersdid also.
SAYINGTO AARON,'MAKEFOR US GODSWHOWILL GO BEFOREUS; FOR THISMOSESWHOLEDUS OUT OF THE LANDOF EGYPT--WE DO NOT KNOWWHATHAPPENEDTO HIM.'
Do you not knowthat whenyou presentyourselvesto someone[as] slavesfor obedience,you are slavesof the one whomyou obey,eitherof sinresultingin death,orof obedienceresultingin righteousness?
And [He did so] to make knownthe richesof His gloryupon vesselsof mercy,whichHe prepared beforehandfor glory,
But [it is] not as thoughthe wordof Godhas failed.For they are not allIsraelwhoare [descended] from Israel;
Ordo you not knowthat the saintswill judgethe world?Ifthe worldis judgedby you, are you not competent[to] [constitute] the smallestlaw courts?
but ifanyonelovesGod,he is knownby Him.
But if[I am] to live[on] in the flesh,this[will mean] fruitfullaborfor me; and I do not knowwhichto choose.
God,after He spokelong agoto the fathersin the prophetsin many portionsand in many ways,
accordingto the foreknowledgeof Godthe Father,by the sanctifying workof the Spirit,to obeyJesusChristand be sprinkledwith His blood:May graceand peacebe yoursin the fullest measure.
