Study Desk

I say then, God has not ^(C1)rejected His people, has He? ^(F1)(C2)Far from it! For ^(C3)I too am an Israelite, ^(F2)a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

God ^(C1)has not rejected His people whom He ^(C2)foreknew. ^(C3)Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

"Lord, ^(C1)THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE."

But what ^(F1)is the divine response to him? "^(C1)I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL."

In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time ^(C1)a remnant according to God's ^(F1)gracious choice.

But ^(C1)if it is by grace, it is no longer ^(F1)on the basis of works, since otherwise grace is no longer grace.

What then? What ^(C1)Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but ^(F1)those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were ^(C2)hardened;

just as it is written: "^(C1)GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY."

And David says, "^(C1)MAY THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM.

-"^(C1)MAY THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS CONTINUALLY."