" . . . yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this."
These words (above) are extremely encouraging. They are spoken in the midst of some serious sinning done by the covenant people of God, (in that many of them had taken pagan wives). When we apply this text to our own day, it may still be said that, "yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of [all our foolishness and unfaithfulness]." Today, many of the Lord's people do not worship Him according to God's word. In many cases, the Lord's Day is not kept. And, in some instanc-
es, whole church denominations have gone "belly-up," caving into the world's and the devil's "gospels."
STILL, "even in spite of this" "there is hope in Israel [viz. the church]." Why? Because Christ is still on His throne; and He may well-yet greatly revive His church, and bring her to wonderful expressions of glory (as He has in the past).
[Puritan quote of the day: "Christ suffered that which the damned in hell do not suffer. For they do not see the hateful nature of sin."
--Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon entitled, "The Justice of God"]
