A Remnant Chosen by Grace

11 I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”[fn]?

4 And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[fn]

5 In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.[fn]

7 What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, 8 as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,

eyes that could not see,

and ears that could not hear,

to this very day.”[fn]

9 And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,

a stumbling block and a retribution to them.

10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,

and their backs be bent forever.”[fn]