such a covenant could be maintained only by that persistent, determined, steadfast love of God, which transcends every other love by its nature and depth. … The most important of all the distinctive ideas of the Old Testament is God’s steady and extraordinary persistence in continuing to love wayward Israel in spite of Israel’s insistent waywardness.” This idea is expressed in Isaiah 54:8, 10, where KJ reads: “In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will
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