113 God Promises to Israel

Israel had not “ears to hear” to any highly spiritual truths as those that will be given in the next section. They had not profited by what was taught concerning Christ in the Law and in the Messianic Psalms. From that time that thine ear was not opened; rather, from that time thine ear hath not been open. “From that time” means “from of old,” or “from the beginning”

Israel’s insincerity, obstinacy, reliance on idols, blindness, and general resistance to God’s will, was the reason they provoked God’s anger. He says, He will not destroy Israel “for His Name’s sake.” God, having selected one nation out of all the nations of the earth to be His “peculiar people” (Deuteronomy 14:2), and having declared this, and supported his people by miracles in their struggles with the other nations and peoples, was, so to speak, committed to protect and defend Israel “for His Name’s sake,” lest His Name should be blasphemed among the Gentiles (Exodus 32:12; Numbers 14:13; Deuteronomy 9:28; Psalm 79:10; 106:8). He was also bound by the promises which He had made.