Has He been unable or unwilling to keep His promise?
Neither postulate is possible.
God’s counsel is immutable.
He confirmed it by an oath. And since He could swear by nothing greater He sware by Himself.
In the nature of the case then scattered Israel and wandering Judah must be gathered. They must return to their own land.
God has so promised.
These promises are to be found upon the pages of Holy Writ like the leaves of autumn—so many, so thickly strewn, now in single phrase, in connected passages, in whole chapters that should I attempt to read them slowly and distinctly, giving the sense, it would take me till the morning light.
The Lord declares He has written their names upon the palms of His hand.
They are as near and sensitively dear to Him, He says, as the apple of His eye. He is so interested, so determined concerning their restoration that He uses the most intensive language to express it, language that almost thunders aloud from the page as you read it.
He uses language no less intense than this: