Which in time were not a people
A "Loammi" being put upon them; see ( Hosea 1:9 Hosea 1:10 ) ( 2:23 ) to which the
apostle here refers: God's elect, whether among Jews or Gentiles,
were, from eternity, his chosen people, and his covenant people;
and, as such, were given to Christ, and they became his people,
and his care and charge; and he saved them by his obedience,
sufferings, and death, and redeemed them to himself, a peculiar
people: but then, before conversion, they are not a people formed
by God for himself, and his praise; nor Christ's willing people,
either to be saved by him, or to serve him; nor are they, nor can
they be truly known by themselves, or others, to be the people of
God: the Syriac version gives the true sense of the phrase, by
rendering it "these who before were not" (Nwbvx) , "reckoned or accounted a people"; that
is, by others:
but are now the people of God;
being regenerated, called, and sanctified, they are avouched by
God to be his people; they have the witness of the Spirit to
their spirits, that they are the people of God; they can then
claim their relation to God, and are known, acknowledged, and
called the people of God, by others:
which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained
mercy;
being called formerly, Loruhamah, ( Hosea 1:6 ) ( 2:23 ) which passages
the apostle has in view: before conversion there is mercy in
God's heart towards his elect, and so there is in the covenant of
grace, and which was shown in the provision of his Son, as a
Saviour, in the mission of him, and redemption by him; but this
is not manifested to them, until they are begotten again,
according to abundant mercy, and then they obtain mercy; having
in their regeneration an evident display of the mercy of God
towards them, and an application of his pardoning grace and
mercy, through the blood of his Son, unto them.