So My people are determined to turn from Me. Though they call them to the One on high, None at all exalts Him. My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all. Now, this is what the LORD says, the one who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel: "Don't be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name, you are mine. And My people are hanging in suspense, about My returning, And unto the Most High they do call, Together they exalt not.

Pulpit Commentary Verse 24. - Before they call, I will answer. God is always "more ready to hear than we to pray." In the "new Jerusalem" he will be prompt to answer his people's prayers almost before they are uttered. It is involved in this, as Delitzsch notes, that the will of the people shall be in harmony with the will of Jehovah, and that their prayers will therefore be acceptable prayers. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

I’m sharing this so those youngsters who desire to become umpires—or just baseball fans in general who appreciate the intricacies of the game—can understand how I did what I did for as long as I did. I also want them to appreciate how blessed I’ve been to have been allowed to work on the hallowed baseball diamonds across America for so many years. Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me," declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.when my people humble themselves—the ones who are called by my name—and pray, seek me, and turn away from their evil practices, I myself will listen from heaven, I will pardon their sins, and I will restore their land. You might be familiar with the biblical phrase the elect. An election is a means of choosing people for specific jobs or offices. The result of any election is that some are chosen or selected, and some are not. The biblical use of “the elect” has a similar meaning, only a spiritual application (see Romans 11:7; Colossians 3:12; 2 Timothy 2:10). Notice their response: “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [they were repentant] and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37).

My people have their mind set on apostasy; though they call on God in unison, he shall not raise them up. It then came about that just as I cried out, but they would not obey, so they will cry out, but I will not listen,' the LORD LORD who rules over all had said. Because that, when they knew God, they have not glorified him as God, or given thanks; but became vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. But the story didn’t end happily ever after for everyone. The king discovered that one of the guests arrived without a wedding garment, and the Greek words of the original text imply that this was an intentional, deliberate choice the guest made (see Vincent’s Word Studies on Matthew 22:12). By coming to the wedding in normal clothes, the guest was snubbing the king, the king’s son and the son’s bride. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. Now this is what the LORD says — the one who created you, Jacob, and the one who formed you, Israel —“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue them and honor them.