What pattern did God follow throughout Israel's history when they sinned?
Throughout Israel's history, whenever the nation failed God's promises and turned to idolatry, God withdrew into His sovereignty and, from that sovereignty, poured out mercy rather than destroying them. The pattern was consistent: their sin prompted divine withdrawal into sovereign mercy, not immediate annihilation.
Les explains that God, in His holiness and righteousness, had every right to wipe Israel off the map when they sinned, and He was hot in His anger. Yet He spared them on the basis of mercy alone. Moses fell on his face before God, pleading for almost 30 days, asking God not to let the Egyptians say their God destroyed them in the wilderness. Les credits John Darby with the term that God withdrew into His sovereignty, and in His sovereignty poured out mercy. That became the recurring pattern all through Israel's history: when they failed God in His promises and went into idolatry, God would withdraw back into His sovereignty, and in His sovereignty He would pour out mercy.