Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as strangers in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
According to the foreknowledge of God the Father ... That God did indeed foreknow the calling of the Gentiles to be among the chosen people is proved by the dozens of prophetic references to this very event in the Old Testament.  Paul, in the ninth and tenth chapters of Romans, quoted no less than nine Old Testament prophecies predicting the calling of the Gentiles (see my Commentary on Romans, pp. 326-382); and besides this, the original promise to Abraham had been specific as to God's purpose, namely, that in Abraham "all the families of the earth" should be blessed  (Genesis 12:3).  The unfortunate pride, self-righteousness and vanity of Israel caused that nation either to ignore this or to forget all about it.