What is the Remnant in the Bible? Let me give you a brief illustration from secular history.
401 BC. A Persian rebel named Cyrus the Younger with a large army that includes 10,000 Greek mercenaries, marches against his older brother, Artaxerxes II, King of the Persian Empire, to dethrone him. Artaxerxes gathers his troops and the two armies meet at Cunaxa, just north of ancient Babylon.
Cyrus’
Greeks lead the attack and defeat the much larger army of Artaxerxes. But in the
melee, Cyrus is killed by a javelin. At the news of his death his army
scatters. All except the 10,000 Greeks.The battle has been won but Cyrus is dead. His rebellion has come to an end.
Artaxerxes rejoices at the news, but has a problem. What will he do with the 10,000 Greek mercenaries that fought on his brother's side. He does not want to battle them again because they are formidable warriors. He resorts to a ruse through which he captures and executes the high-ranking Greek officers.
The 10,000 are now stuck deep in enemy territory, without their officers, without Cyrus who had employed them, and with no visible way of escape. They are the remnant of Cyrus’ once powerful army. And everything seems lost.
But they do not give up. They elect leaders among their mid-ranking officers, and against all odds set out on foot on the long journey home. Their travel lasts two years and they cover about 2,500 km (over 1,500 miles) on foot! Throughout they are harassed by the Persians as well as by wild tribes from the interior of Asia Minor.
But eventually they make it home in one of the most epic adventures of antiquity. Their story is told by one of the officers, Xenophon, in his work Anabasis.
A resilient remnant. The Bible also speaks of a remnant. Not a military one. Rather a spiritual remnant, a group of people who against the odds, choose to remain faithful to God.
In this study we will see what is the Remnant in the Bible.
“Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved” (Romans 9:27).
Biblically speaking, though many may claim to be God’s people, only a few are usually truly faithful. These few are called the Remnant.
The Remnant is characterized by unyielding fidelity to God and His Word.
“The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness and speak no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed their flocks and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid” (Zephaniah 3:13).
It does not mean that they are perfect. Rather they have made up their minds to follow God with all their heart.
Micah explains:
“Who is God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?” (Micah 7:18).
The Remnant is not sinless. No, not by any means. They too rely on the grace of God. What sets them apart is their unyielding fidelity to God and His Word when others choose to compromise their faith.
After Cain killed Abel, Seth became the father of Adam’s descendants who were faithful to God:
“And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth… To him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 4:25-26).
Out of Seth’s family many noble people were born including Enoch, who was taken to heaven and Methuselah, the longest-lived man.
But when these righteous people began to intermarry with Cain’s descendants who did not fear God, they too gradually became corrupted, until only Noah’s family remained faithful.
“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart… But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:5-6, 8).
Noah and his family were the Remnant before the Flood, the ones who remained faithful when the others had gone into apostasy.
Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. It seems that Shem’s descendants were the ones who followed God more closely. Abraham was a descendant of Shem.
But with time, even Shem’s descendants became corrupted. So, God called Abraham to leave his relatives.
“Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing’” (Genesis 12:1-2).
Elijah was a prophet who lived in the Kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab. The apostasy during that time was so pervasive that Elijah thought he was the only follower of God left.
When he runs away fearing for his life, God asks him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” To which he replies: “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (1 Kings 19:13-14).
God replies to him: “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18).
Out of all of Israel only 7,000 had remained faithful. They were the faithful Remnant.
Not long after Elijah lived the prophet Isaiah. While Elijah ministered in the northern kingdom of Israel, Isaiah did in the southern kingdom of Judah. Isaiah wrote:
“Unless the Lord of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah” (Isaiah 1:9).
Though overall Judah had a better spiritual track record than Israel, they too often went astray. Isaiah declares that only “a very small remnant” had remained faithful!
God’s people went captive to Babylon for 70 years as Jeremiah had prophesied, because of their sins. But then, in 539 BC, King Cyrus of Persia who captured Babylon, gave permission for them to return and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
Of the thousands of Jews taken to captivity, only 50,000 chose to return (Ezra 2:64-65). The rest were content to live their comfortable lives in Babylon.
When Jesus lived on earth there were hundreds of thousands of Jews, maybe more. He ministered to every person without exception. But the majority chose to reject Him.
Jesus knew this and declared: “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).
Paul, citing the example of Isaiah mentioned above, proceeds to apply it to his own time and states:
“Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5).
Paul was looking at his fellow Jews and longed for them to accept Jesus as their Saviour. But it was not happening, not at least to the extent he had hoped for. But he was grateful that at least a Remnant had believed and received God’s grace through Jesus.
Absolutely!
“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring [KJV “Remnant”], who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).
The dragon is Satan. The woman in view is the Christian Church, the bride of Jesus Christ. The woman is said to have children (offspring), not one or two, but many. These children are the different churches who claim Christ as their leader. Satan hates every Christian.
But though Satan’s hate is encompassing, he focuses his attacks not on all the children, but on “the rest of her offspring” i.e. the Remnant.
This means that just like so many times in the history of God’s people before, similarly in the last days, a great many people claim to belong to Jesus, but in reality, only a Remnant is faithful.
“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring [KJV “Remnant”], who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).
The first characteristic is that they “keep the commandments of God.” God gave us the Ten Commandments. The Remnant keeps not five of the commandments. Not eight of the commandments. Not nine of the commandments. But all ten!
If you want to refresh your mind what are the Ten Commandments have a look at the relevant study (Study 12).
The second characteristic is that the Remnant has “the testimony of Jesus Christ.” This can mean either that the Remnant testifies about Jesus, or that Jesus testifies for the Remnant.
Both are true. The Remnant is a remnant precisely because it upholds Jesus as the only Saviour and Lord and follows Him. In turn, Jesus testifies for the Remnant. Their fidelity is such that Jesus “is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:11).
What is the Remnant in the last days?
In Revelation 14:6-13 John sees a vision of three angels who announce messages of exhortation and warning for those living in the last days. The third angel warns against receiving the mark of the beast.
“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name’” (Revelation 14:9-11).
Immediately afterwards the angel describes those who will NOT receive the mark of the beast:
“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).
The group of Revelation 14:12 who will NOT receive the mark of the beast, is identical with the group described in Revelation 12:17 – the Remnant.
So what is the Remnant in the Bible in the last days?
Those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith/testimony of Jesus. These ensure a believer is part of God’s Remnant and will not receive the mark of the beast.
What is the Remnant in the Bible? The people who in times of adversity and compromise chose to remain faithful to God.
There have always been people who profess to follow God. But not all are faithful. Within those who profess to follow God, there has always been a faithful Remnant, those who not only profess loyalty to God, but who also live accordingly.
In the last days of earth’s history, shortly before the Second Coming of Jesus, the Remnant is described as keeping the commandments of God and having the testimony/faith in Jesus.
Do you belong to this Remnant? Do you want to become part of it?
Yes, I want to belong to God’s faithful Remnant in these last days. I commit to keep the Ten Commandments and uphold Jesus as my Saviour and Lord.
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