A Remnant

 Romans 11:1-6; 5/18/2025; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

 Introduction

The concept of remnant is an important term in biblical revelation, appearing 540 times in the Old Testament alone.   The original meaning of this word can refer to people or things.  Such as the leftover food at home, or the people who survived the disaster.  For example, Noah and his family of eight were the remnants after the flood.  The seven thousand were those who did not forsake God during the apostasy of Ahab and Jezebel.  Let’s look at the first point:

The grace that never gives up

Paul’s mood at this moment was complicated.  He felt sad for the Israelites who refused to accept the gospel.  Paul expressed his disappointment through the prophet Isaiah when he said: “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” This is also the voice of God, used to express God’s expectations of mankind.  First, the God who never gives up.  Paul used a question, but what he actually meant was an exclamation point!  This means that there is absolutely no reason for God to abandon His people!  He is the God who was and is and is to come!  And with Him there is no shadow of turning.  As the prophet Isaiah said: “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)”   This is the recognition in the hearts of God’s chosen people throughout the ages, from Isaiah to Paul, that the Lord’s love never changes!  What changes are people, but what remains unchanged is God, the Creator of heaven and earth!  Having such a recognition of God is the foundation of our faith!        

Secondly, I am the witness.  Maybe after Paul finishes speaking, someone will challenge him and ask, why?  How do you know?  So Paul has something to say: “For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.”  There is an old legend among the Israelites that the Benjamites were extremely bad.  

The story recorded in Judges 20 is thrilling and shocking.  A Levite was passing through Gibeah of Benjamin with his concubine, and was gang-raped by Benjaminite bandits.    The Israelites retaliated and almost wiped out the Benjaminites.  However, even though the tribe of Benjamin was in such a tattered state,  God ultimately preserved it.  Paul is still alive and is that witness!        

Lastly, the people whom God foreknew.  God is omniscient, Paul emphasized,  

  “The people God foreknew.” It is to show that God is faithful.  Just as the Israelites recognized God: Jehovah is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  God said to Abraham: “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. (Gen. 12:2)”  This covenant was unconditional.  Abraham did not need to do anything. God took the initiative to keep his covenant with Abraham.  Abraham’s descendants are God’s “people whom He foreknew”!   This covenant also extends through Jesus Christ to all who believe in Him. 

It turns out that because of our belief in Jesus Christ, you and I have become “the people whom He foreknew.”  Let’s look at the second point:

  The testimony of the prophet Elijah

The seven thousand people in the Bible have become a meme, used to illustrate the inevitable stages of growth in faith.  First, Elijah’s weakness.  Elijah had weaknesses, and it felt a little strange!   He went to meet King Ahab,  the word of the Lord accompanied him. 

He also carried with him the promise that God would send rain on the earth, which showed his courage and faith.  Obadiah, the steward of King Ahab, was Elijah’s spy, so he took him to see King Ahab.  So, on King Ahab’s stage,   Elijah single-handedly defeated the four hundred and fifty prophets who served Baal.  Such a great prophet was so frightened that he ran away because of a threat from King Ahab’s queen Jezebel!  He came to Beersheba in Judah,  lay down under a broom tree, acted like a spoiled child, and asked God to kill him.  Why?  

sa” He said, “For I am no better than my fathers.”

Second, Elijah’s transformation.  A person lying down has subconsciously made a decision that he does not want to wake up again.  Not only that, no one was able to wake him up.  Elijah did the same thing.  He lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep with a clear conscience.  Who can wake up a person who doesn’t want to wake up?  At this time, the Bible says:”An angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.'”  He was indeed hungry, so he ate and drank.  Then, continue to lie flat.  The Bible says:“  “ And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you. (1 Kings 19:7)”  The angel pointed out the direction, which was Mount Horeb, and that they would have to travel for forty days and nights.  This new direction became a turning point in Elijah’s life!

Finally, Elijah was healed.  Elijah was healed because  “the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah? (1 KIngs 19:9)”   At this time, God moved a small stool and sat next to Elijah to accompany him and talk with him, giving him the opportunity to pour out his heart to God.  He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. (1 Kings 19:10)”  What really healed Elijah was that he was called by God and received a new mission.  Let’s look at the third point:

Keep for myself seven thousand men

The Bible never says who these seven thousand people are.  Is it important?  The key point is that these words were spoken by God.  Since He has spoken, I will believe and follow Him!  First, Elijah’s new mission.  When Elijah was still trapped in his own bitterness, he felt lonely and even thought, “I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me!” God was not affected by his short-sightedness, but gave him a new mission:  “And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.  And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. (1 Kings 19:15-16)”  The Kingdom of God even required Elijah to anoint the successor of the king of Aram, the enemy country, not to mention that its own country wanted to anoint Nimshi’s grandson Jehu as the king of Israel.  Even Elijah’s own successor, Elisha, was prepared for Elijah.

Second, God’s new declaration.  The God we believe in is the great ruler who controls everything in the universe.  All authority in the world comes from Him, including that of our own country, friendly countries, and enemy countries. For there is no authority except from the LORD!  However, what God cares more about is His people, the Israelites, and all those who believe in Him, those who are loved by Him more are those who are faithful to Him!  God says,  “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. (1 Kings 19:18)”  Just like today, all over the world,  God has left for Him those who have not worshipped idols, have not compromised with the Antichrist regime, and have not colluded with or had secret dealings with the Three-Self Church, false churches, and false Christs.

Finally, the new remnant in grace.  Paul said: “So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. (Romans 11:5)”  In the words of Jesus, the road to heaven is narrow and few go there.  However, going to heaven requires hard work; you cannot get there by just lying down.  However, from the world’s perspective, most people do not go to heaven, but prefer to go to hell.  In this way, judging from the overall number of people, the few who are justified by faith, believe in Jesus, and have eternal life have become a definite remnant!  Yet it is by grace we have been saved through faith, not by works, lest anyone should boast!  For, “and if it is of grace, it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.”

Conclusion

Thank the Lord!  It turns out that we are all the remnant ordained by the Lord, the seven thousand people left behind by the Lord for His own sake!  Seven means perfection, and thousand is a multiple of one hundred, which means finite number.  The number of people in the kingdom of heaven is not small, but not too many; they are the remnant chosen in the Lord’s heart in Christ.  For the sake of this remnant, the Lord will never give up on us!  Elijah testified to this, testifying that we are the seven thousand in the Lord’s heart!

Let us pray……

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,[a] a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 

2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 

3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 

4 But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 

5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 

6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.