Sunday, May 30, 2010

God’s Gracious Dealings with Remnants

Throughout the Bible, we see that God deals frequently with remnants.  What is a remnant?  The dictionary definition is “that which is left over”, “residue”, or “remainder”.

We see God dealing with a small portion and rejecting another portion throughout Old Testament history.  God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected Cain, dividing humanity in half.  In the Flood, God saved only eight people out of the mass of humanity at that time.  In the case of Abraham, God chose one man out of Ur of the Chaldees to be the patriarch of His particular people.  He continued to reveal Himself exclusively through that small nation.  Or take the example of Gideon.  God whittled down his strong army to just 300 men, and used them in winning a great victory.

Sometimes we might see the corruption and lack of reality in mainstream denominations and feel as though we are all alone, the only ones truly following God.  Elijah, after killing the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel, fled to a cave and twice came before God claiming that “he alone” was left.  God responded that there were 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal.  Romans 11:5 reminds us that there is a similar remnant today.  Whenever we follow God completely, we are not alone – we are part of His remnant in the world.

Although we may seem like a part of a tiny group of believers today, at the end of the world (Rev 7:9), God’s people through the ages will amass as a great multitude, too vast for any man to count.  Therefore, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32).

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