In the Old Testament, remnant is the part of a community or nation that remains after a dreadful judgement or devastating calamity especially those who have escaped and remain to form the nucleus of a new community. The survival of a righteous remnant rests solely on God's providential care for His Chosen People and His faithfulness to keep His Covenant promises.

That day,
the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the House of Jacob
will stop relying on the man who strikes them
and will truly rely on Yahweh,
the Holy One of Israel.
A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob,
to the mighty God. - Is. 10:20-21 -

The concept of the remnant has its roots in the Book of Deuteronomy where Moses warned the people of Israel that they would be scattered among the nations. But God also promised that He would bring the people back from captivity and establish them again in the land of their fathers. This concept was picked up by the true prophets who spoke of the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities. It was extended to apply also to the gathering of a righteous remnant at the time when the Messiah came to establish His kingdom.

When you have begotten children and grandchildren and you have lived long in the land if you act perversely, making a carved image in one shape or another, doing what displeases Yahweh and angers him, on that day I will call heaven and earth to witness against you; and at once you will vanish from the land which you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You shall not live there long; you shall be utterly destroyed. Yahweh will scatter you among the peoples and only a small number of you will remain among the nations where Yahweh will have driven you. There you will pay service to gods that human hands have made of wood and of stone that cannot see or hear, eat or smell.
But you will seek Yahweh your God from there and if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul, you shall find him. In your distress all that I have said will overtake you but at the end of days you will return to Yahweh your God and listen to his voice. For Yahweh your God is a merciful God and will not desert or destroy you or forget the covenant he made on oath with your fathers. - Deut. 4:25-31 -

In the Book of Amos and Isaiah, the remnant consisted of those chosen by God who were rescued from the impending doom of the nation. As such there were labeled 'the poor' those who suffer for God. At the same time, they serve God and stand before the nation as witnesses, calling the people to repent of their rebellion and their wicked ways of life.

Therefore Yahweh says this,
the God of Sabaoth, the Lord.
In every public square there will be lamentation,
in every street wails of 'Alas! Alas!'
Peasants will be called on to lament
as well as the professional mourners
and there will be wailing in every vineyard,
for I am going to pass through you,
says Yahweh. - Amos 5:16-17 -

Had Yahweh not left us a few survivors,
we should be like Sodom,
we should now be like Gomorrah. - Is. 1:9; 29:19; 41:17 -

In the New Testament the apostle Paul picked up the teaching of prophet Isaiah and other prophets about the remnant and applied it to the Church. Paul showed that God's purpose is seen in the 'remnant' out of Israel who have joined the Gentiles to form the Church, the new people of God. Moreover, Jesus' choice of twelve apostles built upon remnant themes and in accordance to the twelve tribes, the apostles became the remnant who erected a new structure, the Church, upon the foundation of Israel. In the Church, both Jews and Gentiles, circumcised and uncircumcised, find their true spiritual home when they believe in Christ.

"Today the same thing happen: there is a remnant, chosen by grace." - Roman. 11:5 -

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -