He will sweep His hand over the Euphrates River . He will break it up into seven streams so that people can cross over in sandals . There will be a highway for the remnant of His people that is left from Assyria , as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt ” ( Isa 11:15,16 ). Do not be afraid of the rivers in spate before you . You will walk through them . Walk the highway , head high , O remnant !
Now there is a final hurdle for those who escape and come through . People who speak empty boastful words , seduce those who have recently ESCAPED from the passions of this world . Keep yourselves away from these dangerous corrupt people ( 2 Pet 2 : 17-22 ). If you have made this final escape , you will take root below and bear fruit above . “ In that day the Lord will reach out His hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is , left of His people ” ( Isa 11:11 ). Be encouraged ! Who is a God like our God , who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance ? He does not stay angry forever but delights to show mercy ( Mic 7:18 ).
Here are some promises for you , if you have decided to faithfully stick on to God -
“ Listen to Me , O house of Jacob , all you who remain of the house of Israel , You whom I have upheld since you were conceived , and have carried since your birth . Even to your old age and grey hairs I am He , I am He who will sustain you ; I will sustain you . I have made you and I will carry you ; I will sustain you and I will rescue you ” ( Isa 46:3,4 ).
“ I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and I will bring them back to the pasture , where they will be fruitful and increase in number ” ( Jer 23:3,4 ).
“ This is what the Lord says : I will restore the fortunes of Jacob ' s tents and have compassion on his dwellings ; the city will be rebuilt in her ruins , and the palace will stand in its proper place . From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing . I will add to their numbers , and they will not be decreased ; I will bring them honor and they will not be disdained ” ( Jer 30:18,19 ).
“ The remnant of Israel will do no wrong ; they will speak no lies , nor will deceit be found in their mouths . They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid ” ( Zeph 3:13 ).
Let ' s conclude with Paul ' s statement about the remnant . Talking about God ' s sovereign choice , he says that God chose to show the riches of His glory to us whom He chose out of His mercy . Then he quotes from Isaiah saying , “ Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea , only a remnant will be saved . For the Lord will carry out His sentence on earth with speed and finality ” ( Rom 9:23-29 ; Isa 10:22,23 ). I believe His sentence has already started .
What does this mean to us today ? We may be thinking , “ Only I am walking close to God ; everybody else has gone astray .” Wait ! That ' s what Elijah told God . But God told him that He had reserved for Himself seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal . “ So too , at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace ” ( Rom 11:1-5 ). Let us not bend our knee to the Baals of materialism and lust . Let us escape the corruption of this world and join the remnant
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