BYM ONLINE DESK Blessing September 2017 E magazine | Page 2

September 2017
A Faithful Remnant
A. Lionel
General Overseer, Blessing Youth Mission
Romans 11:1-5 “I ask, then, has God rejected his
people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite,
a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of
Benjamin. 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? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they
have demolished your altars, and I alone am left,
and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to
him? “I have kept for myself 7000 men who have
not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present
time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.”
In the above passage, the apostle Paul talks
about a time when the prophet Elijah appeals against
Israel. The context is not unknown to us. The
Israelites had sinned. They had turned away from
God. Elijah brought God's word to the king saying
that there shall be neither rain nor dew except at his
word. Consequently, the nation witnessed a drought
that lasted three and a half years. But when Elijah
prayed again, the Lord opened the heavens and sent
forth fire and rain upon the land. In the process, 450
prophets of Baal were killed. An enraged Jezebel
sends a messenger to Elijah threatening to kill him.
Elijah flees and God sends an angel to him twice, to
strengthen him. Yet, again Elijah hides in a cave. This
is where he appealed to God against Israel lamenting
his fate.
Let us look at the answer God gives him. God
tells him that he has kept for himself 'a remnant'
chosen by his grace. Elijah was under the impression
that he was the last man, faithfully standing for God.
But God told him that he was not alone. God had
7000 more who had kept themselves from Baal.
Even today the Church of God is in the same
condition. Most people have bowed their heads to the
idols of penny, pleasure, property and power. But
God always has His remnant - A remnant faithful to
the Lord.
In every era, when God's people were
annihilated by their enemies or when God's wrath
was poured out on his people, God saved a remnant as
a seed to start afresh. We can read about remnants in
the books of Exodus, Ezra, Nehemiah and Zechariah.
During the times of Ezra, it was a small group
of people who rebuilt the temple. Gideon saved Israel
with his small band of 300 men. Jesus trained only 12
disciples. It is not the quantity that matters but the
quality. While there are multitudes living in sin, there
is a remnant living for God. Similarly, in our
ministries there remains a small group of remnant.
They will not be in the majority. While the multitudes
of this world go in one direction, we, the minority go
in another to set up the house of God and to repair its
ruins. So do not be discouraged that only a remnant is
left which serves God. God does not need a crowd.
God just needs a small group who will walk in His
ways and do as He says. God needs the remnant.
Children of God! Quit whining that you do not
have multitudes. Stop thinking that God will use you
only if you are eloquent or highly educated. God can
use anyone. In his hands even a donkey's jawbone
can overcome a 1000 men.
Let us turn to God's word to meditate on the
characteristics of the remnants as how they lived and
what they did. For many are called, but few are
chosen.
Characteristics Of The Remnant
1.The Remnant Stands Up For God
Rom 11:4 - “But what is God's reply to him? “I
have kept for myself seven thousand men who have
not bowed the knee to Baal.””
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