“Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 1:9)
The Apostle Paul tells us that among the fallen, depraved, lost, condemned ruins of humanity “there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5). And he assures us that that “remnant shall be saved” (Romans 9:27).
With men a remnant is something leftover, waste material, material for which there is no plan, purpose, or intended use. With God it is exactly opposite. God’s remnant is the kernel; everything else is husk. God’s remnant is that for which all things were planned and purposed. Without that elect remnant, everything else would be useless.
It was true in Isaiah’s time and it is true today, that the Church and people of the living God are a poor, needy remnant, a remnant scattered among the nations, an elect remnant, a redeemed remnant, a protected remnant, but a remnant still. We are God’s remnant in Christ’s hands, under Christ’s care. The God of all grace deals with a remnant. He seeks a remnant. He builds his house with a remnant. His treasure is a remnant.
This remnant is Christ’s seed in the earth that shall serve him, the generation accounted to the Lord to serve him (Psalm 22:30), Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. — The remnant is God’s elect, all those who must and shall be saved by his grace, the whole Church of God, the whole Israel of God, all who have been, all who are, and all who shall be saved in Christ. — Blessed are they who are included in the number of that remnant!
“Death stung himself to death when he stung Christ.”
— William Romaine
“Thy Redeemer”
Isaiah 60:16
When God says, “I am thy redeemer,” he wonderfully declares to my soul that he purchased me with his precious blood. I was sold under sin, but Christ my Redeemer came into the world and paid in blood the awful penalty for my rebellion. Now he owns me as his child. He did not choose to redeem every fallen son of Adam. He was pleased to choose and redeem me. He’s my Redeemer. I’m offended by those that blaspheme God’s holy Name and teach that Christ died to redeem and save all men. Not my Redeemer! He did not die to make salvation possible for all. He died to save me, and save me he did. He said, “Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?” (Isaiah 43:13). When my Redeemer works, no one can resist him. Since he took hold of me before the world began, none can pluck me from his hand. Even my own wicked heart, constant wanderings, and evil imaginations are no match for his immutable love. Praise his name! — Pastor Eric Richards
“The Remnant of Jacob”
Micah 5:7-8
God’s people are a remnant, a “little flock” of God’s choosing (Romans 9:27; Isaiah 10:21-22; Luke 12:32). This remnant is distinguished from the world around it by Divine blessings, as Gideon’s wet fleece was distinguished from the dry ground by the dew of heaven upon it (Judges 6:36-38).
God’s Remnant
We are a remnant; but we are God’s remnant, a remnant in a covenant relationship with God in Christ. As such, this blessed remnant is distinguished and separated from the rest of the world. They are a people that dwell alone, and are not reckoned among the nations. This remnant is in the midst of the world, but never a part of the world. It is in the midst of many people, but belong to none of them. Though living in the world, God’s elect are not of the world, but chosen, redeemed, and called out of the world.
Dew from the Lord
This chosen remnant is described by Micah as “a dew from the Lord.” — What a beautiful picture! As the dew is from heaven, so believers in Christ are born from above, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
This remnant, the prophet tells us is “as showers upon the grass.” Remember, my brother, remember, my sister, this remnant is you. God’s prophet describes the Church and people of God “as showers upon the grass,” telling us that as the Lord Jesus promised to come down as showers upon the mown grass to revive and refresh his people, so his people live in constant dependence upon him and receive out of his fulness all we need, while all the earth is empty, barren and dry as stubble to our souls.
Free Grace
The dew and the rain are free. They wait not for man, but fall from God, and at his appointment. So grace is not dispensed according to our deserving, but according to God’s free bounteous and super-abounding mercy! How our hearts ought to echo the words of Robert Hawker in his comments on this passage…
“Oh, precious promise, or rather precious cluster of promises, — and all in Jesus!”
A Lion
In verse 8 Micah adopts another figure to tell the same thing. In verse 7 God’s remnant is passive in receiving blessings from the Lord. In verse 8 they are very active, going forth in the Lord’s strength to the Lord’s cause. Acting under the name and authority of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the worm Jacob is enabled to thresh the mountains (Isaiah 41:14-15).
As a lion, strong and mighty, powerful and courageous, every foe is utter weakness before God’s Church. As we assault the gates of hell in the name of Christ by the preaching of the gospel, the very gates of hell shall fall before us. Because the Lion of the tribe of Judah is at our head, none can prevail over us!
Pastor Don Fortner – Taken From :
The Grace Bulletin
May 29, 2016
Grace Baptist Church of Danville
2734 Old Stanford Road-Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Telephone (859) 576-3400 — E-Mail don@donfortner.com
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor
Schedule of Regular Services
Sunday
10:00 A.M. Bible Classes
10:30 A.M. Morning Worship Service
6:30 P.M. Evening Worship Service
Tuesday
7:30 P.M. Mid-Week Worship Service
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