“The Remnant of Jacob”

Micah 5:7

 

In this chapter God’s people are repeatedly described as a remnant (vv. 3, 7, 8): — “The remnant of Jacob!” What is a remnant? A remnant is what is left over. A remnant is that which is useless, despised, and thrown away. A remnant is the last piece of cloth on a bolt, or roll. If it is not thrown away, it is always sold at a discount, because it not worth much. That is a pretty good description of you and me. God’s elect are looked upon as being below the mark, not fit for society, as narrow, crude, crotchety, peculiar. They are a nuisance and aggravation to the world.

 

It was true in Micah’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. Micah tells us that we are God’s remnant. Particularly and distinctly he tells us that we are God’s remnant in Christ’s hands, under Christ’s care, given to Christ, our Prince, Priest, Provider, and Protector (Micah 5:4).

 

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. Let me show you five things revealed in the Book of God about his remnant.

 

1.    There is a remnant according to the election of grace (Romans 11:5). God has not chosen to save all men; but there is a remnant chosen from among the ruins of Adam’s fallen race who must and shall be saved (Ephesians 1:3-6; John 10:16).

 

2.    Everything God does he does for his remnant. All men benefit from God’s goodness to his remnant. His benevolence, rain, sunshine, peace and pestilence, draught, darkness and war come upon all men alike. But they come for and belong to the remnant (1 Corinthians 3:21; Psalm 57:2).

 

3.    God is longsuffering with all men for the sake of the remnant (2 Peter 3:9). Were it not for God’s elect remnant, he would have destroyed the world in his wrath long ago, as he did Sodom and Gomorrah. God’s elect are truly the salt, the preservers, of the earth. As God spared Adam for Abel’s sake and Sodom for Lot’s sake, God spares the world today for his elect’s sake, that they all might be saved.

 

4.    God’s remnant in this world is always small and feeble (Isaiah 16:14). In the end they will be a great multitude. But in this world God’s people are always a very small minority.

 

5.    God will save his elect remnant (Romans 9:27, 11:26). Not one of that great remnant for whom God made, rules and disposes of this world shall be lost. God the Father loved them. God the Son redeemed them. God the Spirit calls them. And God, by his great grace, will preserve them unto life everlasting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

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