Remnant (2)

God preserves a remnant of his people

Noah and his family

Genesis 7:23 NKJV

So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.

See also Ge 6:7–8; Ge 6:18; Ge 7:1; Ge 7:7

Joseph and the sons of Israel

Genesis 45:7 NKJV

And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

See also Ge 50:20

Seven thousand faithful in Israel

1 Kings 19:18 NKJV

Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

Survivors of Assyria’s invasion of Judah

2 Kings 19:4 NKJV

It may be that the Lord your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the Lord your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’ ”

See also 2 Ki 18:13

Survivors of the destruction of Israel

People from the northern kingdom of Israel who had moved to Judah and so escaped its destruction by Assyria:

2 Ch 11:14; 2 Ch 15:9; 2 Ch 31:6; 2 Ch 34:9

Judah as the remnant of God’s people

2 Kings 17:18 NKJV

Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah alone.

After the fall of the northern capital, Samaria, Judah was regarded as the remnant of all Israel:

2 Ki 21:14; 2 Ch 34:21

Survivors of the fall of Jerusalem

Those taken as exiles into Babylon:

2 Ki 25:11; 2 Ch 36:20

Those left behind in Judah:

2 Ki 25:12; 2 Ki 25:22–23; Je 40:11–12; Je 40:15; Je 42:2; Je 43:5

Those who returned after the exile

Ezra 9:8 NKJV

And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.

See also Ezr 2:1–2; Ezr 9:13; Ne 1:2; Hag 1:12–14

Those waiting for Jesus Christ’s coming

Lk 2:25; Lk 2:38; Jn 1:12

The remnant as the few who escape judgment

Deuteronomy 4:27 NKJV

And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you.

See also Is 10:22; Ro 9:27; Je 6:9; Je 44:14; Je 44:28; Eze 5:12

Ezekiel prays that Israel’s destruction will not be total:

Eze 9:8; Eze 11:13

Eze 17:21; Am 3:12; Am 5:3

God’s promise of hope and restoration

Hope for a remnant seen in the coming of the Messiah

Isaiah 11:1 NKJV

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

See also Is 6:13; Je 23:5; Zec 3:8

God’s promise that survivors will remain

Isaiah 4:2–3 NKJV

In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped. And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.

See also Is 1:9; Ro 9:29; Is 17:6; Is 37:31–32; Eze 14:22; Joe 2:32

Themes associated with the remnant

The land restored to the remnant of God’s people

Is 27:12–13; Zep 2:7–10; Zec 8:6–12; Zec 10:9

A second exodus

Is 4:5–6; Is 10:26; Is 11:11; Is 11:15–16; Is 31:5; Je 16:14–15

Restoration of the people

Isaiah 10:20–21 NKJV

And it shall come to pass in that day That the remnant of Israel, And such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, Will never again depend on him who defeated them, But will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, To the Mighty God.

See also Is 11:12; Is 28:5; Is 35:8–10; Is 46:3–4; Je 31:7

Jeremiah 23:3 NKJV

“But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

See also Mic 2:12

Further promises associated with the remnant

The promise of future hope

Is 60:21–22; Is 61:4–6; Joe 3:1; Mic 4:6–7; Mic 5:7–9

God’s promise of forgiveness to the remnant

Jeremiah 50:20 NKJV

In those days and in that time,” says the Lord, “The iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none; And the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found; For I will pardon those whom I preserve.

See also Is 33:24; Je 31:34; Je 33:7–8; Mic 7:18

A renewed relationship with God

Je 24:5–7; Je 32:37–40; Zep 3:12–17

The need for faithful obedience

Is 1:19; Je 42:6–10; Je 44:7–8; Ezr 9:14

The remnant as heirs of God’s new covenant

Je 31:2 The promise of the new covenant is made to the surviving remnant of Israel; Je 31:31–33

A faithful remnant among the Jews

Romans 11:5 NKJV

Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

See also Lk 1:16; Lk 12:32; Ro 11:7; Ro 11:15; Ro 11:23; Ro 11:25–26; Jas 1:1

A faithful remnant from among the Gentiles

Is 56:6–8; Zec 14:16; Jn 10:16 Jesus Christ’s other sheep are believing Gentiles who will be gathered with the believers of Israel; Ac 15:17; Am 9:12; Ro 11:17; Eph 3:6

God’s new Israel includes all believers

Mt 19:28; Ga 6:16; 1 Pe 1:1; 1 Pe 2:9

Other references to a surviving remnant

Og, king of Bashan, only survivor of the Rephaites:

Dt 3:11; Jos 13:12

Jdg 20:46–47 survivors from the tribe of Benjamin; 2 Ch 18:16 the scattered remains of Israel’s army under Ahab; Is 16:4 fugitives from Moab; Is 21:16–17 few survivors from Kedar