In our latest post on The Remnant, we discussed the judgment the world faces today, and the provision God gives to His Remnant—those who choose to seek Him amidst a world which has fallen away. Today, let’s dig into the specific ways in which God promises to provide for His people.
These promises apply to us today.
Before we get into the specifics, however, let’s discuss one of the most common questions that arises on this topic. How do you know that these promises apply to us today? Many of us read through the scriptures and determine that the Old Testament is the portion of the Bible in which we see judgment and the resultant remnant communities. The conclusion is often that Christ’s sacrifice did away with judgment, and that we do not see such things in our world today. However, scripture tells us otherwise. The gospels are filled with references to both the coming judgment, and the judgment which already comes upon those who walk apart from the Lord. The epistles, likewise lay out the actions and choices which will incur judgment if we do not repent.
When we choose to walk with Christ, He promises to spare us from the judgment and deliver us the Covenant. Galatians 3 demonstrates how God’s promises to His people carry down through time:
Galatians 3:13-18
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. 15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
In these verses, we can clearly see how the Covenant given to Abraham applies to us today. If we choose to walk with God and join Him in His Kingdom, He will make good on His promise, as well as all the other promises He has made to His Remnant throughout scripture.
The promises to the Remnant:
What are these promises? Let’s take a look at a few:
Provision: Micah 5:2-4
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
God promises to take care of and provide for those who walk with Him in His Remnant. His Remnant will return to Him and He will feed them and be their Shepherd. As the Remnant, we will be nourished by His Word and experience His power and majesty in all aspects of our lives.
Abundant Life: John 10:10
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
God promises abundant life to all who choose to follow Him. This promise stands throughout times of judgment. Furthermore, this abundant life is one which exceeds all expectations! It is a full life—the most extraordinary, fulfilled life which can only be found in Christ. This abundant life is not dependent upon the circumstances of the world, but is rather a promise to those who seek Him. To learn more about the abundant life, check out our blog post on that topic linked here.
Delivery From Judgment: Ezra 9:5-9
5 And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God, 6 saying:
“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. 7 From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today. 8 But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery. 9 For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.
Along with provision and abundant life, God promises those within His Remnant delivery from the judgment the world experiences. While we will still be in the world and seeing the judgment all around us, we will experience spiritual revival in the midst of it and find ourselves preserved from the chaos by God’s protective hand.
Spiritual Community: Zephaniah 3:9-10
9 “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. 10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.
God promises His remnant that in the day of judgment they will experience unity as a community, serving Him with one accord. He will bring us together and lead us into an experience of spiritual community and encouragement like we have never experienced before. If you continue reading through verse 20, you will also see that He promises a community in which there is no deceit, and that His people will experience a relationship with Him which is deep and meaningful.
“Normality” in Life: Jeremiah 29:4-7
4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
As with the Israelites who were sent into exile in Babylon, we are called to continue living daily life in the midst of judgment. We are to build houses, get married, have children, and seek the peace of the city where God has placed us. Despite the judgment, God is telling us to live our our lives without fear and to enjoy normal life under His protection. He has good plans for us, of hope and a future. These good plans are not dependent upon circumstances but rather upon our willingness to surrender to His plan, abide in Him, and enjoy the Remnant life He provides.
We see through these promises the recurring themes of surrender and of God’s power. God is bigger than our circumstances, and He promises to deliver His people all these things if they surrender to Him. More of these promises, laid out in greater depth, can be found in Rich Case’s book The Remnant, available through the Abide Ministries website. We will also be discussing what it means to join the Remnant in a future blog post. As always, if you have any questions at all about the Remnant or any other spiritual issue, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through our Contact Page. We are here to assist you in your journey to abiding in Christ!
