“Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant …” (Rom. 11:5, NKJV)
Elijah’s crystallisation of his calling and election, a process that takes place WITHIN himself, had to take place through spiritual isolation. He spells this out in 1 Kings 18:22: “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord.” Later, in two instances, he articulates it in stronger terms: “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” (1 Kings 19:10 & 14).
The symbolism of the sword is especially significant, as it points to the fact that the opponent’s “word of the Spirit, which is the (rhema)-word of God” (Eph. 6:17) is used to cut him down to size. There are instances where God uses the identity of our brothers in Christ to ‘cut’ (Rom. 15:14; Col. 3:16; 3:13 & 10:25) us. This leads to dying to the self, and is obviously often very unpleasant.
In answering Elijah’s complaint that he is now alone, God does not answer him in a a forceful manner, through wind, earthquakes, fire (all typological in the New Covenant), but in his spirit, in “a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12), just as he spoke to Man in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:10). Part of what he then hears from God is that God is responsible for this isolated path of sanctification, and that Elijah is not the only one undergoing this process. “I have reserved [for me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18, ACV).
Seven is the number of eternal, perpetual completion. Thousand is the number of fulfilment of God’s promise over a thousand generations (Deut. 7:9; 1 Chr. 16:15). Through all the ages, says God, there is a remnant who carry the testimony of my plan on earth. Your high calling and election, Elijah, is like that of David, “who served his own generation in the plan of God” (Acts 13:36, ACV), part of the testimony, throughout the ages, of God’s agenda. I determined your time, and place (Acts 17:26) so that you can search Me out, find me, and grope me (verse 27). The culmination of this can only be experienced in the fulfilment of your personal calling and election. At the end of your life you will be able to say, like Jesus did: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” (John 17:4).
It is then very interesting that Paul uses these words of Elijah’s in Rom. 11:3-5 to explain this concept of the remnant: “’Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life?’ But what does the divine response say to him? ‘I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” What does the concept “the remnant” mean?
- Selah: What do you understand by the concept “the remnant”?
- Read: 26-27; Matt. 7.
- Memorise: 7:1.
