WHAT IS a remnant? Technically, it is «what is left over,» the «remainder.» God has always had, throughout history, a remnant who have remain faithful to His Word. Isaiah fulfilled his ministry when Assyria was at its height and wiped out all peoples. The servant of the Lord clearly prophesied: «For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them will return« (Isa. 10:22).

The entire nation would not escape the divine punishment; only a remnant would be saved. The message of the remnant was clear in the teachings and mission of Isaiah; God even commanded him to name one of his sons Shear-Jashub (meaning «a remnant will return») in order to remember the promise.

Those who were part of the remnant had been sustained by God’s mercy and survived wars, captivity, plagues, and famines. In addition, they had endured and rejected idolatry, and were preserved by the Lord as His chosen, faithful, and missionary people.

Thus, in Romans 9:27, Paul applied the term «remnant» to the Jews of his days who were already Christians. In Romans 11:5, he spoke of those Christian Jews as «a remnant chosen by grace,» and the «remnant» of Revelation 12: 17 is the body of God’s faithful, that is, «what is left» of this long line that survived the attacks of the enemy throughout the ages.

My friends Jorge and Mirta always wanted to live in a dream place, a haven of peace, close to the city, where he could take young people and families to strengthen their faith and fidelity to God. They prayed a lot, got rid of many things, and by making a great sacrifice, acquired a property with very fertile and productive land, with cultivated fields of wheat, corn, and soybeans.

The name they gave the property was «The Remnant.» This would not only allow them to witness to the neighbors through the name, but also with their testimony and a great variety of spiritual activities, study of the Word, and praises to God.

God acquired the remnant as His property with His own blood in order to offer us His peace so that we may return to Him, turn our backs on sin, and live faithfully and loyally to Jesus, to His commandments, and to His mission.

«The Christian should be the happiest man in the world, but he is the least happy with the world» (Spurgeon). 

Always remember our precious identity: we are God’s remnant. Today I renew my gratitude and commitment to strengthen daily my communion with God and faithfully fulfill the mission.