Introduction: God has a history of working through a people He
selected. For example, in the Old Testament we see God working
through Noah, then Abraham and then Israel. Jesus worked through His
12 disciples. Is there a select group today through which God works?
If so, are you a part of it? Let’s dive into our lesson and find out!
- Noah’s Remnant
- Read Genesis 6:11-13. What parallels do you see between
Noah’s time and our time? - Had all the people of the world become corrupt in
Noah’s time, or did it only seem that way? - Is God going to destroy our earth because of sin? (2
Peter 3:3-11 speaks of the Lord destroying the earthwith fire just as He destroyed the earth in Noah’s
time with water.) - Read Genesis 6:18 & 7:1. What kind of special relationship
did God have with Noah? Why did that relationship exist?
(Although it seemed that everyone had become corrupt, God
had a “people,” a “remnant” in Noah who God found
“righteous in his generation.”) - Early Church Remnant
- Read Romans 11:2-5. Do you remember this story about
Elijah, King Ahab and the fire that came down from heaven
and consumed the sacrifice to God? (This story of the
glorious victory of God, and His prophet Elijah, over Baal
and his prophets, is found in 1 Kings 18.) - After this glorious victory, Elijah became depressed
and went to God with his problem. 1 Kings 19:10
initially records Elijah’s grievance and it is
repeated it in 1 Kings 19:14. Let’s read 1 Kings
19:14-18 to get the complaint and God’s answer. What
is God’s answer? (Among other things, God assured
Elijah that he was not alone.) - What do you think Paul is saying to his audience in
Romans 11:5 when he refers to the Elijah story and
the remnant? (That God has His faithful remnant
people then too.) - Did you notice the number of the remnant
reported in the Elijah story ( 1 Kings 19:18)? Do
you think 7,000 has any importance? (Perhaps God
is not referring to a specific number so much as
He is a “perfect” group – since 7 is a number
for perfection in the Bible.) - Let’s read on in Romans. Read Romans 11:5-6. How is the
“remnant” chosen? (By grace.) - What does that mean? Is it a different method of
choosing the remnant than in Elijah’s or Noah’s time?
(I don’t think so. The description of the remnant in
Elijah’s time was that they had not “bowed the knee
to Baal.” ( Romans 8:4) Noah was referred to as one
who “walked with God.” ( Genesis 6:9) This attitude of
allegiance to God is salvation by grace.) - Today’s Remnant
- Read Revelation 12:13-17. Who is the dragon that is hurled
to earth? ( Revelation 12:7-9 identifies it as Satan.) - Who is the male child? (I believe this refers to
Jesus. Earlier in Revelation 12, verse 5 refers to
this Son and says He will “rule all the nations with
an iron scepter.” Compare this with Psalms 2:9 –
which is a Messianic prophecy which speaks of Jesus
ruling with an “iron scepter.” In addition, the
reference in Revelation 12:5 to the child being
“snatched up to God and to His throne” leaves no
doubt in my mind.) - Who are the “rest of the offspring” (KJV “remnant of
her seed”)mentioned in Revelation 12:17? (The saints.
The “remnant” through whom Jesus works today!) - What are the characteristics of this remnant? Are you
a part of it? Do you fit the profile? (They obey
God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of
Jesus.) - When we speak of carpet “remnants” we are talking about
what is left over. If someone told me I was like a carpet
remnant, I would not be complimented. Do you want to be
part of this remnant mentioned in Revelation 12:17?
Remember, that Satan is making this remnant the target of
his war efforts! - Read Revelation 12:10-12. Who is Satan attacking? Who
wins? (Satan is attacking the saints! But we win by
overcoming Satan with Jesus’ blood and by the word of
our testimony(v.11). Bottom line – we want to be part
of this remnant!) - Characteristics of the Remnant
- We read in Revelation 12:17 that one characteristic of the
remnant is that they obey God’s commands. How do you
reconcile that with Paul telling us in Romans 11:5-6 that
this is a remnant of grace? (This is the same concept we
discussed last week in reconciling the apparently
contradictory “standards” for judgment found in John 5:24
and John 5:28-29. We are saved by grace (our belief in
Jesus), but true belief results in a change in our life.
The saved are a group who are serious about keeping the
commandments of God.) - Revelation 12:17 reveals the second characteristic of the
remnant is that they “hold to the testimony of Jesus.”
What does this mean? Who is doing the testifying here?
Jesus or the remnant? (The Greek word translated “hold”
by the NIV is “echontoon.” Thayer’s Dictionary tells us it
means “to have, that is, to hold.” One of Thayer’s
definitions of this word is to “lay hold of a thing, to
adhere or cling to, to be closely joined to a person or
thing.” Thus, I think this means that the remnant will
cling to their faith in the words of Jesus.) - Read Revelation 12:11. Again we have those who are
saved described as overcoming the dragon “by the
blood of the Lamb and by the word of their
testimony.” We then read that this group “did not
love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
What do you think is being described here about the
testimony of the saints? (I think this last phrase is
an important clue. The saved are willing to confess
Jesus even when their lives are threatened as a
result.) - Do you think the description of the saved in
Revelation 12:11 and 12:17 are linked? (I think verse
11 gives us a clearer view of what is meant by the
phrase “testimony of Jesus” in verse 17. These are
people who cling to the words of Jesus and are not
afraid to confess them to others. Putting these two
texts together also gives us a clear picture of the
righteous. They: 1)Overcome by the blood of Jesus;
2)Obey God’s commandments; and, 3)Testify about
Jesus.) - How do you fit into the description of the
righteous? - In analyzing what is meant by the “testimony of Jesus” our
lesson directs us to Revelation 19:10. Let’s read
Revelation 19:10. Do you think 19:10 (“the testimony of
Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”) gives us a complete
description of the “testimony of Jesus?” - What is the context for Revelation 19:10? (John, the
Revelator (and the author of Revelation), sees an
angel and falls down to worship him. The angel tells
him to stop it for two reasons. What are those? (1)
God alone is to be worshiped; 2) The angel is “just
like” John in that they both are testifying about
Jesus.) - How is John testifying about Jesus? Does the
reference to the “spirit of prophecy” have
anything to do with John?(Yes! The angel tells
John that he is in the same line of work as the
angel because John is testifying about Jesus
through his work as a prophet (and reporting it
in the book of Revelation).) - A number of churches claim to have modern day
prophets. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints (Mormons)have Joseph Smith and
believe that their First Presidency is a
prophet. The Roman Catholics believe that the
Pope can speak “Ex Cathedra” (for God). The
Christian Scientists have Mary Baker Eddy and
the Seventh-day Adventists have Ellen White.
Would it be good Biblical scholarship to claim
that one of these prophets proved one of these
churches was the “remnant?” (I think this is
poor scholarship for two reasons. First, this
text ( Revelation 19:10) specifically refers to
John. Second, holding to the testimony of Jesus
is a personal thing. The question to answer, if
you want to be part of the remnant, is do YOU
testify about Jesus? Having a member of your
church, a next door neighbor, or a great aunt
who is a prophet, does nothing to determine if
YOU personally are part of the remnant.) - Is it reasonable to believe that the “spirit of
prophecy” will be demonstrated among the last
day remnant? (Absolutely! Joel 2:28-31 predicts
that the Holy Spirit will be poured out “on all
people” in the last days with the result that
“sons and daughters will prophesy.” Peter
repeats this prediction and says it is coming to
pass in Acts 2:16-18.) - Friend, there is a remnant through whom Jesus works here
on earth. Although they are attacked by Satan, the good
news is that the remnant wins as part of Jesus’ victory.
Do you want to be a part of that select group? Jesus
invites you to join today! - Next Week: The Days of the End
