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!

  1. Noah’s Remnant


    1. Read Genesis 6:11-13. What parallels do you see between
      Noah’s time and our time?


      1. Had all the people of the world become corrupt in
        Noah’s time, or did it only seem that way?


      2. Is God going to destroy our earth because of sin? (2
        Peter 3:3-11 speaks of the Lord destroying the earth

        with fire just as He destroyed the earth in Noah’s
        time with water.)



    2. 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.”)


  2. Early Church Remnant


    1. 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.)


      1. 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.)


      2. 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.)


        1. 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.)


    2. Let’s read on in Romans. Read Romans 11:5-6. How is the
      “remnant” chosen? (By grace.)


      1. 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.)


  3. Today’s Remnant


    1. Read Revelation 12:13-17. Who is the dragon that is hurled
      to earth? ( Revelation 12:7-9 identifies it as Satan.)


      1. 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.)


      2. 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!)


      3. 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.)


    2. 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!


      1. 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!)


  4. Characteristics of the Remnant


    1. 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.)


    2. 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.)


      1. 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.)


      2. 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.)


        1. How do you fit into the description of the
          righteous?


    3. 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?”


      1. 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.)


        1. 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).)


        2. 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.)


        3. 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.)


    4. 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!


  5. Next Week: The Days of the End