“Throughout the earth the story is the same— only a remnant is left, like the stray olives left on the tree or the few grapes left on the vine after harvest. But all who are left shout and sing for joy. Those in the west praise the Lord’s majesty. In eastern lands, give glory to the Lord. In the lands beyond the sea, praise the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. We hear songs of praise from the ends of the earth, songs that give glory to the Righteous One! But my heart is heavy with grief. Weep for me, for I wither away. Deceit still prevails, and treachery is everywhere.”
Isaiah 24:13-16 NLT
A remnant of God’s people. This is a familiar theme throughout the Bible: God’s judgment leaves a group of faithful people who remain true to Him and His covenant, regardless of their circumstances. We remember the story of Noah, where, in Genesis 6, “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil”. We then read that the Lord decided to “wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth”, a statement of judgment followed by a “But”: “But Noah found favour with the Lord”. Who was Noah? “… Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God”. Noah and his family were the remnant on which the Lord rebuilt His people, and He was so pleased with them that He vowed never again to do such a thing as “wipe this human race … from the face of the earth”, a covenant He has never broken.
We also read in the story of Elijah about another remnant of God’s people. Elijah had run away from Jezebel after the Mount Carmel event, where he killed all the prophets of Baal. In the wilderness, he prayed that he might die, saying, “I have had enough, Lord … take my life…”. But after an angel had fed him, he travelled through the wilderness to Mount Sinai, where he heard the gentle whisper of God’s voice. God asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too” (1 Kings 19:14). After being told what to do next, God said, “Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!” Another remnant of faithful people.
God’s remnant is a small, faithful group of believers who survive divine judgment or widespread apostasy and remain loyal to God’s covenant. This recurring theme spans both the Old and New Testaments, representing the true spiritual core of God’s people across history. We have looked at two Old Testament examples, but the same principle is also presented in the New Testament. In Romans 11:5, and after referencing the Elijah remnant, Paul wrote, “It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them”. How do the remnant become set apart from their peers? Well, they faithfully keep God’s commandments and hold to their testimony of belief and trust in their salvation through grace alone. Through the remnant, God’s redemptive work moves forward from generation to generation, as we pilgrims know. Personally, through my parents’ faithfulness in following God, they sowed the seeds that have formed a foundation for my faith today. And I hope I am doing the same for my own family and their descendants.
But note the behaviour of the remnant in our verses from Isaiah today. We read, “all who are left shout and sing for joy”. Those in the West “praise the Lord’s majesty”. Those in the East “give glory to God”. And just in case any were missed out, those living “in the lands beyond the sea” (probably a reference to the Mediterranean), “praise the name of the Lord, the God of Israel”. And the section ends with “We hear songs of praise from the ends of the earth, songs that give glory to the Righteous One!”. Have we ever noticed in the Bible that the greatest worship often comes from suffering saints? In Acts 16 we read the story of Paul and Silas in Philippi. They were arrested and beaten with rods because there was an accusation that they were “teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice”. Then in Acts 16:23-24 we read, “They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.” But then, amazingly, we read in the next verse, “Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening“. In Habakkuk 3:18-19, we read, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!”
Perhaps the lesson for us pilgrims today is that if we are going through a difficult and challenging time, then perhaps we should set the issues aside and praise God. Habakkuk declared that even if he lost everything he would still be joyful in God. An amazing lesson in faith, don’t we think?
Dear Father God. Along with Habakkuk we declare our faith and trust in You. There is no other God like You, One day, we will be with You in Heaven, where we will praise and worship You together with all the saints who have preceded us. No more, the hassles of human life. Thank You. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 