When one speaks of ‘remnant’, what usually comes to mind is a special kind of Christian, perhaps with a special mission or assignment, or living in times of severe persecution. To most, this ‘remnant’ calling does not pertain to the typical churchgoing believer, or everyone who believes in God.

The remnants are not specially-selected ‘elites’. Rather, they are simply Christians who remain true to God and ‘faithful even to the point of death’ (Revelation 2:10).

Actually, the remnant ministry was never the original intention of God. God never meant that His people would backslide, lose their faith or not persevere till the end. Yet, as it is, many will choose to leave the faith as the end of days approaches (Matthew 24:10). This is the reason why remnants exist.

Despite God never intending to set aside remnants in the first place, no doubt He has used remnants mightily in our history. From Biblical times till now, they have been important players in God’s writing of world history, moving it through their unwavering prayers. The remnants God will raise up in these last days will be no less prominent & powerful.

In the beginning of the Bible, when mankind had completely fallen, God used Noah to rewrite history. Between Isaac’s two sons, God chose Jacob. Among all twelve of Jacob’s sons, God raised Joseph to become ruler of all Egypt. From the twelve spies who went to spy the Promised Land, only Joshua & Caleb survived those of their generation to cross the Jordan and inherit Canaan.

And in the grand finale of the Bible, during the Apocalypse, God will receive His worship from the 144,000 marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit (Revelation 7:3-4). From among the 7 churches (Revelation 2-3), God will raise up ‘2 lampstands’ or churches (Revelation 11:4), who will partner with His 2 witnesses to perform a ministry as powerful as Moses & Elijah.

Even throughout the 2000-year history of Christianity, whenever the church fell into darkness & decay, there would always be a ‘remnant’ preserved to ignite a new move of the Spirit. Look at China: in the 1960s Cultural Revolution, where missionaries were expelled or jailed, and the church was banished from the land, reportedly only 6,000 Christians remained. But today, it is said that over 1 MILLION Christians live in China. In this way, God, through those 6,000 remnants, changed the history of China, as well as the world.

If God has always used the remnants from days of old, what more in the last days?

‘“In that day,” declares the Lord, “I will gather the lame; I will assemble the exiles and those I have brought to grief. I will make the lame my REMNANT, those driven away a strong nation…’ (Micah 4:6-7)

Micah describes the traits of God’s remnants:

The ‘lame’ – those who are weak & powerless on their own, and have no choice but to rely on God. Just as Jacob was given a limp & a new name after meeting God, the ‘lame’, through their transformative experience of God, will be able to reign in the victory of ‘Israel’.

The ‘exiles’ (those driven away) – people who refuse to compromise with the world, and thus suffer ostracism & loss of status in the world (even caused by other ‘Christians’ – Revelation 2:9, ‘those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.’)

‘Those I have brought to grief’ – those who mourn (Matthew 5:4). Not mourning because of hardships in life, but because of the corrupted state of the church that has departed from God’s way.

‘I will remove from you (gather) all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals…’   ‘…I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles…’ (Zephaniah 3:18-19)

What else does the Bible say about remnants?

 ‘The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations…like a lion among the beast of the forest… Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and your foes will be destroyed.’ (Micah 5:8-9)

 ‘…the remnant of my people will plunder them; …will inherit their land.’ (Zephaniah 2:9)

The remnants of God will become mighty spiritual warriors, able to overwhelmingly defeat their enemies.

How then do we prepare ourselves to be remnants? Be lame – depend on the Lord completely! And trust that ‘THE ZEAL OF THE LORD ALMIGHTY WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS’!

‘Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. “The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (2 Kings 19:30-31)