Passage: In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness. For the Lord God of hosts will make a full end, as decreed, in the midst of all the earth.
Journal: This passage evidences the "e" word - election, in conjunction with the "r" word - remnant. Recall that even the name of Isaiah's first born child (Shear-Jashub) meant "remnant." God's discipline is about to bring about the total destruction of Israel (through Assyria) and the near total destruction of Judah (through Babylon).
Yet, God has promised that a remnant of Judah, His elected remnant, will survive. That is, the covenant of grace is evidenced through the survival of His elected remnant. This election is both of Israel (actually, Judah) as a nation and the remnant of Judah as individuals. This election of His remnant is really God purposing to save certain individuals from destruction. This covenant of grace is evidenced many times in Holy Scripture - the preservation of the eight people in Noah's family (Gen. 6-8), the promise made to Isaac alone (and not Ishmael) in Abraham's family (Gen. 17:19-21), the division of the twins Jacob and Esau in Isaac's family (Rom. 9:13), the setting aside of Judah's heirs as Christ's ascendants, the 7,000 faithful prophets during Ahab's apostasy (1 Kings 19:18), the faithful Rechabites during Jehu's reform (2 Kings 10:15-23), the calling of the disciples by Jesus (including the contrasting call of Judas to rebellion), the two representative men hanging on the crosses on each side of Jesus, the calling of Saul (Paul), and on and on. In each generation, God has preserved for Himself His elected remnant.
Were we to talk today to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, the faithful prophets, the faithful Rechabites, the disciples, the criminal on the cross who was able to see Jesus as a savior, and Paul, I don't think we would find in them pride or arrogance in their salvation. Instead, the regenerated heart, the heart that the Holy Spirit allows to understand the atonement in the death and resurrection of Jesus, is a heart covered in humility, understanding that the remnant has miraculously, and undeservedly, included his or her name. Praise God for His covenant of grace. ("For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return.")
John Dee Spicer
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About Me
I started the Daily Journal in 2000. I sent it as an email to a few friends (it was a round number, either 10 or 20, I can't remember exactly). It has grown over the years, primarily due to those original few forwarding it to others. During this time, I have journaled through Genesis, selected Psalms, the Gospel of John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, and Peter's letters. (These are the books I can remember for sure this morning, anyway.) I don't have seminary training and don't claim to have special wisdom. Rather, I simply desire that others develop a love for God's word. There is only one interpretation for any Bible passage, and I will rely on the wisdom of scholars through the ages (at least those at my disposal) to help with that one interpretation. I will also attempt some practical application. Somewhere along the way I started sharing some funny things my kids would say, and this became known as "Heard 'Round the House." I will continue to share these priceless nuggets as my kids provide material. The "Daily" Journal is a bit of a misnomer, since I only do it Monday through Thursday. I don't do it on Friday because I attend a 6 am Bible Study. I don't do it on the weekends because so many received it at work (I may revise this approach since I have gone to the "Blog" format). I do read my Bible on a daily basis, and strongly recommend a chronilogical daily Bible - you will read the Bible completely each year, and the events unfold in a historical fashion.
