Connect Ezekiel 6:8 with other biblical examples of God preserving a remnant. Ezekiel 6:8—Promise in the Midst of Judgment “Yet I will leave a remnant, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the nations.” Even when announcing severe judgment, the Lord declares He will not wipe Israel out entirely. A faithful core will survive, proving His covenant love and protecting the Messiah’s lineage. Why God Preserves a Remnant • To demonstrate His unfailing faithfulness to covenant promises (Leviticus 26:44–45) • To keep alive true worship on earth (Isaiah 1:9) • To advance redemption history until its fulfillment in Christ (Galatians 4:4) • To display mercy alongside justice (Habakkuk 3:2) Earlier Old-Testament Snapshots • Noah and his family survive the flood—Genesis 7:23: “Only Noah remained, and those with him in the ark.” • Joseph sent ahead—Genesis 45:7: “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the land and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” • Seven thousand in Elijah’s day—1 Kings 19:18: “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal.” Prophetic Voices Reinforcing the Pattern • Isaiah 10:20-22: “A remnant will return—yes, the remnant of Jacob—to the Mighty God.” • Jeremiah 23:3: “Then I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries to which I have driven them.” • Zephaniah 3:12-13: “I will leave within you a meek and humble people, and the remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the LORD.” Exilic and Post-Exilic Fulfillment • Judah’s captives return under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah (Ezra 2:1-2; Nehemiah 1:3). • Haggai 1:12 calls them “the remnant of the people,” now tasked with rebuilding God’s house. New-Testament Echoes • Romans 9:27 quotes Isaiah to show only a remnant of ethnic Israel is saved, yet God’s word stands. • Romans 11:5: “So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.” • Revelation 12:17 depicts “the rest of her children, who keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus,” a final preserved remnant. Big Takeaways for Today • Judgment never has the last word; God’s mercy secures a faithful core. • The preservation of the remnant ensures the continuity of God’s redemptive plan from Genesis to Revelation. • Believers can rest in the certainty that, regardless of cultural collapse, the Lord still keeps and uses a people for His glory. |
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