I'm familiar with remnant theology, but it largely arises from the remnant of Judah in Israel rebuilding the nation of Israel after captivity.
Yes its true, there was only a “
remnant” that came out of the captivity of literal Babylon 70 years after they were first taken, but that is not the remnant in which we refer to here.
We refer here to the
remnant which was selected out of Israel at the end of the Jewish age,
Israelite's indeed, who accepting the Messiah were received into the higher dispensation, the Gospel age, the remainder of that nation rejected because of blindness, pride, and hardness of heart.
Only a remnant at the first advent was found possessed of the faith of Abraham and accepted by our Lord as members of the new
house of sons.
"He came unto his own, and his own (as a nation) received him not, but as many as received him (individually) to them gave he liberty to become sons of God." (John 1:11, 12)
In all, this remnant consisted of only a few thousands out of the millions of that nation. Of these were
the twelve apostles,
the seventy (
Luke 10:1), also the "
five hundred brethren" (
1 Cor. 15:6), and those Jews subsequently reached on the Day of Pentecost and afterward during the entire harvest of their age.
"
Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea (in the millions)
, a remnant [only] shall be saved." (
Rom. 9:27)
Similarly, also at the second advent of Christ, only a
remnant will be found of
Israelite's indeed (the “
Israel of God”, true Christians, the wheat), while the majority (tares) will be rejected.
As the Gospel was not intended to convert all the Jews, but only to take from them a remnant, so likewise it was intended to take from the Gentiles only a remnant, that the entire company is properly termed a "
little flock."
The
remnant of natural Israel, delivered from
literal Babylon was a type of
the remnant of God's people now about to be delivered from
symbolic Babylon. Literal Babylon’s fall, at the hands of Cyrus, foreshadowing the fall of mystic Babylon under the antitypical Cyrus, our Lord, the Captain of our salvation.
Thus, in relation to the end-time harvest, it is through the remnant that the harvest of a great nation will come. In general, down through the ages, few have been saved. But I believe things will change during the end-time harvest. If it were still only a few during this time it would fail to fulfill the harvest analogy. Jesus said He will gather the wheat into His barn, which does not suggest just a couple bushels. It suggest just what it describes, a full and plentiful harvest.
With this we respectfully disagree, the scriptures make it clear that it is to be
only a remnant (the wheat class), which is to be harvested into the
Lord’s barn (the “
holy” or spirit begotten conditions), the rest, the majority of professing Christians (nominal Christians, “
tares” whose numbers far outnumber that of the wheat) are rejected and securely bound to their respective
bundles (denominations, sects and etc.) to await the fire of the great day.
“The work of salvation is divided into two great sections (i.e. “
the two salvation's”), one of which is already operative, the other to begin where the present one ends. This first section of the divine plan of salvation relates to the Church, a little flock, and to a household of faith, both separate and distinct from the world in general, which is not now being particularly dealt with. The message of the justice of God, the fallen condition of man, and the remedy provided in Jesus, are promulgated now that those who have the hearing ear may be attracted and may receive a blessing. This blessing, which is of faith, cannot reach all now, nor is it the divine plan that it should reach all in the present time. It is merely designed to take out of the nations a people for his name— “
a little flock.” (
Acts 15:14, Luke 12:32)
Although a great
many are called (to faith in Christ, as believers, members of the household of faith),
few of these are chosen (chosen to be prospective members of the body of Christ, members of the Royal Priesthood,
1 Pet 2:5, 9), remember concerning this last, “
No man takes this honor unto himself save he who is called by God, even as was Aaron.” (
Heb 5:4).
In other words one does not just decide for themselves that they are going to be a priest, first they must be called to that position.
Now of the few who are called (chosen), fewer still, of these will be proven worthy, that is few will make their calling and election sure, thus this special calling or salvation comes down to being but a “
little flock” of over-comers as in comparisons with the great mass of professing Christians called (or drawn) during the Gospel age.
Now in the next age there will be a great harvest, the
after-fruits, mankind in general gathered during the millennial age. The after-fruits will come in due time, under the further development of the Divine Plan of the Ages as the result of Messiah’s reign of a thousand years. How could we think of ourselves of the Church as the first-fruits and suppose that there would be no after-fruits no general harvest for the world?
Jas 1:18
