The Final Remnant of Israel

 

 

The Final Remnant of Israel

 

Isa 10:22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

 

Zep 3:8 Therefore wait ye upon me, says Yahuah, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them my indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

 

Zep 3:11 In that day shall you not be ashamed for all your doings, wherein you have transgressed against me? for then I will take away out of the midst of you them that rejoice in your pride, and you shall no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

Zep 3:12 I will also leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of Yahuah.

Zep 3:13 The remnant of Yashar’el (Israel) shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

 

There are many peoples in the Bible referred to as a remnant. Throughout various judgments on Israel and other nations Yahuah, in His mercy, has left a remnant to survive. None of them ever turned back to Yahuah with their whole heart. Some turned back to Him for a time but fell away again.

 

The remnant being spoken of in Zephaniah above is the final remnant of Israel, the daughter of Zion who will travail in labor and give birth to a nation in one day.

 

Isa 66:5 Hear the Word of Yahuah, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let Yahuah be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

Isa 66:6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the Temple, a voice of Yahuah that renders recompense to his enemies.

Isa 66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a male child.

Isa 66:8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Tsiyon (Zion) travailed, she brought forth her children.

Isa 66:9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? Says Yahuah: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? Says your Elohiym.

Isa 66:10 Rejoice ye with Yerushalayim, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

 

The verses from Isaiah above are a multi-faceted prophecy. To understand it correctly you need to know ‘the rest of the story’ as Paul Harvey liked to say. That can be found in Romans chapters 9,10 and 11.

 

In Romans chapters 9, 10, and 11, the Apostle Paul expresses his desire for all of Israel, his ‘kinsmen according to the flesh’, to be saved.

 

From there he does a marvelous job of explaining faith, promise, and election as demonstrated in Abraham (faith), Isaac (promise), and Jacob (election).

 

In doing so, he explains ‘For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel’

Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

 

And not all the children of the promise, that is, the descendants of Isaac, are Israel but those whom God has chosen, the elect. Because, before Esau and Jacob were born, God chose Jacob and refused Esau.

Rom 9:10And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

Rom 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

Rom 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

Rom 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

 

And so the Israel of God is not according to the flesh but are those whom God has chosen. Paul continues, to explain that although God has hardened the hearts of the descendants of Abraham, God has not cast them away forever.

 

Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Rom 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

Rom 11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

Rom 11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

 

And so throughout history, there has always been a remnant, an elect of God in Israel. 

 

With this understanding, we can begin to explain the prophecy in Isaiah above. In Isaiah 66:7 we are looking at one event. In Isaiah 66:8 we are looking at a different event.

Isa 66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a male child.

 

She is ‘the daughter of Zion’.  The elect remnant in the midst of Israel.

 

Before she travailed.  This verse is talking about the birth of Jesus. Before she travailed, before her pain came, is talking about before the beast and the false prophet of Revelation 13 persecute her. That persecution is still a future event so we need to be aware of those scriptures to completely understand this prophecy in Isaiah 66. When we look at those scriptures it fills in some of the blanks of this prophecy. Let’s start in Revelation 12.

 

Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

 

The woman described above is once again the daughter of Zion.  She is Israel because the description of her is the same as the dream of Joseph, Jacob’s son, in Genesis 37:9. Let’s continue with Revelation 12.

 

Rev 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

 

This cannot be the same event as Isaiah 66:7 which is the birth of Jesus because in this prophecy she is travailing in birth and in pain. These verses, Rev. 12:2-5, pair with Isaiah 66:8 in which the prophecy changes from not travailing to travailing and from the singular to plural. Let’s look at Isaiah 66:8 again and then I will explain how Revelation 12:5 is plural.

 

Isa 66:8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Tsiyon (Zion) travailed, she brought forth her children.

Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

 

Isaiah 66:8 now talks about the daughter of Zion travailing and bringing forth children (plural).

Revelation 12:5 says she (the daughter of Zion) brought forth a man-child. The Greek here is “υἱὸν ἄρσεν”. This should be translated as male offspring. The first-word “υἱὸν” should be translated as offspring. The second word is “ἄρσεν” which denotes gender not species should be translated as male. The word for child which is used two other times in these verses is “τέκνον” which means child or offspring.

 

Unfortunately, the word child is used for both “τέκνον” and “υἱὸν” in these verses. It confuses the reader. The word “υἱὸν” is used over 300 times in the New Testament and is almost always translated as son. However in this case it should not be translated as son when accompanied by the word “ἄρσεν” which denotes gender as male. There is no reason to say a male son, the son is obviously male. In this context, the correct translation is male offspring.

 

The male offspring in these verses refers to the 144,000 true disciples of Jesus who receive the seal of God on their foreheads. These men are on Earth and sealed after the sixth seal is opened and before the seventh seal is opened. (Rev. 7) They are virgins and have not been defiled with women, therefore they are male. More importantly, later they are once again seen on the heavenly Mt. Zion accompanied by the Lamb of God and singing a new song before the Throne of God. (Rev. 14) These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

 

Let’s take a quick look at that last verse. 

 

Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

 

I could easily spend all day on the 144,000 but here are the essentials. They are men, not children. They are virgins. They are true disciples of Jesus because every disciple that Jesus called Jesus used the same two words, “follow Me”. They were redeemed from among men. That word redeemed means purchased, bought, redeemed by the Blood of Jesus, therefore they were not perfect, they lived on the Earth and they died. (we will get into that death in a second) They are declared in scripture to be the first fruits of the Earth unto God and unto the Lamb.

 

Now learn this parable given by Jesus regarding the coming Kingdom of God.

Mar 4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

Mar 4:27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

Mar 4:28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

Mar 4:29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle because the harvest is come.

 

• First the blade: Jesus
• Then the ear: the 144,000
• After that the full corn of the ear: The fall harvest, aka the end-time harvest, aka the latter rain, aka the Feast of Ingatherings

 

If you understand the Festivals of Israel as outlined in the Torah, the first five Books of the Bible, that should make perfect sense to you. If you are not familiar with those festivals I will give you a quick primer.

 

We need to look at the woman who gives birth in Revelation 12, aka the Virgin Daughter of Zion, aka the Daughter of Zion, aka the Daughter of Jerusalem. The ‘woman’ is singular just as her ‘child’ is singular but in both cases the reality is plural. The ‘woman’ is Israeli, i.e. a portion of Israel, a group of Israeli descent, an Israeli remnant. She is also Jeshurun, those whom God has chosen. Deu 32:15; Deu 33:5; Deu 33:26; Isa 44:2.

 

Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

 

Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 

First, let’s put a press pin in the timeline of what is happening here.  This is after Satan has been thrown out of heaven into the Earth. In the previous verses, he was seen in heaven waiting for the child to be born. In these verses he finds himself cast into the Earth and begins persecuting the woman.

 

In Revelation 12:6 she flees into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God. There she remains for 1260 days, or 42 months, or 3½ years. In Revelation 12:14 we get a little more information about the same event. She is given two wings of a great eagle to fly into the wilderness. The rest of the information is the same, however, it confirms that the time, times, and the dividing of times in this event is quantified as 1260 days. The points are

• the place is in the wilderness
• it is a place prepared for her by God
• she is given two wings of a great eagle to fly to her place
• she is fed and nourished there
• she stays there for 1260 days

 

The wings of a great eagle are our focus for understanding the vision. Let’s look at how God refers to Himself metaphorically using the wings of an eagle.

 

Exo 19:1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.

Exo 19:2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.

Exo 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and Yahuah called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

Exo 19:4Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.

Again in Deuteronomy

Deu 32:9 For the Yahuah’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

Deu 32:10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

Deu 32:11  As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:

Deu 32:12  So Yahuah alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

 

We can see from scripture that God will make a way for her to escape the persecution of the devil. That persecution is being carried out by the Beast and the False Prophet with their monetary policy, Jihad, and military actions.

 

God has a hiding place prepared for his remnant, the woman. If I can discover where it will be, it would not be a very good hiding place. We do know that it will be in the wilderness. With this key, we can identify the prophecies concerning this event.

 

Eze 20:33 As I live, says Adonai Yahuah, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:

Eze 20:34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

Eze 20:35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

Eze 20:36  Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Mitsrayim,(Egypt) so will I plead with you, says AdonaiYahuah.

Eze 20:37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:

Eze 20:38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Yashar’el: and ye shall know that I amYahuah.

 

Ezekiel 20:35-36 is a remarkable prophecy. This prophecy can only refer to the event we are discussing in this post. God is saying he will bring His people into the ‘wilderness of the people’ and plead with them FACE TO FACE in the same manner as He pleaded with their fathers in the wilderness of Egypt. The only other time in the history of Israel God pleaded with them FACE TO FACE began in the wilderness of Egypt and culminated on Mt. Sinai where God met with Moses FACE TO FACE.

 

In verse 38 above God says he will purge out from among them the rebels and those that transgress against him. This describes Jeshurun very well. There are those whom He has chosen who will not listen and will not obey. They murmur against God when things don’t go their way.

 

This is the most remarkable prophecy because it describes what the 1260 days will be like for the woman/remnant of Israel. A time of trial, purging, repentance, and a FACE TO FACE meeting with Yahusha HaMashiach, Jesus Christ.

 

Let’s take a look at what God describes as His ‘pleading with them like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of Egypt.’

• Exodus 14:10-12: The Israelites murmur at the Red Sea when they saw the approaching Egyptian army after leaving Egypt.

• Exodus 15:22-24: Shortly after crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites murmur at Marah due to the bitter water.

• Exodus 16:2-3: The Israelites murmur in the Desert of Sin due to hunger, longing for food in Egypt.

• Exodus 16:19-20: Some of the Israelites murmur by trying to gather manna on the Sabbath despite God’s command.

• Exodus 17:1-3: The Israelites murmur at Rephidim due to a lack of water.

• Exodus 32:1-4: The golden calf incident is an instance of the Israelites’ murmuring against God and Moses when they grew impatient waiting for Moses on Mount Sinai.

 

Read Exodus chapters 14 through 19 to see how their fathers murmured against God as He provided for them and pled with them to trust Him. Once you understand the patience and perseverance of God with his people you will begin to understand the transformation that will take place with the final remnant. These people will, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, fearlessly return from the wilderness to face the Beast and the False Prophet singing and praising Yahusha HaMashaich, the TRUE MESSIAH.  Their experience in the wilderness will humble them. The foot of pride will never come upon them again.

 

Zep 3:11 In that day shall you not be ashamed for all your doings, wherein you have transgressed against me? for then I will take away out of the midst of you them that rejoice in your pride, and you shall no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

Zep 3:12 I will also leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of Yahuah.

Zep 3:13 The remnant of Yashar’el (Israel) shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.