What is the doctrine of the remnant taught in Scripture?
The doctrine of the remnant teaches that throughout Scripture God has never enjoyed the majority; He has always preserved a small remnant. Though Israel’s numbers could be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant shall be saved. At the flood only eight remained true to God, and from Jacob only a few responded in belief.
Les explains that there is what he calls a doctrine of the remnant. All through Scripture, God has never enjoyed the majority; it has always been that small remnant. He points to the flood, where out of all the people on earth only eight remained true to God, and even some of them became rather despicable afterward. When the nation of Israel comes into view, the Word would light on Jacob, the whole nation, but only a few out of Jacob would respond and believe, and they were usually referred to as Israel. The same pattern appears in Isaiah: even though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved. God has always had His remnant, even within the nation of Israel.