Are You Sure You’re the Remnant?

What does the word “remnant” mean to you? Before I was a Christian, my mind would probably have gone straight to rolled-up carpet remnants at a discount store. If carpets aren’t your thing, the word basically means something from a larger group remaining when that group or thing is gone. With that in mind, the next time you’re dining out, finishing your dinner, and wanting a doggy bag, try asking the waiter or waitress for a bag for your “remnant” instead.

I’m sure they’ll be amused, if not confused. Of course, the context is clear you’re talking about your leftovers. This brings us to one of my favorite topics—context.

Depending on the context, remnant might mean something different within Christianity. If you ask a Christian, they’ll probably tell you that a remnant includes the faithful God has saved from His wrath. While I won’t disagree with that definition, I can’t help but wonder if we ought to reconsider how Scripture uses the term before we go around identifying as the “Remnant God has Saved.”

Without looking at your Bible, where do you think Scripture first introduces a remnant? Noah? Surely, Noah and his family are described as a “faithful remnant.”

Was Gedaliah a Noble or a Fool?

I was reading Jeremiah 40 when I, once again, wondered about Gedaliah, the short-term and ill-fated governor of Judah established by Nebuchadnezzar. Scripture has very little to say regarding this man other than to tell us that someone assassinated him. Still, what little we do know makes for a short, albeit interesting, conversation.

What’s remarkable isn’t that Gedaliah was assassinated. Instead, Gedaliah had every opportunity to avoid assassination, but chose a different path.

Is Eden in the Underworld?

We long for Eden, a lush and perfect garden, a place we lost because of sin. Though none of us have ever seen it and know little more than what Scripture says, that doesn’t change our longing for perfection; our longing to be surrounded by opulence; our longing to be surrounded by God’s perfect peace, to be One with Him and all of creation.

Some suggest we will return to Eden—to paradise—because Revelation speaks of the Tree of Life:

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

Revelation 22:1-4 (NIV)

If you read the New International Version Bible, the header for Revelation 22 says “Eden Restored,” but that header was added by the translators. Still, considering the perfection described in Revelation 22, it’s no wonder that one might say that this paradise is the Eden of old. However, since John never identifies it as such, we shouldn’t either.

Where is Eden today? Is it just the way it was when Adam and Eve were ejected, with a cherubim standing guard?

They Were What in Egypt?

I started reading Ezekiel 23 today, but I paused after reading this first passage:

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother. They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed. The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem (emphasis added).

Ezekiel 23:1-4 (NIV)

The Lord says that Samaria and Jerusalem “became prostitutes in Egypt,” but neither Jerusalem nor Samaria had been founded when the Israelites were in Egypt. Considering this insight, how could God say they were prostitutes in Egypt, hundreds of years before they were founded?