A Remnant Shall Be Saved

Romans 9:27-28 “Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.”

Now Paul quotes from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 10:21-22 “The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. 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.”

I included verse 21 to help make the connection between the word return in Isaiah and the word saved used by Paul. In both cases the context is that of turning to God in faith and repentance, which results in salvation.

Interestingly enough, some of the other translations of Isaiah 10:22 seemed to make a better connection to verse 28 than the KJV.

Darby – “for [he] is bringing the matter to an end, and [cutting [it] short in righteousness; because] a cutting short of the matter will [the] Lord accomplish upon the earth.”

Young – “for a matter He is finishing, and is cutting short in righteousness, because a matter cut short will the Lord do upon the land.”

I think there is a direct connection to Matthew 24 with these two verses.

Matthew 24:21-22 “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”

In these verses from Romans, Isaiah, and Matthew the context is concerning the remnant of Israel (referenced as the elect in Matthew) that will be restored in fellowship to Jehovah at the end of the tribulation period, the 70th week of Daniel (still future and described in great detail in Revelation). In looking at the Greek for “cut it short” I get a picture of the LORD completing Israel’s restoration with one decisive act—His return in victory as King of kings at the end of the 70th week. In other words, upon the completion of the execution of God’s refining judgment of the 70th week, the 7-year tribulation period, He will immediately establish the believing remnant of the nation of Israel in righteous standing before the nations.

“finish the work” – This is referencing the completion of God’s plan. I think Daniel defines it most clearly.

Daniel 9:24 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”

Romans 9:29 “And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.”

Isaiah must have been one of Paul’s favorite books (as it is mine). Again, he quotes the prophet.

Isaiah 1:9 “Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.”

Scripture tells us that Sodom and Gomorrah were completely destroyed by God never to be inhabited again. In fact, we have yet to identify exactly where those cities were located; the general location is at the southern end of the Dead Sea.
Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because evidently Lot was the only righteous man living there. He was delivered before their destruction. Israel has always had a preserving body of righteous men of faith. Paul is emphasizing that this remnant was and is a result of the work of God in His people.

I think point needs to be made that it is God who has preserved “a seed” (a remnant, a group of physical descendants of Israel) according to His covenant promises.

“Lord of Sabaoth” – Seems to be equivalent to the title “Lord of hosts…a military epithet of God.” “Sabaoth” = armies