“And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 4:3 NKJV
Reflection: who is the remnant of Israel?
We join Isaiah today, in a vision of the high mountain and city of the Lord, also referred to as “the new Jerusalem”, and a description of who will be there. Now, we have to be careful as we think about this, so we don’t mix up the language here with physical locations and nations. Let’s start with the last sentence in v3, where Isaiah is referring to those who will be in this heavenly city of the Lord,
“everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem,” Isaiah 4:3b ESV
Kind of a strange sentence, don’t you think? You might be familiar with the reference “book of life”; here perhaps a bit more explicit that there is a recording going on, in the heavens, a “recording for life”. An entry criterion for this city. Let’s jump to the end of Revelations, to read a bit more about this heavenly city. We read first, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2 ESV. Now, we know “the bride” here is a metaphor for the true “Ekklesia”, as we think of it as the church of all true believers. And, did you notice that there seems to be an equivalence here between the holy city of Jerusalem and the bride?
Let’s read a bit more about this city, and who can enter it. “Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:9-10, 27 ESV. Now our verse of today makes more sense, as we read “And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 4:3 NKJV. The city is the “remnant” of believers, the bride of Christ, who have been called, responded to the call and elected.
We read from Peter “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:3-11 ESV
As Peter wrote, Isaiah also explains this is what God does in preparing the bride; a sanctification by the Holy Spirit through judgment and cleansing, “when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.” Isaiah 4:4 ESV. The Word works on us, as the sword of the Spirit, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 ESV
So who will remain, who makes up this heavenly city? Who is the remnant?
Jesus said ““Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14 ESV