Let us now return to that chapter in Romans, chapter 11, Romans chapter 11, and we would like to choose there verse 4 for our text. Romans chapter 11, verse 4, which reads, But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal." The words that the Lord spoke to Elijah, the great Old Testament prophet. The title I want to give to the meditation tonight is, A faithful remnant. A faithful remnant. This is what this verse here is speaking of. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Now very briefly, this chapter here, tells us that God is not finished with Israel. That's how this chapter is to be summed up. If we go through Romans, we come to chapter eight, and that is a wonderful, glorious, comforting chapter for the people of God. It talks about at the beginning of no condemnation, and the end of chapter eight, it talks about and speaks to encourage God's people that there is no separation. What shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord? And of course, the answer is nothing. Nothing can separate the Christian. Well, the Apostle Paul, who was obviously writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, He, through the Spirit, anticipates that some who will be reading this epistle, and when they come to chapter eight, which deals with the wonderful blessings that belong to the Christian, how he's not condemned, and how he can never be separated from the love of God, that same person will say, well, hold on a minute, Paul, what about Israel? What about Israel? Look at Israel. Look at all the blessings they had. They were the privileged people. They were the chosen race. What about them? They have been cast off. Surely if they can be cast off, the Christian can be cast off. Well, Paul then really deals with the issue of Israel in chapters nine, 10, and 11 that we're looking at this evening. And to conclude regarding these chapters, Paul is saying God is not finished with Israel. There is still a bit for Israel to play in the plan and purposes of God as far as redemption is concerned. Now we know there are various disagreements among individuals regarding exactly what Israel's role is. And we don't want to expand upon that this evening other than to say that God is not finished with Israel. And he begins his argument here by citing for instance that Paul himself is an example. Verse one, hath God For I also am an Israelite. God hasn't cast off his people. I'm an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin, and I'm a living example. That God has not, is not finished with Israel. And then he cites another example here, the one of our meditation, Elijah. God hath not cast away his people whom, which he foreknew. What ye not? what the scripture saith of Elias, how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets and digged down thine altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life. Here was Elijah, despondent, despairing, after his great battle on Mount Carmel, His life was in danger. He thought it was all over. What's the point in all we're doing? We're getting nowhere. Look at the situation. He is basically saying to the Lord, they have killed thy prophets and dig down thine altars and I'm left alone and they seek my life. Things are looking grim as far as Elijah was concerned. What's the answer? Our text. But what sayeth the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. God, according to the doctrine of election, has reserved 7,000 faithful men in Israel. What percentage that was of the population, we have no idea. It doesn't really matter to us. but God had a remnant, and they had been preserved, and they had been preserved because they were chosen. And therefore, Elijah wasn't seeing things as they truly were. And that's what Paul is actually saying to these Romans here. Yes, God is doing something with Israel at the moment, but he's not finished with them. He is yet to bring about his plan according to the doctrine of election with regards to Israel. Well, there are four things that I wish to highlight from this text for our edification this evening. And it is in the light of the fact that when the cause of Christ appears low, it is easy to be despondent and despairing. However, it is never too low to abandon all hope. This is what we find here. I, even I only, am left. That's what Elijah said. referring to the incident that's here in 1 Kings 19, verse 10. I, even I only, am left. He felt overwhelmed. He felt the cause was finished. Idolatry had taken over. The worship of Baal had prevailed. And the worship of Jehovah was something that was going to be confined to history. Well, that wasn't the case at all. Well, as I said, four things to briefly highlight, some encouragement for us this evening. First of all, notice here, the cause of Christ is never so desperate as it appears to us. It's never so desperate as it might appear to us. We all like to live in the real world. We like to be people who are heavenly minded, but that's not to distort reality. We like to have our feet firmly on the ground. We like to evaluate things as they really are. The cause of Christ indeed may be low, but It is not as low as it may well appear to us. This is what we find here. No one's going to deny that in the time that Elijah was ministering, that things were rosy as far as the worship of Jehovah was concerned. It wasn't. It was hard times, difficult times, times of apostasy, times of faithfulness that needed to be demonstrated by those who followed Jehovah. It wasn't easy. But it was not as bad as Elijah was led to believe. He hadn't got an accurate picture. As you know, we tend to go into the city centre once a week, usually a Friday. I take the bus. The bus goes along Anniesland Road and it joins Dumbarton Road. And just at the junction there, about 75 yards away from the junction there on Dumbarton Road, there is a mosque that has been opened up, I don't know, I'm guessing about two years ago. A mosque there. And on Friday, usually when I go, about one o'clock, I'm on the bus. What do I see? I see many, many Muslim men coming from the surrounding area, from all corners, from the surrounding area. Sometimes they're running. and they're going to the mosque, and that's in our locality, and I'm sure that's happening in other places. We might not be aware of it, but Islam is ascending in our vicinity. That's a reality. That's a fact. You might not be aware of it, but I see it every week. And what amazes me, some of them are actually running to the mosque. You never see people running to churches. We don't see that today. People who live on the doorstep of the church are never in the church. And some people who should be in the church are not in the church. They have no great desire to come and to worship God. And yet we see it all around in false religions. On that same bus trip, for instance, last Friday, going into the city centre, I can't remember the exact words, but there was a poster there at a bus stop. And it basically said something like, Allah cares. Allah cares. Don't forget, Allah cares. Well, we all know Allah doesn't exist. Al is a false prophet. We are being taken over. That's the reality. But even in that situation, friends, God is still working. And although the situation may well be bad, It's not as bad as we might well imagine. And we are to bear that in mind. I'm sure you have your own examples of where things are not what they should be. And indeed, in other parts of the country, as you go further south, it may well be worse than I'm highlighting here. But things are never that bad. It may seem so. But no, we must keep a correct perspective upon these things. The second thing we could draw here from our text is also this. The Lord knows those who are his. The Lord knows those who are his, even when men cannot discern them. Now this is interesting because if you remember Elijah and when he went to find Ahab, wicked king Ahab, he came across Ahab's servant Obadiah. And Obadiah informed Elijah that he had kept two lots of 50 prophets in two caves. He had been feeding them. He had been spitable towards them. Out of sight of Ahab, out of sight of Elijah, he knew nothing about it. But there were a hundred prophets who had been preserved by the hand of Obadiah, that Obadiah who was in the very heart of the administration there. He was one of the Lord's people, and he had helped these hundred prophets, yet Elijah did not seem to bear that in mind at all. He overlooked it completely. He was so taken up with himself that he forgot the realities. And maybe this could be our own situation. We don't really know who belongs unto the Lord. We don't really know who is serving the Lord. They may well be in positions that we are not aware of. They may well be praying and working silently without our notice. Yet the Lord knows. The Lord knows his people. As we are reminded, when Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2, verse 19, nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his. And the Lord alone He alone knows who are ultimately his, and where they are, and what they're doing, and how, in some sense, they're helping and spreading the cause of Christ. And he goes on, and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Here we have, if you like, God, God's omnipotence, God knows all things. He knows his people. He powerfully protects them. but his people are to reveal their oneness with Christ by a life that is honorable to him. Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. This would have been a case for the Obadiah himself. He was a servant of Ahab, but he would have lived a godly life. And so it was for the 50 prophets that he had one cave and the other 50 prophets that were in the other cave. These men were men of God. God knew them. God knew where they were. And as a result, they were living a godly life. And therefore we are not to despair because the Lord does know exactly what's going on and where his people are. And as far as knowing who the real disciples are concerned, we have to realize that we can easily misjudge individuals. Easily. If you think of, for instance, Lot in the Old Testament, how would you rate Lot as a believer? Some people don't rate him very highly at all. But the Bible calls him righteous Lot. He's righteous. And although he may have done things stupidly and not been a prime example of what a believer should be, yet he has this benediction upon him. He was righteous. The Holy Spirit looks upon him and describes him as righteous. We might be inclined to write an individual like that off. and say there's no grace in him, as we might say about David. We've looked at the life of David some time ago, and the Bible says of him, he's a man after God's own heart. Yet look at the things he did. Look how he committed adultery. Look how he followed it with murder. Would we not be inclined to say there's no grace in that man? But there was, the root of the matter was in him. And he demonstrated by the repentance. And his example has been a wonderful encouragement to many others who have fallen. Because there is a way back to God, even for God's people who make almost shipwreck of their faith. God knows his people. And sometimes his people will fall but they will be restored. We could think also in the New Testament, we could think of Peter. Why, when he denied the Lord, are we not told he blasphemed and cursed? What a mouth he had. Oh, he was a firebrand. He was an enthusiast. He was the spokesman of the disciples. He was a great example. He loved the Lord. He had zeal for the Lord. He was willing to fight for the Lord. But when the time came, he denied the Lord. And his language was terrible. If we had been there in the sidelines, we might well have said, well, that man's got no grace in him. but he had. The root of the matter was truly in him. We could also think of John Mark. What potential, a young man, wanting to serve the Lord, wanting to go with the apostle Paul and Barnabas, wanting to be involved in evangelistic outreach with a zeal for Christ. But the time came when he abandoned it and went back to Jerusalem. We don't know exactly the cause but He turned his back upon the cause, and the apostle Paul was not pleased with him so that he would not take him on another journey. But they were reconciled. Why? Because the Lord knows his people, and the Lord knew that John Mark had the root of the matter in him. He was a real, genuine Christian. When others might have written him off, not so the Lord. And so it is, friends, even in the times when things are not great, and when it's hard to find a real Christian, there will be real Christians that we're not aware of. And it only takes a moment for them to be revealed to encourage us. We could also think of Joseph of Arimathea. What does it say about him? In John chapter 19, verse 38, And after this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus. After what? After the crucifixion. You know, when he saw what happened to the Savior, when he saw him on the cross, when he saw what they did to him, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave him leave. He came, therefore, and took the body of Jesus. Here he was, for some time, we don't know. He was a silent believer, a secret believer. He had love for the Savior in his heart, but he didn't reveal it. He kept it to himself. It was too dangerous, maybe. But the time came when he heard or saw about the crucifixion, and that was enough. They crucified my Lord. That's what he said. That was his sentiments. And I'm going to bury him. I'm going to give him the honors that's due to his great and holy name. And I'm going to stand out. And when it was dangerous to be identified with the cause of Christ, here was Joseph of Arimathea. He comes forward, he buys spices and clothing and linen, everything that was required in order to give the Lord a decent burial, and his whole body, hands, everything covered with the blood of the Lord Jesus. He wanted to be associated with him, for he had enough of being a secret disciple. It was now time to show who he was and who he followed. It was now time to nail his colors to the mast. And maybe that's the same for someone here this evening. Is it not time that you came out of the closet? Is it not time that you came out? Is it not time that you nailed your colors to the Lord Jesus Christ? You cannot be a secret disciple forever. And what an encouragement it would be to the cause of Christ to see someone who has, humanly speaking, been sitting on the fence, to come out and say, I'm a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, the Lord knows you. And the Lord knows all his people. And sometimes for a period of time, they are somewhat secretive. But the time will come when they will come out. And what an encouragement that will be to the people of Christ and to the cause of Christ. Well, thirdly, time's gone on. Thirdly, God's electing purpose guarantees the success of his work on earth. I don't know if you noticed it, friends, but Chapters, we obviously didn't read the other chapters, but chapters 9, 10, and 11, they basically deal with the doctrine of election regarding Israel. It's meaty stuff. It's about God and what he's done in Christ. It's not bedtime reading, but it's meaty Christian doctrine, and it's It's doctrine that might cause some people to stumble. It might cause some people to have bad views of God and what he does in his sovereign will. But do you notice how the Apostle Paul finishes this chapter here? Before he goes on to the practical aspects of Romans, he's taken up in a doxology While others are up in arms about the doctrine of election, the Apostle Paul, who has a true understanding of this mysterious doctrine, he is full of joy. He is full of adulation for his great God. Oh the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out. People stumble over election, not so the Apostle Paul. He delights in God's sovereign will. For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Who's instructed the Lord? No one. No one whatsoever has instructed him. That's how he looked upon it. Israel has been cast off for a period, but God will visit them. It's all according to the doctrine of election. This is our great hope. God has a remnant, and that remnant will be saved. Nothing can overthrow what God has decreed. Well, fourthly and finally, the joyous privilege of being one of the remnant. Are you a Christian tonight? You're one of the remnant. You're one of that remnant, however big or however small that remnant number is, you belong to it, you're in it. And you're in it because of God's electing love in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's your great hope. That's why you are where you are. It is because you have been chosen before the foundation of the world. And what a privilege, therefore, it is to be faithful to God in a day of apostasy. This is what it was like for Elijah. He didn't get things right regarding, he thought he was the only one. Not so, Elijah. There are 7,000 others who have been elected and preserved and reserved in order that they might continue the worship of Jehovah. If you belong to Christ today, what an honor, what a privilege. All around us is apostasy. All around us is decline. Many things there to discourage us. But this is a time to shine. This is a time to stand up. This is a time to profess and to stand out, to be like a city set upon a hill, and to appreciate the wonderful, electing, sovereign grace of God. You haven't done anything to warrant this. It's a mystery, but it's a glorious mystery, and it's their friends to humble us. and to cause us to delight in God. I have reserved to myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. This should have been something to encourage Elijah. You're not the only one. Today, you may well be the only one in your family You may be the only one in your neighborhood. You may be the only one in your vicinity, in your workplace, whatever. You might feel alone. And that may well be a reality. But ultimately, there's more than you imagine. And therefore, we are to be encouraged to be part of a faithful remnant. that will ultimately be victorious, because Christ himself will be victorious. Are you part of that remnant? Well, the only way to be part of that remnant is to come and to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to make your calling and election sure to be found in that great number, a number that no man can number, at the end, and to be part of that faithful remnant. And you are to come to Him, and you are to be assured that He will receive you. He will turn none away. And what a joy, and what a privilege it is to be part of that faithful remnant. Amen, and may the Lord bless His word to us. Let us pray together.