When I look at the huge pack of spiritual wolves, apostates and gullible groupies spread out before me I feel like the lone sheep in this picture. Some of those I see are so brazen they no longer even bother with the pretense of wearing sheep’s clothing. Maybe you have also felt alone, abandoned and rejected at times. Maybe you don’t have a church you can trust any longer? Maybe your former church friends have cut you off because of your convictions? Maybe it’s just you who is staying faithful to the truth? This is how Elijah felt as he sat in his wilderness cave nursing his self‑pity and loneliness. He also looked at an adulterous nation before him and felt like he was the only faithful one left. But God gently reproved him with the revelation that there were still 7,000 faithful Israelites who, like him, had not bowed their knees to Baal.
What’s so interesting is the fact that this prophet of God was absolutely clueless that a faithful remnant even existed. He didn’t know who they were or where they were. What is so amazing about this story is the fact that 7,000 Israelites were still faithfully clinging to the truth in the midst of such deep spiritual perversion. Elijah didn’t underestimate their numbers - He didn’t even know that they existed! I have asked myself who this group of anonymous Israelites were? There was nothing sensational, spectacular or hype-worthy to show they even existed. What seems to stand out above all is the reality of just how anonymous and ordinary they must have been. Even though Ahab and Jezebel reigned over a corrupt nation, Baal worship dominated the religious scene and false prophets and an adulterous priesthood represented the religious leadership, these anonymous few still went about their daily routines in quietness, humility and obscurity ‑ so much so that they even existed under Elijah’s prophetic radar.
Maybe those who lived around them saw them as individuals of little consequence but God saw each of them as faithful servants who had taken a private stand in the integrity of their own hearts to sanctify themselves from the errors of their day. They had chosen to walk by faith, to trust in God and to quietly go about their daily rhythms as farmers, mothers, vine dressers, shepherds and shop keepers with their ears tuned to what God was saying in the midst of the darkness that surrounded them. They were not participating in the spiritual compromises of their day because they had quietly removed themselves. They were not listening to the prophetic hype of the prophets of Baal or looking to an adulterous priesthood for direction. Their focus was fixed on God and His word.
Likewise, there is a quiet remnant today hidden in the midst of spiritual perversion. Like the anonymous remnant of Elijah’s day, the present remnant has quietly chosen to come out of the man-made corruption and compromise of churchanity. They are no longer buying into the message of false preachers and prophets of Baal. They are the simple believers scattered throughout the kingdoms of this world who have chosen to take a quiet stand in their hearts to no longer participate in that which undermines their simplicity in Christ.
God is still speaking to you the same words He told Elijah. So, take courage my friend. Rest assured that you are not standing alone. There are many of us out here who have not bowed our knees to the Baals of our day. We’re hearing many of the same things from God that you are and though none go with me, I will still follow Jesus.