The Triumph of the Remnant Church
During the long years of conflict against the power of evil, the Lord has given promises and revelation of His tender care for His people. In the eighth century before Christ, Isaiah the prophet wrote: “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee” (Isaiah 43:1–3).
God opened the Red Sea before the children of Israel and delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians. The Lord led His people through the wilderness and fed them with manna—the bread of heaven—and refreshed them with the waters which flowed out of the rock.
Joshua witnessed the tender care of God for His people as they crossed the Jordan river and in the conquest of Canaan.
In the courts of Babylon, the Lord protected His dear children from being destroyed by the flaming fire and the mouths of lions.
In its early period, the Christian church was safeguarded in the time of severe persecution.
During the 1260 years of oppression the church prophesied in sackcloth, but she was sustained by God.
So it has been during the passing of the centuries. God’s children have been despised by men, persecuted, and forsaken, but they were upheld by His promises. They have looked by faith to the time when He would fulfill the promise of final triumph for His church.
We are living in the last moments of this world’s history, and God’s plan is to prepare His people to face the final events which will come upon the world, and thus have a glorious, triumphant church. “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27).
The church of God has two distinct phases: The stage of militancy and the stage of triumph. In the stage when the church is still militant we see a weak, imperfect church, but in the triumphant phase she will be perfect, glorious, and without defect.
“The church militant is not now the church triumphant; but God loves His church, and describes through the prophet how He opposes and resists Satan, who is clothing the children of God in the blackest and most defiled garments, and pleading for the privilege of destroying them. The angels of God were protecting them from the assaults of the enemy. . . .
“While the Lord brings into the church those who are truly converted, Satan at the same time brings persons who are not converted into its fellowship. While Christ is sowing the good seed, Satan is sowing the tares. There are two opposing influences continually exerted on the members of the church. One influence is working for the purification of the church, and the other for the corrupting of the people of God.” 1
In its stage of militancy the church is defective, but God does not destroy her because of her imperfection.
“Some people seem to think that upon entering the church they will have their expectations fulfilled, and meet only with those who are pure and perfect. They are zealous in their faith, and when they see faults in church members, they say, ‘We left the world in order to have no association with evil characters, but the evil is here also;’ and they ask, as did the servants in the parable, ‘From whence then hath it tares?’ But we need not be thus disappointed, for the Lord has not warranted us in coming to the conclusion that the church is perfect; and all our zeal will not be successful in making the church militant as pure as the church triumphant. . . .
“God has a church upon the earth who are His chosen people, who keep His commandments. He is leading, not stray offshoots, not one here and one there, but a people. The truth is a sanctifying power; but the church militant is not the church triumphant.” 2
Soon after His baptism Jesus organized the apostolic church, and during three and a half years He prepared the disciples for the great work of the gospel, bidding them: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19, 20).
For a while the disciples had been in the company of Jesus, but they still possessed serious defects of character, such as the spirit of rivalry, pride, greed, envy, evil surmising, indifference, jealousy, hatred, and contention. These are some characteristics of a defective church. But the church overcame these problems, triumphed over their defects of character and received the power of the Holy Spirit in the early rain. Clothed with the heavenly armor the church entered her triumphant phase.
The disciples received the Holy Spirit after diligent preparation.
“As the disciples waited for the fulfillment of the promise, they humbled their hearts in true repentance and confessed their unbelief. . . .
“The disciples prayed with intense earnestness for a fitness to meet men and in their daily intercourse to speak words that would lead sinners to Christ. Putting away all differences, all desire for the supremacy, they came close together in Christian fellowship. They drew nearer and nearer to God, and as they did this they realized what a privilege had been theirs in being permitted to associate so closely with Christ.” 3
By the power of the Holy Spirit the church “went forth conquering, and to conquer.” Without financial resources, possessing no temples, schools, or health institutions, a handful of people proclaimed the gospel. It spread, increased, and reached the souls all over the earth.
The triumphant church was a living epistle that revealed love, unity, and tireless labor for the salvation of souls.
The experience of the last church will be similar to that of the disciples. Defects of character and weaknesses are seen among God’s people, but the church must go through the first phase of her experience—the phase of militancy. In order to reach the second phase—the church triumphant—the people of God need to prepare and seek for the promised blessing—the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The apostolic church overcame her imperfections and weaknesses, and prepared herself for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Once ready, she received the showers of the early rain and entered her victorious phase. Likewise, when the final church of God will overcome all defects of character and prepare for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, she will receive the showers of the latter rain, and will enter her triumphant phase.
Those who reach the final phase of the church—the phase of triumph —are privileged to have the seal of the living God. They will have in their foreheads the marks of redemption: “It is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved.” 4
“All who proved their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath, will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God.” 5
“While John was shown the last great struggles of the church with earthly powers, he was also permitted to behold the final victory and deliverance of the faithful. . . . Looking beyond the smoke and din of the battle, he beheld a company upon Mount Zion with the Lamb, having, instead of the mark of the beast, the ‘Father’s name written in their foreheads.’ ” 6
In their conflict against evil they become overcomers and will take part in the choir that will sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb, both of them songs of victory. These songs express an experience such as never experienced by any other people besides the 144,000.
“These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins” (Revelation 14:4).
The word “women” here does not have a literal but rather a symbolic meaning. A chaste woman represents a pure church, and a corrupt woman represents an apostate church. The characteristic of this company at the time of their deliverance is that they do not have communion with fallen or apostate churches on earth.
They are inseparable companions of the Lamb. A mutual link unites Jesus to them, and they to Jesus. Their greatest desire is to love Christ, to follow in His footsteps, and become one with Him as He is one with the Father.
While they live in the world full of deceptions, before they are translated their lives are in all respects without flaw, without deceit. Honesty toward God and man is the endeavor of their lives. Their actions and words are a convincing testimony of their sincerity and truthfulness.
They grow in grace, in faith, in the fear and the knowledge of God. They live in harmony with the light they have, and reach perfection of character. “When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” 7
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God” (Revelation 14:12).
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3).
The expression “the faith of Jesus” of Revelation 14:12 identifies a faith that works, a faith that takes man to live the life of Christ.
In a life of simplicity, humbleness, self-denial, resignation, consecration, submission to the will of God, and obedience to all His commandments, the servants of God show the faith of Jesus.
“ ‘The faith of Jesus.’ It is talked of, but not understood. What constitutes the faith of Jesus, that belongs to the third angel’s message? Jesus becoming our sin-bearer that He might become our sin-pardoning Saviour. He was treated as we deserve to be treated. He came to our world and took our sins that we might take His righteousness. And faith in the ability of Christ to save us amply and fully and entirely is the faith of Jesus.” 8
“The same masterful mind that plotted against the faithful in ages past is still seeking to rid the earth of those who fear God and obey His law. Satan will excite indignation against the humble minority who conscientiously refuse to accept popular customs and traditions.” 9
“The church, soon to enter upon her most severe conflict, will be the object most dear to God upon earth. The confederacy of evil will be stirred with power from beneath, and Satan will cast all the reproach possible upon the chosen ones whom he cannot deceive and delude with his satanic inventions and falsehoods.” 10
“Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” (Song of Solomon 6:10).
Under the grace represented by the former rain, the faithful children of God are daily baptized with the Holy Spirit and are thus being prepared to receive the latter rain and proclaim the last warning to the world.
“The glory of God rested upon the patient, waiting saints, and they fearlessly gave the last solemn warning, proclaiming the fall of Babylon and calling upon God’s people to come out of her that they might escape her fearful doom.” 11
“The darkest hour of the church’s struggle with the powers of evil is that which immediately precedes the day of her final deliverance.” 12
When the Lord will pour out the seven last plagues without mixture of mercy, the children of God scattered all over the earth will be kept, protected and preserved.
“Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast” (Isaiah 26: 20).
“What are the chambers in which they are to hide? They are the protection of Christ and holy angels.” 13 Though the people of God will have to face the delay of the Lord’s coming, plus fatigue and hunger, they will be cared for by the heavenly angels.
“He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure” (Isaiah 33:16).
The saints are glorified at the voice of God and when the everlasting covenant is made with His people before the appearing of the Lord. At the glorious manifestation of the second advent of Christ, they receive the touch of immortality. The apostle says: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51–53).
As they see the Son of God sitting on the clouds of heaven, the saints will shout: “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9).
“Angels ‘gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.’ Little children are borne by holy angels to their mothers’ arms. Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of gladness ascend together to the City of God.” 14
“We may have a vision of the future, the blessedness of heaven. In the Bible are revealed visions of the future glory, scenes pictured by the hand of God, and these are dear to His church. By faith we may stand on the threshold of the eternal city, and hear the gracious welcome given to those who in this life co-operate with Christ, regarding it as an honor to suffer for His sake. . . .
“There the redeemed greet those who led them to the Saviour, and all unite in praising Him who died that human beings might have the life that measures with the life of God. The conflict is over. Tribulation and strife are at an end. Songs of victory fill all heaven as the ransomed ones take up the joyful strain, Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and lives again, a triumphant conqueror.” 15
What wonderful glory is extended to us! Let us rise and obtain it! May the Lord give us grace and power to be found among the faithful who will triumph in the dawn of that glorious morning. Amen.