The Godly Remnant of the Tribulation Period -- By: J. Dwight Pentecost
Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 117:466 (Apr 1960)
Article: The Godly Remnant of the Tribulation Period
Author: J. Dwight Pentecost
BSac 117:466 (Apr 60) p. 123
The Godly Remnant of the Tribulation Period
[J. Dwight Pentecost is Assistant Professor of New Testament Literature and Exegesis, Dallas Theological Seminary.]
Until the present eschatological controversy, prophetic writers were in general agreement on the existence, the nature, the mission and the preservation of a remnant of Israel during the tribulation period. There was agreement that such a remnant would be brought to the Lord after the rapture, that they would undergo intense persecution, but would carry on a ministry of witnessing to and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, that they would be delivered from their enemies by the return of the Lord to the earth and find a reward in His kingdom.
Today this doctrine of the remnant, held to by dispensationalists, is being strongly attacked. Alexander Reese,1 writing to disprove the pretribulation rapture position and to establish posttribulation rapturism, realizes that if the church is to go through the tribulation the church will be the witness for God and not the remnant. In eleven passages in his volume, The Approaching Advent of Christ, he dips his pen in vitriol to denounce the doctrine of the remnant. Oswald T. Allis, writing to disprove premillennialism and establish the amillennial position, maintains that if God has ceased His activity with Israel, and will fulfill all Israel’s covenant and kingdom promises in the church, there can be no place for a remnant in the prophetic picture. He, following the thinking of Reese, in some ten passages of his volume, Prophecy and the Church, seeks to disprove this doctrine, devoting one entire chapter to its consideration. Thus, since this doctrine is being attacked by both amillennialists and posttribulation rapturists, it is necessary to clarify the Scriptural teaching on this subject.
The Necessity of a Remnant
The existence of a remnant in the last days is inextricably
BSac 117:466 (Apr 60) p. 124
tied in with the covenants which God made with the nation Israel. Since these covenants were unconditional, their very nature demands the existence of a remnant to whom and through whom these covenants can be fulfilled.
The Abrahamic covenant made by God with Abraham is basic to the whole prophetic question. Stated and confirmed unconditionally by God (Gen 12:1–3; 13:14–17; 15:4–21; 17:1–8; 22:17–18), promises are made by Him to...
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