“Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name” (Malachi 3:16).

Modern Christians tend to measure spiritual success in terms of big numbers, but this has never been the Lord’s criterion. It is always the “remnant whom the Lord shall call” (Joel 2:32), the “little flock” to whom is the “Father’s good pleasure to give . . . the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

Before the Flood, “while the ark was a preparing,” there were “few, that is, eight souls [who] were saved by water” (I Peter 3:20). Concerning the children of Israel, “The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people” (Deuteronomy 7:7). Gideon’s army had to be reduced from 32,000 to 300 before God would let them fight the 135,000 Midianites (Judges 7:3–6; 8:10). In Elijah’s day, there were only 7,000 out of the millions of Israelites who had “not bowed unto Baal” (I Kings 19:18).

Christ said, “narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:14), “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). Even among the few who are saved, “the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2).

Nevertheless, there are a few! In Malachi’s day, almost all the people and even their priests had forsaken God, but there was a small, faithful, believing remnant, and these “spake often one to another,” and “feared the LORD, and thought upon His name.” The Lord’s testimony concerning these few-and no doubt this applies also to the faithful few in every time and place-was this: “They shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels” (Malachi 3:17). Strangers and pilgrims here, but the Lord’s own jewels there! HMM