1 Kings 19:18, commentary and pictures

God kept seven thousand in Israel loyal to Him in widespread apostasy, refusing to bow to Baal or honor him, though Elijah thought he alone was left.
They were often hidden from public notice and in humble life, yet known to God who knows hearts.
Paul applies this to show that God had not cast away His foreknown people, but kept a remnant through the election of grace.
God still has many thousands today who live by the light they have, including honest hearts in cities and in fallen churches who have not yielded to false worship.
Scattered in every land, they will shine like stars when darkness covers the earth, refusing allegiance to false worship and revealing the transforming power of obedience to His law.

Elijah at Horeb

The saying belongs to the aftermath of Elijah's solitary stand for God on Mount Carmel against idolatry. There idolatry was cast down, the prophets of Baal were slain, and the people were stirred with many returning to the worship of God. Yet afterward Elijah fled in fear of Jezebel and believed his work was over. God then appointed another prophet to succeed him, while honoring his faithful service and finally taking him to heaven without death.

It belongs to Elijah's retreat at Horeb after flight from Jezebel's threat. There God met him at the cave through an angel to attend to his needs and to reveal His purpose for Israel.

The account calls for full trust in God in order to keep working for people drawn into Baal worship. It sets human weakness in contrast with the place God intended Elijah to occupy. Studied carefully and prayerfully, the history of Elijah fleeing in discouragement helps God's people under difficulties. It teaches not to assume responsibilities God has not given and not to interpose between the Lord and His tempted and tried ones, so that His purposes in their experience can be carried out. God's work did not depend on Elijah bearing the burden alone. Every soul must therefore put trust not in human wisdom but in the Lord God of Israel as defense, remain in the way of duty without fear, trust implicitly, and wait patiently and prayerfully with confidence to see a wonderful display of His power.

Seven Thousand Preserved

God had preserved seven thousand in Israel who remained loyal to Him through long years of apostasy and incomplete reformation, refusing to bow the knee to Baal or to honor him with a kiss to him or to his image. Elijah was wrong to think he alone was left on the Lord's side while judgment fell on the backsliding people, for he was not the only worshiper of the true God remaining in Israel. Despite Jezebel's persecution and Elijah's belief that he stood alone, those seven thousand had not worshiped Baal, and their existence meant he was not alone in standing for God. God knows the hearts of His people, including faithful believers whom His servants may not see.

Even when few appear to heed God's message, there may be people nearby living according to the light they have received, so workers should faithfully share the truth and trust God with the results. No one should judge or attempt to number Israel from what is visible, but should have tender sympathy and seek the salvation of the lost.

The faithful are often hidden from public notice and may live in humble circumstances and poverty, yet poverty and obscurity do not make them unknown to God. While idolatry prevailed, their faithfulness verified God's word and shows that education centered on God's works and law helps preserve obedience to Him.

Elisha's family and household were among the seven thousand, preserving the true faith even during almost universal apostasy. While idolatry prevailed, God was honored in their home and faithfulness marked daily life, showing that some households had not bowed to Baal. Though widespread apostasy continued, some steadfastly refused Baal worship, and in Elisha's time many more were reclaimed from heathenism and learned to serve the true God.

Remnant Through Scripture

Paul took the preservation of the seven thousand as proof for his own day that God had not cast away the people He foreknew. When the nation had turned from Him and rebellion made Elijah feel alone, seven thousand had remained loyal and had not worshiped Baal. Israel's rejection of Jesus did not mean God had rejected all His people, for in Paul's time also a remnant remained through the election of grace.

God has never left Himself without a witness in the world, and this keeping of a faithful few reaches back to the earliest generations. Adam, Eve, and Abel accepted the good news of Jesus as their Redeemer. Even in Enoch's day some among the wicked believed, so that when Enoch found even one or two willing to hear him, Jesus joined their worship and God kept His presence with His faithful people.

Those who remain faithful to God and refuse to worship Baal follow the Lamb and will stand with Him on Mount Zion. They must first live faithfully on earth, obey Christ, and join in the work of seeking those who are lost.

Faithful in Cities and Churches

Just as seven thousand in Israel had remained loyal and had not worshiped Baal, God still has many thousands today who have never bowed to Baal, including those living by the light they have received even where conditions seem unpromising and spiritually barren. He keeps such hidden ones in reserve in unlikely places and in the cities, that they may bear fruits of righteousness and display His grace. The Lord has many thousands in the cities who have never bowed the knee, and if brethren use their God-given ability to warn the cities, angels will go before them to impress the hearts of those for whom they labor. Therefore ministers and physicians must not fail nor be discouraged in city work.

Widespread apostasy does not mean all have joined in it, for God preserves many who have not bowed to false worship. Many of these are God-fearing men and women still in fallen churches and in large cities, honest in heart, longing to understand Christ and the law and hoping for Jesus' return. Some have not bowed to Baal, while others have worshiped without knowing the truth or have followed error through ignorance. Those still drawn by the Spirit are to receive the light of truth so they see Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and honest hearts will recognize the gospel when it is presented simply from God's word.

In particular fields there are precious souls who have not knowingly bowed to Baal or knowingly turned to idolatry or false worship. In Hawthorn there are such precious souls, so the work there should continue rather than end in haste. The same confidence belongs to Wellington even when efforts have met with little success and prejudice, and to New York where thousands have not bowed to Baal and are ready to receive the gospel. The Lord still has many who have not yet accepted present truth, and they must be reached with the gospel and with the light of truth that leads to Christ as the way to God.

Their existence is the reason the message that Babylon is fallen and the call to come out of her must be given. The seven thousand who had not bowed represent God-fearing people in fallen churches who have not joined in false worship and whom God can call to serve Him. Among them are men of ability and influence whom God will add to the ranks of His people to warn the world, honest in heart and gasping for life from heaven. When the gospel is brought in the beauty and simplicity of God's Word they will recognize it.

Shining in Final Darkness

God holds in reserve chosen ones scattered in every land who have not bent the knee to Baal, appearing even now in every nation among every tongue and people, in heathen Africa, in the Catholic lands of Europe and South America, in China, in India, in the islands of the sea, and in all the dark corners of the earth. Like stars that appear only at night they will shine forth when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people, and the darker the night the more brilliantly they will shine. Their shining will reveal clearly to an apostate world the transforming power of obedience to His law.

In the hour of deepest apostasy Satan will make his supreme effort to cause all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive under penalty of death the sign of allegiance to a false rest day. These faithful ones will refuse that allegiance and will remain blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, shining as lights in the world. In the coming time of shaking and testing some of these faithful people will be hidden and little known, and their genuine Christian character, though concealed beneath a rough, uninviting exterior, will then be revealed. They are as stars present in daylight whose brightness is seen at night.

No one should attempt to number Israel from what is visible, for Elijah could count only himself on the Lord's side when God had kept seven thousand who had not bowed to Baal. The lesson is to have tender sympathy and to seek the salvation of the lost rather than to judge or count God's people. The verse is a declaration of refusal to bow to false worship or to give it honor. That refusal applies to refusing to honor the papal institution, which carries Satan's banner and opposes the work God has given His people.