HOWEVER I WILL LEAVE A REMNANT, FOR YOU WILL HAVE THOSE WHO ESCAPED THE SWORD AMONG THE NATIONS WHEN YOU ARE SCATTERED AMONG THE COUNTRIES:(Isa 6:13;  Ro 9:27; 11:5,6)

Listen to S. Lewis Johnson's audio message on The Remnant and the Future -- based on Micah 5:7-9 or listen to the (Mp3)

See I Dolphin's article The Concept of the Remnant

In the New Testament the believing Jewish remnant of Israel is what Paul referred to in Galatians 6:16 as the Israel of God (note) (a synonym for NT believing Jews, not the NT church as tragically is so widely taught by those who hold to the false notion that God is finished with the nation of Israel and believe that the NT church has replaced Israel as the recipient of all the promises initially made by God to the literal nation of Israel. This is simply not what a literal, normative reading of Scripture teaches and the Spirit of God foreseeing that such a gross distortion would occur, inspires Paul to correct this aberration with the Word of Truth in Romans 9-11. Unfortunately, many churches tread rather lightly on the teaching in Romans 9-11 with the result that few even with an evangelical persuasion are genuinely comfortable with these vitally important chapters. For an excellent audio discussion (the best discussion I have ever heard) of Romans 9-11, I highly recommend the studies by Tony Garland at spiritandtruth.org - they are balanced, richly interwoven with OT passages and doctrinally sound - Click here, then click on each of the 10 separate sessions and select the audio recording - these 12+ hours of lectures are superb, especially if you have only a vague understanding (or none at all) of God's plan for His chosen people, Israel. To aid your study I would also recommend downloading lesson 1 of Precept's inductive study on Romans 9-11 - Part 3, which is a 64 page Pdf with an overview study of the 3 chapters as well as the text of Romans 9-11 in NAS, double spaced and with wide margins to allow you to carry out your own observations and then take notes as you listen to the 12+ hours of lectures by Tony Garland. You will be equipped and edified and hopefully can pass this information on to others in your church, so that they are not driven and tossed by every wind of doctrine, especially the false doctrine of replacement theology which is blowing through much of the modern church.)

Remnant (3498) (yathar) (although 4 different Hebrew words express the concept of remnant) refers to one portion of a quantity which has been divided and generally refers to the smaller part remaining. Remnant can mean that which is spared, preserved, escaped, survived, and thus that which is not in a condition of danger or death. The idea of the remnant is “those being left” or “having escaped,” especially a portion of a community which has escaped a devastating calamity and will form the basis for a new community.

In Scripture Remnant the meaning of the word depends on the context and sometimes refers only to a physical remnant. As used here in Ezekiel and many places in the OT, remnant is used in a "spiritual" sense and refers to individual Jews in the nation of Israel who over the past 4000+ years placed their faith in the Messiah (see Gal 3:8, 16) and were reckoned RIGHTEOUS. The tragedy is that the majority of Israel over this same time period refused to receive Yeshua as Savior and Redeemer. However, the fact that there has always been a believing REMNANT of Israel reflects God’s faithfulness to keep His Covenant promises made to Abraham (see related topic Covenant: Abrahamic versus Mosaic) This spiritual remnant of Israel Paul defines as

"a Jew...inwardly (by) circumcision (which) is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God." (see notes Romans 2:29) (see related topic Scriptures on Circumcision)

Jeremiah prophesies that

"In those days and at that time (be alert for expressions of time, stopping and asking when? In this case it is when Messiah returns to set up His earthly kingdom and rule from Jerusalem) declares the LORD, 'search will be made for the iniquity of Israel, but there will be none (because only Jews who have expressed faith in Messiah will enter the Messianic kingdom); and for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found; for I shall pardon (God's sovereign pleasure chooses to pardon some sinners instead of destroying them all) those whom I leave as a remnant." (Jer 50:20)

J Vernon McGee has as usual some very pithy comments on the doctrine of the "remnant" writing that...

Never throughout the long history of Israel did 100 percent of the nation worship God. Always only a remnant was faithful to Him. God always preserved a remnant. Actually, it was a remnant of those which came out of Egypt that entered the land. Practically the entire generation that came out of Egypt died in the wilderness. It was their children who entered the land. God preserved a remnant. Even in Elijah’s day God had a faithful remnant. Elijah was very pessimistic. He cried, “Lord, I only am left” (see I Kings 19:10). But God told him, “You aren’t the only one; I have seven thousand in these mountains who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Because they were hiding from Ahab and Jezebel, Elijah didn’t know about them (And I am of the opinion that in our day there are more believers than we think there are. There are many believers like those seven thousand. Although we don’t hear about them, they are true believers.) Also, there was a remnant of believers at the coming of Christ; although the leaders of the nation rejected Him and had Him crucified, there was a remnant that received Him. Later, on the Day of Pentecost, a great company turned to Christ; yet it was a remnant. It always has been a remnant. Coming down to our day, there is a remnant even in the church that bears His name. Although I have made the statement that I think there are more believers in our world than we realize, it is also true that in the church there is only a remnant of true believers in Christ.

Many of us would be surprised if we knew how few church members were genuine believers even though they are quite active in Christian circles and in Christian service. Many people in our affluent society have become church members. We are living in a period that has produced a lot of pseudo-saints. They are not genuine by any means. They have not been born again. The Book of Hebrews makes it very clear that “… whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth …” (Heb. 12:6). And every son whom He receives, He is going to put through the fire. He is going to test him. If you have some metal which you think is gold, you can take it to the assayer’s office. He will put the metal under heat so that you will find out whether what you have is gold or something else. And God puts the heat to those who are His own. The day of persecution is going to come to church members, and it will reveal quickly who are the true believers and who are not. God has a remnant in the church today.

Also in our day there is a remnant of believers among the people of Israel—probably more than we realize. In every nation there is a remnant of true believers, although they may not be identified with a local church. Unfortunately, the actions of some church members are shutting the door to a great many believers. Yet God always has His faithful remnant. The word remnant in Scripture is very important; don’t just rush over it. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary:  Thomas Nelson or Logos)

The Tyndale Bible Dictionary summarizes the remnant concisely explaining that it refers to a

group of people who survive a catastrophe brought about by God, ordinarily in judgment for sin. This group becomes the nucleus for the continuation of mankind or the people of God; the future existence of the larger group depends on this purified, holy remnant that has undergone and survived the judgment of God. The remnant concept is found in all periods of redemptive history where catastrophe—be it natural disaster, disease, warfare, or other instruments—threatens the continuity of God’s purposes. From the Creation account to the end of the OT, the concept is progressively sharpened. (Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. Tyndale Bible Dictionary. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers)

New Geneva Study Bible defines

The remnant (as) a group or individual who has experienced some calamity, ordinarily in judgment for sin, and has survived. This group of survivors becomes the nucleus for the continuation of the group: they embody the future hopes of the people, and they inherit the promises of God afresh. The Exile was to be a period of purging and refining so that a pure people would emerge from it. (New Geneva Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson)

Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines "remnant" as

"the part of a community or nation that remains after a dreadful judgment or devastating calamity, especially those who have escaped and remain to form the nucleus of a new community. The survival of a righteous remnant rests solely on God’s providential care for His Chosen People and His faithfulness to keep His Covenant promises. The concept of the remnant has its roots in the Book of Deuteronomy (Deut 4:27  28  29 30 31), where Moses warned the people of Israel that they would be scattered among the nations. But God also promised that He would bring the people back from captivity and establish them again in the land of their fathers. This concept was picked up by the prophets, who spoke of the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities. The concept was extended to apply also to the gathering of a righteous remnant at the time when the Messiah came to establish His kingdom." (Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

In the previous chapter, God presented a picture which "previewed" the doctrine of the remnant instructing Ezekiel to

take one third (of the shaved hair) and strike it with the sword all around the city and one third you shall scatter to the wind; and I will unsheathe a sword behind them" and then to "Take also a few in number (this suggests the remnant) from them and bind them in the edges of your robes."  (5:2 5:3)

In Ezekiel 12 God says 

But I shall spare a few of them (remnant) from the sword, the famine, and the pestilence that they may tell all their abominations among the nations (Gentiles) where they go, and may know that I am the LORD. (this latter phrase suggesting that they are not just a preserved physical remnant but a spiritual remnant who trust in Jehovah) (Ezek 12:16)

Later God elaborates on the remnant explaining to Ezekiel that

survivors will be left (a remnant) in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come forth to you and you will see their conduct and actions; then you will be comforted for the calamity which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it. Then they will comfort you when you see their conduct and actions (they are a god fearing remnant who believe in God's promise of a Messiah Who is to be their Redeemer), for you will know that I have not done in vain whatever I did to it," declares the Lord GOD. (Ezek 14:22 23)

Matthew Henry has an excellent comment (but he should be read with discernment when he comments on Old Testament eschatology [future or prophetic events] for he is prone to interpret the promises to Israel as now applying primarily to the church, which can lead to great confusion in studying the Old Testament. This same general caution applies to most of the pre-1900 commentaries!)

Judgment had hitherto triumphed, but in these verses mercy rejoices against judgment. A sad end is made of this provoking people, but not a full end. The ruin seems to be universal, and yet will I leave a remnant, a little remnant, distinguished from the body of the people, a few of many, such as are left when the rest perish; and it is God that leaves them. This intimates that they deserved to be cut off with the rest, and would have been cut off if God had not left them...(God will leave) some who will have escaped the sword. God said (Ezek5:12) that he would draw a sword after those who were scattered, that destruction should pursue them in their dispersion; but here is mercy remembered in the midst of that wrath, and a promise that some of the Jews of the dispersion, as they were afterwards called, should escape the sword.

I will leave a remnant - This declarative promise by the Covenant Keeping God reflects His sovereign choice as well as His mercy and compassion to not destroy all of Israel but to preserve part of the nation as a godly line of Abraham who expressed faith in His promised Messiah even though most rejected Him.

Isaiah records that

Unless the LORD of hosts Had left us a few survivors (a remnant), we would be like Sodom, we would be like Gomorrah. (annihilated, obliterated, blotted out)" (Isa 1:9) and later adds "In that day (at the inception of Christ's millennial kingdom reign on earth) the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel (the remnant). And it will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem (the remnant) will be called holy (solely because God has chosen them and they have expressed saving faith in the Messiah) -- everyone who is recorded for life (the remnant) in Jerusalem. When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning (those left after the washing, purging & burning will be "the remnant")" (Isa 4:2 4:3 4:4).

In chapter 10, Isaiah records that a small nucleus of God’s people, preserved by His sovereign grace will form a righteous remnant in the midst of national apostasy recording that

"it will come about in that day (the immediate context referred to the Assyrian invasion of Israel which prefigured a future day of destruction, the time of Jacob's distress, brought to an end by return of Messiah) that the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped (the remnant), will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God (a "spiritual" remnant who has placed their faith in the Messiah). For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, only a remnant (those who by grace through faith are saved) within them will return; a destruction is determined (reflecting God's sovereign control over the events of human history), overflowing with righteousness. For a complete destruction, one that is decreed, the Lord GOD of hosts will execute in the midst of the whole land (referring to the time of the horrible "great tribulation", the last three and one half years before Messiah returns to put an end to the ruthless reign of the man of sin, the antichrist)." (Isa10:20-23)

Paul quotes Isaiah 10:22 in (see note Romans 9:27) to explain that not every Jew born physically belongs to the "remnant" of Jews who are born spiritually by the Spirit of God. (cf note Romans 9:6)

The remnant as discussed in more detail below are the true children of God, a doctrine Paul refers to in explaining what will happen to the Jews --

In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant (referring to Jews who have placed their faith in the Righteous Messiah not in their unrighteous "good deeds") according to God's gracious choice (they are saved by grace not by works lest they boast). (see note Romans 11:5) 

Stated another way, the remnant is a living reflection and continual reminder of the unmerited favor of Almighty God.

The number of the remnant is always small. In Zechariah 13:8 it is a third of all. In Isaiah 6:13 it is only a tenth of the total and in Ezekiel 5:3 the remnant is pictured as only a few hairs wrapped in a fold of a garment.

After the siege and fall of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar

led away into exile all Jerusalem and all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land. (2 Ki 24:14)

So in one sense these poor who remained in Judah were a physical remnant.  There are several instances when Ezekiel mentions the remnant that would escape the destruction of Jerusalem and would be scattered from the Promised Land (Ezekiel 5:10; 11:13; 14:22).

As alluded to above, in Deuteronomy we find Moses first prophesy that Israel would be removed from "the promised land" if she proved disobedient, and yet in the same prophecy God promised that if Israel would return to Him, He would be merciful and restore her.

Isaiah predicted the northern 10 tribes would be removed by Assyria.

Ezekiel prophesies of a removal of most of the Southern kingdom, with only a small physical remnant left in Jerusalem. Israel experienced both of these removals in the Assyrian (722BC) and Babylonian (586BC) captivities as well as after the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in 70AD, at which time the people of Israel were scattered throughout the Gentile nations, in fulfillment of Moses' prophecy that...

the LORD will scatter you among the peoples (the Gentile nations) and you shall be left few in number among the nations,  where the LORD shall drive you. (this refers to a physical remnant of Jews who were dispersed in 70AD - even today there are only a relatively small number of Jews scattered throughout the world) And there you will serve gods, the work of man's hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress (most completely fulfilled during the last half of Daniel's Seventieth Week) and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days (we are in the last days now and they will culminate in the final restoration of the believing remnant of Israel at the second coming of Christ predicted by Zech 13:8 13:9 this believing remnant of "one-third" equating with Paul's "all Israel will be saved" - see notes Romans 11:25; 11:26; 11:27; 11:28; 11:29), you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice. For the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them. (Deut 4:27  28  29 30 31).

Isaiah for example in the context of prophesying of Israel's coming destruction by Assyria, moves from the more immediate fulfillment of a physical remnant of Israel to speak of a future believing Jewish remnant  referring to the time as

in that day which equates with the glorious but fearful Day of the Lord (Also see commentary on 1Thessalonians 5:2 for discussion of this important day in God's prophetic timetable - See related discussion - there is some overlap). Isaiah prophesies that "it will come about in that day that the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel (note Isaiah's description which clearly has yet to be fulfilled as most of modern Israel remains in unbelief in their Messiah). A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, only a remnant within them will return. A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness." (Isa 10:20-22)

C I Scofield writes that one major key to unlocking prophecy is a proper understanding of the doctrine of the remnant which he summarizes as follows

In the history of Israel, a "remnant" may be discerned, a spiritual Israel within the national Israel. In Elijah's time 7,000 had not bowed the knee to Baal 1Ki19:18. In Isaiah's time it was the "very small remnant" for whose sake God still forbore to destroy the nation Isaiah 1:9. During the captivities the remnant appears in Jews like Ezekiel, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Esther, and Mordecai. At the end of the 70 years of Babylonian captivity it was the remnant which returned under Ezra and Nehemiah. At the advent of our Lord, John the Baptist, Simeon, Anna, and "them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem" Luke 2:38 were the remnant. During the church-age the remnant is composed of believing Jews - see notes Romans 11:4; 11:5. But the chief interest in the remnant is prophetic. During the great tribulation a remnant out of all Israel will turn to Jesus as Messiah... (see notes Revelation 7:3; 7:4; 7:5; 7:6; 7:7; 7:8). Some of these will undergo martyrdom (see notes Revelation 6:9; 6:10; 6:11) some will be spared to enter the millennial kingdom Zech 12:6-13:9 13:8 13:9. Many of the Psalms express, prophetically, the joys and sorrows of the tribulation remnant.

In sum, majority of those who have been physical Jews have been rejected by Jehovah, but grace and mercy have been given to a godly group, the remnant. There never has been nor ever will be a complete end to Israel. The spiritual remnant is then that number of Jews who have in the past or will in the future place their trust in the Messiah, regardless of whether they lived before or after the Cross, for

there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

When the Messiah returns to set up His righteous kingdom, He will regather and cleanse the final Jewish remnant and fulfill God’s covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.