The spiritual remnant, a small group of God-fearing people, applies specifically to Christians who survive the persecutions inspired by satan in the near future. Those who prevail are promised wonderful blessings and rewards for their faithfulness. In Romans 11:1-5, Paul recounts Elijah's complaint and God's response from I Kings 19:11-18, concluding that a remnant still exists, a remnant according to the election of grace. This spiritual remnant is termed the elect by several New Testament writers, those called and chosen by God through grace, who have received spiritual redemption and a relationship with Him. The size of this spiritual remnant is a matter of speculation. If the figure of 7,000 mentioned in I Kings 19:18 and Romans 11:4 represents one-tenth of spiritual Israel, akin to the remnant of physical Israel, the original number might be 70,000. However, Ezekiel 5:1-5 suggests an even smaller fraction, a pinch of hair bound in the garment's edge, possibly representing the spiritual remnant protected by God, an almost insignificant number. II Thessalonians 2:1-3 indicates a falling away from truth before Christ's return, with satan engineering the church's disintegration. Revelation 12:7-17 describes end-time events where satan, cast down to earth, seeks to persecute the elect, but God protects this small group for three and a half years. Unable to destroy the faithful remnant, the devil turns to persecute the spiritually weak Christians left unprotected during the Great Tribulation. Isaiah 33:14-17 addresses who can survive the coming persecution, with God answering that the righteous will endure, protected in a mountainous fortress supplied with food and drink, possibly taught by the King, Jesus Christ, in this place of safety. The letters to the Thyatira, Sardis, and Philadelphia churches in Revelation 2 and 3 mention a remnant: the rest in Thyatira, a few names in Sardis, and an implied promise of protection for Philadelphia, while Laodicea must endure the fire.