The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God.
Etymology
Hebrew: בָּחִיר (bahir)
Greek: ἐκλεκτός (elekos)
Synonyms
Chosen
Righteous
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Information
The term elect refers to righteous people, those who who worship God and follow God's commandments. The word בָּחִיר can also refer to God's chosen ones. The opposite of elect is reprobate, those who are unrighteous, do not follow God and do not follow God's commandments. According to Abrahamic scriptures, the elect will be tested and persecuted by the unrighteous, especially during the tribulation of the last days before the time of God's judgement. However, God's promise is that those who remain righteous will be protected and will enter God's holy presence, often called Heaven.
Scripture References
The Destiny of the Righteous
Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9
1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster,
3 and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
4 For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
6 like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.
7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
8 They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them forever.
9 Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect.
Impending Persecution of God’s People & Promise of Divine Deliverance
2 Esdras 16:68-74
68 The burning wrath of a great multitude is kindled over you; they shall drag some of you away and force you to eat what was sacrificed to idols. 69 And those who consent to eat shall be held in derision and contempt, and shall be trampled under foot. 70 For in many places and in neighboring cities there shall be a great uprising against those who fear the Lord. 71 They shall be like maniacs, sparing no one, but plundering and destroying those who continue to fear the Lord. 72 For they shall destroy and plunder their goods, and drive them out of house and home. 73 Then the tested quality of my בָּחִיר elect shall be manifest, like gold that is tested by fire.
74 Listen, my בָּחִיר elect ones, says the Lord; the days of tribulation are at hand, but I will deliver you from them. 75 Do not fear or doubt, for God is your guide. 76 You who keep my commandments and precepts, says the Lord God, must not let your sins weigh you down, or your iniquities prevail over you. 77 Woe to those who are choked by their sins and overwhelmed by their iniquities! They are like a field choked with underbrush and its path overwhelmed with thorns, so that no one can pass through. 78 It is shut off and given up to be consumed by fire.
The Desolating Sacrilege
Matthew 24:15-24
15 “So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16 then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17 the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; 18 the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 19 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the ἐκλεκτούς elect.
Salutation
Titus 1:1
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s ἐκλεκτῶν elect and the knowledge of the truth that is in accordance with godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began— 3 in due time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior,
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Peace & Pineapples!
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