Matthew 7:13-14

₁₃“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
₁₄Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

In the day of Noah only eight people in all the world were saved from the Flood (Genesis 6:11-13; 7:1,13,21-23). In Moses’ day only two of 603,550 were allowed to enter the land of promise (Numbers 1:45-46; 14:28-30; 26:63-65). Elijah stood alone against 850 false prophets (1Kings 18:17-39). In the day of Isaiah, the people of God would have been utterly extinct except for “a very small remnant” (Isaiah 1:9). The way that is popular and easy leads to eternal ruin. The way to life is unpopular and difficult.