Exegesis is very important. Is Paul specifically pointing to a future time where 7000 stand strong against antichrist? No he is not looking at the verse literally, plainly.
Using your own metric of "verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book" where else in the NT do we see clear evidence of a 7000 number of stand outs?
In Kings, posted earlier.
I'd say Matthew chapter 10 is dealing with some of the 7000. Some of the 7000 will be arrested and brought up to testify. Many will be saved through their testimony. Maybe some of you who don't believe in the 7000 will hear the testimony and will remember this thread and come to your senses regarding the great deceiver.