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Author
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Topic: The Lord Thy God In The Midst Of Thee
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
So often I make a comparison of the bible with the stages of growth in Man.
Old Testament – Represents the childhood stage of growth. As a child our parents punish us, yet still show us that they love us. Just as God would punish his people and still show that he loves them.
New Testament (during Jesus Christ) - Represents the young-adult stage of growth. As a young-adult, our parents may still chastise us for our transgressions; yet the punishments are not as sever as when we were young. Instead of spankings and groundings we receive verbal warnings and punishments. Our parents no longer have the “because-I-said-so” mentality, but now explain their thoughts to you so you can better understand their logic; just as Jesus Christ explained things to his people when he was here on this earth.
New Testament (after Jesus Christ) – This stage represents the adult stage of our growth. As an adult, we must carry with us, inside of us, the teachings of our parents and the morals they tried to give to us. We must use this “spirit” to live our lives to the best of our ability. After Jesus died, we must carry his teachings with us and be lead by the spirit of the Holy Spirit. We can choose to follow this guiding influence or deny it.
God is a great God.
We must trust in his Will and love.
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With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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byfaith
Advanced Member
Member # 8061
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posted
What a beautiful picture this has painted in my heart of His love and patience for me while I try to become more Christlike.
Posts: 160 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2010
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Carol Swenson
Admin
Member # 6929
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posted
"The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing." Zephaniah 3:17
As is the case with all of the prophetic writings in the Bible, the book of Zephaniah starts darkly, but ends brightly. Zephaniah’s prophecy is a little different from the others because it is written as a conversation between the prophet and God. At the start, Zephaniah complains to the LORD concerning the sin of Israel. The LORD replies that He is aware, and that He intends to send the Chaldeans to judge Israel for their sin, particularly for their idolatry. Zephaniah is surprised by this, and asks the LORD why it is that He would use a group of people that are even worse to judge Israel. Gods reply shows him that while He will judge Israel, He will later judge the Chaldeans, and restore Israel to Himself. Though the LORD was forced to deal with His people thus, yet they remained His people. So, there is promise of restored blessing and renewed fellowship with Him.
Zephaniah's words tell us something about God's character. He tells Israel that God is mighty, and He will save. But consider the blessed expressions of love that follow these thoughts; rejoicing over them, and resting, in His love for them. This is a great love in which the participants rejoice and rest. What makes this love especially great is that God was greatly offended, and had a perfectly good reason for it. If the offended one then speaks of resting and rejoicing in the other, then the other may be greatly assured. God is not given to idle words. What He says will come to pass. Israel will be blessed.
Rejoicing in joy is the kind of rejoicing that has public expression. It is possible to have great joy and to hold it in. But here public expression of joy is what God speaks of. He is not shy in His joy over His people. They certainly may be shy about the attention, for they know of what sort they are. But, the book of Hebrews reminds us that God is not ashamed to call His people His brethren. God rejoices with joy over His people. Imagine, the ones who caused His great wrath now find themselves as the center of His rejoicing!
The Hebrew word that is translated "rest" in this verse could also be translated, "be silent." This verse tells us that God will "be silent" in His love. There are times when silence expresses far more emotion than does clamoring noise. When we memorialize someone or some event we often have a moment of silence. It gives pause to reflect. It causes us to consider and think upon the person or event that is being remembered. Sometimes this remembrance brings deep emotions. While we will often memorialize sad and dark events in this way, here we see God memorializing His love for His people in this way. He rests, He is silent, in His love. This is deep. And it is especially moving to consider when we see that these ones over whom He is silent were once at odds with Him. Their behavior caused Him to bring just judgment. But His heart is seen in that He desires fellowship with them. And once it is restored, as is being prophesied here in Zephaniah, God is moved to silence. Could this suggest that God is at a loss for words in His love for His people?
Finally, God speaks of rejoicing with singing over the ones whom He loves. Rejoicing with singing is very high rejoicing. A victorious sports team may have a fight song or other such inspiration that comes to their lips in the aftermath of victory. Long into the night they will sing and sing because of their rejoicing. Sometimes at weddings the groom will sing to the bride. It is special. Through Zephaniah, God speaks of rejoicing with singing over the ones He was forced to judge. The music of it in the ears of the loved ones is sweet. Keeping in mind that God had judged His people, His singing over them is a clear indication that He has not kept His wrath forever. Their standing before Him is secure. In fact, it is apparent that their standing had always been secure. The judgment that had befallen them was for their disobedience, but it was not unto destruction. God's intention all along was to get their attention, to get them to see His love for them. They never stopped being His people. In fact, He is telling them of His great love before He brings the judgment!
Let us take in over whom it is that God is displaying this joy, this dumb-struck love, this singing; those who once were His enemies. This reminds us of Romans 5:6-10 in which we are told, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." As was His heart toward Israel in the days of Zephaniah, so is it toward His people, the church, today. Consider, too, how these things are consistent with Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in Luke 15:7, "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."
Scripture tells us outright that God is love. Here in Zephaniah, the depths of His love for His people is displayed. What more proper response could we have in the light of this fact than to turn from those things that offend Him, and look to Him and see His loving face. The angels in heaven rejoice!
Come, let us all unite to sing:
God is love!
Let Heav’n and earth their praises bring,
God is love!
Let every soul from sin awake,
Let every heart sweet music make,
And sing with us for Jesus’’ sake:
God is love!
http://www.votbg.org/hjk/hjk115.htm
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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