Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God in the middle of you is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over you with joy; he will rest in his love… No sooner had Zephaniah laid open the abounding wickedness of Judah than he pointed forward to brighter scenes — to the returning suppliants, under the power of the Spirit, ashamed of their doings, to the remnant of Israel, which shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies. The text is consolatory. 1. The consolation is addressed only to true Christians. No encouragement is therefore given here to open transgressors, or to persistent backsliders. It is necessary to make this distinction, because none are so prone to take to themselves the promises of the Gospel as those to whom they clearly do not belong. 2. The text is spoken on the supposition that the people of God will often be overwhelmed with anxiety — that they shall "fear," and their "hands shall be slack." No greater mistake can be made than that of supposing a Christian's life is a period of continual sunshine. Now illustrate the grounds of confidence which all Christians may have in the unchanging love of their Almighty Redeemer. I. WHAT ARE THE MARKS OF LOVE? 1. Our love toward an object may be known by the direction of our thoughts; for on the beloved object our thoughts chiefly dwell. 2. By our anxiety in regard to its welfare. 3. By the extent of suffering which we are willing to undergo for the person beloved. 4. By the prominence given to the object beloved. II. THIS LOVE, AND THE RELATIONSHIPS IMPLIED IN IT. There is a close relationship between God and His people. He is their God in a peculiar sense. Consider by what names He is called. Mediator, Advocate, Captain, Surety, Head, King of Saints, etc. III. CONSIDER WHAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY DONE FOR HIS PEOPLE. They are His by choice, by purchase, by a new creation, by covenant. And we have the whole past experience of the Christian Church to prove the truth of the text. (James Begg, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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