The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Zephaniah 3:11,
"On that day you will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because I will remove from this city those who rejoice in their pride. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill. "
In this verse I see rescue, judgment and the transformation of man at the hand of God. The Lord speaks of the wrongs committed against him, "all the wrongs you have done to me",. In Judah's past, rebellion and idolatry was a perennial problem. They turned their backs on their creator God. Likewise, all mankind has done so. "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. Sin and rebellion against God is a universal trait of mankind. Israel was judged by the Lord for it and so will all mankind.
Yet, God here speaks of a time when sinners will not be "put to shame". This will take place because of the judgment God will visit on sinners "who rejoice in their pride". Who is it that will escape God's judgment and not be put to shame, since all sin? The following verse provides us the answer, those "who trust in the name of the Lord."
The Lord tells us this proclivity to sin will eventually be eradicated, "Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill." Paul speaks of this in our lives today. He tells us a process starts within us when we place our trust in the Lord. We become a new creation, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 2:17. Although at times believers struggle with that sin nature that persists, there remains a future time when sin will eventually be removed from our lives altogether. "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:3-4. As in the above passage from Zephaniah, this new paradigm of life is seen following the horrific judgment of God, the great white throne judgment when all sinners who have not embraced the Lord in faith will be cast into a fiery lake of burning sulfur, Revelation 20:11-15.
God is in the business of rescue, judgment and transformation. He always has been, as the history of Israel illustrates what will take place on the stage of all human existence.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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