Four Promises to Come

​Zephaniah 3:15 ~ “The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.”
 
Let us rejoice exceedingly, for the LORD our God has done for us what we could never do for ourselves. God, Himself, has forever established a people for His very own, a people who need never again be afraid of separation from God or the wickedness of men. 1 Peter 2:9 rejoices with these words, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Dear reader, let us spend our moment today looking at four things that are presented here, these are like gold refined in a furnace or diamonds cut to perfection.
 
The first is the disposition of our deserved judgment.
 
Without question we deserve the swift and certain judgment of the LORD God. If you believe that you have one fragment of personal righteousness to commend you to God, let the Scriptures teach you otherwise. For we see in God’s word that He has declared all men sinners (see Romans 3:23) and has bound all mankind over to judgment. But the opening of our text today declares that the LORD has taken away our judgments. How can that be? Because He has laid upon another the judgment that we deserve. Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” For all who call upon Jesus Christ and look to Him as Savior and LORD will be set free from condemnation and adopted as a child of God. Through His merciful grace, He places our sin as far as the east is from the west (see Psalm 103:12).
 
The second is the dispersal of our enemies.
 
Belonging to Christ in a world that hates Him is to be a sheep among wolves. You, my dear Christian friend, are surrounded by enemies. Philippians 3:18 says, “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.” All it takes is a quick glance around our world—and perhaps even our own communities—and we will see those who do not love our LORD, who despise His people and His ways. James 4:4 warns, “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” But God will not always tolerate His children being harassed and persecuted. Soon, dear ones, God will bring His retribution upon those who have so shamefully treated the blessed bride of the LORD Jesus. Consider Romans 12:19, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’”
 
The third is the direct presence of the LORD.
 
Though we walk through the shadowed vale of this world, soon we will walk in radiant splendor. Now we only see as through a darkened glass, then we shall see Him face to face. He will dwell with His own. He has made a house with many rooms and has prepared a place where His church can dwell with Him forever. Jesus tells us in John 14:2, “In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” Our sins had separated us from our God, but now He has redeemed us and delights to welcome us into His home. What was lost in the Garden of Eden will be restored in the eternal kingdom of our LORD Jesus. Revelation 21:3 says, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
 
The fourth is the dissolution of evil.
 
We lock our doors and shutter our windows in order to prevent potential danger. We build high walls and enlist strong armies to defend the borders of our land against the potential encroachment of that which would cause us harm. The fear of evil is all around us, and by God’s divine and restraining grace, we have never seen how wicked wickedness can become. But soon, beloved, there will be no fear of evil. God will eradicate it from the presence of His people and deliver them from all anxiety. God promises in Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And again, in Revelation 21:27, “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.” Rejoice, dear Christian, for soon all that would cause you fear will be gone.
 
So let us wait with eagerness and faith, looking for these four promises of God to come to light: our judgment satisfied, our enemies vanquished, our King enthroned and evil dissolved. What a day, my friends, that will be.
 
In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

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