Sermon Tone Analysis

Waiting on God

Being prepared to patiently look towards (God for his guidance) and accepting the timing he proposes.

Waiting on God can lead to an atmosphere of expectation and confidence in God and a realisation of the unreliability of one’s own judgment.

Waiting on God is something that is commanded

(KJV 1900) — 6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: Keep mercy and judgment, And wait on thy God continually.

6. Turn thou.

Because of God’s inherently righteous character and His faithful attitude toward Jacob and his descendants, this is a call to repentance and trust.

The proof of sincerity in heeding this appeal is to be demonstrated, first toward their fellows, by keeping “mercy and judgment”; second, toward God, by waiting on Him continually.

The literal rendering of the Hebrew of this first clause makes it most expressive: “And thou [emphatic] in thy God shall return.”

[This brings out the fundamental fact that in our weak and helpless condition, only by God’s help can we develop the characters we ought to possess (see , ].

We may have the will to return to God, and that is good; but it is not good enough unless our will yokes up with the will and power of God to make our purpose effective (see ; , ; , ).

These words, “Turn thou to thy God,” are the grand and sublime call of the gospel for all men in all times (see , ; ; ; ).

Nichol, F. D. (Ed.).

(1977).

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol.

4, p. 926).

Review and Herald Publishing Association.

(KJV 1900) — 14 Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.

(KJV 1900) — 7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

(KJV 1900) — 34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, And he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

(KJV 1900) — 2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, And as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; So our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, Until that he have mercy upon us.

(KJV 1900) — 18 And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, And therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: For the Lord is a God of judgment: Blessed are all they that wait for him.

Reasons for waiting on God