No More Let Sins and Sorrows Grow

As I mentioned last week, it's a hymn written by Isaac Watts to help us joyfully celebrate and hopefully anticipate the Kingship of Jesus over His people and over the whole world.

It makes me wonder though, what sort of joy and hope this hymn talking about!

I ask that to myself because when I look at the lyrics of the song, take just the third verse for example, it talks about sins and sorrows being no more:

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make his blessings flow

Far as the curse is found

If you have lived on this earth for more than two minutes, you know that this is not our current experience.

The world is not sin-free.

The world is not void of sorrow.

Not fully, at least.

Jesus told us that we should not be alarmed when we hear of the world’s brokenness.

Why?

Because He says in Mark 13:7, "the end is not yet”.

Does that word from Christ discourage you this morning?

Perhaps this season, especially after the year we've had, you need a good message from the Lord that gives you joy and hope.

You might be surprised to find that such a message can be found in the small Old Testament book of Zephaniah.

Yes, Zephaniah is really a book in the Bible, sandwiched between Habakkuk and Haggai.

Let me outline some important features of Zephaniah, since most of us are probably unfamiliar with it.

The Message of Zephaniah is about how:

Judah's refusal to repent of Her evil in the face of imminent, terrifying judgment of the LORD upon the nations will result in Her own judgment, yet Judah is encouraged to wait for the time when, after judgment, the LORD will purify, save, protect, restore, and bless them.

(paraphrased from David Malick)

The Purpose of Zephaniah is multi-faceted in that it is meant:

A. To proclaim judgment on the wicked in the world, in the nations that surrounded Judah, and in Judah Herself.

B. To proclaim the Day of the Lord as a time when Yahweh will come to judge and deliver.

C. To expose Judah’s unwillingness to accept correction from Yahweh

D. To expose the unfaithfulness of Judah’s rulers

E. To encourage Judah to accept correction by hearing of the judgment on her neighbors

(paraphrased from David Malick)

The Prophecy of Zephaniah teaches us two important lessons:

1. Firstly, the first 2/3 of the book teaches that God is angry with sin and that sinners are in the crosshairs of His looming judgment.

Chapter 1:2–4 set the tone of the book:

Zephaniah 1:2–4 (ESV)

2 “I will utterly sweep away everything

from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.

3 “I will sweep away man and beast;

I will sweep away the birds of the heavens

and the fish of the sea,

and the rubble with the wicked.

I will cut off mankind

from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.

4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah

and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

Humanity wants to hear that sin is not all that serious or concerning.

God's people Judah, and even us today, want that to be the case too!

But, Zephaniah's prophecy uncovers the reality that our sin is far worse than we think and that God, in His holiness, sees that sin must be dealt with.

However, the final third of Zephaniah's prophecy has a more uplifting message in it.

2. It teaches us a second lesson that God is shockingly gracious to sinners who only deserve judgment.

In chapter 3, following the prophecy of judgment upon Jerusalem and the Nations, verses 9 to 20 prophesies that the nations will become worshippers of Yahweh, while Yahweh will save His remnant causing them to rejoice as He protects, restores, and blesses them.

This offers two further purposes of the book of Zephaniah.

F. To proclaim joy and hope for the people of Yahweh.

And,

G. To describe the ultimate changes which Yahweh will bring about as the nations become worshippers of Him and He becomes the King and Defender of His people.

(paraphrased from David Malick)

O. Palmer Robertson lends his voice in his commentary on Zephaniah:

“One of the most moving descriptions of the love of God for his people found anywhere in Scripture appears in the closing verses of Zephaniah.”

Let me read this moving description of God’s love for His people in Zephaniah 3 verses 14 to 20.

The closing verses of the book have appropriately been called “The Gospel according to Zephaniah”.

Hear his gospel message this morning:

Zephaniah 3:14–20 (ESV)

14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;

shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

O daughter of Jerusalem!

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.

16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

“Fear not, O Zion;

let not your hands grow weak.

17 The Lord your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.

18 I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,

so that you will no longer suffer reproach.

19 Behold, at that time I will deal

with all your oppressors.

And I will save the lame

and gather the outcast,

and I will change their shame into praise

and renown in all the earth.

20 At that time I will bring you in,

at the time when I gather you together;

for I will make you renowned and praised

among all the peoples of the earth,

when I restore your fortunes

before your eyes,” says the Lord.

So, right now we have a problem:

The world is not sin free or void of sorrow.

Therefore, we are a people in need of:

Joy and Hope.

We need to see how God overcomes our deepest problems of sin and sorrow.

And that is what our passage details with a message full of joy and hope:

[Theme]: Jesus will come to reverse the curse and make His blessings flow.

My purpose today as we look at these verses is:

To fill us with all joy and hope in believing that Jesus will return as King to rid the world of sin, to remove any cause for sorrow, and to make His blessings flow upon His people.

I want to divide Zephaniah 3:14–20 into two parts for us to examine this morning.

We will focus

1.) The problem of the curse reversed by the King.

2.) The promise of the King's blessings revealed.

1. The problem of the curse reversed by the King.

So, first, let’s see mainly, how the problem of the curse is reversed by King Jesus when He returns.

Zephaniah, in verse 14, has an exhortation to give God’s people, which is very similar to Psalm 98, which we looked at last week, and then in verse 15 he has a word of explanation and encouragement for God’s people.

In verse 14, he exhorts:

Zephaniah 3:14 (ESV)

14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;

shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

O daughter of Jerusalem!

Zephaniah’s exhortation is for God’s people to “sing”, “shout”, “rejoice”, and “exult with all [their] heart”.

Why?

What for!?

It seems a little out of place for such activity given the coming judgment of the LORD that has been previously announced by Zephaniah.

What cause is there for joy in light of judgment?

Well, the prophet explains in verse 15 with some encouraging words:

Zephaniah 3:15 (ESV)

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.

Zephaniah had been given a word from the LORD about Judah’s future.

He describes a day when the LORD will cease punishing His rebellious people for their sins.

Not even God’s own people are exempt from the curse of sin.

Just like the nations around them, the people of Judah were caught up in wickedness and idolatry.

They deserved God’s judgment.

And yet, Zephaniah declares that when the LORD comes to rule as King, He will reverse two particular problems of the curse of sin.

A. The penalty for sin removed.

One problem of the curse to be reversed will be the penalty for sin.

The penalty for sin will be removed.

The first and third lines of verse 15 outline two penalties for sin that will be removed.

1. Line one says, “The Lord has taken away the judgments against you”.

The penalty for Judah’s sins had warranted condemnation.

But, this judgment against them would not be forever.

God would one day take this judgment away.

We can safely say that this has been fulfilled in stages for God’s people over the centuries.

It was partially fulfilled in Judah’s restoration after their deportation and captivity in Babylon.

It was more fully fulfilled when their Messiah came to bear their sins and the penalty for sin on the cross to remove God’s judgment against any who trusts in Him.

And it will be realized completely when Messiah comes again as King.

In Christ Jesus there is no more condemnation.

That penalty of sin has been removed from all who place their faith in Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice on the cross.

All sins, past, present, and future have been dealt with by God through Jesus Christ to all who believe.

God’s wrath for our sins is removed if we trust in Christ, because Christ bore the wrath deserved for us.

2. The second penalty for sin that will be removed is implied in line three of the verse, “The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst”.

The curse of sin brought condemnation upon all people, in this case Judah specifically, but it also brought separation from God.

Sin separates the holy from the unholy.

It breaks apart the relationship between the Creator and the creature.

Sin divided the hearts of God’s people.

They chose to serve other gods rather than the One, True God.

Their sin drove a wedge between them and the LORD.

That’s what sin does in all people.

It separates us from God.

It separates us from true life, true joy, true peace, true love.

Sin makes us chase after shadows while drawing us further and further away from God.

But, the good news is that Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, God with us.

“Now in Christ you who once were far off have been brought near,” Paul wrote to the Ephesians.

And how were we brought near?

Ephesians 2:13, 17, 18 (ESV)

13 ... by the blood of Christ. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

The good news of Christmas is that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

The good news of Good Friday is that “through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, He made peace by the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20).

The good news of Easter is that “we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17).

The good news of the Ascension is that “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous… [who has given us] confidence to enter the holy places by [His] blood, [allowing us] to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean...” (1 Jn. 2:2; Heb. 10:19–22).

And the good news of the Second Advent is that “The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst… 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” (Zeph. 3:15; Rev. 21:3).

These are the two penalties for sin that shall be removed, reversed entirely when Christ returns to rule as King:

No more condemnation and no more separation.

B. The power of sin removed.

Another problem of the curse of sin that will be removed will be the power of sin.

Again, this can be seen in lines two and four of verse 15.

“He has cleared away your enemies… you shall never again fear evil.”

Real quickly, I want you to note two powers of sin that will be removed according to Zephaniah.

1. The first power is opposition from enemies.

For the people of Judah, that would eventually be the Babylonians and then the Persians.

God’s discipline of Judah through these two powers would not last forever.

Eventually, Judah would return to rebuild the temple and the city of Jerusalem to worship and dwell in the land again.

Of course, this would not last long.

Again and again, enemies have come upon Judah and opposed them over the centuries.

The Greeks and the Romans, most prominently.

Yet, when the True King of Judah comes to establish His earthly Kingdom, Judah will no longer face opposition.

This will be the case for all God’s people.

All enemies, physical and spiritual, will be conquered and destroyed.

God’s people will dwell in safety as prophesied by Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 33:15–16 (ESV)

Jeremiah 33:15–16 ESV

In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

2. The second power of sin to be removed will be consternation.

“You shall never again fear evil.”

Fear will no longer be a stumbling block or a snare.

Evil will be rooted out, melted away like dross, and what will remain will be purity, righteousness, and harmony.

Judah and us who believe can look forward to the day when:

Isaiah 35:10 (ESV)

Isaiah 35:10 ESV

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

In sum, the LORD will take away the judgments against His people completely.

The penalty for sin will be utterly obliterated.

The power of sin will flee away.

Even now as we await the coming of Christ we are assured that “there is no condemnation for us who are in Christ Jesus”, “we who were far off have been brought near”, “He will never leave us nor forsake us”, and “sin no longer has dominion over us, since we are under grace… we’ve been set free from sin...”.

No more condemnation.

No more separation.

No more opposition.

No more consternation.

So much for the problem of the curse reversed by the King.

2. The promise of the King’s blessings revealed.

Now then, let’s view the promise of the King’s blessings which shall be revealed; as if the removal of the penalty and power of sin were not enough!

In the closing verses there are many promised blessings issued.

A few of these are mentioned through the prophet as the mouthpiece of God, but then more blessings are promised by the LORD’s own tongue.

All in all, I’ve counted 13 different blessings God’s people are promised between verses 17 to 20.

But, rather than spending time on all 13 I’ve tried my best to group them into 6 promised blessings of the King to His people.

i.) His Presence

The first promised blessing is one that has already been mentioned, but it’s worth repeating.

The King promises the blessing of His Presence.

Verse 17, “The LORD your God is in your midst”.

Actually, the language is much stronger than that the King simply dwells with us.

The Hebrew word is used throughout the Old Testament to refer to the inner organs of the body, including the heart and the psychological center of man’s inner being.

David prayed in Psalm 51:

Psalm 51:10 (ESV)

10 renew a right spirit within me [same word].

What is even more intriguing, at least to me, is that the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, translates Zephaniah 3:17 as, “The Lord your God is in you”.

Now, the Septuagint was written before the time of Jesus, yet the same Greek word used for “Lord” here in Zephaniah is used everywhere in the New Testament to identify Jesus Christ as “Lord”.

What I’m getting at is that Christ’s personal presence is far more intimate than that He dwells with us.

Paul says in Colossians:

Colossians 1:27 (ESV)

27 ...God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Christmas is all about the “withness” of Jesus.

Not only is Jesus, Emmanuel: God with us; He is also God within us right now by His Spirit.

But, one day “He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him...” “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face” “We know that when He appears we shall be like Him because we shall see Him as He is” (Rev. 1:7; 1 Cor. 13:12; 1 Jn. 3:2).

His presence is a blessing God’s people enjoy now in part, but one day they will enjoy it more fully.

ii.) His Power

A second promised blessing of the King to His people is His Power.

Zephaniah says He is “a mighty one who will save”.

This speaks of a warrior who is proven to be strong and successful in battle.

We see that the King is not some wimp who will cower on his throne.

Instead, He is depicted as a Valiant Warrior King, able to deliver His people from all their enemies.

F.B. Meyer comments,

“As God took the side of His people against their foes, and will do so again in the final struggle… so will He take our side against our sins. He has saved us from the penalty of sin. He will also save us from its power. Your foes may be numerous as the devils in hell, strong and wily; but He will save. Your temperament may be as susceptible to temptation as an aspen leaf is to the wind; but He will save. Your past years, by repeated acts of indulgence, may have formed habits strong as iron bands; but He will save. Your circumstances and companions may be most unfavorable to a life of victory; but He will save. Difficulties are nought to Him; the darkness shines as the day.”

When all hope seems lost because of the overwhelming force gathered against you, take heart, “the Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing in His wings” to deliver you by His power (Mal. 4:2).

iii.) His Praise

Another blessing promised by the King is His Praise.

“He will rejoice over you with gladness… He will exult over you with loud singing.”

What do you think God thinks about you?

Is He angry with you?

Disappointed in you?

Just waiting to drop the hammer on you?

Not according to Zephaniah, if you’re God’s child!

He loves and delights in His people!

Does it shock you to your core that God rejoices over you with gladness and actually sings loudly because of you?

We’re often told that the God of the Old Testament is some stern and super-serious God.

But this verse totally undoes all of that nonsensical thinking!

God rejoices in His people and promises to do so forever!

Isaiah, as we’ve read earlier, likens God to a bridegroom rejoicing over His people, who are His bride.

In some cultures, at a wedding the groom is so overjoyed by the sight of his bride that he will actually burst out into song, expressing his deepest love and affections for her.

How much more so does Christ rejoice over His bride the Church out of love and pleasure for Her?

We can hear echoes of His love song for us through the words of the Gospel.

Soon we will hear that song loud and clear as we are presented before Him at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.

iv.) His Peace

A fourth promised blessing from the King is His Peace.

“He will quiet you by His love”.

I like how another translation puts it, “He will be silent in His love”.

And another says, “He will renew you in His love.”

The idea is three-fold.

First, the Lord, like a Judge who has reached a verdict, will “rest His case” against us.

Since He has removed His judgments against us and drawn us near to Himself, no more will He condemn up for our sins.

Christ has made sure of this through His death.

Second, because of His love for us in Christ, He has renewed us and given us new life by His Spirit.

And third, as a result of Christ’s work on the cross and the Spirit’s work in our hearts, we as believers have become children of God.

No longer are we enemies at war, but members of His family who rest in peace and harmony with Him.

“Peace on earth and good will to men” is what Christ came to bring when He came that first Christmas.

“Peace I leave with you,” Jesus said nearing His crucifixion, “My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

And when He returns He will make this blessing flow all the more vibrantly when He reigns as the “Prince of Peace”.

v.) His Protection

Additionally, the LORD Himself speaks in Zephaniah 3:18 to the first half of verse 20 promising to bless His people with His Protection.

Zephaniah 3:18–20 (ESV)

18 I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,

so that you will no longer suffer reproach.

19 Behold, at that time I will deal

with all your oppressors.

And I will save the lame

and gather the outcast,

and I will change their shame into praise

and renown in all the earth.

20 At that time I will bring you in,

at the time when I gather you together;

Mark the language of protection in the LORD’s promise:

“I will gather. I will deal with all your oppressors. I will save the lame and gather the outcast. I will bring you in. I will gather you together.”

Two things I want to mention here.

Consider who is doing the protecting and who needs protection.

Over and over, the LORD emphasizes He will be the Protector.

He has a personal interest in the condition of His people.

There’s almost a subliminal imagery of shepherding here.

In Ezekiel, the LORD uses similar language saying:

Ezekiel 34:11–16 (ESV)

Ezekiel 34:11–16 ESV

11 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

The Lord is the Good Shepherd who will protect His sheep.

Already we have seen this loving Shepherd protect His sheep to such a degree that He laid down His own life for them and so holds them in His hand that none shall ever perish.

Consider also who needs this protection, according to the LORD’s words in Zephaniah.

Those who mourn and suffer reproach.

Those who are oppressed.

Those who are lame in need of saving and healing.

Those who are outcasts.

Those who are ashamed and humble.

Those who are of little account in the eyes of the world.

Those who are scattered and need shelter.

These are the sheep that the Shepherd King will protect in one arm while swinging His staff in the other to smite the ravenous wolves and thieves who have come to prey on the weak.

Are you weary and in need of rest?

Mourning and longing for comfort?

Feeling worthless and wonder if God sees and cares?

Weak and frail desiring strength?

Sinful and in need of a Savior?

Scattered and lonely seeking to belong?

Jesus Christ, the mighty warrior, the friend of sinners, the defender of the indefensible, the justifier of the unjust, welcomes you into His safe sheep pen called the Church!

This church, Taylorville Evangelical Free Church has doors that are wide open to welcome you with the love of Jesus this season.

It’s our desire to help you find the protection, peace, security, joy, and hope offered in the gospel.

It is our purpose, in fact, to point you to the only One who will keep you from all evil; the One who will keep your life; who has promised to keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Find eternal shelter and comfort from all sins and sorrows in the arms of the Shepherd King.

vi.) His Provision

Then, the sixth promised blessing of the King is His Provision.

The final words in the book of Zephaniah is the best news for all God’s people.

The book began with God declaring, “I will stretch out my hand against Judah”, but it ends with the LORD saying, “I will restore your fortunes before your eyes”.

Restore your fortunes is a Hebrew phrase that appears 20 some times throughout the Old Testament.

In every case, the LORD is the Subject, the One who restores fortunes, whether that be freedom from captivity, returning possessions, property, or renewing some fallen spiritual condition.

And the Objects of such restoration and provision are typically God’s own people, but in a few instances, other nations benefit from the LORD’s restoration as well.

This promise came through the words of Jeremiah to Judah:

Jeremiah 29:10–14 (ESV)

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you... plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope… 14 I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord...”

And James applies this same promise to the Gentiles quoting from Amos in Acts 15:

Acts 15:16–18 (ESV)

Acts 15:16–18 ESV

16 “ ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.’

But, lest we think this is only a blessing in the distant future consider Paul’s confidence in the Lord’s present provision saying,

Philippians 4:19 (ESV)

Philippians 4:19 ESV

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Needless to say, the Lord provides all we need for today, tomorrow, and forever in Jesus Christ.

What sweet promised blessings these are!

What a glorious King we have!

A King who is within us and will be with us all of our days.

A King who is mighty to save.

A King who loves, delights, and sings over us.

A King who brings perfect peace.

A King who protects and defends us.

A King who provides far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.

Conclusion

What are we to do about all of this?

How should we respond?

Zephaniah’s exhortation is quite appropriate:

Zephaniah 3:14 (ESV)

Zephaniah 3:14 ESV

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Be filled with joy and hope this season as you recall what Jesus Christ has accomplished by His grace for you.

Even now you can begin to experience victory because of what He has done in reversing the curse of sin through the cross and resurrection.

Even now you can begin to enjoy the blessings that flow from His love and faithfulness.

Rejoice that because of Christ’s perfect life and atoning death the Lord’s anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime.

Your weeping may tarry for the night, but there is hope because the King of Joy will come at the dawning of a New Day.

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