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Joy in Place of Fear
Question 1:
When have you said, “I’m glad that’s behind me”?
THE POINT
Fear will be a thing of the past in God’s eternal kingdom.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
I once ran a half-marathon with a friend. I don’t enjoy running, but I did like the thought of doing something that I had never done before. As I reviewed the training schedule, I saw that most of the runs seemed feasible. It was the ten-mile run a few weeks before the race that unnerved me. I was scared that I would not be able to finish and afraid that I might get hurt.
On the day of the ten-mile run, my body ached all over. I wanted to stop, but my feet kept moving. When I finished, I just sat in my car with the seat leaned back because everything hurt. When I got home, the struggle of running was replaced with rest and the joy of eating with my family.
We have days when we want to give up. But there is an end in sight. We have a reason for hope because one day we will rest and enjoy the table prepared for us by Jesus. The prophet Zephaniah reminds us that fear will be a thing of the past in the eternal kingdom of God.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Zephaniah 3:9-13
9 For I will then restore pure speech to the peoples so that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him with a single purpose. 10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my supplicants, my dispersed people, will bring an offering to me. 11 On that day you will not be put to shame because of everything you have done in rebelling against me. For then I will remove from among you your jubilant, arrogant people, and you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain. 12 I will leave a meek and humble people among you, and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord. 13 The remnant of Israel will no longer do wrong or tell lies; a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will pasture and lie down, with nothing to make them afraid.
During the seventh century BC, when Josiah was king over Judah, Zephaniah came on the scene as a prophet. King Josiah’s father and grandfather were evil kings. They encouraged the people to chase after idols and false gods, yet when Josiah took the throne, he desired to turn the people’s hearts back to the one true God, Yahweh. It is likely that Zephaniah’s prophecies of warning, punishment, and restoration were spoken before the reforms of King Josiah had taken root.
Throughout the book of Zephaniah, the prophet spoke of God’s anger and judgment against Judah, the other nations, and the city of Jerusalem. The people were guilty of chasing after other gods, and judgment was due. But the tone of Zephaniah’s prophecy makes a major shift beginning with 3:9. The refining fire of righteous anger would lead to the purification of the land and the people. In verses 1-8, Zephaniah spoke about Jerusalem, but these words of restoration included all the world’s people. God’s desire is that “all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him with a single purpose” (v. 9).
Question 2:
Whom do you know who models a life of humility?
Verses 11-13 give us a glimpse of what the refinement of God will yield. Shame for our past actions will be removed, as well as arrogance. It will produce a humble not a proud people. God’s people will be established as those who understand who is on the throne, and they will walk accordingly in this truth. They “will no longer do wrong,” doing what is right as they see the King who is righteous. They will not “tell lies” nor have “a deceitful tongue” for they will live with and serve the God of truth (see Heb. 6:18).
Especially inviting is the image that “they will pasture and lie down, with nothing to make them afraid” (v. 13). Sheep will not relax if they are afraid, and they will not eat if they feel threatened. Yet here are God’s people—His sheep—who have had their fill and are contentedly resting. They can do this because they are resting in the presence of their Shepherd.
Note who this future kingdom applies to: “I will leave a meek and humble people among you, and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord” (v. 12). The Hebrew word for “meek” refers to those who are poor and weak, and “humble” refers to those who are in need and physically afflicted. There is no pride or arrogance among them because they know there is nothing in them.
In this refining process, God will remove fear from those who humble themselves before Him. When we bow to the right One, we do not need to fear lesser things. God sits on His throne and all fear will ultimately be removed.
Zephaniah 3:14-17
14 Sing for joy, Daughter Zion; shout loudly, Israel! Be glad and celebrate with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has removed your punishment; he has turned back your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is among you; you need no longer fear harm. 16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, do not let your hands grow weak. 17 The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in his love. He will delight in you with singing.”
The picture of restoration in God’s kingdom is great and compels us to worship. Zephaniah calls us to worship with several imperatives:
- Sing for joy. Throughout history, people have been drawn to songs as a way to express their emotions from love to sadness. And the joy we receive because of what God has done for us certainly calls for a joyful expression in song.
- Shout loudly. This needs no explanation to the sports fan. When our team is winning, we get excited and we shout. A game is just a game, though, but when we “win” in life because Christ has won the victory for us, we certainly have cause to shout—and to shout loudly.
- Be glad and celebrate. The Hebrew phrasing reflects extreme happiness that we express in some outward form, and we are to do this “with all your heart.”
In verse 15, Zephaniah reminded us why we should be joyous.
- Our punishment is removed. We see this ultimately played out by what Jesus did on the cross on our behalf.
- Our enemy is turned back. In the immediate historical context, it is not clear which enemy Israel was facing, but now because of Christ, no enemy will stand.
- The Lord is with us. Sin keeps us from a relationship with God, but since Christ has dealt with our sin problem, we can stand before God free, forgiven, and unashamed.
- Our fear is removed. And when the sovereign, all-powerful Lord of the universe is standing at our side, we have absolutely nothing to fear in God’s presence.
As we see in verse 17, our God is a mighty warrior, but He delights in us! To think that Almighty God would sing over a people who rejected Him is mind-boggling. Yet, that is precisely what He does.
Question 3:
When has God’s presence helped you stand through fear?
Zephaniah 3:18-20
18 I will gather those who have been driven from the appointed festivals; they will be a tribute from you and a reproach on her. 19 Yes, at that time I will deal with all who oppress you. I will save the lame and gather the outcasts; I will make those who were disgraced throughout the earth receive praise and fame. 20 At that time I will bring you back, yes, at the time I will gather you. I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes. The Lord has spoken.
Recently my family moved into a renovated home. When I say renovated, I mean the contractors took it down to just the studs and framing. When we first looked at the home, there was little appeal, but we didn’t base our opinion of the house on what we saw in its current state. We based it on what was to come. Each week the house changed, and the more the men worked, the more it resembled what was foretold. Then the day came when it was fully restored and we moved in.
Zephaniah spoke of a far greater restoration, one that will come with God’s eternal kingdom. God wanted them to see that in the future all reasons for judgment would be removed and those who experienced the burden of sin and reproach would find relief. We can get frustrated with all the hassles of life we face, and fears and frustrations might frequently rise. During my home’s renovation, I faced such feelings, but I knew not to give up. One day it would be completed, and we could take up residence. We need to have the same mindset as followers of Christ. Regardless of whatever fears and frustrations we face, we can endure, knowing that one day it will all be over and behind us. In the meantime, let’s not lose heart on the journey.
Question 4:
How have you seen God bring joy in place of fear?
In verse 20, God spoke through Zephaniah to remind us that He is faithful to complete what He has begun. Paul affirmed this truth: “I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). We do not have to fear because God keeps His promises. He always has and He always will. We will be fully restored, and fear will be no more because of the goodness of our King.
Question 5:
With all these promises from God, why do we still struggle with fear?
MY JOURNEY
On the timeline below, mark places where you experienced fear (the numbers represent ages). Below each one, describe the joy or hope that helped you overcome the fear if that’s what happened. Then offer a prayer of thanks and praise to God.
My Prayer:
“All joy emphasizes our pilgrim status; always reminds, beckons, awakens desire. Our best havings are wantings.”
C. S. LEWIS
LIVE IT OUT
Fear will be a thing of the past in God’s eternal kingdom. How will you live out this truth and choose joy over fear? Choose one of the following applications:
Give Thanks. Reflect on Zephaniah 3 and Revelation 21–22. Thank God for the ways His heavenly kingdom will be unlike our current world.
Memorize. As a reminder of the joy we have in Christ, memorize Psalm 16:11: “You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.”
Witness. Share the gospel with someone. We are surrounded by those who don’t have the assurance of a joy-filled future in Christ. Ask God to reveal to you who that person is and pray for the opportunity to share Christ’s love and what He has done for him or her.
In many ways, life is much like a marathon. There’s a lot of training and much pain in the journey. But there’s also a sense of joy along the path and certainly in the destination if we choose to live that way instead of being governed by fear.
Teacher Notes:
We all feel pressure — and in this life, we all
suffer. But as Christians, we have hope of the greatest victory possible to get
us through whatever we go through. Suffering, fear, pressure, exhaustion, pain —
it will all be a thing of the past when we get to Heaven. Our lives with the
Lord will be perfect and full of joy! As we watch people achieve great — but
temporary — victories on this earth, let those temporary victories remind us of
the ultimate victory we have in the Lord, and bring joy into our hearts. May we
never forget the hope we have in the life to come.
The prophet Zephaniah reminds us that fear
will be a thing of the past in the eternal kingdom of God.
Zephaniah 3:9-13
For I will then restore pure speech to the
peoples so that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him with
a single purpose. From beyond the rivers of Cush my supplicants, my dispersed
people, will bring an offering to me. On that day you will not be put to shame
because of everything you have done in rebelling against me. For then I will
remove from among you your jubilant, arrogant people, and you will never again
be haughty on my holy mountain. I will leave a meek and humble people among
you, and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel
will no longer do wrong or tell lies; a deceitful tongue will not be found in
their mouths. They will pasture and lie down, with nothing to make them afraid.
Timeline:
During the seventh century BC, when Josiah was
king over Judah, Zephaniah came on the scene as a prophet. King Josiah’s father
and grandfather were evil kings. They encouraged the people to chase after
idols and false gods, yet when Josiah took the throne, he desired to turn the
people’s hearts back to the one true God, Yahweh.
Throughout the book of Zephaniah, the prophet
spoke of God’s anger and judgment against Judah, the other nations, and the
city of Jerusalem.
1. The day of wrath (1:1 – 3:7)
2. The day of hope
(3:8 – 20)
Zephaniah warned the people of Judah that if
they refused to repent, the entire nation, including the city of Jerusalem,
would be lost.
Billy Graham: ‘My Heart Aches for America’
By Billy Graham
July 19, 2012
Some years ago, my wife, Ruth, was reading the
draft of a book I was writing. When she finished a section describing the
terrible downward spiral of our nation’s moral standards and the idolatry of
worshiping false gods such as technology and sex, she startled me by
exclaiming, “If God doesn’t punish America,
He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”
She was probably thinking of a passage in
Ezekiel where God tells why He brought those cities to ruin. “Now this was the
sin of … Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned;
they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable
things before me. Therefore, I did away with them as you have seen” (Ezekiel
16:49–50, NIV).
I wonder what Ruth would think of America if
she were alive today. In the years since she made that remark, millions of
babies have been aborted and our nation seems largely unconcerned.
Self-centered indulgence, pride, and a lack of shame over sin are now emblems
of the American lifestyle.
Just a few weeks ago in a prominent city in the
South, Christian chaplains who serve the police department were ordered to no
longer mention the Name of Jesus in prayer. It was reported that during a
recent police-sponsored event, the only person allowed to pray was someone who
addressed “the being in the room.” Similar scenarios are now commonplace in
towns across America. Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending
anyone — except God.
Yet the farther we get from God, the more the
world spirals out of control.
My heart aches for America and its deceived
people. The wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds
to repentance. In Jonah’s day, Nineveh was the lone world superpower — wealthy,
unconcerned, and self-centered. When the Prophet Jonah finally traveled to
Nineveh and proclaimed God’s warning, people heard and repented.
I believe the same thing can happen once again,
this time in our nation. It’s something I long for.
All this year Franklin and his son Will are preaching
“repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21, ESV) at
Crusade events across North America — from Texas to Canada — and God has
blessed the work. Already tens of thousands have heard the Gospel, and many
have responded, especially young people.
May God bless you,
Billy Graham
What kind of people will make up the remnant of
the faithful?
God takes away fear from those who humble
themselves before Him.
In this refining process, God will remove fear
from those who humble themselves before Him. When we bow to the right One, we
do not need to fear lesser things. God sits on His throne and all fear will
ultimately be removed.
Zephaniah 3:14-17
Sing for joy, Daughter Zion; shout loudly,
Israel! Be glad and celebrate with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has removed your punishment; he has
turned back your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is among you; you need no
longer fear harm. On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion,
do not let your hands grow weak. The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who
saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in his love. He
will delight in you with singing.”
What are some reasons for singing and
rejoicing?
The picture of restoration in God’s kingdom is
great and compels us to worship:
· Sing for joy.
· Shout loudly.
· Be glad and celebrate.
Zephaniah reminded us why we should be joyous:
· Our punishment is removed. We see this ultimately played out by what
Jesus did on the cross on our behalf.
· Our enemy is turned back. In the immediate historical context, it is not
clear which enemy Israel was facing, but now because of Christ, no enemy will
stand.
· The Lord is with us. Sin keeps us from a relationship with God, but
since Christ has dealt with our sin problem, we can stand before God free,
forgiven, and unashamed.
· Our fear is removed. And when the sovereign, all-powerful Lord of
the universe is standing at our side, we have absolutely nothing to fear in
God’s presence.
As we see in verse 17, our God is a mighty
warrior, but He delights in us! To think that Almighty God would sing over a
people who rejected Him is mind-boggling. Yet, that is precisely what He does.
God’s presence delivers His people through all
harm.
Zephaniah 3:18-20
I will gather those who have been driven from
the appointed festivals; they will be a tribute from you and a reproach on her.
Yes, at that time I will deal with all who oppress you. I will save the lame
and gather the outcasts; I will make those who were disgraced throughout the
earth receive praise and fame. At that time I will bring you back, yes, at the
time I will gather you. I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples
of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes. The Lord has spoken.
Regardless of whatever fears and frustrations
we face, we can endure, knowing that one day it will all be over and behind us.
In the meantime, let’s not lose heart on the journey.
In verse 20, God spoke through Zephaniah to remind us that He is faithful
to complete what He has begun. Paul affirmed this truth: “I am sure of this,
that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the
day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). We do not have to fear because God keeps His
promises. He always has and He always will. We will be fully restored, and fear
will be no more because of the goodness of our King.
We will be eternally restored in God’s eternal
kingdom.
With all these promises from God, why do we
still struggle with fear?
Conclusion
At this writing, the world is recovering from
the turmoil of a viral pandemic and staring at the evil attacks of a
power-hungry dictator on a sovereign nation, even at the cost of millions of
innocent people. Because of that — and no doubt other reasons — we are feeling
the effects of rising prices, the threat of economic upheaval. Most peaceful
nations of the world have denounced the invasion. Even so, many in all parts of
the world are facing the fear of where this could lead. We pray for peace and
repentance that will restore international civility. We look for the judgment
of God on the wicked.
The truths of this lesson are most relevant
today. We need the comfort of knowing that God can remove fear from those who
humble themselves before Him. Will we? God is present and can deliver His
people through all harm. Do we believe it? And finally, no matter what happens,
eternal restoration in the eternal kingdom of God is our hope. Will we claim
it?
Why was Israel divided into the
Southern Kingdom and Northern Kingdom?
Throughout their history in the Promised Land,
the children of Israel struggled with conflict among the tribes. The disunity went back all the way to the patriarch
Jacob, who presided over a house divided. The sons of Leah and the sons of Rachel had their share of contention even in Jacob’s
lifetime (Genesis 37:1-11).
The enmity among the half-brothers continued in
the time of the judges. Benjamin (one of Rachel’s tribes) took up arms against
the other tribes (Judges 20). Israel’s first king, Saul, was of the tribe of
Benjamin. When David was crowned king — David
was from the tribe of Judah (one of
Leah’s tribes) — the Benjamites rebelled (2 Samuel 2–3). After a long war (2
Samuel 3:1), David succeeded in uniting all
twelve tribes (5:1-5).
The frailty of the union was exposed, however,
when David’s son Absalom promoted himself as the new king and drew many
Israelites away from their allegiance to David (2 Samuel 15). Significantly,
Absalom set up his throne in Hebron, the site of the former capital (v. 10). A
later revolt was led by a man named Sheba against David and the tribe of Judah
(20:1-2).
The reign of David’s son Solomon saw more unrest when one of the king’s servants, Jeroboam,
rebelled. Jeroboam was on the king’s errand when he met the prophet Ahijah, who
told him that God was going to give him authority over ten of the twelve tribes
of Israel. God’s reason for the division of the kingdom was definitive:
“Because they have forsaken me . . . and have not walked in my ways.” However,
God promised that David’s dynasty would continue, albeit over a much smaller
kingdom, for the sake of God’s covenant with David and for the sake of
Jerusalem, God’s chosen city. When Solomon learned of the prophecy, he sought
to kill Jeroboam, who fled to Egypt for sanctuary (1 Kings 11:26-40).
After Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam
was set to become the next king. Jeroboam returned from Egypt and led a group
of people to confront Rehoboam with a demand for a lighter tax burden. When
Rehoboam refused the demand, ten of the
tribes rejected Rehoboam and David’s dynasty (1 Kings 12:16), and Ahijah’s prophecy was fulfilled. Only Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to King
Rehoboam. The northern tribes crowned Jeroboam as their
king. Rehoboam made plans to mount an assault on the rebel tribes, but the Lord
prevented him from taking that action (vv. 21-24). Meanwhile, Jeroboam further
consolidated his power by instituting a form of calf worship unique to his
kingdom and declaring that pilgrimages to Jerusalem were unnecessary. Thus, the
people of the northern tribes would have no contact with the tribes of Judah
and Benjamin.
“So
Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day” (1 Kings 12:19). The northern kingdom is
called “Israel” (or sometimes “Ephraim”) in Scripture, and the southern kingdom
is called “Judah.” From the divine
viewpoint, the division was a judgment on not keeping God’s commands,
specifically the commands prohibiting idolatry. From a human
viewpoint, the division was the result of tribal discord and political unrest. The principle is that sin brings division (1
Corinthians 1:13, 11:18; James 4:1).
The good news is that God, in His mercy, has promised a reuniting of the
northern and southern kingdoms. “He will
raise a banner for the nations / and gather the exiles of Israel; / he will
assemble the scattered people of Judah / from the four quarters of the earth. /
Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish, / and Judah’s enemies will be destroyed; /
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, / nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim”
(Isaiah 11:12-13). When the Prince of Peace—Jesus Christ—reigns in His
millennial kingdom, all hostility, jealousy, and conflict among the tribes will
be put to rest.
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