Right in the Middle

January 19, 2010 at 1:05 pm | Posted in Zephaniah | 5 Comments
Tags: God's ominpresence, King James Version, KJV, omnipresence of God, Sunday School lessons on Zephaniah, Zephaniah, Zephaniah 3

Don’t you just love the King James Version of the Bible? Okay, maybe you don’t, but you should. It is simply the best, most accurate, most God-honoring translation of God’s Holy Word for people who speak English, bar none. Let me encourage you to read it, meditate upon on it, and ask God to use it to speak to your heart.

Many of God’s Old Testament prophets were called by God to pronounce warnings, judgments, and even condemnation and wrath upon God’s people and upon the enemies of God’s people. However, these prophets consistently ended their prophecies with words of hope. The prophet Zephaniah was no exception. In Chapter 3 of the book that bears his name, he describes God’s workings in a place that the King James Bible translates as “in the midst.” Other Bible versions use words like “within” or “among,” but the phrase “in the midst” has a connotation of God not only being positionally in the middle of His people, but metaphorically and realistically in the middle of their troubles. God is not only omnipresent in the sense that His Spirit can be found everywhere in this universe, but He is also intimately acquainted with every trouble we are going through. Sometimes when we are in trouble, we speak of being “stuck in the middle.” God is not “stuck,” but in every difficulty of life, He is right there with you, “in the midst.”

Let’s look at a few of the actions of God as He operates “in the midst,” in Zephaniah Chapter 3:

Ruling in the midst is the Lord.

The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not…

Zephaniah 3:5

The Lord is such that, no matter how bad the trouble, He will never do wrong, or be unjust.

Removing the prideful from the midst, the Lord will not share His glory with anyone.

…I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

Zephaniah 3:11

Remaining in the midst by the Lord’s power will be the people who have put their trust in Him.

I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.

Zephaniah 3:12

Reigning as King in the midst shall be the Lord.

…the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

Zephaniah 3:15

His rule in the midst will not be temporary. He will reign for ever more.

Redeeming and Rejoicing in the midst, the Lord shall save His people right where they are, and He will be joyful, as is fitting and right, over His Own might.

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Previous posts on Zephaniah:
Don We Now Our Strange Apparel
Trouble at the Threshold

5 Comments »

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

[...] This is not just referring to the omniscience of God. It also refers to His faithfulness. He never forgets His promises or His people in their times of trouble. Zechariah was a prophet and a priest. Other notable Bible heroes who held both offices include [...]

Pingback by Where Are They Now? « The Deep End— March 3, 2010 #
[...] and seeking those who have broken God’s law. Imagine it coming into your home – into the midst of your home – and remaining there. The roll of God’s law brings conviction. Conviction leads [...]

Pingback by Night Visions Part 2 « The Deep End— March 18, 2010 #
[...] to people whom you love that they should or shouldn’t do certain things (such as use the King James Version of the Bible or come to church on Wednesday [...]

Pingback by Marriage and War « The Deep End— January 21, 2011 #
[...] King James Version is about the only version that has it right: “The mighty God.” At His glorious [...]

Pingback by High and Mighty « The Deep End— January 31, 2011 #
[...] some worldly battle plan. Nor did he try to compromise or negotiate. He took his stand “in the midst” of his field. Open to ambush from behind? Yes, he was. Subject to being surrounded? Sure. [...]

Pingback by Stand Your Ground « The Deep End— February 18, 2011 #

The Deep End