Monday after the Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 18, 2019 by under
Scripture: Zephaniah 3:9-20 (NKJV)
3:9 “For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language,
That they all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, the daughter of My dispersed ones, shall bring My offering.
11 In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds in which you transgress against Me; For then I will take away from your midst those who rejoice in your pride, and you shall no longer be haughty in My holy mountain.
12 I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness and speak no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; For they shall feed their flocks and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid.”
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak.
17 The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
18 “I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, who are among you, to whom its reproach is a burden.
19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame, and gather those who were driven out; I will appoint them for praise and fame in every land where they were put to shame.
20 At that time I will bring you back, even at the time I gather you; For I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I return your captives before your eyes,” says the Lord.
Devotion
Today’s text is best understood in light of yesterday’s Gospel lesson, the parable of the sheep and the goats. The Lord describes the separation of the faithful from the unbelievers and impenitent. The nations gathered, He will pour out His indignation and wrath on them. This is the eternal punishment the goats receive. The sheep, those who are meek and humble, trusting the Lord’s promised mercy, will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world.
The prophet then beautifully describes this kingdom. There will be no more unrighteousness, for they will be perfectly righteous. There will be no more lies and deceitful tongues, for the father of lies and deceit is judged. No one shall make them afraid, not even their consciences, for “In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds in which you transgress against me.” Why? “The Lord has taken away your judgments.” Without sin, God will only rejoice over us. “He has cast out your enemy.” The Devil will no longer harass us for our sins. Neither will our flesh entice us to sin, for we will have glorified bodies.
As we pray in this week’s Collect, may we live each day with this final judgment and promised kingdom in mind. Daily forsake your sin. Fight against temptation. Trust Christ’s promised mercy. Grow in good works and holiness.
We pray: O God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Thy Holy Spirit that, being ever mindful of the end of all things and the day of Thy just judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with Thee forever hereafter; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
