“The
LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of
Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any
more” – Zephaniah 3:15
God`s promises are
unchanging on this earth as well as in heaven.
Children of Israel experienced this promise literally and we are going
to experience it in heaven too, but now we have to experience these promises
spiritually. These are spoken to the
people of Jerusalem and Zion, when He showed compassion upon them and gathered
them, this promise got fulfilled in their life.
Therefore, these are applicable for the spiritual Jerusalem and Zion as
well as heavenly Jerusalem and Zion.
Tabernacle of God will be in their midst and He will be their God and
they will be His people (Rev.21:3; 2 Cor.6:15-16). Therefore this promise was fulfilled upon the
children of Israel when He showed compassion upon them and gathered once again
to Jerusalem.
Therefore, it is
necessary to see how this promise can be fulfilled in our life
spiritually. There are four promises in
the above verse, and we will see last two points –
- The LORD hath taken away thy judgments
- He hath cast out thine enemy
- The king of Israel is in the midst of thee
- Thou shalt not see evil any more.
Thou shalt not see
evil any more – “EVIL” means sin, sickness,
pain, famine, death, sword, besiege of the city by enemy, losses, etc. But for the New Testament people of God, evil
means entire “defeat”. It does not mean
that a child of God should not have sickness, famine, death, reproach, losses,
sword, etc. but in all such occasions, God shall command victory. People should not see the evil but always see
as victors. Jesus overcame all these and
became victor and He will help us to become victor if we trust in Him. He has kept victory for His people. Our God is not an ordinary person or a beggar
or weak, but He is the Creator of the whole universe, Mighty and King over His people. He is in our life, in our houses, in our work
place, in our colleges and schools, and in our ministries to give victory.
When God is in our
midst, what all things happen?
a)
God walk in the midst of the camp in
order to deliver or save us – Salvation or deliverance got different
stages. When we believe and accept Jesus
Christ as our personal saviour, we receive the salvation. There are different stages of salvation;
saved, being saved and will be saved. We
are awaiting for the final salvation, which is the redemption of our body. In original Greek word “sozo” is used for
salvation which means perfect salvation.
Christ is able to save us to the uttermost (Heb.7:25).
b)
He shall give up your enemies in your
hand (Deu.23:14). He will not destroy
them, but surrender to our hands and we should destroy them. Who are those enemies? While children of Israel went out to inherit
their promised land, they had to subdue seven nations and 31 kings (Deu.7:1;
Josh.12:8-24). The seven nations are
Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and
Jebusites. Thirty one kings are – King
of Jericho, king of Ai, king of Jerusalem, king of hebron, king of Jarmuth,
kingdom of Lachish, king of Eglon, king of Gezer, king of Debir, king of Geder,
king of Hormah, king of Arad, king of Libnah, king of Adullam, king of
Mekkedah, king of Bethel, king of Tappuah, king of Hepher, king of Aphek, king
of Lasharon, king of Madon, king of Hazor, king of shimron meron, king of
Akshaph, king of Taanach, king of Megiddo, king of Kedesh, king of Jokneam,
king of Dor, king of Goyim and the king of Tirzah. Children of Israel had to fight against these
nations and kings and got victory step by step.
In our life, spiritually these are the evil characters in us, and we
should find them out and bring them under our control. They had to go through the giants but in
Egypt they had no experience of fighting.
It was the will of God that they should practice battle in order to get victory
over their enemies.
c)
He will take sickness away from our
midst (Exo.23:25). He shall bless our
bread and our water. It is not that
sickness will not come to the people of God.
He is our healer (Exo.15:26; Psa.103:2,3). You should pray and eat. When God bless our bread and water, Son Jesus
Christ forbids sickness from us. When we
are sick Triune God cannot take rest in heaven, they come down and work for
us. He removes the sick-bed from us. People of God forbid Him and His angels, and
go to hospitals. If God is in your
house, at the time of sickness also He will be with you.
d)
Your spoil shall be divided in the midst
of you. “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in
the midst of thee” (Zech.14:1).
Satan might have taken away many of your valuable things received from
God; your gifts, talents, prayer life, holy life, faith life, victorious life,
and so on. He is a strong man armed and
keep his palace, and his goods are in safe, but when a stronger than he shall
come upon him and overcome him, he take from him all his armour wherein he
trusted and take back the spoils (Luk.11:21,22). When God is in our midst, He
will help you to get back all the spoils taken away by Satan.
e)
When God is in our mist, He will
preserve a small group of afflicted and poor, so that they must trust in His
name (Zeph.3:12). Least or afflicted
speaks the servants of God (Mat.25:45) and what all you do for them, you do it
unto God. Poor means poor in the spirit,
and theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mat. 5:3).
As having possessing all things, yet possessing nothing. David gathered silver and gold but he gave it
to the work of the Lord. They have all
things, but don`t experience them. This
is the quality of a believer. However,
about the servants of God we read that “poor, yet making many rich; as having
nothing, and yet possessing all things (2 Cor.6:10).
Let us renew our
spiritual life, arise from the sleep and fill us with the power of the Holy
Spirit. However, for God to dwell in our
midst we should be careful. Our camp
should be holy (Deu.23:14). Put away all
evil from your midst (Deu.13:5), put away cruse from your midst (Josh.7:3),
fulfill the vow in the midst of Jerusalem, take away the yoke, the putting
forth of the finger and speaking vanity (Isa.58:9). Don`t allow any strange love or human love
upon your neck, do not be a salve to anybody.
When you put forth a finger towards someone your three fingers are
putting back to yourself. No vain talk,
jesting, etc. in our mouth. Each words
of our mouth is monitored in heaven.
Heaven is built by our words of faith, words of encouragement, words of
grace, etc. but by our vain words, boasting words, jesting words hell is built
up for you. Gates of hell cannot prevail
over His church. Cursed things should
not be in thy dwelling place. You make
vow and fulfill it in the midst of Jerusalem.
Don`1t make vow in one place and fulfill it in another place.
When we do all these
things, God will be in our midst. When
He comes we will be caught up with Him in the mid-air.
Christ is coming
soon. Let us prepare to meet Him.
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