"A PRESENT DAY CONCERN" (Pastor Tom Henry) ~ 11/11/25

“I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.” (Zephaniah 3:18)

One might feel as if the text was written for the present day. If the Lord had fixed His eyes on the condition of the Church just now and had written this passage for this generation of Christians, it could scarcely have been better suited. It was written to encourage the faithful remnant of captive Israel, who were sorrowful and burdened for the reproach that had fallen upon the solemn assemblies. Surely there must be in the Church today those who bear such a burden for her assemblies.

These sacred gatherings had been Israel’s glory from the beginning. The dying patriarch had prophesied, “unto him (Shiloh) shall the gathering of the people be.” (Gen. 49:10) There they gathered for their solemn feast days and holy days at first. Later Jerusalem became the capitol city and the center of worship. To the faithful these were joyous celebrations. (Ps. 122:1) When David was in exile, he lamented this deprival more than anything else. “When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with the multitude that kept holyday.” (Ps. 42:4) But these assemblies had become disgraceful. We read of numerous abominations fostered by wicked rulers - how they changed the very furnishings that were of God’s own design and order; and how they incorporated various forms of idolatry into the worship of Jehovah.

It is cause for mourning when our Church assemblies are thus compromised. It is grievous when the Gospel light is dimmed by error - when for doctrine the imaginations of men are preached, when instead of Divine Revelation we have philosophy, falsely so called, or when the Gospel is become a thing of progress, amended to suit the times.

It is grievous to see a lifeless indifference creeping into our assemblies, when our churches begin to bear a strong resemblance to the church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-17) How painful it is to watch the vitality of true religion despised, and the prayer meeting neglected. This is to be expected in places where the Gospel light is dimmed with error, but what accounts for the lukewarmness in our assemblies where the old Gospel is preached, and the whole counsel of God is declared?

There is reason for lamentation when worldly conformity is spreading through the Church. Jeremiah wept and cried, “How is the gold become dim?” When there is no longer a clear distinction between the Church and the world, we have reason to weep. We need not be surprised when such is the product of the so called “Hyper Grace” movement, which may as well call itself the “Let us sin that grace may abound” movement. We, to such a proposition, would say with the Apostle Paul, “God forbid.” We preach that “the grace of God which bringeth salvation… teaches us (the very opposite of that) that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.” Therefore, we are the more grieved when we see our gold become dimmed through worldliness.

It appears from the text that the Lord saw that there were some (a remnant) who were greatly burdened over this woeful reproach. God never loses sight of His true people. He comforted them before by assuring that, even in their captive situation, He would be to them “a little sanctuary.” (Ezek. 11:16) They were not like those who despised the solemn assemblies. They loved the Lord, and they longed to worship Him in spirit and in truth. They knew what an affront it was when those who were called by His name were compromising sacred institutions and ordinances that were established for His honor.

What about you, Christian? Are you what your name professes? Do you love the Lord and His Church? Do you love the sacred assemblies of the Body of Christ? Does it grieve your soul when you look around and see folks who claim to be the Lord’s bringing reproach upon the assembly with their false beliefs, or their indifference, or their worldly spirit and attitude?

Let us be as this faithful remnant. They loved the Lord, and the assembly, and were jealous for it. The Lord loved them and comforted them with rich promises. Hear His gracious words to them: “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. He will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly.”