August 25, 2016 | Supplicants

“My supplicants, My dispersed people,

will bring an offering to Me.” [Zephaniah 3:10 ESV]
Working through Zephaniah 3, one comes across an interesting word choice in verse 10. God describes the people who in His later kingdom will gather to worship and enjoy Him, calling them the Hebrew term עֲתָרַ [atara]. In English, it’s most often translated “worshippers” or “supplicants.” The etymology is from incense burned volitionally; thus atara has to do with a willing sacrifice. These are people who want to worship the Lord.
David Wade, valued member of my pulpit team, wrote me a great note as I was wrestling through the meaning and impact of atara in verse 10:
Reading about the Beatitudes in Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, the author [Ken Bailey] speaks of the Chaldeans as proud and arrogant, saying their justice and dignity proceeded from themselves. They were full of themselves and, in their minds, needed nothing else; whereas the humble and meek before God know that their justice and dignity proceed from Him. They are supplicants. They know that they are nothing without Him.
That’s a key to real worship – both in the millennial kingdom and now. One must know that we are nothing without the Triune God. Accepting that, we can revel in God’s acceptance of us through Jesus. We become willing worshippers, supplicants, in everything we do.
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