What s So Bad About Small?! Zechariah 4:10 (NKJV) For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth." Zechariah 4:10 (ESV) Whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth. Zechariah 4:10 (YLT) For who trampled on the day of small things, they have rejoiced, and seen the tin weight in the hand of Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of Jehovah. They are going to and fro in all the land. Zechariah 4:10 (NLT) Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel s hand. διοηι ηιρ εξοςδενωζεν ειρ ημεπαρ μικπαρ (LXX) s s s s (LXX) bagd, 277 treat with contempt Don t despise a small thing! A great work is beginning! Rejoicing is coming!
I. Small People Have a Big Place in the Bible! Deuteronomy 1:16-18 And I charged your judges at that time, Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him. 17 You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it. 18 And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do. Job 40:4 And the LORD said to Job: Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it. 3 Then Job answered the LORD and said: Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. 5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further. Psalm 115:13 He will bless those who fear the LORD, both the small and the great. Psalm 119:141 I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts. Amos 7:1-6 This is what the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning to sprout, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king s mowings. 2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, O Lord GOD, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? He is so small! 3 The LORD relented concerning this: It shall not be, said the LORD. 4 This is what the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. 5 Then I said, O Lord GOD, please cease! How can Jacob stand? He is so small! 6 The LORD relented concerning this: This also shall not be, said the Lord GOD.
Luke 19:3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. Big People Jeremiah 30:19 Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who celebrate. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be small. Application: Praise the LORD that He is mindful of our smallness. II. The Tongue is a Small but Poisonous Wildfire James 3:4-12 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and
salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. Application: Put your hand over your mouth; remember God will do it later (Romans 3:19). III. Grind your Sins Very Small Deut. 9:21 Then I took the sinful thing, the calf that you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust. And I threw the dust of it into the brook that ran down from the mountain. First Corinthians 5:1-2 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. Application: Take the sinful thing and burn it, crush it, grind it, throw it away! IV. Jesus Does Great Things with Small Supplies Matthew 15:34 And Jesus said to them, How many loaves do you have? They said, Seven, and a few small fish. Mark 12:42 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all
contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on. Application: Praise God that He accepts our small when it is our all! V. Creation is a Small Whisper of God s Ways Job 26:14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand? 1 Kings 19:9-12 (ESV) There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 10 He said, I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD. And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. [1] or, a sound, a thin silence Application: Praise God that the mightiest powers of creation are just a whisper of His ways!
VI. We Can Learn Much from Small, Weak Critters Proverbs 30:24 Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise ζοθωηεπα ηων ζοθων: 25 the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; 26 the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; 27 the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; 28 the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings palaces. Application: Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise (Prov. 6:6, esv). VII. All Sizes of Servants Will Praise the Lord! Revelation 19:5 And from the throne came a voice saying, Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great. Application: Fill your days with praise; draw near God and fear God. VIII. Setting a Clock Ahead One Hour is a Small Thing but You Can t Do It! Luke 12:22-32 And he said to his disciples, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the
world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Application: Consider the lilies and seek the Kingdom! Don t despise a small thing! A great work is beginning! Rejoicing is coming!